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We are under way in Bradenton with everyone who wants getting one shakedown run this morning before we get into qualifying at noon. The weather is partly cloudy and windy today from Hurricane Sandy off the coast with the forecast predicting the wind will calm down towards tonight.
Special thanks to our event coverage presenting sponsor Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels. Check out Mickey Thompson for all your high performance racing and street wheel and tire needs!
Tony Jarvis hails from Massachusetts run this 66 Mustang in 6.50 Index with a stroked 331 ci SBF built by Ray Knight pushing right around 600 horsepower. Tony winters here in Florida to get some southern style relaxation and racing away from the snow and ice.
Local racer Jimmy Stoupas recently replaced the Sonny's 740 with a 785 ci bullet from Buck Racing Engines into the Nikos Racing Pro Mod Firebird. The first hits on the new setup were yesterday so they are working things out with the more powerful engine.
Bill Futch here pictured with his wife Kathy in front of his former OL 10.5 Camaro now owned and driven by Candido Sanchez. The south Florida based team includes Limited Street/Drag Radial racer Mel Nelson, who Bill is driving for this weekend after Mel broke his wrist.
I stopped by the Stavrinos pit this morning to grab a couple of shots on Kris Nelson's Halo nitrous system. It feeds nitrous and fuel directly down the runners from the outside.
There is some friendly wagering going on today with Chris Mendola set to race Doug Horween during qualifying for $500 a hit. Mendola is ready with cash in hand, word is Horween is on his way up from south Florida.
ROUND ONE QUALIFYING RESULTS
Sean Ashe leads X275 qualifying with a 4.85 @ 144. Walt Drakeford, Troy Pirez Sr., Eric Kenward and Justin Swanstrom (aka Lil Country) round out the top five. Combos in order are F1R, SB nitrous, BB nitrous with Kenward and Swanstrom also running small block nitrous combos.
Josh Klugger leads off with a 4.43 @ 181 for number one spot in Limited Street so far. Will Stevenson's 4.51@ 168 is the next quickest in class after one round.
Brian Marrow brought his leaf spring equipped Procharged Camaro up from Ft. Lauderdale for some Limited Street action qualifying fifth running a 4.79 @ 160 MPH.
Rob Briscoe's 4.63 @ 156 was good enough for bragging rights on Outlaw 632 after round one qualifying is in the books. Rodney Campbell is next up with a 4.70 @ 154, thwo of the quicker cars in class here recently at Bradenton.
Shakedown at E Town OL 10.5 winner Rob Wells' Ford Speed Racing twin turbo Mustang is based in Pinellas Pak, Florida. he ripped off a nice 4.18 @ 188 for number one in Outlaw 10.5 so far. Candido Sanchez is next with a 4.25 @ 177.
Number three of twelve cars is Billy Glidden running clean 4.27 @ 166 with his 396 cubic inch small block Ford.
Robert Mathis has been running consistent three second runs so far this weekend. He leads the Pro Mod field with a 3.96 @ 192.
Adam Flamholc sits in third with a straight 4.12 @ 182, a tenth behind Mike Stavrinos' 4.02 @ 182.
Tom Wirth is on point in Open Outlaw with a 3.79 @ 186 MPH. Hamstra's 197 MPH blast was high for the round.
Mark McElwee was one of several racers having trouble getting tire speed up in the first session. he pedaled his way to third spot with a 3.85 @ 190 MPH.
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ROUND TWO QUALIFYING RESULTS
Troy Pirez Sr. jumped up to number one in X275 with a 4.81 @ 149. Swanstrom got bumped one down after Eugene Rodriguez put up a 5.11 @ 136.
Mike Schmidt improved his position to second with a 4.66 @ 156 while matched up with number one Briscoe who did not improve.
Flamholc improved by a good margin into second spot in Outlaw Pro Mod with a fine 3.96 @ 189 in his blown Camaro.
Doug Horween made a big jump on his second qualifier to fifth with a 4.14 @ 181 driving through a bit of shake going past the 60' clocks. Horween has a screw blown Olds under and over the hood of his 63 Vette.
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FINAL QUALIFYING RESULTS
Troy Fredrickson made a big improvement in the final session from a 5.22 to a 4.95 @ 142 to take over fourth position in X275. Justin Swanstrom and Eugene Rodriguez also improved getting into the 5.0's and pushing Eric Kenward down to down to seventh.
This is the race debut for Shaun Stoger's 73 Maverick in X275. It's powered by a small block Ford on bottle.
Seminole, Florida racer Mark Mahowski rode out a wheelstand to a 5.48 @ 128 landing 14th in the field.
Heads up Madness points leader Josh Klugger bested the Limited Street field with a 4.369 @ 185. Several cars improved position in the final session tonight with Bill Futch running 4.52, good for third on the ladder. Another stellar run goes to Bryan Marrow who laid down a 4.565 @ 166 in his Procharged 79 Camaro.
Will Stevenson got a new personal best today with a 4.462 @ 168 MPH keeping his number two spot in the Limited Street field.
Rob Wells improved every run today in Outlaw 10.5 laying down a 4.154 on his last run, bettering the 4.164 from the previous session.
Candido Sanchez was also running well today with a best run of 4.239 @ 178, good for third, just behind Billy Glidden in Outlaw 10.5.
Robert Mathis (far lane) is a good margin ahead of the field in Outlaw Pro Mod with a 3.866 @ 186. Stavrinos (near lane) nudged in to three second zone today running a 3.988 @ 185 in the final session with his Nelson Competition powered Camaro.
John Vergotz jumped in the thick of things on his final run with a 4.08 @ 172 putting his nitrous assisted Camaro into fourth position just ahead of "Fast Frank" Cersosimo's improved 4.11.
Chris Mendola struggled a bit today with his Bob Newberry tuned Camaro but they got is right for the final session with a 4.19 @180 landing eighth in the Pro Mod field. Laxahatchee, Florida racer Doug Horween got down with a 4.14 in the second session with his 63 Corvette but fell to sixth due to Vergotz' improvement in the final session.
Mark McElwee moved to second in in final qualifying round with a 3.79 flat @ 196 bumping Hamstra to third. Tom Wirth improved his ET to a 3.75 @ 191 keeping his top qualified position in Open Outlaw.
After qualifying was done many of the racers joined in for the Micky Thompson sponsored racer appreciation BBQ cooked up by Nirtous Mike with a helping hand from friends and family serving it all up.
