Mike Castellana  (Ron Lewis photo)

The fans were also treated to a Pro Mod field filled with examples of every type of powerplants legal for NHRA Pro Modified including supercharged, nitrous oxide-injected, and turbocharged powerplants and engine sizes that ranged from 526 cubic inches to nitrous motors approaching 900 cubic inches in size.

The weather at Virginia Motorsports Park was nearly perfect all weekend long as was the track surface thanks to the track crew and the combination delivered record performances in all of the doorslammer classes including a stellar 6.509 ET and speeds over 212 from NHRA Pro Stock. 

Roger Burgess  (Ron Lewis photo)

At the end of the first round of qualifying on Friday, series rescuer and racer Roger Burgess was low qualifier with a 5.936; then it started to get really quick and fast. In round two, Rick Stivers drove his Trane-backed, Brad Anderson-tuned, supercharged Dodge Stratus to a 5.906 to be the provisional low qualifier after two rounds.

Saturday afternoon saw the corrected altitude, water grains and track temp drop, and the performances start rising. The third pair down track in the last qualifying session saw nitrous standard bearer Dennis Radford pilot his mountain-motored nitrous-injected '70 Duster to the quickest ever nitrous-powered lap with a great 5.924 at 237.13 mph.