8th NHRR RESULTS

[Darrell Conrad]

8th ANNUAL HOLLEY NATIONAL HOT ROD REUNION

Bowling Green, KY - Jun 18-20, 2010
For eight years now Beech Bend Raceway Park has been home to the Holley National Hot Rod Reunion. In doing so, this event without doubt took everyone in attendance back to the Golden Era of Drag Racing in every way. Just weeks before the event it appeared that Drag Boat races were in order after Mother Nature’s maternal scorn exercised her control of authority over the property in the form of a massive flood!

Just as tough were the many track employees and volunteers that were equally as determined to make this event the best one yet! Within days of opening the front gates, they miraculously had the facility ready to rock thus proving they were a much tougher force to be reckoned with! Shortly thereafter countless nitro junkies, hot rodders and drag racing enthusiast’s braved the heat and humidity as they literally flooded the property to witness some of the most spectacular side-by-side racing of the 2010 season.

Many legendary Drag Racing pioneers from all facets of the past; such as Grand Marshal Chris Karamesines, honoree’s T.C. Lemons and Joe Jacono, were in house totally enjoying the thrills and chills of it all. There was so much going on that the center of attention was a blurry focal point at best, however within the Nostalgia Top Fuel clan there was plenty of stirred-up emotions to go around. The field was perhaps one of the largest to date, chocked full of upheaval and tumultuous celebration.



This past Father’s Day was very special to many individuals, however it was extraordinary for big bad Brad Thompson. Regardless of the obstacles that have challenged his life recently, he not only took home the badge of honor, he qualified number one, then recorded top speed and quickest ET of the meet!

Though he won this event in 2008, this win was very magical for several reasons… one being he did so in the presence of his oldest daughter Kayla; who had never witnessed her father race. It was also her first introduction to incredible world of nitromethane.

In writing this story I must confess my thoughts are immediately taken back to the Boise starting line one dark August night when our special friend almost lost his life. The horrific sight and sound of Brad’s digger disintegrating in the Firebird top end lights will never leave our memories. At that very moment in time our hearts stopped pounding and our blood ran as cold as melting ice; not to mention we dared not to breathe in the fear that tragic news was about to echo across the darkness of the cool night air. Embraced in one another’s arms with tears streaming off our cheeks, we bowed our hearts in fervent prayer and pleaded for the life of our friend and fellow racer.

This past Sunday evening our prayers were once again fulfilled when the news of Brad’s well earned victory reached us on the west coast. We were thrilled beyond belief as our hearts danced about the room with great excitement. Though it was an intense race, the victory was more than a winning a race, it was also about winning at life! As he quoted so perfectly, “It’s a long way back from the hospital bed to the winners circle”!

Thompson would like to give a very special shout out to HSMS owner Dale Singh, Crew Chief Brett Johansen, Team Manager Tom Shelar and the entire HSMS team for their outstanding efforts that earned him yet another victory to his resume.

We encourage you to take a long hard look at the photos of Brad below, because this is what a REAL WINNER looks like!



Photo credit: Bob Snyder and Arlene Eliason
Graphics: Darrell Conrad


QUALIFYING:
On the first day of qualifying the track surface was hot and void of traction, however on Saturday afternoon it seemed to have come around a bit as many of the ET numbers visibly dropped. By the end of this session over half of the diggers found their place in the 5’s. Goodguy’s winner Randy Bridges hope for a back-to-back win vaporized when his car shot for the moon and suffered chassis damage upon returning to earth.

1. Brad Thompson - 5.897/254.38
2. Roger Lechtenberg - 5.92/223
3. Denver Schutz - 5.962/229.44
4. Troy Green – 5.986/249
5. Howard Haight - 5.995/241.87
6. Rick Rogers - 6.01/242
7. Erne McClain – 6.131/226.39
8. Brendan Murry – 6.14/203

9. Diamond Dave Miller – 6.421/228.77
10. Keith Burgan – 6.753/177.32
11. Lincoln Hassel – 6.99/164
12. Joe Krupinksi – 7.767/138.26
13. Randy Bridges – 10.701/78







Though Keith “Roo-Man” Burgan did not qualify he did successfully attain his life long goal of driving a Top Fuel, front engine dragster in competition.





ROUND ONE:
The first pair out was number one qualifier Brad Thompson and Brendan Murry. These two Cali based teams are not strangers at doing battle. Murry was unhappy with the car’s performance at Indy the week before, so the decision was made to make several dramatic changes to his rail which got him into the show.

It was a great from the hit when both cars left together, however by the 60’ Brad had a slight lead. Then, in the twinkling of an eye that changed by the 330’ as Brendan took the lead by a whisker. By the 1000’ both cars were literally side by side when Murry’s bullet went rich and Thompson’s HSMS came to life like the beast that it is. From there the rest was history… Thompson’s stout 5.909/255.82 charge was simply too much for the Running Wild entry.








Out next was yet another set of Cali boys, Denver Schutz and Rick Rogers. As the tree went green NHRR 2009 runner-up Denver Schutz was out first, however the Raisin Express 2 pitched a rod about the 1000’, affording Rick’s 6.006/243.50 effort to pass him by.





Then Midwest racers Roger Lechtenberg and Ernest McClain rolled into the beams. A few seconds later the Orange Crate pulled away from McClain and maintained his lead through the traps. Rogers 5.959/244.16 advanced him to the semi-final against the Fugowie.





Last but not least was Howard Haight in the Nitro-diction taking on Troy Green in the “Crop Duster”. Both these nitro pirates have very impressive rap-sheets and are not to be taken lightly… it was anybody’s race! This time around the treasured win light was all Howard’s as his 5.913/250.13 dusted Troy’s respectable 6.064/239.95 effort in Frank Ousley’s brand new digger.





Brad Thompson - 5.909/255.82
Brendan Murray - 6.112/215.55

Rick Rogers - 6.006/243.50
Denver Schutz - 6.338/170.26

Roger Lechtenberg - 5.959/244.16
Ernest McClain - 6.571/163.55

Howard Haight - 5.913/250.13
Troy Green - 6.064/239.95


ROUND TWO:
The second round got underway with the east vs. west dueling fueler match-up of Roger Lechtenberg and Rick Rogers. The first one to strike the pedal at the green was Rick Rogers in Butch Blair’s “Fugowie”, however by the top end Lechtenberg managed to make up for lost time and advanced to the next round with his 6.01/222 charge. It was a great side-by-side drag race all the way down Broadway!

Waiting in the balance was yet another east vs. west match-up. Brad Thompson and the HSMS digger have both tasted the sweet success of victory at this event in the past and was the car to watch. Howard Haight is by far no stranger to nitro drag racing and is as though as they come… this pair of warriors was promising to be as good as it gets. Both cars launched with a vengeance and charged hard… but it was Thompson’s suffused 5.95/255 achievement that put the HSMS in the final round Lechtenberg.

Roger Lechtenberg - 6.01/222
Rick Rogers - 6.08/235

Brad Thompson - 5.95/255
Howard Haight - 6.02/235

FINAL ROUND:
Both seasoned drivers in the final round are not strangers to the NHRR winner circle. As they rolled out onto the pad the crowd was on their feet, it was anybody’s race at this point. With their bicycle wheels lined-up and temporarily breaking the starting-line beam, the 2010 NHRR winner was only seconds away from their name being recorded in the Nostalgia Drag Racing history books.

The starter activated the tree and the amber lights began to fall towards the earth below, and within the twinkling of an eye the green glass illuminated every eye in attendance! Lechtenberg’s immediate response released the beam first and gained an advantage over his west coast opponent. Unfortunately it was short lived as blazed his tires at about the 330’… and pedaled it to a 6.306/327.00 runner-up. Meanwhile Thompson was very busy dominating his lane and black-tracked the HSMS slingshot to its sixth NHRR winner circle appearance! Brad proudly posted a well earned 5.921/250.23 effort on the board.




HAPPY FATHER'S DAY BRAD!
Photo credit: Arlene Eliason

Brad Thompson - 5.921/250.23
Roger Lechtenberg - 6.306/237.00

Congratulations to Brad Thompson and the entire Highspeed Mortorsports team for yet another outstanding effort, enjoy the magic…. You so deserve it!

From here the next NHRA Heritage Racing Series stop for the NTF class will be at the legendary Pepsi Nightfire Nationals at Firebird Raceway in Boise, ID this coming August 12-15. For those of you that have never attended this event, all I can say is… “you won’t want to miss this one”! For further information, please visit their website at: http://www.firebirdonline.com


CACKLEFEST:
On Saturday night the Beach Bend 1320 literally took a step back in time via the Twilight Zone when roughly thirty-three very enthusiastic nitro gulping, fire belching, ground pounding slingshot dragsters invaded the racing surface! Within minutes the track was instantly transformed into a living character portrayal of nitro personification: consequently illustrating one of the most dramatic representations of drag racing days gone by.

In attendance were Big Daddy and one of his Swamp Rat’s, the newly finished Fox and Holding car, the Probe, Gang Green, Bennie Osborn’s Wizard, the Chizler, John Logghe, Barn Stormer, the Scorpion, Little Honker, Grandpa’s Toy, Howard Cams Twin Bear, Cupit & Cunningham and the Tennessee Bo-Weevil just to name a few. Thousands of cheering fans were treated to one of the most spectacular cackle events ever assembled.

Unfortunatly we do not have any photos of the subject segment, however we encourage you to watch the Yourtube video coverage at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clGU7V44QRI

In addition to the aforementioned Cacklefest there was a small gathering of FED's that did fire up just behind the bleach box and a couple of push starts.






















































In closing we would like to extend a special thanks to Bob Snyder and Arlene Eliason for their photo contribution. Our AA/FC News staff photographer Bob Snyder was very busy doing double duty while capturing the magic on film for us. All photos in this story are his, except where other wise noted.

Those photos shot by HSMS team member Arlene Eliason are noted above. We would like to also give a very special thanks to her, Brad and the HSMS team for their permission and significant contribution... it is greatly appreciated!

Darrell, Pam & Don
AA/FD News