Mountain Motor Nationals
Go Silver

Words and photos by Stephen Jones
6/2403

Marc Hayes was the Frantic 7 winner at MIR.

Budds Creek, MD, (June 18, 2003)

he 25th (silver) anniversary edition of the Mountain Motor Nationals, touted as the "World's Fastest Pro Stock Race," included some of the IHRA's quickest cars with their "mountain motors." Also in attendance were MIR's Frantic 7's, local Pro Modifieds. Top NHRA driver Jim Yates was also doing some testing prior to going to St. Louis for the Sears Craftsman Nationals.

IHRA Pro Stock standout Carl Baker qualified #1 at a 6.606/211.66.

In the semi finals, Frank Gugliotta got a huge holeshot advantage (.419) right off the starting line over a very late Tim Nabors (.488)and held off a hard charging Nabors with a 6.637/208.30 pass to Nabor's 6.639/209.26 run. Up next, John Nobile also got the holeshot (.456)advantage over Steve Williford's .406 reaction time. It was a tight race with Nobile advancing to the final round with a 6.663/208.14 pass over Williford's 6.613/209.52.

The 2003 Silver Anniversary Mountain Motor Nationals went down in the history books with Nobile taking out Gugliotta who left the starting line too soon (.329) and fouled out. Nobile's winning numbers were 6.647/208.68 with a .424 reaction time.

The Frantic 7 semi-final had Kent Ferrell facing off against John Coles. Ferrell (.432) got off the line faster than Coles (.463) and went on to win the race with a 6.497/215.07 pass over Coles 6.706/209.72 run. Marc Hayes faced off against Capital Heights, MD's Amar Riley. Unfortunately for Riley, his parachute unloaded right after the burnout and his race day was over.

The Frantic 7 final was a wild one! Hayes launched quicker than heavily favored Kent Ferrell and his red, white, and blue '63 'Vette. Both cars got completely out of shape about 100 feet out. Ferrell's Vette was vearing left and right and he wisely gave it up. Hayes was having his own problems, but managed to get the car under control and take the win. Hayes numbers were 7.131/181.13mph with a .433 reaction time to Ferrell's 12.555/66.50 with a .456 run.

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