Rob Moore was only testing his brand new Nitro Performance ‘60 Chevy Impala, which he and his brother Matt Moore of Lenco Tran’s fame built, but this wild Pro Street/ AAGS style Impala with giant fins looks flat bad ass. It’s been a twelve-year project in the making for the San Diego duo, and is powered by an Alan Johnson blown engine. This one will really be something to watch in the future.
Round one of the ten-car field was instantly reduced to nine when Mike Maggio could not make the call with his new blown Corvette. The sleek twin turbo Mustang of Gentile laid down an extremely nice single, though, at 6.438, 224.36 to take away both the present Low ET and Top Speed of the day for the class. Hairston in the bright orange turbo GTO cut an awesome lite (.018 RT) and was not is denied over Kane in Hagerty’s #2 car. Another 6.562 at 217.53 mph for the win lite also.
Two West Coast Pro Mod runners, Wayne Glasgow and Tim Henry, met in this round also with the Pontiac Firebird of the Henry Brothers claiming the win at 6.738, 211.43 mph when Glasgow lost traction and eased to a losing 7.517, 180.60 mph.
Hagerty looked so good during qualifying, but got out of the groove in his heat, backing out of the throttle a couple of times, as Jay Diedrich’s ‘57 ran his best times of the event at 7.235, 201.43 mph for the victory. Randy still turned in a 7.687, even though he wisely shut off the nitrous Vette about the 800-foot mark at 132.18 mph.
In the closest race of the round, Bluebaugh and Mihovetz left virtually together with Mihovetz having a slightly better light, and that’s how the race stayed to the finish line, side by side, the Accufab Cougar at 6.530, 216.69 mph to a very close and quicker 6.528, 216.69 mph for the Auto Trader/WFO Monte Carlo. Neither driver knew who won till the crew gave them the news.
With five cars left Hairston in his Bakersfield-based GTO got the bye run this time and looked like a bracket car with another fine 6.541, 216.9 mph. In a fantastic match up, nitrous vs turbo, Gentile in the Turbo People Mustang drilled Henry off the starting line and was not to be denied, at an even better 6.383, 226.62 mph and another win. Henry’s potent Pontiac Firebird ran a closer 6.585, 213.98 mph for his best effort this weekend.
Diedrich had trouble staging the big, blown, black ‘57 Chevy and it was all but over when Mihovetz and his fantastic crew started to get a handle on the LVMS track at 6.534, 215.89 mph over the Firbaugh, Calif., team which trailed at 9.081, only 114.00 mph.