NMCA Season Opener Same Day Coverage From Bradenton

Day two here at Bradenton for the NMCA 2013 opener has us under mostly cloudy skies with a chance of rain in the forecast. We are looking good to get wrapped up before it comes this way and are in for some great racing this weekend. Stay tuned in to Dragzine for the latest news from Bradenton.

Once again, a big thanks to the presenting sponsor of our same day event coverage, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels!

Glen Launey from Xstreme Race Team is the track Chaplin here in Bradenton and sets up at events here and other local car shows and events to do fundraising to support the troops in various ways, from helping families, injured veterans and those serving overseas with care packages. He has been doing that the past three or four years and is launching a website coming up this week.

Mark Kyger is back running NMCA after taking a break last year. His show stopping Nova is powered by a Ty Tech built 550ci big block Chevy fed by a pair of Precision Pro Mod 88 MM turbos backed by a Bruno/Lenco three speed and a Pro Torque converter.

I spoke with crew chief Jamie Miller from Victory Racecraft about David Demarco’s off season updates. Some weight reduction was done along with a single wheelie bar. The changes paid off with three of their best runs at the Lights Out IV event at SGMP in February. It’s powered by a 540 big Chevy from Proline Racing fed by Precision 88 mm turbos. The power is transferred to the Mark Williams rear through a Rossler three speed and Pro Torque converter. From left to right, Jamie Miller, David DeMarco, George and Andrew Demarco.

Jef Lutz was a bit off pace his 5.97 pace in the second session but a 6.02 is enough to back up the other run making it the new Kooks Pro Street record. Yesterdays 5.97 run was the first 5 second run in NMCA history.

Jim Widener and Tony Bischoff are back in Pro Street this year with a 100 pound weight break for all the Pro Street nitrous cars. The BES built engine is an 856 ci Chevy big block with Sonny’s hemi style heads topped with a single stage system from Induction Solutions and a pair of Pro Systems carbs. He improved to thrid with a clean 6.157 @ 230 MPH run.

Jennifer Green improved her ET to a 6.906 @ 187 but wasn’t able to hold on to her previous number 4 spot dropping to sixth.

Mark Micke was not able to improve on his 6.54 and the trans lost another planetary on the pass. Tehy don’t have the parts to replace that gearset so will have to use a backup set with a different ratio.

David Demarco found the tuneup today, jumping to second with a nice 6.636 @ 221 MPH.

2012 Mickey Thompson Super Street champion Mike Murrillo got here today and unloaded a 6.717 @ 221 to earn third spot.

Skip Baskin and Kevin Parent had a great match in round two qualifying with both cars running 7.37 and Parent getting to the stripe first.

Comp Cams NA 10.5 grew by one today as Ben Mens pulled in this morning. DeMayo still sits on top with his previous 8.04.

Dwight Ausmus hauled down from Lafollette, Tennessee with his 72 Pontiac. He sits third in NA 10.5 with an 8.268 @ 164 MPH. Sure is nice to see some old muscle in the class.

Ashe was able to run fast enough to back up his earlier 7.298 @ 195 to make it official as the new record in Stainless Works Street Outlaw.

David Hill knocked a full second off his Q1 time with a 10.21 @ 131, funny how cars run so much faster when you make all the shifts.

Tremek True Street had a good turnout of 54 cars today with Tony Whetstone taking home the trophy and cape with a 9.259 average.

Rich Tilden placed second with his supercharged 1963 Nova and Chris Brazel took third and the 9 second win with a 9.83 average. Chris runs a 383 LS from WCR with a plate nitrous system and owns the need2speed.com forum which hosts the Dead Hooker club events here in Bradenton.

Often the True Street class is all about actually making the three runs. The faster the car the more difficult it is to put it all together as evidenced by the two fastest cars here going out on the second pass. Rick Prospero has raced several events with his twin turbo big block Nova wagon and ripped off a nice 8.06 on his first run then slowing to a 10.57 after clicking it near half track. Blair Brannock has struggled so far with his new 92 hatch back now with 2 DNF's after this and the NMRA event just two weeks ago here. With little testing and no real data he managed the first A to B run this morning before the cruise with a 9.10. His first run in competition was a fair 8.67, then slowing to a 9.34 with a broken transmission. Blairs car has a 427 Ford small block with Yates heads and a Precision 106 MM turbo and is planning a trip to the All Star race next month in Commerce.

Final Qualifying Results

Danilo Nammour was half of the first pair out in the final session of Kooks Pro Street with the Zapato Grande Racing Mustang. The car went to the right sharply just after the hit and crossing just behind the other car and nosing into the wall. The damage is mostly cosmetic but the incedent may put them out for the weekend.

Dave Hance had an eventfull trip from New York to get here just in time to make the final session after breaking down twice on the road. After all that the car still needed some service at Rob Wells’ Ford Speed Racing in Pinellas Park, Florida. The session was held for just a bit to give him time to unload and prepare the car and he clicked it early after getting loose down track. He sits 12th on the ladder and will face Jim Widener in round one.

Bob Glenn didn't fare so well this weekend as the 03 Dakota nosed over and ate two pistons on the run. The team had a long busy weekend in it's first time out after changing the truck around over the past couple of years.

Mike Stavrinos showed up this morning with the Speed and Truck World 68 Camaro. He improved on his second run to a 6.60 @ 167 but needs to step it up for Sunday’s eliminations.

Billy Glidden got the car down the track on his third attempt with a 6.30 @ 212 jumping him up to fourth spot. He is scheduled to face Steve Summers but he lost a driveshaft yesterday and is unable to make repairs here due to further damage under the car.

Mark Kyger was a bit frustrated after two runs were DQ’d but he made it in with a 7.26 @ 210.

Mark Micke’s 6.54 yesterday held on for top qualifier in class with the first four positions unchanged from the last session. Ray Jaso was able to improve slightly with his 69 Mach 1 but his 7.57 is well off pace. I’m sure they will get the set up figured out in due time.

Kevin Parent and Skip Baskin swapped places on the ladder in what Kevin hopes will be a premonition of the final tomorrow with his 7.336 @ 188.36.

Sean Ashe held on to top qualifier in Stainless Works Street Outlaw with his record setting 7.298. It will come down to Robertson, Kenward and Ashe Sunday as Eric Leeper hurt his engine in Saturdays session.