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Unlimited Fuel Altered looked like it was going to be a fantastic battle with four of the best in the business on hand: Mack McCord (the Gorilla), Greg Debellian (Fast n Forty+), Stephen Neese (Neese & Knowles), and Jeff Bennett in the (No Mercy). Unfortunately, after the Jeff Bennett crash (see Suzanne StPierres' great photos above), the cars decided against running any further races that weekend. Stephen Neese was still in the pits on Sunday, but no winner was declared for the Unlimited AA/FA's.

Local Arizona racer Larry Leonard (who recently won a big Pro Nitro race) put on quite a fine show after getting completely crossed up in his Nostalgia Fuel Altered, Larry cranked out a fine 7.08, and won the class.

Jr Fuel was a nice match up between newly licensed Chad Johnson, and veteran Dean Carter. Carter, who has won many rounds of competition, cranked out a best of 7.24 at 182.88 mph.for the win in this great match up. Joe Pecoco from colorful Colorado stepped up with his brand new Nostalgia Alcohol Funny Car, and ran a nice 6.99 for his first time out with the 1956 Ford Victoria-bodied machine good enough for the title.

Top Stock Eliminator had some of the best Division 7 NHRA guys battling and it came down to former MLB pitcher Eric Bell and his wheelstanding 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, topping fellow Arizonan Don Kennedy (1992 Trans Am) when Bell ran a 10.17/117.09 mph to Kennedy's' early shut off pass of 11.38/90.80. Jeff Lee's strong running 1970 AMX from Calif. was the #1 qualifier in Top Stock. Eric Bell was the quickest with a fine 9.96!

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Because the car count was not where it needed to be, the ARHRA officials ran the rest of the competitors in two ET brackets. Great racing among the outstanding competitors that did show up, and the Bracket #1 Chandler, AZ's Steve Rapp out drove the field with his pretty maroon 1966 Plymouth Valiant with his Comp Chassisied car, he ran a fine 10.637,/122.26 (on a dial-in of 10.61) over the immaculate 1938 Fiat Topalino of Don Garrison of Phoenix, AZ. Garrison cranked out a 9.527,/139.34 (on a 9.45 dial-in) Rapp also qualified #1! Mark Beavin in his 1972 Duster swept the honors at 11.12/120.57 (dial-in 11.09) over the bright red Ford Falcon of Steve Johns, which ran 12.559/107.52 but caught a red-kite start. Steve was incidentally the very first car to go down the track at the ARHRA Winter Nationals!

A couple of the fine exhibition cars that were on hand were the famed Winged Express, of Marcellus, Borsch, and Boyd, and the fine wheelstander the "Hemi Under Glass" of Bob Riggles. Riggles had a little scare to when he lost the tranny on the opening run. Weekly, Rivero, Fox, and Holding had the Frantic Ford T/F car in the pits and along with one of Arizona's biggest names Steinnager & Eshembaugh, both fired there cars several times for the ARHRA fans.

Al and Curt Eierdam also ran the Arizona-based Invader Jet Dragster to a great run too. Also on hand in the Stevens Family conventional Top Fuel car making his license passes was Bob Muravez AKA Floyd Lippencotte Jr. Muravez made two passes and will complete the license update at Tucson. The veteran looked plenty good on both of his passes. He retains his crew from his Western Hoist days of Chris Nance, Richard Randall, Dusty, and also now has the Stevens family assisting.

I personally want to thank ARHRA, Gary Sprinzl, Don Nance, Don & John Ewald, Jim MacMonagle, plus the entire crew of Joe Coletti's Speedworld. With a little more advance notice, this race should be fantastic in 2004. Be sure to tune into GETTING NOSTALGIC right here at DRO for the May date of the next ARHRA. You guys and gals are super!

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