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Day two here in Bradenton started things off with a short rain shower delaying qualifying and 45 minutes or so while the staff dried up the track and lanes. Thanks to the support of our presenting sponsor, Fuel Air Spark Technology, we’ll be in the house to bring you all the happenings, on and off the race track!
First up this morning we dropped by Chris Rini’s pit only to find Steve Crisafulli and David Campbell changing a rod and piston out for pit neighbor Keith Berry who told us “We knew the tune up wasn’t quite right yet but didn’t want to go slow.” He didn’t and leads the Radial Wars field as the sole car in the 3’s after one session. Crew Chief Campbell was trying out some different set ups on the new car fro Rini and the car has been switched back to their Thursday set up for round two Pro Mod qualifying.
Dwayne Barbaree went back home after the NMRA to go over the car and repair one cylinder head and had to pull flood avoidance on I-20 and drive through six hours of sideways rain on the way. His 4.54 last night was an easy A to B pass. Look for him to improve his performance in the second session.
Ed Schwarz is running Gear Vendors True Street today with his single turbo LS Nova. Schwarz has run some local no prep events with the Stick Shift Mafia and has a new build under way with a New Edge Mustang being prepped for the Outlaw Drag Radial/Limited Drag Radial class.
Brothers Mike and Chris French are here out of Ocala with a pair of fine old school muscle to compete in True Street. Mike on the right with his 68 Camaro and Chris with the Chevelle out of their own shop, Jenkins Collision Center. The brothers bracket race regularly at Gainseville Dragway with power coming from big block Chevy’s prepped by Rollins Automotive.
Al Wilson originally is from Michigan but a long time Tennessee resident just transplanted to Crystal River, Florida. He is running this 1960 Belvedere in NSS/E he has been racing for about seven years with a 400 cubic inch engine using the more rare Short Ram Cross Ram intake combo which offers better higher RPM performance due to an increased plenum volume and shorter divided area of the runners. Interestingly Al was attending MSU back in 1969 and involved in a factory backed effort through the university where the class prepped and maintained a W31 Olds Cutlass in NHRA G Stock.
Randy Blackmon is out for the second time with his new car after debuting at No Mercy last year. He is running Outlaw 632 this weekend and will be moving to Radial Wars for the second event in Atlanta and beyond with the small block nitrous combo.
Felix Garcia out of Performance Fabrication in Largo has his Heavy Street prepared Chevy II entered in Pro Mod this weekend. The car has been done about a year with Felix wrapping up various small stuff in between work at the shop. This is the second outing with the car where he debuted it at the Orlando World Street Nationals last year. The combo is a big Chevy 555 fed by twin 76 MM Precision turbos.
Jim Monson lost the cam seal on the Jessel drive yesterday requiring a trip to harbor Freight and some loaner tools from Paul Major and Bill Trovato to make tear it down to replace the seal. He is ready for round two qualifying this morning.
Kevin Skinner is the Factory Super Car number one qualifier and part of a father and son two car team with engines prepped by Chris Holbroock who is qualified third. The cars run the 5.0 liter 2.9 Whipple combo in the 2014 model Cobra Jets. John Holt Race Cars helps with the chassis set up.
Paul Major is back at it in Radial Wars for 2016 with Eric LaFerrier as crew chief once again. He switched to the Fuel Tech EFI for this year running a 5 inch bore space 588 from J&E Engine with 98MM Precisions, backed by and M&M Trans and Pro Torque converter. Today’s qualifying will be his first attempt this weekend.
Eric Kenward is focusing on Edelbrock Xtreme Street for 2016 swapping out the Ultra Street legal turbo on his TNT Engines small Chevy for a Garrett unit from Jose Rayas at Forced Induction with thanks to Bill Harshell at Garrett. Also new is a fresh redo for the Wheelie Wagon including a new Lexan wind shield and side glass replaced from TRZ Motorsports. He tested in Orlando directly before coming here with good results. Fresh paint by Bobfather's Garage
Round Two Qualifying Notes
Randy Adler improved his performance in round two qualifying of VP Racing Fuels Xtreme Pro Mod running a 3.804 at 200 MPH, the first NMCA car to run that quick in competition.
Robert Abbott improved his qualifying time on a full pass in session two running a 3.931 at 191 MPH moving into the top half of the Pro Mod field.
Thomas Jones went up in smoke on his attempt with several other racers also struggling in this session.
Chris Holbrook did not improve his ET but ran well in the heat with an 8.53 at 157 MPH.
Brian Massingill also ran well, hooking hard and riding the bars out to a 9.06 at 148 for the 450 NA combination.
Ross Racing Pistons OL632 racer Dave French is here with a fresh engine and taking it easy working in the tune up. He qualified last night with a 4.72 at 147 and scored a 4.74 at 151 today.
Jason Juday put up a 4.69 at 150, also not an improvement but a solid mid day/hot track pass.
Ken Quartuccio did not make a qualifying run Friday and moved right into second with a 4.49 at 158 MPH.
We stopped by Curt Steinback's pit this morning catching Curt and Kris Nelson servicing the clutch, his 4.46 at 163 improved slightly. He maintains top qualifier in OL 632 with the Nelson Competition powered 63 Vette.
Mark Wells improved his lot in Radial Wars to a 4.51 at 180 MPH after a soft run early and going 180 through the traps putting him seventh.
Dewayne Mills improved to a 4.09 at 201 though Pharris also improved to a 4.06 jumping in front of Frank Meshaw’s 88 Trans AM.
Jack McCarty put up a 4.61 in this session and has the hot track tune up set.
Eric Kenward set low ET with a 7.67 at 176 taking over number one qualifier from Henry Lee in Edelbrock Xtreme Street.
Leonard Long made a good run in Quick Lane NA 10.5 after not stopping at the scales yesterday. He moved to second in class with an 8.08 at 169.
It looks like we have may the third ever Gear Vendors True Street average in the seven second zone with a 7.817 for this turbo charged Formula out of South Florida owned by Stephan Smith. We will have the full official results for the class later this evening. Check out some of the photos we have added to the photo gallery.
Final Qualifying Results
Keith Berry and the crew were on a thrash to prepare teh car for the final qualifying session after replacing some internals this morning. He made the round but not a full pass and is still on top of the Mickey Thompson Radial Wars class.
Dewayne Mills and Daniel Pharris both improved their ET in the final session of Radial Wars with Pharris going a 4.003 and landing second in the field, just .002 quicker than Mills.
Ken Quartuccio moved up to take over top qualifier in Ross Racing Pistons Outlaw 632 with a 4.444 at 162 MPH.
Jarod Wenrick bumped Phil Hines to second qualifier in Wiesco Street Outlaw after running a 4.45 at 161 MPH.
