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The National Muscle Car Association kicks off it 2016 campaign this weekend at the Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida, and 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!
Good morning from Bradenton and the 2016 NMCA season opener. We have some nice weather forecast this weekend. The track staff was just wrapping up the initial prep right about 9 AM this morning.
On our way through the pits this morning we dropped by Keith Berry’s pits and spoke with Steve Crisafulli aka “Johnny” who informed us Berry had bent a couple of connecting rods at Lights Out 7 working on the new tune up. It went back to Proline Racing for repairs and the team is here to defend their 2015 Radial Wars championship.
Mark Wells is here running in Radial Wars this weekend on the tire for the second time instead of the 10.5 slicks. This car is the first OL 10.5 car in the threes and will be looking to be a top contender in the class shooting for 3.80’s with Crew Chief Clark Dienvenu. He has already run over 200 MPH with the set up in testing running the 94MM turbo combo this weekend. Well is planning to run the NMCA season for points and some PDRA events switching back to the slicks for those events.
The Pro Mod class was dropped back to eighth mile for 2016 and should see and increase in interest as many Pro Mod events are run to half track anymore. Rick Sacksel is running a screw blower on his Camaro for the 2016 season and has tied the screw blown big Chevy record with a 3.87 at 194 MPH back in January at the US Street Nationals here in Bradenton.
Craig Sullivan is here for his NMCA debut with his new car sporting an eye catching Richard Petty inspired wrap. We will have more on the team coming later this afternoon.
Pro Modified racer Chris Rini is kicking off his 2016 season with a new car out of Jerry Bickel’s shop and will be running last years 903ci monster from Buck Racing Engines till the new piece is ready. Rini tested yesterday running a 3.86 and 3.81 at 196. “Pretty good for the first outing” according to Crew Chief David Campbell.
Chickenhawk Motorsports’ Thomas Jones is here with the teams brand new DMC Racing built1967 twin turbo Pro Mod Mustang based out of Sumerset, Kentucky. Jones started racing go carts at four years then got into Jr. Dragsters at six before moving up to Pro Mod at 16 with a David Munday built 67 Camaro. Power comes from a Nelson Competition built Brad 8 tuned by PTP Racing. The wrap is from Kryptonite Customs in Oklahoma.
Jacky Mcarty is running NMCA for the first time with his X275 car in Street Outlaw with a Mcarty built small block Ford fed by a 94 mm turbo up from the 85 MM unit he ran in X275 and won five events with in 2015. They have very little testing with this set up so far and are still working things out. He also has his other car here just in case this new drive train combo doesn’t cooperate this weekend.
Racers were lined up this morning getting registered for the weekend at the NMCA registration trailer.
Tony Alm is rocking some changes for 2016 including a turbo change to an Ultra Street legal unit feeding his 400 cubic inch small block Ford from Tim Eichorn at MPR. Chassis and plumbing upgrades were handled by Tig Vision and Thunder Autosports. Also new for this season is a Dailey dry sump oiling system, and new intake manifold and elbow from Wilson.
Craig Sullivan ran a 4.37 at 159 during today’s testing.
A 4.02 at 189 on the first full hit on the new car made the Chicken Hawk Racing team quite happy so far this weekend.
David Hutnic is here to defend his title in in Xtreme Street with a fresh piece from BTR. He tested yesterday with a new converter but it was tight on the gear change so they team switched back to what they know works and is planning to run on the MT Drag Radials for this season.
First time NMCA racer Richie Nye is entered in NA 10.5 this weekend with a 434 SBF from Kuntz under the hood. The car is a back half four link with a G-Force 5 speed trans which Nye has run in the Pro Stick class around the Pennsylvania and Maryland area. Special thanks to Gary from Hammaker Enterprises for the assistance and tuning.
Austin Ford is a long time NHRA racer here for the first time at NMCA this weekend with his new car which he has for a few weeks now and installed a funny car cage. He is liking the Cobra Jet so far including the new car smell. after running 67 Shelby’s in Stock Eliminator setting several national records in class.
John Lynch earned the number one on his car last year in NMCA Top Sportsman points and is here this weekend with new Hoosier tires and some chassis changes by John Teharr at JT Racing to move some weight around and improve the car's reaction and sixty foot. The father and son team use a big Chevy built by Rob Adler at A Team Speed Shop for power netting consistent 7.30's. He put up a 7.23 at 188 earlier in testing.
Jarod Wenrick has this stunning Chevy II built by Tim Lyons here this weekend for his second NMCA event after running Norwalk last year where he went to the finals in Street Outlaw taking a loss to Eric Gustafson. He runs a small block Procharged combo tuned by PTP.
NMRA/NMCA True Street racer Randy Seward made one lap in testing earlier today to an easy launch and 8.49 at 163 MPH pass. He was the overall winner here at the NMRA last week and scored the win in the Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords Spring Break Shootout on Sunday.
Don Bowles put up an 8.14 at 156 MPH for his effort in NA 10.5. He finished fifth in 2015 points.
Round One Qualifying Results
Randy Adler leads VP Racing Fuels Xtreme Pro Mod after the first qualifying session tonight with a 3.82 at 199.91 MPH.
Number two qualifier Adam Flamholc is fresh of his win at the IHRA Amsoil Nitro nationals last weekend at Orlando running a 3.89 at 193 with Fast Frank Cersosimo, Josh Green and Thomas Jones rounding out the top five in class.
Thomas Jones is doing well so far with the debut of the Chicken Hawk Motorsports 67 Mustang TT machine scoring a 3.918 at 203 MPH, top speed for the day.
Team Money Grinder in the house representing the locals with Ken Cruz and Richard Cohen. Bob Glenn is also running here this weekend with his blown Hemi Dodge pickup. The switch to eighth mile for this year has brought out some local cars that would not be here otherwise and is a welcome addition.
Ross Racing Pistons Outlaw 632 has nine cars today with Curt Steinback ahead by a good margin scoring a 4.48 at 164 in the Nelson Competition powered 63 Vette out of the Suncoast Race Cars stable.
Lutz, Florida’s Jason Juday sits second with a 4.63 at 152 driving his Scotty’s racing Technology/Induction Solutions powered 68 Firebird. Dave French (far lane) sits third with a 4.72.
Mickey Thompson Radial Wars has some tight action in the top five with Keith Berry leading the field with a 3.98 at 189 and Daniel Pharris just over a tenth back with a 4.094 at 197.
Dewayne Mills scored high MPH with a 4.14 at 201 landing sixth in class so far.
Mark Wells lifted the front end early on his qualifying attempt, setting it down then powering up on the bars down track before clicking it off and coasting through to eighth.
Phil Hines leads the Wiseco Street Outlaw field after one session with a 4.47 at 161. Jack McCarty earned second qualifier with a 4.51 napping high MPH with a his 163 MPH trap speed.
Henry Lee put his McCarty Performance 90 Mustang on top of Edelbrock Xtreme Street with a 7.72 at 175 with David Hutnick just behind him with a 7.73 at 180 scoring top MPH for team nitrous and Straightline Performance.
Dwight Ausmus was paired up with Leonard Long in Quick Lane NA 10.5 where he scored top qualifier with a 7.92 at 172 for the pure Pontiac, BES powered 72 Bird. (near lane)
Don Bowles took second in class with an 8.15 at 166 after testing to an 8.14 earlier in the day.
Ronnie Hackelton sits number one after the first qualifying session of Scoggin Dickey performance Center Chevy Performance Stock with a 10.35 at 127.93 MPH. Glen Pushis, Kevin Lumsden and Keith Vaughn round rounded out the class today in order.
