Points leader Nick Poloson struggled in first session but got in the show with a 4.14 at 171 mph to start off the second session of qualifying. Sean Belt went 4.21 at 165 mph in the “Nitro Madness” Fiat which got him in at the moment. Bobby Marriott laid down low elapsed time with a 3.94 at 188 mph and Reep improved to a 4.15 at 171 mph. John Broussard re-set his career best with a very impressive 4.07 at 174 mph and David Purifoy tripped the clocks with a close but not close enough 4.27 at 166 mph in the “Thrill Factor.” Tim Hay qualified from the sixth spot with a 4.14 at 178 mph in the “High Voltage Hayride” and Anthony Whitfield stepped up to a 4.34 in the “Mighty Mouse” machine.
Howard Knowles
Ted Elrod
Howard Knowles won the “B” field at the 2008 World Fuel Altered Nationals in Eddyville, Iowa just a few weeks prior to Mo-Kan but a 4.29 best fell short of the Larry Reep held 4.15 bump spot which set an OFAA series record. World Fuel Altered Nationals “A” field winner Ted Elrod and his “Killin Time” crew laid down a great 3.95 at 182 mph to secure the number two spot. The OFAA was represented well at the World Fuel Altered Nationals with both class winners coming out of the series.
Remarkably, every team on the property ran good enough to qualify for any event so far this season as the quickest bump of the year was formerly a 4.35. Anthony Whitfield ran a 4.34 to qualify in 15th place, an elapsed time that would have qualified him at any previous event. That also would have qualified him at last year’s event which ironically posted a 4.35 bump. Unreal. An impressive list of names sat outside the quick eight after qualifying. You have to jog back to Ben Bruce Raceway in June of 2004 to see the last time Brad Rigler did not qualify for an OFAA show. Rigler has three wins in the last four years at Mo-Kan and possibly his own street sign somewhere on the property after totally owning this event in the past.
Brad Rigler