There was plenty of evidence as to how serious these teams took this race. Number one qualifier Scott Whipple damaged engines on two consecutive laps, determined the cause was the clutch he was running, and had a new clutch flown in by private plane for Sunday’s eliminations. The Rick Cameron team torched a motor on Saturday and spent all night repairing the car and installing a new motor.
In the first round of eliminations, No. 2 qualifier Joe Bettencourt, who literally had no spares but still ran a 2.46 in qualifying, impacted the guardrail after getting way out of shape while on a bye run and wadded up his ex-Dick LaHaie car. Charlie Brown Sr., who announced his retirement at this event won on holeshot in the first round over Chris Barlow with a 2.51 to Barlow’s quicker but losing 2.50. His son Charlie Brown Jr. also advanced to the semis with a 2.515/156.38 thrashing of Jeff Janoe. Brown Junior’s speed was good for Top Speed of the event.
In the semi’s Brown Sr. made the last lap of his long career, losing to Scott Whipple 2.607 to a 2.630. On the other side of the ladder Brown Jr. made a single because Bettencourt had destroyed his car in his crash. In the finals Whipple and his “Famous” Amos Satterlee-tuned dragster lined up against Brown Jr. and took it to Brown with a 2.447/146.94 that easily covered Brown, who tossed the blower belt and slowed to a 2.684.