The father and son team of Mark and Jake Sanders from Washington State became the second straight West Coast team to win the AA/FC class at the oldest national event, the 61st World Series of Drag Racing at Cordova Dragway Park. With Mark driving and son Jake tuning, they beat defending Hedman Husler Hedders DragRacingOnline.com AA/FC Challenge champion Shawn Bowen and stopped his three-race winning streak for the season.
Sanders, racing in his third DRO AA/FC Challenge event of the season, qualified third in the eight-car qualified field with a 5.938/234.37. Bowen, from Grand Blanc, Mich., qualified number one with a 5.793/247 and Paul Romine, from Indianapolis, second with a 5.890/241.11.
Sanders defeated Oklahoma-based Fred Farndon in the first round overcoming a massive .055 holeshot by former Top Fuel racer Farndon with Sanders’ best pass of the event, a 5.866/246.66, and drove around a tire-shaking Farndon. In the second round he got the win over veteran Doc Halladay who was in the lead until the “Telstar” shook the tires, crossed the center line behind Sanders, and was disqualified.
On the other side of the ladder Low Qualifier and points leader Bowen had a single in round one and took out Brian Stewart and his “Bear Town Shaker” Mustang in the second round with a 5.99/246 effort to set up the final between the two touring AA/FC pros.
In the final Sanders had his RT of the event with a .079 and then drove the race of his life by keeping his tire spinning “Mr. Explosive” between the lines while Bowen grenaded the motor at about 1,000 feet and coasted to the finish. Sanders ran a 6.083 and set top speed of the meet at 248.84 mph to Bowen’s losing 6.180/195.99 lap.
DRO top five in points after four of seven races: 1. Shawn Bowen, MI – 465; 2. Mark Sanders, WA – 389; 3 Bazz Young, WI – 302; 4. Paul Romine, IN – 293.5; 5. Fred Farndon, OK – 266.5
Next stop for the Hedman Husler Hedders DRO AA/FC series will be at U.S. 131 Dragway in Martin, Mich., on Sept. 5-6.
