A GLIMMER OF HOPE...

During Saturday's last nitro qualifying session at Topeka, two of the Midwest's hardest bitten Funny Car teams made an impressive side by side qualifying attempt. Dale Creasy Jr and Jack Wyatt ran 5.12 and 5.13 respectively and, while neither time was good enough to make the show, they were still solid runs in their own right. Creasy has had a rough time of it for the last two seasons, going through a ton of parts in the process. Wyatt was at the wheel of Al Vanderwoude's Kansas City-based entry, and the 5.13 lap was by far that outfit's best ever. Not in the show this time out, but definitely a weekend both camps can build on.  (Jeff Leonard photos)

BENCH ENTRY BENCHED

One other KC area nitro F/C team didn't make it to Topeka. Bob Bench, who ran a budget Top Fuel effort in the late 1980's, had entered the event but couldn't compete when scheduled driver Norm Wilding indicated he wouldn't be available at the last moment. Lacking a current nitro license of his own, Bench elected to wait for another day to race. Bench plans to start license runs shortly and make a few events towards the end of the year.

PAISLEY TO DRIVE NEW IMPORT DRAG TRUCK

Team Toyo driver Craig Paisley will soon be competing on the Import Drag Racing Circuit in a new V8-powered Toyota Tacoma pickup. The tube-framed truck is from C&F Race Cars and will be powered by an NOS-boosted 1,000 horsepower engine. Besides competing at IDRC events, the Hempstead, New York driver plans exhibition shootouts against domestic Pro Stock Trucks at selected NHRA events.

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