Going into the final race of the season, there were four racers with a mathematical chance to win the 2013 championship of the Mickey Thompson Tires DragRacingOnline.com AA/FC Challenge presented by COMP Cams.
Leading the points was Michigan racers Shawn Bowen, whose “Violator” Firebird had dominated the six-race series this season, winning two events and finishing runner-up at one.
The contenders came to Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park on Sept. 13-14 for their fourth race in just six weekends and only one week after the previous race at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich., which is no easy deal for professional racers much less these hobby racers. Several of DRO series regulars were unable to fix their cars after the U.S. 131 race the previous weekend, so there were just seven cars that qualified for the Tulsa race.
Contending teams and drivers pushed themselves and their equipment to their limits trying to win the DRO Championship. For the first time in the series history there were three cars qualified with an ET in the 5.70s. There were more teams that destroyed engines at the final than at any other event. The drivers, too, showed the effect of the grueling final stretch with red lights and late lights determining many races.
The cars qualified in the 5.70’s were Brian Stewart’s “Bear Town Shaker” Mustang at the top of the list with a 5.760, followed by Shawn Bowen’s 5.785 and Ronny Young’s 5.794.
In the end Texan Young and tuner Kebin Kingsley put the “Blue Max” Plymouth Arrow Funny Car into the winner’s circle for the Tulsa event.
Young and Stewart met in the final. For number-one qualifier Stewart and his freshman tuner it was their first final round appearance in the DRO series. For Young it was a chance to put a “Blue Max” Funny Car in a winner’s circle for the first time in nearly thirty years.
Perhaps the pressure got to Stewart as he left -.252 before the green light, but he probably would have needed a great light to have a chance to win as Young had a spectacular .033 light and recorded a 5.812 lap at 252.80 mph.
The Bowen family team from Michigan maintained their points lead and became just the third team to win the DRO national championship in the five-year history of the series.
Contingency sponsors for the 2013 season were Baumgartner Race Cars, COMP Cams, JE Pistons, MSD, Mert Littlefield Blowers, Mickey Thompson Tires, Rage Fuel Systems Inc., S&W Race Cars, Taylor Motorsports Products and Trailer Toad.
FINAL POINTS
1. Shawn Bowen – 504.5
2. Ronny Young – 493
3. Brian Stewart – 463.5
4. John Hale – 459
5. Marc White – 377
6. Bazz Young – 336.5
7. Troy Martin – 222*
8. Peter Gallen – 168
9. Cruz Pedregon – 157.5
10. Doc Halladay – 150
11. Frank Ousley – 132*
12. Bodie Smith – 107
13. Tommy Johnson Jr. – 87
14. Jake Crimmins – 86
15. Mike Lewis – 80
16. Mike Smith – 78
17. Dennis Taylor – 77
18. Kebin Kinsley – 76
19. Anthony Bronge – 74
20. Mike Halstead – 73
* more than one driver, so points listed by car owner
Photos attached by Joe McHugh
RonnyYoung – BlueMax
Shawn Bowen – 2013 DRO Champion
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