Network
It’s day two here at No Mercy VI and again today we have overcast skies keeping air and track temps down making for some good track conditions with a density altitude of 1260 feet at 11 AM this morning. We are still in round one qualifying in the No Time Quick 8 with Nitrous X and the N/T Small Block class left this session. As always, a huge thanks to the presenting sponsor, Comp Cams, who make it all possible.
I stopped by Chris Tuten pit this morning and he is happy with the weather and scored a personal best 60′ this morning but drifted out of the groove down track and clicked it off. He thinks he has enough data on to step it up and is looking for 4.20’s this weekend.
Don Lamana and the Pro Fab Performance Plus crew are here running X275 this weekend running a 4.82 at 151 in last nights qualifying session. He had to pedal it to set the front end down and will be looking for 4.60’s this weekend. Pro Fab has several of their external transmission coolers on display and for sale of course. Lamana took some time off for some changes include some new doors from Feather Carbon and and freshen up the Pro Line Racing small block Ford.
Tommy Kirk from Mac Fab has his Blue Goose running Leaf Spring but was fighting a boost leak yesterday. They traced the issue this morning to the v-band on the throttle body. Power comes from a Harrel Engine Dyno 18 degree small block Chevy boosted by an F1-X Procharger. The front end and various suspension components are from Smith Racecraft via Rhodes Custom Auto. Lyle Barnett used to drive this car so his health is on the minds of Tommy and the crew. The latest this morning was Lyle flown to Augusta for specialized care in their burn unit and he has suffered burns to his hands and face as well as issues from inhalation and has been placed in an induced coma to reduce discomfort and pain from the burns and the doctors have started skin graft surgery this morning. We all wish the best for Lyle and a speedy recovery.
Chris Daniels made a runner up finish here in February Radial vs the World and is here looking to do just a little better this year. They discovered a couple of bent connecting rods before making a pass yesterday and were just wrapping up this morning when we stopped by. Sponsors include Pro Line Racing and Carl Rossler and Fuel Tech.
Jason Hutcheson drives this 69 Rally Sport Camaro for car owner and number 91 Philadelphia Eagles player Fletcher Cox in X275. They arrived late last night after their truck broke down and had to make arrangements for another truck to get them here. The car is powered by a BES 58 ci. Big Chevy with Holley Fuel Injection and Kevin Neal nitrous system.
Taylor Lastor and the TRE crew have two cars this weekend with Talor qualified 12th with a 4.60 at 154 in the 1991 Mustang. Some other crew assit installing some 275 Pro's on a beadlock rim.
In Outlaw Drag Radial qualifying Dave Pearson was looking for a 4teen and just missed it with a 4.21 at 171 MPH.
Phil Hines did a great job with throttle management on this run scoring a 4.43 at 168 MPH.
Justin Juday had a nice run with his Scotty’s Racing Technology powered Firebird running a 4.58 at 157 MPH.
Daniel Pharris is driving for Aleppa Racing this weekend and just set the internet on fire with a 3.99 at 204.91 MPH. backing up his earlier 203.89 making it a record MPH for the class.
We are wrapped up with round one of qualifying and into round two with Radial vs the World up first. We already have more cars in the threes with DeWayne Mills ripping off a 3.97 at 202
Round One Qualifying Notes
We are wrapped up with round one qualifying now with some amazing performances in every class. Tim Kincaid set high MPH in Holley Stainless Works ODR with a 4.37 at 180 MPH run putting him fifth in the field. In Leaf Spring Bryan Marrow put his Fig Performance powered Camaro on top with a 4.55 at 161 taking top MPH as well by a good margin. Phil Hines leads the field in Menscer/MacFab Outlaw 275 with a 4.33 at 170 setting top MPH as well in the class after one session.
Jim Aldous hails out of Green Cove Springs with this 92 Camaro in Outlaw 632. He put up a nice run landing in the middle of the field at 14th.
All the way from Toowoomba, Australia once again is Stuart Henry, this time running in Outlaw 632. His 1971 Capri runs a 632 cubic inch Chevy that propelled him to eleventh spot in class with a 4.62 at 152. This is a short little car to be going that fast. Aussies FTW!
Dillon Voss has not put together a clean pass yet in his Chevy Cobalt. There are a couple of rounds left so hopefully the team will get a handle on the clutch.
Round Two Notes
Jeff Sitton improved his time from last night by .001 running a 3.943 at 192.85. Two back to back withing one thousandth?? I would say they are ready for whatever sits next to them.
Mark Woodruff is driving for Joe Copson this weekend in the cars first event on a radial tire. So far so good as Woodruff sits fourteenth in RVW with a 4.10 at a nice 195 MPH. The team is working on the front half with the new tires and making small steps and gathering data.
Steve Jackson improved hot lot but hurt the engine in the lights oiling the track. We will see how the Killin Time Racing crew is doing with repairs and report back later.
Brad Edwards has struggled a bit recently with keeping the car hooked up. He must have found something putting up a 4.03 at just 189 landing eighth in class.
We stopped by the Aleppa pits for a chat with car owner Andrew Aleppa and Daniel Pharris after his record setting performance this afternoon running a 204 MPH to back up his 203 from last night. Aleppa Racing has struggled a bit the past two years fighting with the car going straight. After Daniel Pharris had a fire mishap testing at Memphis Andrew picked up the phone and invited him to drive the Mustang here this weekend. Of course he accepted and the game was afoot. The team worked on the suspension and tuning with Josh Ledford tuning the Fuel Tech engine management and the Pro Line Racing family and have 5 straight runs to show for it and a new MPH record. Andrew sends a big shout out to Rick Stevens Race Cars out of Houston for getting the rear suspension straightened away. They will be looking for a couple of numbers tonight, maybe a .97 or .96 but are focused on backing up the 204 MPH run to reset the record. Andrew’s wife Kim is here this weekend as she doesn’t usually have the chance to attend the races, it’s a good choice for her the team is jelled and running well.
Daniel Pharris was pleased to get the call from Andrew and jumped at the chance to work with such a professional team with top notch equipment. His car and this one are set up very similar so the transition was very easy in the new seat. I asked Daniel what he thought when he saw that 203 ticket, he said “I knew it had a lot more in it.” About the 204?? “That’s fast man, not only the mile an hour but the incrementals…this car is definitely a 3.80 player, I think we will see 205 or 206 tonight. I’d like to thanks Andrew for giving me the opportunity and a special thanks to the Pro Line crew, when you race with them it’s like a big family. If you can’t go to the track with family and have fun you may as well stay home.”
Jamie Stanton lowered his earlier qualifying to a 4.466 at 158.09 to stay on top of KBX/Precision X275.
Charles Hull rode out a nice whee lstand in the second round of X275, he sits in eighth with a 4.56 at 157 MPH.
Rob Goss and crew worked hard over night to repair the engine and came out strong for round two of X275 landing 12th with a 4.57 at 158 MPH.
Shawn Pevlor is up to the same old thing qualifying on top of Ultra Street, his best was a 4.90 at 142 for the Cincinnati, OH based racer.
Troy Pirez Jr. showed up sans qualifying in the Innovative Racecraft shop car the General Lee and put himself right into the Ultimate Street field. with a 4.96 at 142 MPH landing fifth in class.
Bryan Marrow is still on top of Leaf Spring with a 4.55 at 161. The Procharged big Chevy is fresh from Fig Performance on south central Florida.
Virginia based Bobby Flippen stood up his little truck that could in second round of Leaf Spring. He is currently sixth with a 4.83.
Outlaw 632 Racer Ken Quartuccio is based in Wallingford, Connecticut and has bee running the class for a couple of years now and Outlaw Big Tire around his area. He made a nice 4.52 at 158 and sits fifth in class.
No is surprised Darren Hilterbran sits on top of Nitrous X either. his 4.722 at 149 is followed closely by Tim Knieriem’s 4.727 at 151.71. They share low ET and top MPH so far.
Jeff Sitton wasn’t kidding when I spoke with him earlier, it’ sure does have more in it with Jeff scorching the clocks with a 3.909 at 192.74 MPH pass that had the crowd on it’s feet. “We’ll go as fast as we need to go to win” – Jeff Sutton. Killin Time Racing just put everyone on notice.
Keith Berry struggled some today but turned it around for round three putting up a 4.02 at 187 for fifth spot in RVW.
Tommy Rainer is the last car qualified in the 4 teens with a 4.189 at 189.58 MPH at twenty third. Yes you read that right. Right now the bump sits at a 4.38. easily the fastest Radial vs the World field to date.
