GRIMES SETS T/F NITRO BIKE (UNBLOWN) AT CHICAGO

Nitro racer Tommy Grimes of the Samson/Ray Price Nitro Harley Racing took home ALL the honors at the NHRA POWERade 5th Annual Ameriquest Mortgage Company NHRA Nationals at the world class Rt. 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL.

ADVERTISEMENT

With the legendary Ray Price as teacher, Grimes took the team to victory lane with a win with a world record setting series of passes in the Screamin' Eagle Nitro Harley Exhibition Series. Grimes qualified second in one of the most prestigious fields in Nitro Harley drag racing with a 6.423 ET at 198.38. Then in the eliminations on Sunday, Grimes ran a scorching 6.256 ET at 220.62 mph, the quickest pass on a Nitro Harley. In the second round, the rookie rider maintained his composure to run a 6.290 ET that backed up the 6.356 lap for the record. [10-10-2005]

NOSTALGIA 250 MPH CLUB FILLED

Rick Rogers became the 16th and final member of the 250 MPH Club for nostalgia racing during qualifying Oct. 1 at the California Hot Rod Reunion when the HammerHead Racing dragster turned in a 6.119-second pass at 250.00 mph. Later the same day Rogers ran his first 5-second ET with a 5.97. However, Rogers lost to event winner Brad Thompson in the second round of eliminations. (Gary Brown photo) [10-10-2005]

PRO MOD CLASH FIELD SET FOR VEGAS

The final positions for the eight-car FLOWMASTER Pro Mod CLASH bonus event were determined with the conclusion of AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge presented by TLR qualifying at the O'Reilly Fall Nationals in Dallas.

Joshua Hernandez (Tommy Lipar Racing '57 Chevy) is the No. 1 qualifier for the third annual CLASH after accumulating 169 points for his qualifying results in the 14 most-recent AMS/TLR events. Hernandez, who had No. 1 qualifying finishes in Chicago, Belle Rose, LA, and Indianapolis during the 2005 season, will face No. 8 qualifier Troy Coughlin when the first round of the CLASH gets underway Oct. 22 at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals.

Other first-round matchups include No. 2 Mike Ashley (159 points) vs. No. 7 Glen Kerunsky (105); No. 3 Jay Payne (154) vs. No. 6 Thomas Patterson (114); and No. 4 Troy Critchley (128) vs. No. 5 Chip King (115), who moved up two places in the CLASH standings after finishing No. 2 in Fall Nationals qualifying. The higher-seeded drivers will have lane choice in the first round. (Bret Kepner photo) [10-10-2005]

SNOW CRASHES IN TESTING

Gene Snow had a blowover while testing his A/FD dragster at the Texas Motoroplex today. According to reports from eyewitnesses at the track, Snow's dragster left hard with the wheels in the air. They stayed in the air for about 300 feet before air got under the car and blew it over. Snow impacted the guardrail upside down and ripped the left front tire off of the car. The motor was still running when John Medlen's crew got to the car and turned the motor off. Snow exited the car on his own power and was transported to a local trauma hospital for further examination. DRO talked to several crewmembers to get the information we are passing along. This is Snow's third serious crash in a dragster in recent years. [10-10-2005]