Marion,
TX., March 17th, 2018 - San
Antonio Raceway hosted the Outlaw Fuel
Altered Association and Southwest Heritage
Racing Association version of Nitro Jam featuring
the nitro-burning Fuel Altereds, Dragsters, Funny Cars,
plus Nostalgia Super Stocks racing in their own timed categories.
The Alkydigger Nostalgia Eliminator 1 (4.65) N.E. 2 (5.00)
and N.E. 3 (5.50), all +/- .05, while OFAA are a heads up
class.
Defending
SHRA champions are Tommy Drozd (NE1), Bruce Dodson (NE2)
Doug Morrison (NE3) and Ronnie Smith (Super Stock), Nick
Poloson was the OFAA champion.
Also
scheduled was a round of IHRA Summit Super Series bracket
racing. After several earlier tries postponed by rain,
some during the race or qualifying, the local bracket
racers are itchy to get their first win of the season
on the 1/8 mile, strip just outside of San Antonio.
The
partly cloudy conditions kept the track temperatures down
to near the ideal range, but twice during the day a shower
would delay the action. The only major incident was Donny
Massey, whose engine decided to disassemble itself at
the 330' mark. Despite Massey wearing his diaper, parts
and oil were slung all the way through the top end. Several
timing blocks also suffered some injury, but cars and
drivers were alright.
Outlaw
Fuel Altered Association
After paring from qualifying, round 1 of 'Chicago Style'
eliminations would take the top two quickest cars into
the finals. Oddly enough it was a pair of cars that both
ran 3.82 in eliminations pitting Jimmy Jones (Texas Tremor)
and A. Morrow (Nitro Relapse) against one another in the
finals. Jones clicked off another 3.80 run to take
the win over Morrow at 4.06
Alkydigger
Nostagia Eliminator 1
The NE1 final was a matchup between the altered of 2017
SHRA champ, Drozd and the slingshot dragster of Keith
Zimmerer. Zimmerer had a slight edge at the start but
Drozd was able to run him down, without breaking out,
to secure the win.. Tommy Drozd (.051) 4.667 @ 140.93
defeats Keith Zimmerer (.030) 4.724 @ 144.32
Alkydigger
Nostalgia Eliminator 2
It was Jason Scott, in his Altered and Jeff Cameron, in
the Dooley & Sons Hot Rod Shop, Austin Panel Truck
paired up for the NE2 finals. Cameron put a .003 light
on Scott and that was the difference as Scott outran Cameron,
but lost on the holeshot. Jeff Cameron (.003) 5.143
@ 133.85 defeats Jason Scott (.074) 5.096 @ 132.24
Alkydigger
Nostalgia Eliminator 3
The NE3 finals saw a local racer going head to head with
a SHRA regular. Former SAR track Champion Ryan McDonnell,
in his San Antonio Hydro Graphix, 23 Ford Altered left
on the defending champion Morrison, who ran the index
number, to get the victory by the holeshot. Ryan McDonnell
(.081) 5.553 @ 115.92 defeats Doug Morrison (.157) 5.502
@ 122.58
Nostalgia
Super Stocks
The Super Stock finals was a Chevy vs. Dodge match up
with Doug Watkins in his Chevelle against Vic Corlett
in his Dodge Dart. Watkins was wheels up first on green
then was only a bit his dial in to take the victory over
Corlett. Doug Watkins (6.41) 6.480 @ 91.71 defeats
Vic Corlett (6.73) 6.975 @ 98.88
Summit
Super Series bracket racing
Electronics (Box)
In the Electronics (Box) finals it was Mike Atkinson (Cibolo)
going head to head with Brian Wenske (Cedar Creek). Both
left with nearly identical reaction times, but it was
Atkinson in his 1990 Dodge Daytona running his number
to take home the hardware over Wenske in his Altered Roadster.
Mike Atkinson (5.47) 5.477 @ 124.69 defeats Brian
Wenske (5.53) 5.583 @ 122.22. Atkinson
took out Jeremy Wenske, Matt Esper, Jeff Rabedeau, Greg
Meuth and Rick Shafer. B. Wenske trailered Brandon Bass,
Kenneth Hillin, D. Smith, Wes Bendele and got a bye into
the finals.
Footbrake
(No-box)
The Footbrake (No-box) class never made it to the finals
and was a first for me. Five drivers, either due to lateness
of the race or four men afraid to race a woman (LOL),
opted to split everything and not even run. The quintet
co-winners were Laurie Vontour (San Antonio), Mac Garcia
(San Antonio), Gene Herbold (Seguin), Gabriel Hernandez
(San Antonio) and Mad Mike (Pleasanton) on his motorcycle.
Street
The Street final saw experience against youth as Paul
Gaspard in his G&G Performance, Dodge Dart went to
battle with teenager, Shelby Spencer in her GMC Pick-up.
Both were slow on the tree but Gaspard (Marion) got the
slight advantage and ran his number while Spencer (New
Braunfels) broke out trying to run him down. Paul
Gaspard (7.25) 7.257 @ 95.95 defeats Shelby Spencer (10.03)
10.025 @ 74.70. Gaspard
bested Rhett Floyd, Brandon Spain and had a round 1 bye.
Spencer got a round 3 bye and beat V. Hernandez and Floyd.
Jr.
Dragster
It was an all-girl final for the Jr. Dragsters pitting
Jessika Jackson (Kyle) with Audrey Wenske (Bacliff) in
a round 1 rematch that was taken by Jackson. Wenske, in
her Halfscale Chassis pretty much got the win off the
tree putting .800th in the bank on Jackson's 2001 Hayden
Chassis. Wenske was closer on her number to secure the
victory. Audrey Wenske (8.90) 8.962 @ 71.21 defeats
Jessika Jackson (8.59) 8.780 @ 77.03 Wenske
beats Slate Crisp in round 1 with Jackson getting by Carlos
DeLeon.
Text
and photos: J.M. Hallas
