Homepage banner images courtesy Rich Carlson & Doug Harder.

The traveling road show that is the record-seeking Aluise team from Columbia, Maryland was here with Joe Anderson doing the driving.

The 426 wedge under the hood of the '63 Plymouth.

New tiger paint scheme was pretty cool. Note lack of decals.

Mark Faul in the Doctor Injector Camaro #1.

As the cars come into the lanes I quickly realized Carlson was right, there are more 'A' cars here than I have ever seen in one place at one time. All the record holders too including Robert Pond of Riverside Ca. in his A/S '67 Fairlane, Bobby DeArmond's '69 Camaro out of Gallup New Mexico, and the Hemi Cuda of Don Little from Westley, Ca.

When all was said and done the baddest stockers on the Earth had a shootout at sun-up like few had ever seen. There wasn't a lot of people here that early on Friday morning, but everyone in the know was hanging off the fence watching a show they would long remember. The A cars...hammering on each other, and it was probably fitting that they just kept going quicker and faster as each one of 'em came out of the lanes. It was a Ford vs. Chevy vs. Mopar experience that goes down as one of the my greatest drag racing memories of all time.

Here is a look at just some of the stars, and unfortunately I only have the factored times, not the final result.

DON LITTLE 10.476

JOHN COOPER 10.451

The new NHRA national record Holder Bobby DeArmond 10.406

An how 'bout that big, bad Olds of Pete Kost from Renton, Wa. who went out and smashed the M/SA mark with a 12.204!

And then there came Super Stock

Here's one for 289 Ford fans as #10 qualifier Gary Williams of Mariposa, Ca. in his SS/MA '64 Comet wheelies beside the SS/LA '64 Mustang of Granda Hills' Geg Dreher.

Now for the new stuff, here's the number two qualifier Greg Luneack of Upland Ca. in his GT/AA '96 Achieva and the GT/EA of Byron Setters of Red Deer Alberta.

When Terry Sherrill laid down his 8.758/154.74 record run, this lady went gaga in the lanes.

Not the best shot of Chuck Rayburn setting the new B/SA standard at 10.538/124.72, but check out just how far out he is and how high the front end is still in the air...Look for a RealAudio interview with Chuck tomorrow.

The simply gorgous SS/DM of the best SS racer in Canada, Abe Loewen from Regina, Saskatchewan.

Randy Hopkins had the coolest shirts in the pits, and at only $10 were a steal. He came oh so close to the SS/AA mark with a best of 9.230, and when I asked him if he would be at Mission said probably not. Then as he left he asked Carlson for directions to MRP, so keep your fingers crossed that the big Dart may come all the way back from Scandia, Missouri.

Always a fine candidate for a wheels-up shot is the '67 Camaro of Tom Noaln of Lacombe, Alberta.

Now I never did determine if this was a real Hurst car, but Dan Barton's GT/AA ran quicker each run. Regardless, it's one nice ride.

Fred Deuchar from the metropolis of Brush Prairie, Wa. owns maybe the nicest '65 Malibu drag car I've ever seen. Make it a K/Stocker.

...and don't forget the debut of Top Comp

Here's one for the history books and trivia question box. The first T/C pair officially down the track ever in NHRA history. Kenny Anderson of Twin Falls Idaho in his altered and Boise's Dairld Wurtz in the dragster he bought back after selling it once he heard about the new class.

Gordon Turner brought his mopar-powered dragster from West Valley Utah to qualify third in T/C with a 7.64/170

The bitchin' front-motored car of Jed Dubach from Layton, Utah ran 8.01/161 to make the show in the number 19 spot.

Another unique pair of T/C cars seen here is the Ford-powered digger of Clydell Bowen of Preston, Idaho who claimed the seven spot with a 7.83/170 beside the 'Mazmanian-like' '97 Firebird of Billings Montana's Ken Neibauer who ran a 7.92/175 to qualify 12th.

He works with explosives during the week, then drives this nitrous split window on the weekends. Dan Lafferty is as wild a dude as there is, and does things with a golf cart words cannot describe. No I didn't take pictures...though I now wish I had, but Carlson and I were laughing way too hard.

Gary Olson eventually got his Baretta into the 10th spot with a 7.86/173, but not before throwing off an oil line and nearly loosing it on this burnout.

Ross Davidson's troubles began in the very first session when his nitrous '69 Camaro got crossed up at half track. This same thing happened again without incident, but his first journey into Top Comp Land was not one he'll want to repeat.

But the star of Top Comp was easily the number one qualifier Dennis Radford of Baker City Oregon in his '72 Duster Pro Mod car. Running a 7.50/184 to claim the top spot he had an even more awesome run in a first round loss...later people it's coming...

...and dem bikes too!

The Buffster on the far side on his '95 ZX-11 out on Scott Packers' Suzuki. We had 21 bikes here.

Somebody help me....didn't get this guys name, but it was the baddest bike on site.

Oh ya, Federal-Mogul Dragsters too...

Gary Anderson made the show with the pretty nitro car at a 6.09/227.

Melanie and Hentges paired up in the first session resulting in the In-N-Out car number one at the time with a 5.63/248.55 beside Hentges shut-off 6.06, after a blazing 60 foot.

The Lewiston Idaho-based fueler of Mike Mchargue was the first alternate on Sunday.

Santos shook his way to a 5.81/235.60 that left the old man shaking his head saying the track was better than they thought.

Sorry, no FMFC pics just yet, but Dave Hix definately had the most attention-getting crew member. Is it REALLY everything??

Then again the lanes drew some gawkers too.

Ron Mercer is featured on the Firebird schedule, and was up to form with this launch.

Comp stuff is coming too, but here's the wild BB/A of Chuck Smithfield to tide you over.

Don't know whose rig this is, but it's neat.

A Cadamino... an Eldalac? I dunno, but anybody who would go to this much work on such a thing deserves space here.

Beautiful bracket car typical of the weekly weekend bombers at Firebird.

More...MUCH more tomorrrow!

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