Brad Thompson returned to racing at this event after a two-year absence.

40th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor

Words and photos by Brian Losness

As is tradition, Firebird Raceway hosted the first stop on the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series NHRA Division 6 calendar, but as often happens at Boise, you seem to get more than you bargain for. In addition to the Division 6 opener, this was also the second stop for the NHRA Heritage Series in the Nostalgia Top Fuel division, therefore a two-fer special, which is a great deal for the fans.

The one drawback to this event is something that no one could have changed or controlled. Her name, Mother Nature. The weather tried like crazy to put a damper on this event, but the competitors, NHRA, and Firebird Raceway track personnel were able to get the event to Sunday, when the weather was perfect for drag racing.

Ten racers established twenty new NHRA national records in qualifying. These were set in Stock, Super Stock and Comp Eliminator with a combination of a very good racetrack and excellent atmospheric conditions that are usually found in this part of Idaho during the spring.

Randy Eakins preps his new "Ford" Nostalgia Top Fueler prior to qualifying at the NHRA Heritage Series event.

The weather was not as kind to the NHRA Heritage Series Top Fueler as rain on Friday cut short their test session to just a one car, but it was a important one nonetheless. It was the first time back to Firebird for Brad Thompson since his horrific crash here at the Nightfires in 2008. [See an article coming in the May 10 issue of DRO] 

However, Saturday was a different story, as the Top Fuel field got their first look at the racetrack and as some crew chiefs later admitted, they misread the conditions. The air temp was very cool, but the large amount of car running got the track temps up to the high seventies and low eighties, and many crew chiefs went up way too soft and suffered for it.

Jim Murphy’s many years of experience at Firebird was able to secure the number one qualifying spot with a very nice 6.01, followed closely by the March Meet winner Adam Sorokin at the wheel of the Champion Speed Shop Special at 6.02, and third was Brad Thompson at the wheel of the High Speed Motorsports fueler at 6.06. 

Surprisingly, only seven cars made the trip to Boise, giving Murphy a bye in the first round. He utilized it as a test run and put it to good use running a very stout 5.83 at just 230.76 miles per hour. This year Murphy is sporting a unique Enderle fuel injector that doesn’t use a hat. Murphy explained that he “did it just so I could see better and it seems to be working just fine.”