ADLER WINS BATTLE,
TORKELSON WINS WAR
Words by Hank Schmitt
Photo courtesy ShowCase Photo
10/25/05
ne
racer commented that it felt like Hurricane Wilma was in
the other lane, but the AutoZone Super Chevy Show did beat
Wilma to finish its 2005 season with an event at Gainesville
Raceway October 22-23.
Nitro Coupe Winner Randy Adler |
Randy Adler of Tinley Park, IL won the Nitro
Coupe race over Mel Eaves. Adler, the 2004 World Champ and
2005 points runner-up, took out Eaves with a 6.391 at 220.42
miles per hour in humidity-laden air at Gainesville on Sunday.
Eaves' '63 Corvette Nitro Coupe had all kinds of traction
problems in the finals, which was probably a good thing
for Adler as Eaves, from Hudson, Florida, had turned in
the fastest Nitro Coupe run of the season earlier in the
day with a blazing 6.193 at 227.96mph. The only time even
close to that this year was turned in by Eaves himself when
he scored a 6.210 at 226.24mph in his second qualifying
pass Saturday. That pass was two hundredths of a second
better than any other Nitro Coupe had turned in during the
19-event season.
2005 Nitro Coupe Champ Wayne
Torkelson |
Adler won at Gainesville, but will have to
settle for a "2" on his car for 2006. The defending
Nitro Coupe World Champion, Adler fell victim to the Water
Wetter juggernaut of Wayne Torkelson, Jr. Torkelson and
his '54 Corvette Nitro Coupe had a lock on the Mickey Thompson
Nitro Coupe Challenge points title before the 2006 final
event. Torkelson is only the second rookie to win the world
championship in his rookie year; the other was Randy Adler.
A split-window Corvette ruled again in the Top Sportsman
final as Mike Forsythe of Orange Park, FL turned in a 7.501
at 181.96 miles per hour on a 7.54 dial to defeat Frank
Palmeri, Jr. of Green Cove Springs, FL, who turned on the
red light.
It was a great weekend for the racing Rollins clan from
Gainesville, FL. Chip Rollins won the DOT event Saturday
while son John was a semi-finalist in Mr. Gasket Bracket
One. John Rollins was in the finals of the TREMEC Transmission
Bonus Race Sunday when it was called by rain; the other
finalist was David Watson of Quincy, FL. Other winners in
the Flowmaster Bracket Series (run on Saturday to avoid
Wilma) included Tony Mazza of W. Palm Beach, FL in Mr. Gasket
Bracket One and J.R. Hamelink of Silver Springs, FL in Bracket
Two.
Nitro Coupe Eliminations - Sunday 10/23/05
| Finals |
R/T |
ET |
MPH |
| Randy Adler def. |
.047 |
6.391 |
220.42 |
| Mel Eaves |
.078 |
9.948 |
87.42 |
Low ET for season 6.193
Mel Eaves (Gainesville)
Top MPH for season 229.24
Dan Nickelson (San Antonio, TX)
Top Sportsman Eliminations - Sunday
10/23/05
| |
Driver |
R/T |
Dial-in |
ET |
MPH |
| Winner |
Mike Forsythe, Orange Park, FL |
.048 |
7.54 |
7.501 |
181.96 |
| RU |
Frank Palmeri Jr., Green Cove Springs, FL |
FOUL |
7.54 |
11.930 |
70.09 |
