Day Three of the 10th Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion -
HOT HEADS NOSTALGIA DRAG RACING FINALS
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – (June 16, 2012) – Ernest McClain, Robbie Freels, and Tera Wendland raced to their first event wins in the Hot Heads Eliminator Nostalgia Drag Racing Finals at the 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA at Beech Bend Raceway Park on Saturday night.
The stands were filled with cheering fans as racing went on late into the evening. In categories ranging from Nostalgia Top Fuel to Geezer Gasser, racers roared down the quarter-mile into the darkness, past nostalgic covered grandstands in their quest to be the best.
Fred Bear (AA/Gas Supercharged), Mickey Smith (Competition Eliminator), Mike Fuqua (Gas Eliminator), John Castellaw (Modified Eliminator), Mike Welfel (Top Stock Eliminator) and Gary Raber (Geezer Gasser) also were winners at the National Hot Rod Reunion, which was delayed by a passing afternoon thunderstorm as teams prepared for their final rounds.
In the Nostalgia Top Fuel, Delaware native McClain beat last year’s Reunion champion Lincoln Hassel in earlier rounds. In the finals, McClain went up against opponent Keith Burgan and blasted past him with a 6.284 at 226.16 mph.
“My team and I are walking on clouds after our win, it’s a great feeling to win a National Hot Rod Reunion for the first time after attending every single one for the past 10 years,” said McClain. “I would not be here celebrating without my team of dedicated crew members made up of family and close friends.”
Spectators were on the edge of their seats when the 7.0 Pro raced on the quarter mile. Past Reunion Champ Ron “Tikiman” Huegli, always a great showman, put on some impressive tire-smoking runs throughout the event while Robbie Freels sized up his competition and steered his way to the winner’s circle. In the final, Freels of Island, Ky., faced off with John Hadyniak. Freels blasted past Hadyniak with a 7.012 second, 184.45 mph run over Hadyniak’s 8.780 second, 109.49 mph run.
“I’m so excited to win my first National Hot Rod Reunion,” said Freels. “And to win it in my home state is all the better. My team and I had a great time and will definitely be back to win it again.”
There was plenty of nail-biting excitement in the Junior Fuel class. Texas native Tera Wendland was taken with emotion after three days of heart-pounding runs. Making her Reunion debut, Tera climbed to the top and proved to be a fierce competitor. In the final, Tera battled fellow Texan Ken Hawkins. Tera used a holeshot to pick up her first National Hot Rod Reunion championship title with a performance of 7.469 seconds at 178.59 mph while Hawkins picked up a 7.444 second at 175.80 mph run.
“I am so thrilled to win and to think a few weeks ago I didn’t think I would be here, but thanks to Darrell Walden who believed in me as well as my entire team, Frank and Scott with Neil & Parks Race Cars for building such a beautiful car and my supportive boyfriend Chris Graves,” said Wendland. “This Reunion will be one of my most memorable because it was so much fun and one awesome final. I can’t wait for the 11th Reunion.”
Tera’s sentiments were echoed over and over again by racers, vendors, street rodders, hot rodders and fans following the conclusion of the 10th Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion.
“The racing element of the Reunions is so unique and reminiscent of the early days in drag racing when teams didn’t have the big sponsor dollars like we see today. It was all about racing just for fun and getting to meet new friends and reunite with old friends,” said Steve Gibbs, event co -director.” The Reunions bring back that nostalgia feel and we hope we can continue these great events for years to come.”
FINAL RESULTS:
NOSTALGIA TOP FUEL
Results of final, round 2 eliminations in Nostalgia Top Fuel at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
111 Ernest McClain 890 Keith Burgan
E2 ****WINNER**** 0.179 6.284 226.16 0.269 8.321 140.20
Prior rounds:
E1 (L Hassell ) 0.116 6.285 228.46 (R Lechtenber) 0.473 28.000 244.60
Qualified: #2 6.275 228.46 #4 28.000 NS
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
Burgan's car was way off the pace early in the race, but McClain made another run within a thousandth of his first today and within a hundredth of his qualifying run to take the Nostalgia Top Fuel title.
NOSTALGIA FUNNY CAR (Match Race)
Results of final, round 2 eliminations in Nostalgia Funny Car at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
295 Troy Ray Bye
E2 ****WINNER**** 0.284 8.694 109.76
Prior rounds:
E1 (M Smith ) 0.330 9.169 123.97
Qualified: #99 No Time Bye
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
Only three of the four cars were able to come back for a second pass. Ray's car labored to get down the track.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
117 Jon Capps 462 Rick Krafft
E2 ****WINNER**** 0.162 6.139 233.20 0.142 12.826 61.22
Prior rounds:
E1 (R Baker ) 0.148 6.898 133.94 (T Ray ) 0.159 6.334 175.11
Qualified: #99 No Time #99 No Time
Capps made a very nice pass to close out his weekend on a high note. Krafft's car did all kinds of evil things early in the run and he limped to the stripe.
JUNIOR FUEL
Results of final, round 3 eliminations in Junior Fuel at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
4507 Tera Wendland 4676 Ken Hawkins
E3 ****WINNER**** 0.003 7.469 178.59 0.035 7.444 175.80
Prior rounds:
E2 (R Muncy ) 0.023 7.427 179.30 (R Laird ) 0.074 7.495 175.80
E1 (C Rearick ) 0.122 7.411 177.88 (M Millsap ) 0.025 7.599 173.76
Qualified: #1 7.356 180.74 #7 7.725 167.30
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
This was great final round, as expected after they ran within a few hundredths of each other in the semifinals. Wendland had a great light to take a holeshot victory against a quicker hawkins, who had a pretty decent light, but left the starting line three hundredths behind Wendland. Tera Wendland's MOV: 0.0070 seconds (approximately 22 inches).
7.0 PRO
Results of final, round 4 eliminations in 7.0 PRO at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
3564 Robbie Freels 1707 John Hadyniak
E4 ****WINNER**** 0.029 7.012 184.45 0.219 8.780 109.49
7.0 Index: 7.00 (+/-): 0.012 7.0 Index: 7.00 (+/-): 1.780
Prior rounds:
E3 (R Huegli ) 0.080 7.076 0.076 (G Horn ) 0.285 7.172 0.172
E2 (M Vaught ) 0.033 7.058 0.058 (J Sanborn ) 0.075 7.123 0.123
E1 (M Lewis ) 0.035 7.001 0.001 0.110 7.042 0.042
Qualified: #2 7.064 0.064 #1 7.005 0.005
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
Freels was on time at the green and close to the index at the stripe to post a decisive win in 7.0 Pro Eliminator.
AA/GAS SUPERCHARGED
Results of final, round 3 eliminations in AA/Gas Supercharged at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
150 Fred Bear 2506 Franklin Coverdale
E3 ****WINNER**** 0.037 5.754 112.79 -0.065 5.871 128.95
Prior rounds:
E2 (S Crook ) 0.122 5.643 115.98 (J Cryan ) 0.050 5.758 122.96
E1 (R Pirrone ) 0.059 5.733 107.92 (D Cobb ) 0.066 5.936 119.05
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
Coverdale went red and Bear gets the AA.Gas Supercharged title.
GEEZER GASSERS
Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Geezer Gassers at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
8119 Gary Raber 3141 Chuck Lipka
E4 ****WINNER**** 0.081 11.136 112.79 0.653 10.001 132.75
D/GG Dial: 11.00 (+/-): 0.136 B/GG Dial: 10.00 (+/-): 0.001
Prior rounds:
E3 (J Bush ) 0.125 11.093 0.093 (J Gray ) 0.168 10.025 0.025
E2 0.123 10.983 -0.017 (S Bacon ) 0.610 10.239 0.239
E1 0.310 11.242 0.242 0.623 10.186 0.186
Qualified: #2 11.067 0.067 #1 10.017 0.017
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
Raber had a huge holeshot on Lipka's tardy reaction and won handily. Lipka ran within a thousandth of his index, but it was all over long before he got to the stripe.
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Results of final, round 5 eliminations in Competition Eliminator at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
4503 Mickey Smith 384G Eric Gallay
E5 ****WINNER**** 0.016 8.533 138.47 0.124 8.026 164.85
C/C Dial: 8.50 (+/-): 0.033 B/C Dial: 8.00 (+/-): 0.026
Prior rounds:
E4 (P Lamont ) 0.007 8.560 0.060 (M Iles ) 0.078 8.012 0.012
E3 (R Snyder ) 0.024 8.542 0.042 (T Wilson ) 0.096 8.001 0.001
E2 (D Cox ) 0.126 8.402 -0.098 (D Secrest ) 0.043 8.120 0.120
E1 (B Lehmann ) 0.104 8.523 0.023 (E Masminster) 0.042 8.065 0.065
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
Smith had a good light and a strong run to earn the Competition title.
GAS ELIMINATOR
Results of final, round 6 eliminations in Gas Eliminator at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
2682 Mike Fuqua 719 Marc English
E6 ****WINNER**** 0.101 9.247 126.41 No Time
D/G Dial: 9.00 (+/-): 0.247 E/G Dial: 9.50 (+/-): 90.499
Prior rounds:
E5 0.051 13.059 4.059 (D Donaldson ) 0.079 9.535 0.035
E4 (D Hobbs ) 0.077 9.068 0.068 (D Wathen ) 0.120 9.497 -0.003
E3 (K Pease ) 0.046 9.002 0.002 (S Hudson ) 0.079 9.520 0.020
E2 (R Egner ) 0.053 9.076 0.076 (G Porter ) 0.115 9.555 0.055
E1 (D Mullin ) 0.052 9.091 0.091 (R Walker ) 0.280 9.859 0.359
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
English was a no-show and Fuqua gets the Gas title on a "walkover."
MODIFIED ELIMINATOR
Results of final, round 6 eliminations in Modified Eliminator at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
JX39 John Castellaw B262 Jody Blalock Sr.
E6 ****WINNER**** 0.082 10.032 134.34 0.068 11.078 120.01
A/M Dial: 10.00 (+/-): 0.032 C/M Dial: 11.00 (+/-): 0.078
Prior rounds:
E5 (B Todd ) 0.072 9.939 -0.061 0.112 11.020 0.020
E4 (M Baute ) -0.058 10.025 0.025 (M Spence ) 0.100 10.977 -0.023
E3 (S Yeater ) 0.069 9.986 -0.014 (G Stone ) 0.043 11.049 0.049
E2 (R Montgomery) 0.043 10.105 0.105 (E Beaumont ) 0.061 11.006 0.006
E1 (B Mitchell ) 0.018 10.032 0.032 (B Kueber ) 0.066 11.050 0.050
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
John Castellaw's MOV: 0.0320 seconds (approximately 6 feet) to earn the Modified title.
TOP STOCK ELIMINATOR
Results of final, round 5 eliminations in Top Stock Eliminator at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 10th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
2035 Mike Welfel 162 Ken Vaughn
E5 ****WINNER**** 0.121 11.457 96.98 0.092 10.961 115.39
D/S Dial: 11.50 (+/-): -0.043 C/S Dial: 11.00 (+/-): -0.039
Prior rounds:
E4 (D Walker ) 0.019 11.580 0.080 (N Broyles ) 0.057 11.019 0.019
E3 (J Eddy ) 0.007 11.467 -0.033 0.050 10.986 -0.014
E2 (J Gower ) 0.014 11.579 0.079 (T Arnett ) 0.005 10.966 -0.034
E1 (B Cassady ) 0.086 11.941 0.441 (B Owens ) 0.039 11.197 0.197
NOTE: Actual lanes not known. Winner listed first.
Vaughn got the win light on a double breakout., but was disqualified for losing control of the car and Welfel is the Top Stock winner.