Weighing a hefty 2700 pounds with only 646 cubic inches of Ford wedge motor and nitrous, Tony Bischoff’s Indiana-based ‘02 Cougar blasted both NMRA DiabloSport Pro 5.0 National Records with an amazing 6.598/212.66 en route to his second consecutive NMRA National Event win. His overall run-off victory against Brian Robbins in Keith Engling’s blown ‘72 Hurst/Olds earned the NMRA clan the new “Super Bowl” perpetual trophy by one point!
New Yorker Jamie Stanton decided to retire after his 2005 NMCA Pro Stock championship season, then recanted and rebuilt his old high school driver into a 525-inch masterpiece. NMCA PS rules demand naturally-aspirated engines at 3500 lbs on 10.5-inch tires. How Stanton managed to run 8.87/153 in qualifying was a mystery but a holeshot loss by sixteen thousandths to Chris Uratchko’s ‘69 Camaro in the semis was an even bigger surprise.
Chassis builder and IHRA Pro Stock hitter Rick Jones decided to venture to the “dark side” and load his 810-inch Cobalt to 2,550 pounds for a shot at NMCA Pro Street along with fellow Chevy mountain motor vets Steve Speiss and Mike Bruno. Speiss actually qualified second at 6.51/214.86 (!) ahead of 6.63/213 efforts by Jones and Bruno but Jones made it to the final round with a best of 6.58/213 in a huge holeshot win over low qualifier Vinnie Budano before falling to Brian Robbins’ 0.003 RT and 6.60/217.
