Grant McCrary (near lane) picked up first Fun Ford weekend over former champ Conrad Scarry with a 6.882 to an off-the-throttle 8.83 pass in Street Outlaw.
WHEN THE THUNDER ROLLS IN TEXAS
They say that when you hear thunder, the lightning’s not far behind. That was certainly the case when lightning quick Ford racers were out making noise during the 18th annual get together at Houston Raceway Park.
The biggest thunderclap of the weekend came when Grant McCrary laid down a 6.740 at 214.79 mph to net the low qualifier position in the Street Outlaw class. That number was well below the 6.807 class ET record held by Tim Lynch, who was not racing this particular weekend.
This would become an especially interesting race as this would be the first of three Battle of the Brands in Street Outlaw, which was open to all makes of cars. Former class champ Conrad Scarry, who won the season opener at Orlando, came in second in qualifying with a 7.066 at 200.24. He was followed by Dennis Suervu, Kevin Hargett and Tim Rivette to round out the Top 5. With ten entries on the grounds, two of the Top 5 qualifiers (Suervu and Rivette) were driving Chevy Camaros.
During Sunday’s opening round of eliminations, former Clash of the Titans champ Kevin Hargett dumped Californian Mark Luton while Tim Rivette advanced in his Yenko Camaro after Orlando Mendoza fouled. Dennis Suervu outran Jason White and Conrad Scarry took advantage of Carl Barnett’s aborted run. Grant McCrary then nailed the tree against Brandon Dominy and ran a 6.705, which was even quicker than his record setting qualifying time!
Hargett then took care of Suervo 7.218 to 7.376 while Scarry knocked off Rivette 7.084 to a 7.362. That sent both of the GM drivers back to the spectator stands as McCrary advanced on a bye. In the semifinals, McCrary posted the best reaction time anyone had all day with a .019 and sent Hargett packing while Scarry singled into the finals.
In a race for the event championship, it all boiled down to the top two qualifiers. Scarry left first with a slight lead, but it was McCrary all the way with a 6.882 to an off-the-pace 8.831 win. That victory made McCrary’s alcohol fed, twin turbo Mustang the favorite going into round two of the Battle of the Brands at Belle Rose, but Scarry still left with the championship point’s lead.
Street Renegade was just as close as just .002 of a second separated the top two qualifiers. Richard Lelsz posted a 7.720 at 185.15 in his 2004 Cobra while Kenjo Kelly was just behind with a 7.722 at 184.57. Fun Ford. Former class champs Ronnie Wilson and Travis Franklin followed next in the qualifying order.
Eliminations saw former NSCA champ Mustang Mike Modeste, Ronnie Wilson and Keno Kelly all drop out in the opening round. In the semifinals, Angel N. Padilla knocked off defending series champ Travis Franklin when the latter redlighted. Richard Lelsz then took care of business against Angel Padilla with a 7.717 to 8.181 round win. Lelsz had been rather slow off the tree during each of his victories up to this point and it bit him in the finals when he let Padilla away first with a .165 second holeshot. Padilla took his 1970 Mustang to an 8.100 win at 179.09 mph as Lelsz coasted through the traps with a 10.955 second elapsed time.