9th Pomona Nitro Nationals - Part 3

By Robert Briggs

NE1 Harold Hungerford is about as Nostalgic as it gets but the performance wasn't there to make the show.

NE2 Rick Ackerman's '39 Fiat qualified #4 with a 8.620 (8.60 Index). He lost Round One against Rick Kriger because of his slow 0.503 reaction time.

AA/GS Ed Moss qualified #1 with a 6.766 sec 204.05 mph and also won the event in a Final Round against Dale Boomgaarden.

NE1 Mark Vaught normally makes the show with ease but not at this race.

Controversy surrounded John Powers' Funny Car the entire weekend. John qualified #3 with a 6.125 sec 225.30 mph run. Critics say his 1978 Trans Am body doesn't conform to the spirit of Nostalgia racing. Powers went into the sand during qualifying and there were cheers from the crowd. Powers broke the car beyond repair in a Round One win against Mike Adams and was forced to retire for the weekend.

A/Fuel Jack Beckman qualified 7th. Jack lost Round Two to Bill Wayne.

No ID on this mean looking Hot Rod Plymouth with Hemi!

Junior Fuel B Fred Notzka (near lane) in Round One action against Dan Fenton. Both were sleeping with Notzka waking up first and winning the round, (0.401) 7.312 sec 183.42 mph to Fenton's (0.669) 7.630 sec 172.34 mph.

Top Fuel Terry Cox qualified #9 with his 5.980 sec 240.38 mph. Terry's Round One (0.090) 5.954 sec 241.54 mph was his best run of the weekend but it wasn't good enough against Adam Sorokin's (0.027) 5.936 sec 254.23 mph.

C/Gas Bob Williams' little '48 Anglia qualified 20th in a 32-car field with a 9.702 sec (9.60 Index). Bob lost Round Two against Mike Mangano in a duel of the Red Lights.

D/Gas reigning champ Ed Carey continued his winning ways by taking the event at Pomona. Ed qualified 8th in the 32-car field with a 10.625 sec (10.60 Index) and threaded his way into the Winner's Circle again.

A new Funny Car for Larry Pettit in 2006. Larry qualified 5th with a 6.189 sec 231.87 mph. Larry ran (0.111) 6.163 sec 235.60 mph in but event winner Chris Krabill ran a better (0.123) 6.026 sec 233.76 mph for the Round One win.

Robert Briggs
rbriggs6@charter.net