Words and photos by Larry Crum

Chris Bennett (Nostalgia Fuel Altered) and Bobby Lagana Jr. (Top Fuel) won both the Friday and Saturday inaugural Nitro Jams at Southwestern International Raceway in Tucson, Arizona. The Prostalgia Funny Car and Nitro Harley classes had different winners each day.

DAY 1

It was glorious day at SIR on Friday, March 25. Not only were the stands packed full with fans eager to enjoy Nitro Jam’s brand of motorsports entertainment, but James Day stole the show with a big win in the Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car “Duel in the Desert” in Tucson, a win he was proud to dedicate to ill car owner Dale Pulde.

“It is an honor just to be asked to drive this car for Dale, but to win in this thing is like a dream come true,” Day said, eagerly grasping his brand new Ironman trophy. “This is a legendary car and it drove like a legend tonight. All I have to say is this win is for Dale, who is still recovering. Hopefully this trophy will help him feel a bit better.”

Day was one of four professional winners during the opening night of the Arizona Nitro Jam as Bobby Lagana Jr. (Top Fuel), Chris Bennett (Nostalgia Fuel Altered) and Mike Scott (Nitro Harley) all walked away winners on day one.

But it was Day, behind the wheel of the “War Eagle” Trans Am, who truly owned the night as he bested Nitro Jam newcomer Mike Savage in the “Candies and Hughes” Barracuda in the Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car final. Day, who qualified first on the charts in the opening round with a very quick 5.847 elapsed time at 239.91 mph, backed up his big run with another similar pass that saw him jump out front early and never look back.

Day ran a 5.894, 236.92 in the final, besting Savage who clicked it off near the finish line as his car began to dance with the centerline. It was a huge win for the young driver who was tapped to fill in for Pulde who is still recovering from Valley Fever.

Bobby Lagana Jr. claimed his fourth Top Fuel victory of the season over Bruce Litton in the two-car class. And to make the night even more satisfying for Lagana, who unveiled a new Lucas Oil sponsorship to give Nitro Jam two Lucas-backed Top Fuel machines, was the fact that he was able to claim both rounds while also posting the best lap of the night, a solid 4.975, 296.89 in round one.

Litton’s best pass of the night was a 5.107, 269.29.