Criston Gerber, Akron, Ohio—Gerber got his Monza from a southern source, rescuing it from a bracket racing existence. The Rubber City Thunder ride uses a steel 392, 8:71 and glide to post numbers in the 7.40-7.70 range, and fulfills Gerber’s long-held desire to be a funny car owner/driver. A very clean machine, and a great addition to the Midwest nostalgia scene.

Mike Dolph, Greenburg, Indiana—Longtime fuel altered shoe Dolph now drives the last funny car campaigned by Roger Lindamood. The spoiler reads “Gone,” a reference to Lindamood’s AKA. A Donavon 417, 3-speed Lenco and 14:71 combo should make this one gone in a hurry, but it was a display only item at the World Series. Too bad!

Troy Martin, Chicago—If Troy isn’t actually from Chicago, he should be. Because he has in his possession the fully restored Chi-Town Hustler ‘72 Charger. It is a thing of beauty, but alas only on display at the World Series. Ex-Chi Town driver Ron Colson got to sit in the car during Friday’s rain delay, his first time in the Hustler in many years. Only a photo op, but a good one for everyone involved. If Troy ever hits the starter button on this one, the fans will go nuts!

JET FUNNY CAR ELIMINATOR

Now there’s a bracket you don’t see every day. Prohibited in most parts from conducting themselves as actual racers, no such restraints were in place at the World Series. Several of the booked-in jet floppers elected to go home after the Saturday rain delay, leaving five floppers and two dragsters to slug it out. At day’s end Danny Sullivan of Chicago held Low E.T. and Top Speed at 5.44/289.76 mph. The fans also enjoyed the show put on by Fran Peppler, Diamond Jim Crownhart, Dick Rossberg, Al Hanna, Dave Modder, and Mark Smith.

ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

A mixture of UDRA and upper Midwest outlaw alky funny car teams filed into the Cordova pits, and put on their usual solid show. Long accustomed to the one-shot qualifying procedures favored by UDRA, the rain-shortened schedule posed no special hardship to the racers on hand. The only eliminator conducted as a ladder style affair, it came down to a final round showdown between new F/C shoe Tim Stevens (above) and perennial World Series winner Lance Van Hauen. Stevens was unable to answer the bell for the championship bout, so Van Hauen soloed for the win. Prior to his final round woes Stevens had run a best lap of 6.18/226.96 mph. Van Hauen’s best stood at 6.15. Also competing at this year’s World Series were Ray Drew, John Carlson, Rick Krafft, Kevin Newburgh, Dan Crownhart and Ron Ooms (top pf next page).