Fontana – Timing Tower https://www.timingtower.com Hot Rod and Racing News Tue, 17 Sep 2024 03:04:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.26 32289303 3rd ANNUAL NMCA WEST STREET CAR NATIONALS https://www.timingtower.com/3rd-annual-nmca-west-street-car-nationals/ https://www.timingtower.com/3rd-annual-nmca-west-street-car-nationals/#respond Thu, 27 Mar 2014 18:59:18 +0000 http://www.timingtower.com/?p=3876   The NMCA West 3rd Annual Street Car Nationals was held March 28-30, 2014 at the Fontana Dragway.  This is the first major event to be held at the Fontana drag strip since it reopened the end of February 2014. Sunday morning the event opened at 8:00 a.m. with Chapel Service with bracket time trials starting at 9:00 a.m.  Round 1 of the Index eliminations started about 10:00 a.m.  After the opening ceremony which included the invocation and singing of the national anthem, the pro mods took to the lanes to kick off round 1 of eliminations in the heads-up classes. SUNDAY RACING The heads-up classes included Garrett Turbo Pro Mod, Mickey Thompson TT5, Procharger Street Outlaw, Lucas Oil N/A 10.5, and ARP Outlaw.  ARP Outlaw is an 8th mile class, all the others are quarter mile.  However, while typically a quarter mile class, this week-end the pro mods ran to 1,000 feet to ensure they had enough track to stop before hitting the sand. Garrett Turbo Pro Mod:  This class went through two elimination rounds and the finals.  Scott Oksas ran the fastest time travelling at 234.61 mph.  In the final round the No. 1 qualifier John Mihovetz , sat next  to the No. 7 qualifier, Robert Costa.  Even though Costa was first off the line with a reaction time of .071 to Mihovetz’ time of .177, Mihovetz crossed the finish line first with an ET of 6.535 going 219.61 mph.  Unfortunately, in the second elimination round, Rick Snavely crossed the center line and went head on into the wall.  Costa was in the opposite lane when Snavely crossed over and fortunately the two didn’t collide. Snavely appeared to be unhurt. John Mihovetz, above, the Garrett Turbo Pro Mod winner. After crossing the center line Snavely tried to straighten out, but couldn’t. Mickey Thompson TT5:  Only 4 cars raced in this class.  The No. 1 qualifier Mark Luton ended up in the sand at the end of the track on Saturday, but was back for round 1 of eliminations on Sunday.  Luton met Dana Cook in the final round.  Cook went red and Luton coasted across the finish line at 111.20 mph.  Luton ran 197.94 mph in round 1 and was the fastest and quickest car in this class with his Saturday ET of 6.750 at 219.79 mph.  Below Luton is doing a burnout. Procharger Street Outlaw:  Only two rounds of elimination and a final were required in this class.  James Lawrence went into the sand at the end of the track in Round 1 but came back for round 2.  When he left the line in round 2, Lawrence left a coating of sand spread over the first 30+ feet of track. In Round 2 Lawrence was sent home by the ’57 Chevy of Armen Maghdessian.  Maghdessian and Kevin Young sat side by side in the final round.  Young’s ’86 Camaro was quicker and faster than Maghdessian’s Chevy running an ET of 7.454 at 193.24 mph to Maghdessian’s ET of 8.296 at 179.85 mph.  Below Kevin Young is shown leaving the line. Lucas Oil N/A 10.5:  This class was decided after 2 rounds of elimination and the finals.  The final round was a dual between the ’68 Camaro of “Gypsy Mike” Valentino and the ’68 Camaro of Tony Aneian.  Valentino came out on top with an ET of 8.312 at 167.12 mph to Aneian’s ET of 13.284 and 97.93 mph.  Aneian couldn’t get off the line posting a reaction time of 1.069. ARP Outlaw 8.5:  Again 2 rounds of elimination and the final determined the winner.  The No. 1 qualifier George Raygoza and the No. 2 qualifier Dan Hale ran through the ladder and met in the finals.  The final round of this race was incredibly close, but Raygoza lost the match-up at the start line with a reaction time of .124 while Hale left with a .094 reaction time.  Hale had an ET of 5.271 and Raygoza’s ET was 5.279.  Hale’s mph was 142.04 while Raygoza’s was 142.03.  A good race. NMCA West Pro Comp:  This is an index class running cars in A on a 7.90 index, B on an 8.90 index and C on a 9.90 index.  Twenty-one racers took to the lanes for the first round of elimination.  After 4 rounds of elimination, Bob Harris in a ’02 Pontiac sat next to Paul Wiechamnn’s ’00 Corvette.  Both of these cars ran in C on a 9.90 index.  Harris with a reaction time of .017, an ET of 9.914 and mph of 157.80 took the win.  Wiechmann had a reaction time of .030, ET of 9.988 and mph of 129.43 mph. Currie Ent. Open Comp:  This is another big class requiring 4 rounds of elimination and a final round.  Mike Nordahl the No. 1 qualifier met Ryan Chesleigh the No. 21 qualifier in the finals.  Nordahl ran on a dial-in of 10.52 and Chesliegh’s dial-in was 9.44.  Nordahl took the win with an ET of 10.533 at 127.55 mph and Chesleigh broke out with an ET of 9.436. Granatelli Mustang Madness:  17 Mustangs created the madness in 4 rounds of eliminations plus the finals.  Justin Spencer  survived the 4 elimination rounds to meet Anna Marciano in the final. Marciano had a bye in round 4.  Spencer ran on a dial-in of 9.65 and Marciano posted a dial-in of 10.16.  Spencer had an ET of 9.647 and Marciano’s ET was 10.135 – a double break out.  Because Spencer ‘broke out less’ he took the win.  Justin Spencer in his winning ’00 Mustang is shown below. Hedman Hedders Nostalgia Street Car “NSC”:  32 cars ran in this index class on indexes ranging from 8.5 to 12.0 with AA running on an 8.5 index and H running a 12.0 index.  The No. 15 and No. 30 qualifiers made it through 4 rounds of elimination to meet in the finals.  In the final round Merle Williams and Paul Geis both running in F on an index of 11.0 were […]

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