NMCA: Fast Cars & Rising Stars in KY

Santa Ana, CA (May 18, 2016) – In addition to an endless supply of southern hospitality and sweet tea, the 15th Annual Quick Fuel Technology NMCA Bluegrass Nationals featuring the Dave Duell Classic served up plenty of action, May 12-15, 2016, at Beech Bend Raceway, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Personal bests were the words of the weekend, at what is the third stop on the NMCA’s six-event schedule for 2016.

The powerhouses were out in full force for VP Racing Fuels Xtreme Pro Mod, and among them was Stephan Stringer of Somerset, Kentucky, who drove his ’68 Camaro to a 3.88 at 189 mph to claim low ET and the top spot in qualifying. Steve Summers of Utica, Illinois, pushed his 70 1/2 Camaro to a 206 mph top speed during qualifying. Stringer stayed with it through the final, where he met up with Tim Savell of Terry, Mississippi, in the Bankston Motorsports ’13 Camaro, and Savell took the victory with a 3.81 at 198 mph to Stringer’s 3.88 at 189 mph and earned his team a trip to the Aerospace Components Winners Circle.

In Mickey Thompson Radial Wars, DeWayne Mills of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, flat-footed his ’68 Camaro to a 3.87 and 202 mph for the top qualified spot and low ET of the qualifying session, but Daniel Pharris of Sikeston, Missouri, claimed the top qualifying speed with an extremely stout 210.01 mph from his ’95 Mustang. The final round pitted Mills against Pharris, and at the stripe, it was Mills with another 3.87 at 201 mph over Pharris, who was right there with a 3.90 at 201 mph. Additionally, Pharris lined up against reigning category champion Keith Berry of Gainesville, Georgia, and his ’02 Corvette for the make-up final race from April’s event in Georgia, and Pharris won with a 3.92 at 204 mph to Berry’s 4.00 at 187 mph.

Wiseco Performance Products Street Outlaw saw Joel Greathouse of Oakland, Kentucky, take top qualifying and low ET during qualifying with the 4.36 and 169 mph he trapped in Jared Johnston’s ’91 Mustang, while Jacky McCarty of Bristol, Virginia, muscled his ’91 Mustang to a 174 mph for the top speed of the session. In the final round of eliminations, however, it was points leader Jarod Wenrick of Tipp City, Ohio, and his ’66 Nova over McCarty after an oh-so-entertaining 4.48 at 161 mph to 4.50 at 167 mph match-up.

The exciting new Holley EFI Factory Super Cars category saw Kevin Skinner of Grove City, Ohio, power his ’14 Cobra Jet to an 8.39 and 161 for the top qualified spot, and claimed low ET and top speed of the qualifying session as well. He remained on point, and defeated Chuck Watson of Grosse Ile, Michigan, and his ’16 Cobra Jet in the final after an 8.46 to 849 battle.

In ARP Nitrous Pro Street, Don Baskin of Covington, Tennessee, piloted his ’13 Camaro to a 7.23 and 182 mph for the low ET and top position in qualifying, while reigning class champion Joe Bucaro of Franklin Park, Illinois, put his name on the top speed with a 187 mph. But in the end, it was Baskin over Jennifer Brooke Rice of Springfield, Tennessee, and her ’09 Mustang after trapping 7.46 at 180 mph to Rice’s troubled and aborted pass.

In Edelbrock Xtreme Street, Eric Kenward of Vero Beach, Florida, proved to be unstoppable in his ’79 Malibu wagon by clocking a 7.58 at 178 to claim the number-one qualified position and low ET of the session. David Hutnick of Valparaiso, Indiana, grabbed top speed honors in his ’02 Camaro with an incredible 179 mph. Continuing through eliminations with multiple record-setting 7.5-second runs, Kenward made his way to the final round, where he went 7.55 at 179 mph to win over Camren Massengale of Pendleton, Indiana, and his 2001 Corvette in a 7.55 at 179 mph to 7.66 at 179 mph match-up.

High-revving action in Quick Lane at Downs Ford NA 10.5 put the spotlight on Dwight Ausmus of LaFollette, Tennessee, who drove to a 7.88 and 173 mph to claim the top qualified spot and low ET of the qualifying session, while Dave Theisen of Highland, Michigan, pushed his ’69 Firebird through the traps at 174 mph for top speed. Theisen hung tough to take on Rick Riccardi of Toms River, New Jersey, and his ’81 Capri in the final, and found his way to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle with a 7.93 at 175 mph to Riccardi’s 8.35 at 139 mph.

Individual class winners in the Dave Duell Classic included Clay Kossuth over Jeffrey Frees in FX. Brian Merrick took the A/NSS win over Bruce Sammett, while in B/NSS, Ed Becker ousted Randy Stanbury. Coy Templeton took out JT Fulkerson in D/NSS; Doug Poskevich defeated Al Wilson in E/NSS while Bob Cochran won the F/NSS class over Jimmy Gower. The G/NSS win went to Butch Cassady after he defeated Bernie Lawrence.

Sixty-one drivers were featured in ATI Performance Nostalgia Super Stock, and in the final round, Mike DeChicco of Ostrander, Ohio, was victorious over Donnie Wilson of Cave City, Kentucky, in a 9.47 to 11.44 pairing.

Full of old school cool, Detroit Truetrac Nostalgia Muscle Car featured Mike Clifford of Daytona Beach, Florida, who drove his ’66 Barracuda to an 11.001 on his 11.00 index for the top qualified spot, but the final round saw Matt Keiser of Cambridge City, Indiana, and his ’68 Mustang defeat multi-time champion Andy Warren of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and his ’71 Caprice with a 10.51 to Warren’s 9.99.

In MagnaFuel Open Comp, Shawn Calabrese of Winderere, Florida, wheeled his ’01 Firehawk to a .005 for the top qualified spot, but the final round welcomed Jenna Pierce-Wilson of Muncie, Indiana, and her ’12 Camaro and Donald Fenlon of Bensenville, Illinois, and his ’73 Camaro. Pierce Wilson grabbed the win when Fenlon went -.006 red on the tree.

In Chevrolet Performance Stock presented by Scoggin-Dickey Performance Center, Kevin Lumsden of Caddo Mills, Texas, took his ’99 Camaro to a 10.24 and 129 mph for the top qualified spot as well as low ET and top speed of the qualifying session. He remained unstoppable strong through eliminations and in his final-round matchup with Glenn Pushis of Leo, Indiana, and his ’13 Camaro, Lumsden claimed victory with after a 10.30 to 10.32 fight.

Twelve cars were part of the MX235 Shootout, which joined the NMCA for the first time at this event and will be featured at the Indianapolis and Joliet events coming up. Brian Edwards of Bloomington, Illinois, proved to be the man to beat with the 4.67 and 157 mph he ran in his ’93 Mustang to take the top qualified spot and the low ET and top speed honors. In the end, however, it was Brad Medlock of Sherwood, Arkansas, and his ’95 Mustang over Edwards after their 4.70 at 154 mph to 4.74 to 156 mph contest.

The banging of the gears in the Bluegrass Stick Shift Shootout could be heard near and far, and Dallas Peffley of Clinton, Indiana, saw the tree to the tune of .003 in his ’67 Valiant for the top qualified spot, while Donnie Beeler of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, powered his 67 Camaro to a 97 mph for top speed of the qualifying session. In the end, Thomas Borgia of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and his ’95 Mustang was victorious over Peffley after a 7.90 to 8.13 bout.

In Fastest Street Car Top Sportsman, Mark McDonald of Boonville, Indiana, proved his prowess by piloting his ’67 Mustang to a 6.64 and 204 mph for the top qualified spot and low ET of the qualifying session, while Kynon Dinkel of Terre Haute, Indiana, drove his ’04 Cavalier to 205 mph for top speed of the qualifying session. McDonald hung on through the final, where he defeated Jonathan Smiddy of Boonville, Indiana, and his ’96 Cutlass.

Gear Vendors True Street brought in a variety of fast machines, but none were faster than Troy Easton’s ’89 Mustang and it’s 8.51 three-run average. Doug Flynn with his tunnel-rammed Nova was a close second and took the runner up prize with an 8.53 average. James Walker was the 9-second winner with a 9.65, Shannon Doyle grabbed the 10-spot with a 10.27 and Jason Smith in his blown ’87 Monte Carlo hauled in the 11-second prize at 11.01. Further back was Chris Mohler taking the 12-second win with a 12.04, Robert Peffley averaged 13.06 for the 13-second prize, Eric Lambert in a 2015 Challenger won the 14-second award with a 14.05 effort, and Dan Lambert brought home the 15-second award in his 2012 Challenger with a 15.15 average.

In Saturday’s FSC Bracket action, Rodney Collins of Scottsville, Kentucky, and his ’71 Nova defeated David Hearn of Lichfield, Illinois, and his ’69 Camaro in Bracket 1; Terry Lindsey of Bowling Green, Kentucky, pushed the ’67 Camaro to a win over Jarrod Arnold of Madisonville, Kentucky, and his ’79 Mustang in Bracket 2; and Brenda Blair of Elmwood, Tennessee, wheeled her ’77 Caprice to the win over Ronnie Halslip of Nolensville, Tennessee, and his ’69 Mustang Mach 1 in Bracket 3. In Sunday’s FSC Bracket action, Spencer Warren of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and his ’90 Corvette ousted Teddy Barlow of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and his 2000 Camaro in Bracket 1; Ryan Richardson of Greenbrier, Tennessee, and his ’69 Nova trailered Bobby Wibanks of Walnut Shade, Missouri, and his ’66 Belvedere in Bracket 2; and Austin Boorn of Goodlettesville, Tennessee, and his 2000 1500 truck bettered Brenda Blair of Elmwood, Tennessee, and her ’77 Caprice in Bracket 3.

More NMCA action is coming soon to Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 23-26 for the 15th Annual NMCA All-American Nationals. See you there!