ASRA Spring Nationals Bash!

By Tim Marshall
Photos by Gil Rebilas and Tim Marshall
4/7/03

The American Sand Drag Association comes to the fun zone of Califonia/Nevada stateline city border of Primm, Nevada, otherwise known as Primm Valley Resorts. The trio of hotels include the orginal Whiskey Petes', Primm Valley Resort Hotel or The Primadonna, and the newly built Buffalo Bills complete with a 90-mph roller-coaster. It's also the home of not one but two fantastic sand drag races per year. In 2003 the ASRA Spring Nationals set an all-time event record with 28 Blown Alcohol entries and 11 of the finest Top Fuel Dragsters on the planet!

TOP FUEL

The Spires-Longerot "Two Shy" TF dragster is still the team to beat on the sand or dirt. The 309 c.i. nitro burning KB in the rail was slightly modified by the duo into a 6 cylinder. It's the track record holder virtually everywhere it has run. Keith Longerot explained that the only record that the "Two Shy" didn't hold was at Primm, so after setting the pace with a fantastic 2.51 blast at 132.14 mph, that was good enough for not only Low E.T. but the track record, too!

The team's best ever is a 2.46 at 147 mph. Right behind Longerot's Newport Beach-based machine was the awesome Candae Pet Food-backed Whipple & Satterlee Top Fuel dragster. Name sound familiar? Like "Famous Amos" Satterlee, a veteran of asphalt Top Fuel (Robert Riehl). AA/FA/ AA/FC of Ron Fassal and the Phoenix based "Pepsi Phoenix", of many drag boats both Top Fuel and Blown Alcohol. The Scott Whipple of Norco, CA (best ever times 2.36, at 147 mph) machine is the last Cory Mac dragster that he bought from Darrell Gwynn, who he now drives for in the Yankee car.

Some of the other interesting cars were the 135-inch wheelbase car of Chris Barlow and Gary Brown. Its called "Turtles Toy" (best ever for "Turtle Chris" a 2.74) and this relatively

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short Top Fuel car is an Ex-Shirley Muldowney car. Richard Montiel (best of 2.51) from Riverside, Calif, is always a threat with "Top Dog" dragster.

The tandem team of Charlie Brown Sr. and Charlie Brown Jr. are brand new cars on this circuit, and both are tuned by John Aleman Jr. Remember John Aleman Sr. and the Ford OHC AA/FA called the Sheepherder? I do! Ernest Borgnine (his name is right on the front wing of Charlie Sr's car too!) a life long friend of Charlie Sr. was there to cheer on his friend and also served as Grand Marshal of the 2003 race. At 86, Ernest really looks great and it was a pleasure to meet this award winning actor.

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