The latest update as of May 16, 2021

The FUNNY CAR CHAOS season continues with the third (of eight) events, this time at Penwell Knights Raceway at the Caprock Motorplex in Odessa, TX. With 28 cars on the pre-entry list, the three field format - which looks like it could be a semi-permanent fixture at these races - was in place. We've got the first set of photos from our "road warrior" BIG Bob Snyder, taken during the first qualifying session on Friday evening. We'll try to get the second session shots up later this evening, and hopefully the pictures and all the details from Saturday's final qualifier and eliminations on Monday.. or Tuesday. It all depends on how long it takes Bob to get home, get some sleep, and download the cache in his camera. Stay tuned!

Friday - Qualifying Session #1

Before it got loud and fast, everyone stood for the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner"

(LEFT) The first qualifying session got underway on Friday evening with Jordan Ballew sporting a new Camaro body on his well-known "Ballew Thunder" entry. His best effort of the evening was a decent 4.750 - 144.97, placing him in the #21 position on the qualifying list

(RIGHT Burning out to start his weekend, Nick Johnson in the Reinart & Johnson "Prairie Fire" entry saw a 4.596 - 149.20 come up on the scoreboards that was only good enough for the #18 spot on the qualifying list

(LEFT) The old-school "Brutus" Mustang of Troxel & Schneider, driven by Chris Schneider rang up a slightly slower 4.666 - 144.00 to slot into the #20 spot on the list

(RIGHT) Quickly climbing up the charts, rookie Jade Cook made her opening statement in the "Nemesis with a solid 4.617 - 147.30 pass that put her solidly (#19) into the "C" field

(LEFT) Despite a solid launch, Damon Kuhn's unique looking "Passin' Gas" faded later in the run, posting only a Friday best of 5.502 - 125.10, leaving him on the outside of the three fields, sitting in the #25 spot going into Saturday afternoon's final qualifying session

(RIGHT) The Canadian invader, Tim Boychuk, in his party-themed "Happy Hour" Camaro, laid down the best numbers of the early runners, landing on the #9 rung on the ladder with a solid 4.175 - 149.90. He launched hard, with the Goodyears showing some serious wrinkles, and lots of clutch dust, but it appeared from the speed that he was off the throttle a little early

(LEFT) We're still getting used to the 2021 look of Steve Vang's new body, and the ever-changing car name which is currently "Wicked Weekender Racing". He ran a little slower than normal, only slotting in near the bottom of the provisional "B" field with a 4.442 - 134.90 effort

(RIGHT) One of the "hitters" in the FCC series was out next, as Nick Poloson in the colourful Doak & Poloson "Bucket List" car nearly hit the 3-second zone, with a 4.054 - 179.93, good for the lucky #7 spot in the "A" field

(LEFT) It hasn't taken long for series newcomer Tom Furches to make his mark in the Funny Car Chaos wars, as he came into this event as the points leader in his "Made in America" and put down a 4.162 - 171.62, slotting him into the #8 position overall

(RIGHT) Taking time off from the NHRA Top Alcohol grind (he last ran a national event in 2019), Kirk Williams drove the "Williams Bros. Racing" entry to the top of the ladder, taking the #1 position with a very strong 3.894 - 195.65 to take low e.t. and top speed of the first day of qualifying

(LEFT) Surprising more than few folks with a run almost equal to Kirk Williams, the nitro burning "Shazam!" Corvette of Eric Eoff went all the way to the #3 spot and a guaranteed position in the "A" field with an excellent 3.964 - 183.80 pass

(RIGHT) The always popular '57 Chevy "Dragon Slayer" of Andy Mears put up a respectable 4.490 - 155.12, good enough for #16 on the list

(LEFT) Looking like a series regular, appearing in the last five FCC events (last season and this year), Nancy Matter in the Dale Pulde-tuned "Guardian", was way up the ladder in the #5 position at the end of Friday, with a 4.029 - 174.76 best, placing her in the middle of the "A" field

(RIGHT) Switching from an open-bodied fuel altered to the enclosed body of a flopper, the "Bushwhacker" AA/FA driver, Jody Austin piloted the Gordon & Austin "Red Baron" into the 3-second zone, with a 3.985 - 178.50, good for the #4 position on the qualifying sheet

(LEFT) From out of the high country of Colorado, Doug Schneider brought down his "Milliken Monster" and landed near the top of the heap, with a great 3.959 - 180.14 pass that trailed only the low qualifying effort of Kirk Williams

(RIGHT) In one of the most colourful cars on the circuit, second generation funny car driver, Bob Alberty Jr. pushed his "Thunderin' Okie" to a decent 4.440 - 158.39 to place him solidly into the "B" field in the #14 position

(LEFT) As the first qualifying session drew to a close, Dustin Bradford brought his bright white "American Dream" 'Cuda to the starting line and made an on-and-off-and-on pass that clocked in at 5.322 - 140.58, leaving him at the bottom of the "C" field in the #24 spot on the overall list

(RIGHT) Closing out the round with an easy checkout pass was California's Scott Cousimano in the Texas-based Fuller & Cousimano "WTF Racing" entry. He finally stopped the clocks at 6.252 - 80.62 to sit in the #27 position, leading only Randy Mueller who failed to record a time or speed

Friday - Qualifying Session #2

(LEFT) The second qualifying session opened up under the lights, with the booked-in match race between the John Robinson Turbo Diesel Dragster (near lane) against the Ray Kelley Jet Dragster, sponsored by "Game XChange", as they put on quite a show of pyrotechnics and power

(RIGHT) Leading off the competition part of the evening was the ever-popular Troxel & Schneider "Brutus" entry, driven by Chris Schneider, and he stayed with his earlier best of 4.466 - 144.00 in the #20 spot on the list and a place in the "C" field

(LEFT) Coming out for his second hit of the day, Nick Poloson finished the day in the #6 qualifying position, courtesy of a 4.054 - 179.93 effort

(RIGHT) Gaining experience and improving performance with nearly every pass, Jade Cook made her presence felt with a solid 4.617 - 147.30 that put her near the top of the "C" field in the #19 position

(LEFT) Looking to move up the ladder, Tim Boychuk (near lane) took on Andy Mears in a battle of Chevy-bodied machines, with Boychuk coming out on top for the day with a 4.175 - 149.90, while Mears trailed on the qualifying sheet with a best for the day of 4.490 - 155.12. They both ended up in the provisional "B" field with Boychuk sitting #9, while Mears languished in the #16 spot

(RIGHT) Battling for the top spot, Kirk Williams (near lane), held onto the #1 spot with a 3.894 - 195.65, while Steve Vang (far lane), sat down near the bottom of the "B" field in #15 with a 4.442 - 132.90 pass

(LEFT) Finishing the first day of qualifying in the #10 spot (near the top of the "B" field), Jeff Cameron in the "Jake's Speed Shop" car put down a very good 4.244 - 165.99 lap

(RIGHT) Hanging on to the last rung in the provisional "A" field, Tom Furches clocked in at 4.162 - 171.62 in the patriotically hued "Made in America" car

(LEFT) It's difficult to see Doug Schneider in the far lane, but he was there and happy to be all the way up the ladder in the #2 slot, courtesy of a 3.959 - 180.14, while in the near lane, Daniel Butherus could only coax a 4.494 - 159.18 out of the Chevy-powered "Rat-A-Tude". That left him in the #17 spot, just outside the "B" field

(RIGHT) Taking his shot at the top of the heap, and falling short (#8 spot), was heavy hitter Ken Singleton in the very familiar "High Risk" car. His best of the day was "only" a 4.078 - 181.60, but he still had one more chance on Saturday afternoon to improve his placing in the show

(LEFT) Not having a very good day at all, Bill Bernard ended up well down the list in the lowly #23 position, with a "best" of just 5.014 - 97.95 and at risk of not even qualifying for the "C" field. He had one more shot on Saturday to get down the track though.

(RIGHT) Always contending for the best appearing award, Bob Alberty Jr.'s southwestern muralled "Thunderin' Okie" finished Friday near the bottom of the "B" field with a 4.440 - 158.39 for the #14 spot on the ladder

(LEFT) Not quite making it all the way to the finish line under power, evidenced by his 4.279 - 157.45 timeslip, Shayne Lawson in the former Paul Romine-owned "Man O' War" Mustang, ended the day in the #12 spot in the middle of the "B" field

(RIGHT) The evening qualifying session came to a close with another pass by the "Red Baron" as new driver Jody Austin muscled it into the 3-second zone with a best of the day 3.985 - 178.50 for the #4 rung on the ladder