|
|
|
Whitfield Scores Second Straight CSS Win
Text & Photos by Chris Graves
 |
| Anthony Whitfield |
The Central State Superchargers held their second event of the 2012 racing season at Kansas International Dragway in Wichita, Kansas. Despite triple digit air temperatures and track temps in the 140 degree range, the blown altereds and front engine dragsters put on a great show headlining the 1st Annual Wheat State Nostalgia Nationals. Saturday night hosted a capacity crowd downtown where a handful of CSS teams displayed their machines as Howard Knowles, Anthony Whitfield and John Umlauf fired up their machines Saturday night to give the fans a taste of what was to come on Sunday. With a newly resurfaced track and tricky track conditions, the action was wild as these high horsepower machines battled for position.
 |
| John Umlauf |
After two rounds of qualifying the "Nitro Madness" team owned by Scott Gaulter and driven by Sean Belt set low elapsed time with a new Kansas International Dragway elapsed time and mile per hour track record, a blistering 4.13 at 175 mph. Anthony Whitfield posted a solid 4.28 at 167 mph in the "Mighty Mouse" altered and John Umlauf blasted to a stout 4.30 at 159 mph in his blown front engine dragster. Mark Bowman's 4.33 at 167 and Howard Knowles' 4.36 at 163 mph rounded out the top half of the field as the teams returned to the pits to prepare for the first round of eliminations.
 |
| Tom Butherus |
FINAL QUALIFYING ORDER
1. Anthony Whitfield - 4.2832 @ 167.47
2. John Umlauf - 4.3055 @ 159.97
3. Mark Bowman - 4.3362 @ 167.29
4. Sean Belt - 4.3527 @ 175.99 (4.1473)
5. Howard Knowles - 4.36 @ 163.7
6. Aaron Leyda - 4.4106 @ 161.06
7. Tom Butherus - 4.74 @ 156.25
8. Adam Smith - 4.9657 @ 144.51
9. Rusty Woolard - 5.8996 @ 73.12
10. Daniel Butherus - No Time (Broke)
 |
| Harold Knowles |
A pair of blown fuel altereds opened the first round of eliminations with Anthony Whitfield lining up against Howard Knowles. Whitfield came into the round as the number one qualifier and kept that perforce going with a 4.21 at 171 mph to take out Knowles' 5.13 at 112.
 |
| Aaron Leyda |
John Umlauf brought his blown front engine dragster to the line against the Dale Wilkens owned and tuned "Hemi Hunter" machine driven by Aaron Leyda. The cars were side by side at half track and Umlauf took the win at the stripe with a 4.43 at 158 mph to Leyda's 4.68 at 127 mph.
Mark Bowman's "Blown Income" and Tom Butherus' "Rude Rat II" crept into the beams next and posted the closest race of the round. Bowman and Butherus were wheel to wheel and Bowman's 4.56 at 159 mph was just enough to take out Butherus' 4.62 at 145 mph.
 |
| Sean Belt |
Adam Smith wheeled his blown front engine dragster to a solo victory after opponent Sean Belt couldn't answer the call with reverser issues. Smith posted a clean 4.89 to take the round win as the two quickest winners, Anthony Whitfield and John Umlauf, advanced to the final round in Wichita.
 |
| Adam Smith |
First Round Eliminations
(W) Anthony Whitfield (4.21 @ 171 mph) vs. (L) Howard Knowles (5.13 @ 122 mph)
(W) John Umlauf (4.43 @ 158 mph) vs. (L) Aaron Leyda (4.68 @ 127 mph)
(W) Mark Bowman (4.56 @ 159 mph) vs. (L) Tom Butherus (4.62 @ 145 mph)
(W) Adam Smith (4.89) vs. (L) Sean Belt (No Time - Broke)
Whitfield and team "Mighty Mouse" were looking for their second straight win of the season while Umlauf was hoping to lock up his first CSS win. The cars left the line together and blasted down the eighth mile, Umlauf getting loose early while Whitfield was blazing the rear tires and getting sideways through the finish line, lighting up the scoreboard with a winning 4.26 at 164 mph to Umlauf's 4.86 at 146 mph.
 |
| Mark Bowman |
Final Round Eliminations
(W) Anthony Whitfield (4.26 @ 164 mph) vs. (L) John Umlauf (4.86 @ 146 mph)
"John Force gave a speech when I was a crew member for his team that always motivates me and my team... There are teams with endless budgets but at the end of the day it's the guys that lay awake at night thinking about the car and the team that is in the shop at midnight working that can overcome not having the best parts and the biggest budget and stand in the winners circle at the end of the day... Team "Mighty Mouse" would like to thank Grand Prix Auto in Tulsa, Oklahoma for their support and a special thanks to my mom and dad for all the blood, sweat and tears it takes to run a car like this," said Whitfield.
 |
| Rusty Woolard |
This marked the second win in a row for team "Mighty Mouse" as Whitfield and company celebrated their well deserved victory. Despite being denied his first CSS win, John Umlauf and team also hosted a very successful outing, battling the heat, facing some series between round thrashings in the pits, qualifying number two and posting a runner-up finish.
| |
Copyright 1996-2013 by