The win put Hoover solidly into the four spot in the chase for the World Championship.

Tommy Lee made up some serious ground in his effort to overtake the Pro Stock points leader even though he lost to first-time winner and former Pro Modified racer Brian Gahm. Gahm, of Lucasville, Ohio, became only the third driver to win an IHRA Pro Stock national event this season as he downed defending Pro Stock Champ Tom Lee in Charlie Taylor's World Record holding Mustang.

The championship theme was carried along in the Pro Funny Car final as former World Champ Jimmy Rector, 37, of Vernon, Ala., staged against last year's Pro Outlaw World Champion Laurie Cannister (photo), who switched over to the alky burning funny car class this year and was appearing in her first-ever Funny Car final.

Rector combined a quicker reaction time and a 6.001/234.61 to notch his first victory of the season. This marked his third final round appearance of the season.

"We have had a couple of bad breaks this season and this feels good," explained Rector. "We came in and set the pace and even though we fell off a little bit, we still held our own. I was determined that I was not going to lose."

There were some serious bumps in the shutdown area of the Mid-Michigan track. DRO staffer and Quick Rod racer Jok Nicholson reported that he saw cars in his class with the wheels a foot off of the ground in the shutdown area and that he witnessed the Fuel Harleys having difficulties shutting down.

Because of their safety concerns the finalists in Nitro Harley, Steve Stordeur and Ray Price, elected to finish the event at the August 23-26 Mopar Parts World Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.

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