FUNNY CAR CHAOS - NITRO MADNESS - MARCH 26 - 27, 2021

NOTE: Click on the thumbnails to display the full-size images

(LEFT) Series regular Tod Barker with his black and blue-flamed "Back In Black" Corvette returns.

(RIGHT) Another NHRA fuel racer, diehard Terry Haddock unloads his regular ride as he prepares for his second FCC race, following on last year's successful outing at San Antonio (runner-up in the "A" field) where he ran several 3.50's and hit a top speed of 234.74 mph.

(LEFT) First thing out of the trailer was the de-rigeur 5000-hp Margarita Mixer, complete with an altered grille. Looks like they learned some lessons from the Worsham family's similar machine that I first saw at the March Meet nearly ten years ago. One blip of the throttle and you've instantly got 5 gallons of margarita.

(RIGHT) Taking up lots of space with his BIG Show transporter, NHRA Top Fuel regular, Scott Palmer brought one of his other toys to the race (he's also got a Top Fuel Hydro, and a '53 Studebaker with a full-on blown fuel engine).

Just to confuse the announcers, there's two "Back In Black" entries, but this Firebird-bodied car is driven by Lynn Logue. It's also got flames, but black and gold ones. The photo on the left appeared to show him having half of Texas available for his pit area, but all that empty space will soon be filled with transporters, race cars, crews and equipment.

The ominously dark clouds that had gradually gathered during the afternoon let loose with a fury when Bob left the track for the motel as you can see in his last photo of the day. However, the weather forecast for the weekend is looking much better. The only worry is a "risk of thunderstorms" on Saturday afternoon.

(LEFT) Making his first appearance at an FCC event, and checking out his new NHRA-legal Top Alky flopper, Scott Palmer warms up the tires before making a check-out pass

(RIGHT) Winding up the tires as the traction takes hold, Lynn Logue takes the "Back In Black" Firebird down track

(LEFT) Making an early pass, Chuck Loftin tries out the Texas traction with his "Motivation" Mustang

(RIGHT) Sporting some new sponsors, Ken Singleton crosses the starting line on the burnout in his "High Risk" entry

(LEFT) We haven't seen this car or driver for quite a while, but Mitch King brought out his infamous "Bone Bucket" Fuel Altered to shake the rust off himself and the car at the 'Plex

(RIGHT) What if they held a Funny Car race and a Top Fuel Dragster showed up? While he can't compete against the floppers, Mitch King came out of a long retirement from the NHRA Big Show (since 2004) to update his license in Terry Haddock's "rent-a-ride" Top Fueler. Here he blazes the hides on his first burnout in the car

(LEFT) Back up for another hit, Scott Palmer blazes across the starting line in his Tommy Thompson-backed alky flopper

(RIGHT) The "other" "Back In Black" entry in the field, this one owned and driven by Lynn Logue" made a test pass

(LEFT) Launching hard with the front wheels skimming the surface, defending FCC Series champion, Ken Singleton tries out the Texas traction with the "High Risk" car

(RIGHT) With the Hoosier's wrinkling nicely, Chuck Loftin launches his "Motivation" Mustang in the late afternoon

(LEFT) Scott Palmer pulls into the beams in his brand new Top Alcohol flopper

(RIGHT) Preparing to stage before a check-out pass, Tod Barker and crew line up the "Back In Black" 'Vette

Near the end of the pre-race party in the pits, there was a large banner presented to the "King and Queen" of Funny Car Chaos, two of the hardest working and most deserving of success people in the sport of drag racing, Chris & Tera Graves

SATURDAY (Eliminations)

The first pair out of the lanes for the finals, were from the Outlaw Fuel Altereds association, and they produced a great race, with Aaron Morrow driving the Morrow & Darby "Nitro Relapse" (far lane) against Mary Reep in the family operated "Grim Reeper". Leaving first, but unfortunately with a BIG redlight shining on her side of the tree, was Mary Reep, handing the automatic win to Aaron Morrow.

Next up was the final for the "D" field, and it featured Bob Alberty Jr. in his beautiful "Thunderin' Okie" (near lane), who redlighted (and shutoff) away his chance against Tom Furches in the "Made in America" (far lane). Furches laid down his best run of eliminations (4.069 - 164.25) for the win.

Moving on to the "C" field final, it featured the Plymouth Arrow-bodied "Illinois Thunder" of Levi Keenen (near lane), but his best of eliminations pass of 3.820 - 194.64 fell to the very strong 3.669 - 205.07 winning run of the alky burning "BTnT Motorsports" entry of Bill Bernard in the far lane.

Getting down to the final two races of the weekend, NHRA Top Fuel racer Scott Palmer brought out his new Top Alcohol Funny Car (near lane), and despite improving on every run, lost traction early and shutoff to a 5-second pass, dropping the decision to Doug Schneider's excellent 3.717 - 200.12 in his "Schneider Racing" entry. The "B" field was predominantly alcohol cars, as only three of the eight cars were nitro-fuelled.

The biggest race of the weekend, between the underdog blown alky car of Kyle Smith in his "Smith Family Racing" Mustang (far lane), and the NHRA Big Show-legal blown fuel entry of Del Worsham in the "Worsham & Fink" Toyota didn't quite live up to expectations, as Worsham smoked the tires and shut off early, while Smith rang up his quickest and fastest ever 1/8-mile time at 3.614 - 211.41 for the BIG win. Worsham tried his best, pedalling to a 4.718 e.t. and coasting across the finish line at 105.87 mph.