The semi-final rounds were classic examples of IHRA Pro Mod racing featuring blown versus nitrous match-ups. The nitrous cars prevailed in both matches that saw Harper and Halsey using 4.03 and 4.06 ET’s respectively to soundly beat the supercharged entries of Jason Hamstra and IHRA rookie Jason Stock. Stock is getting help from supercharger guru Darren Mayer and was in the field as the first alternate when Chip King couldn’t make the call.
Three drivers managed to record sub four-second ET’s in qualifying including former IHRA world champs Scott Cannon (3.967) and Mike Janis (3.972) but only the nitrous car of Jim Halsey (3.995) managed to convert that performance advantage into a final round appearance.
Halsey lost lane choice to Harper’s 4.039 winning time (Harper recorded the quickest 1/8th mile ET on record for nitrous cars with a 3.92 at an ADRL event earlier this year.) Halsey left on Harper by .005 of a second and went on defeat a tractionless Harper with a 4.104 to Harper’s slowing 4.685!
PRO STOCK
Like the Pro Modified division, the mountain-motored Pro Stock class suffered a little on the attendance side with just 17 cars on the entry list. Despite that, the racers there made up a very strong field.
Qualifying was led by Ford powerhouse Robert Patrick and his ’08 Cobra Mustang. The Mustang, powered by a monstrous 820 ci Ford, ran a stellar 4.104/174.96 eighth-mile lap without the help of nitrous or supercharging. He was followed on the ladder by Frank Gugliotta’s ’07 Mustang and Peter Berner in a brand new ’08 GXP, who ran a 4.11/175.23 that was good for Top Speed.
First round action was highlighted by Dean Goforth’s .001 light against Chuck DeMory, and the massive upset of Low Qualifier Robert Patrick and his Mustang by Canadian Mopar racer Larry O’Brien (Patrick went “dead red” with a -.030 light), and John Montecalvo’s holeshot win (.029 to a .057) over Frank Gugliotta’s Mustang. Montecalvo’s 4.153 ET got him to the stripe just .004 of second before Gugliotta.
In the second round action O’Brien went from the penthouse with a .045 winning light to an outhouse-quality losing .114 light against Jeff Dobbins’ .048 light. Dobbins combined a 4.163 ET with his light to bury O’Brien’s 4.215 effort. Montecalvo used a 4.181 single to advance when Goforth broke and Berner’s 4.148/175.05 win against Bob Bertsch was good for Top Speed and Low ET of the round.
The semi-finals saw Chevy banner carrier Monteclavo run a second straight 4.18 to get the win over Elijah Morton’s Mustang, and Dobbins gpt the win over Berner on yet another holeshot.
The final round between Dobbins’ Ford Escort and Montecalvo’s Chevy Cobalt was eerily similar to action in the previous three rounds. Montecalvo ran his third consecutive winning 4.18 ET. A hole shot once again figured into the results with Montcalvo combining an excellent .015 light with a 4.186 ET to get around Dobbins’ quicker but losing 4.178 with a very respectable .026 reaction time.