QUICK REACTION GIVES CHRISTIAN NMCA JOLIET TITLE

Tony Christian took his second victory of the 2001 National Muscle Car Association season with a holeshot aided final round decision over archrival Pat Musi July 29 at the Hot Rod Magazine Power Festival in Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.

Christian's .469 reaction time combined with a run of 6.74/207.24 secured the win, and even though Musi ran a quicker 6.72/211.36 he was unable to catch the Florida veteran at the finish line.

"We knew Pat had been quicker than us during the first three rounds of eliminations so I felt that a starting line advantage might make the difference," said Christian." I've lined up against Pat in many final rounds through the years and we've had some close battles. Fortunately, things went my way at Joliet."

Perennial favorite Bob Rieger set a new NMCA Turbonetics Top Speed with a mind-boggling 216.20 but fell in the second round on a holeshot to Pennsylvania's Milt Decker, who had a great outing in his small block powered '63 Corvette. Decker qualified ninth with a 6.79 and lasted until the semi-finals. Local favorite Randy Adler also reached the semi-finals in Lynwood Woods blown 66 Pontiac GTO.

In MSD Super Street it was a battle of Ford Mustangs and Florida supremacy as #1 qualifier Elias De La Torre (Key Largo) was quicker throughout eliminations than #2 Matt Scranton (Land 'O Lakes), but Scranton prevailed in the final round as his 7.69/189.18 defeated De La Torres 7.70/188.07. Scranton's final round speed also captured the Turbonetics Top Speed award for the Super Street category.

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