Pro Street action was excellent with nine of the nation's best racers doing battle on first class surface. After three sessions, the new turbocharged small block 99 Firebird of Rob Saboury ended in first with a 6.938 201.61. The 98 Firebird of Tony Christian got the second spot with a 6.992 202.67 for the Christian & Venning team. The swoopy non nitrous S-10 of Bob Riegar was third with a 7.001, 196.62. Mike Moran got the Caspar 1998 Camaro into fourth with a solid 7.011 200.17. Pat Musi's new Popeye Firebird was fifth at a 7.121, 196.93. The only non GM Pro Street racer, Joe Culver, got a super 7.148, 199.07 pass out of his late model Thunderbird. Joe DellaMaggiore brought back his 1967 Chevelle after an accident in his new Firebird. The Chevelle which went on a crash diet got a 7.343, 188.49 pass to end up seventh. Mike Bowman in his clean 1967 Chevelle went 7.372, 192.36 for eighth spot. Chuck Samuel in his turbocharged 1999 S-10 also went 7.372 but at 190.89 to end up in the final spot.

The first round opened with Pat Musi and Joe Culver racing. Pat got the holeshot and the win 7.130, 177.42 to Culver's 7.124, 194.63. The win was not without a price for Musi, however; he blew an engine. Joe DellaMaggiore got another holeshot victory with a 7.259, 166.07 over Mike Moran's sleepy 7.259, 185.56. Bob Riegar went 6.966, 196.53 to beat Mike Bowman's 7.351, 190.65. Tony Christian took low E.T. of the round with a 6.949 204.05 to bury Chuck Samuel who shut off to a 9.294. Saboury took the bye with a 7.098, 198.58 to advance to round two.

In Round two DellaMaggiore faltered off the starting line and coasted to a 15.657 81.06 while Riegar ran a super 6.985, 195.67. Saboury took another bye run when Musi could not return; Saboury ran an easy 18.35 48.99. Christian got the odd lot bye but pedaled the car to an easy 9.686, 133.37 for lane choice.

In the Semis the two Firebirds faced off, Saboury vs. Christian. Saboury went in first with the turbocharged small block on full throttle while Christian took his time to stage. They left side by side but Saboury shut off with a problemed 7.942 while Christian laid down a super 6.847 207.24 for low E.T. and top speed of the race. The race was called due to rain while the racers sat in the staging lanes.

The grooved tired Outlaw Pro Street class pulled out all the stops to put on a good show. The low qualifier was Randy Adler in Lynwood Wood's blown 66 GTO with a wild shaking 7.081 208.42. Bruce Kimmen and his blown 69 Camaro was number two with 7.033 209.35. Freddy Davis laid down a super 7.141, 197.36 in his blown 94 Corvette. Brian Robbins went a scary 7.152, 199.17 complete with two wheelstands in the McCulloch Racing blown 1967 Nova. Jeff Miller got the ex Jim Oddy 1938 Chevrolet with the trick swing arm suspension to run 7.208, 197.16 for fourth. The first non blown car was hometown racer Mike Steele with a 7.245, 193.93. Jr Griffin ran a 7.406, 189.90 in his 1998 Monte Carlo with 800 inches of Pontiac for power. The blown small block 1998 S-10 of Gary Dykema was number eight with a 7.811, 174.89. The Outlaw Nova of Larry Nadeau went 8.357, 166.39 for the ninth slot. Joel Casper's blown 78 Chevrolet pickup with a stock frame went 8.449, 156.61 for tenth. Al Suggs in his S-10 was eleventh at 8.965, 147.78. Chris Shortridge had problems in his usually strong 1997 small block Camaro, he only ran a 9.799, 124.01 for number twelve. Jason Wiley was number 13 with a 10.021, 135.18 in his 68 Camaro. The final spot was taken by Jason Oswald in his clean 55 Chevrolet with a 10.754, 126.67.

The first round started with Adler running 7.027 211.20 over Wiley's redlight shutoff pass. Kimmen ran a 6.967 207.75 to outdistance Oswald's 10.503, 127.62 run. Dykema and Griffin had a wild side by side race with Griffin coming from behind to win 7.412 to Dykema's improved 7.658, 177.93. Davis and Shortridge got together for a good race. Shortridge was out in front after a major holeshot but Davis hurt the engine to win 7.475, 180.89 to Shortridge's 7.617, 174.75. Robbins ran the run of the weekend, 6.854, 199.49 to massacre Suggs valiant 8.872, 148.97. Miller ran a good 7.082, 196.79 to beat Casper's 8.496. Steele won with a 7.445, 190.28 over Nadeau's solid 7.986, 170.78 to end the round.

The second round again was started by Adler's 7.05 208.12 run to beat the 10.992 81.08 crossed up run of Griffin. Miller got the upset over Robbins with a 7.127, 196.93 to a shutoff 7.526, 196.93. Kimmen got the bye with a super 6.945 207.24.

The semis had a wild race between Miller and Kimmen. The bad blood between the two was evident when Miller holeshot the sleeping Kimmen to win 7.110, 196.54 to 6.988 205.98. Randy Adler ran his best of the weekend to win 6.919 206.10 to beat Steele's best of the weekend 7.19, 195.87. The final was rained out but will be run at Beech Bend in a couple of weeks.

The Ford Mustang-dominated Super Street category had 14 racers appearing to race for the title. Billy Glidden was number one in his 90 Mustang with a 7.868, 176.95. Jimmy Keen was number two at a 7.915, 176.12 in his 89 Mustang. Joel Greathouse was number three at 7.930, 174.41 in 92 Mustang. Elias Delatorre went 7.967, 177.92 in his new Mustang. Matt Scranton was number five at 8.133, 171.27 in his 92 Mustang. Mike Curtis was number six in his 66 Corvette with 8.241, 165.25 for the first Chevrolet. Ray Sanchez got his 68 Camaro to run 8.552, 165.46 for seventh. Cord Clark was number eight at 8.623, 158.61. Derrick Smith in his 98 Mustang was ninth at 8.666, 165.61. Ricky Sehon went 9.231, 145.20 for tenth. Leon Hudson was number eleven at 9.262, 150.60 in his 65 Barracuda. Tony Hudson was number twelve at 9.364, 143.93. The last spots were the disqualified runs of Josh McClelland and Earl Schenayder.

Glidden won in the first round over Tony Hudson, 9.135, 115.6 to 9.277, 113.50. Keen took out Leon Hudson, 8.012 to 9.095, 150.87. Greathouse beat Sehon's Chevy, 7.872, 176.95. Scranton's 8.087, 172.74 won over Clark's 8.801, 156.06. Sanchez ran a winning a solo of 8.458, 164.98 when Curtis broke. Delatorre ran super 7.883, 181.42 to bury the 8.706, 156.25 of Smith.

In the second round, the race of the day happened when Greathouse ran a 7.781, 176.77 to squeeze by Delatorre's 7.906, 177.86. Sanchez's 8.646, 163.92 was no match for Glidden's 7.966, 179.49, ending the day for the Chevys. Keen got a 7.889, 176.77 run to win over Scranton's 8.164, 172.52.

Greathouse upset Keen in the first race of the semi's 7.894, 176.56 to Keen's crossed up 9.70, 101.05. Glidden took the bye run with a super 7.770, 179.95 run to wow the crowd.

The final was run before final rains came. Glidden ran a 7.79, 178.85 to beat the upstart Greathouse, who slipped and slid to an 8.45, 160.14.

In the eight-car Hot Street field, the finals had defending champion Tim Davis in his 91 Daytona and Jamie Gelting in his 92 Calais. Davis was low qualifier and the winner with an 8.944, 152.49 over Jamie Gelting's 9.158, 149.89.

The 10-car field in EZ/Street was predictable with Gary Rohe winning from the number one spot in his Mustang. Rohe defeated Donnie Gering in his Camaro 9.193, 148.90 to 9.370, 145.72.

Fourteen cars appeared for Real Street. James Phipps was low qualifier and the winner in his 67 Camaro 9.364, 145.20 to Scott Budadisch's shutoff 10.58, 101.49 run his 1995 Chevy pickup.

In Factory Street, the 67 Nova of Ruth Spires was number one qualifier and the winner over Gerald Boyd and his AMC Spirit, 10.596, 125.31 to 10.62, 126.27.

Danny White
ddgw@valornet.com