Steve Bareman (Jeff Burk Photo)
Another team that had a good weekend after struggling for sometime was the Jim Oddy team with driver Steve Bareman. After being completely lost for a chassis set-up for most of this season and making a terrible first lap veteran Pro Stock racer Charlie Taylor stepped up to assist the team and completely re-set the suspension on the Dodge Stratus. On the next lap the car made a 6.14 lap and solidly qualified.
“We wouldn’t have qualified without Charlie’s help.” Oddy said, “ He made us do things we would have never done and I can’t thank him enough.”
The team went to the semi-finals before losing to the father and son team of Scotty and Scott Cannon.
ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Jeff Burk Photo
Rob Atchison has won three straight IHRA World Championships with his wedge-head Chevy-powered Alky Funny Car, which is especially impressive in a class dominated for the most part by Hemi-headed horsepower. But this season has been a struggle for the likeable Canadian and has been on a season-long victory “schneid.” He has been hanging around long enough in eliminations to stay near the top of his perennial points battle with Mark Thomas, but he broke the jinx by winning the Northern Nationals in a very close race with Terry Munroe.
Mark Thomas “bulbed” in the second round against Terry Munroe throwing away a 5.750 lap. Meanwhile Atchison was thrashing veteran Neal Parker 5.72 to a 5.80. Atchison’s wedge actually recorded a 5.721/249.03 that was good for Low ET and Top Speed. Atchison left Epping with a 38 point lead over arch-rival and Hemi racer Thomas.
