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The latest update as of July 19, 2024


NHRA Northwest Nationals logo

The 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals

12:30 PM UPDATE:

Looks like I should have read the schedule a little closer and seen that Top Alcohol wouldn't be coming out at 12:30 - or any time close to that - as we're just getting ready to start the 2nd time trial for Super Street after a bit of cleanup of the first pair of Comp eliminator cars. It will be at least 2:00 before the blown alky and injected nitro cars get to do their thing. In case you're wondering, yes, the air is getting worse by the minute as the sun is at it's zenith.

Go Canada! After the first round of Top Sportsman qualifying, Canadian cars were occupying three of the top six spots on the list. Topping them all was Alberta's Will Yakimetz with a very quick and fast 6.621 - 213.23 to hold down low e.t. by a tenth and top speed by six miles per hour. In a 22-car field, that's a good grouping as they prepare for eliminations. With only more qualifying session early this evening before eliminations start tomorrow morning, it's a good start for the "Great White North" brigade.

3:30 PM UPDATE:

The first session of Top Alcohol qualifying came to a close with a whimper, not a bang, as the two highest rated cars in the field were in trouble almost instantly after they launched. Up until that point there had been a good mix of solid runs, a career best (Trevor Larkin), interspersed with tire shake and/or smoke and early shutoff runs. Thankfully, nobody deposited any parts or oil on the track and only a few cars exhibited signs of serious damage as they crossed the finish line.

The Funny Cars came out first and Mike Doushgounian got things going on a single run but he shook early, started skating around and clicked it to a 15-second clocking. The first pair saw side-by-side 5.5 times, with Stan Sipos stopping the timers first with a very good 5.501 - 265.64, after a wheels up launch, while Bret Williamson trailed only slightly with a solid 5.558 - 261.42 time.

Stan Sipos --- Ray Martin

(LEFT) Stan Sipos (RIGHT) Ray Martin

The next pair wasn't even close as Ray Martin shook, spun and pedalled before throwing in the towel with a 9-second pass. In the other lane, Annie Whiteley dropped into the 5.40's with a brilliant 5.469 - 269.67 at nearly 270 mph to grab the top spot away from Sipos. The session ended with a highly anticipated match between Brian Hough and Madison Gordon. Gordon headed for the centreline on the top end, and clicked it to a 6.02, while Hough kept the hammer down to a good 5.553 - 266.95 to take the #3 spot on the ladder.

Brian Hough (near lane) vs Madison Gordon (far lane)

Brian Hough (near lane) vs Madison Gordon (far lane)

Switching to the dragsters, with another odd-sized (11-car) field, Mike Quayle brought out his Alberta-based A/Fuel car and launched hard but lost traction before the 330 ft mark and shut off to 9-something. The first pairing of the session was a blown versus injected match, with newcomer Jon Bradford in the Bob Button EFI car, making his national event debut. After running so well last week at Woodburn, with low 5.30's, he lost traction and shut off to a 5.843 - 226.67 as Trevor Larkin in Eric Chesleigh's A/FD took the top spot with a career best 5.312 - 267.53 pass.

Mike Quayle --- Jon Bradford

(LEFT) Mike Quayle (RIGHT) Jon Bradford

Two A/Fuelers lined up next, and the beautifully wrapped Copeland Motorsports entry, driven by Kim Parker went up in smoke instantly and shut off. In the other lane, Mitch Myers ran well with a flashing up on the scoreboard. The second to last pair of the session saw another alcohol versus nitro match with both cars making good passes. Garrett Bateman in the Rick Henkelman owned and tuned car took over the #2 spot with a very good 5.382 - 273.61 (top speed so far), while Austin wasn't far behind with a solid 5.439 - 265.72 pass.

Mitch Myers (near lane) vs Kim Parker (far lane) --- Mike Austin (near lane) vs Garrett Bateman (far lane)

(LEFT) Mitch Myers (near lane) vs Kim Parker (far lane) (RIGHT) Mike Austin (near lane) vs Garrett Bateman (far lane)

Another alky vs nitro battle ensued, with Joey Severance, sporting a new look with a full J& A Services wrap, went up against the familiar green Darien & Grisel machine. Grisel went into instant tire smoke, while Severance made a strong run that ended with a lot of smoke out of the pipes at the finish line, but still clocked in at 5.358 - 268.92, good for at least a temporary hold on the #2 spot on the ladder.

Joey Severance --- Joey Severance

(LEFT) Joe Severance Sr. leaning against the tire (RIGHT) Joey Severance burning out

The final pair of the session did their pre-race routine, and were preparing to stage when they were shut off due to an unexplained "off-track situation". They both elected to return to the pits, cool down, refuel, adjust the clutch and come back after the Junior Dragsters and Jet Funny Cars had run. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated match went sour almost immediately, with instant tire smoke for Jackie Fricke in the John Finke New Jersey-based A/FD, while Shawn Cowie shook, pedalled, shook some more and finally gave up to an 8-second time. And that was a wrap on the first of three qualifying sessions for Top Alcohol.

Shawn Cowie (near lane) vs Jackie Fricke (far lane)

Shawn Cowie (near lane) vs Jackie Fricke (far lane)

7:00 PM UPDATE:

We've finished the first round of PRO qualifying and the second go-round for the Top Alcohol cars. While the first five (alky) Funny Cars had trouble negotiating the hot tricky surface, the final pair showed that there was nothing wrong with the track. Leading the way was Annie Whiteley who improved on her great earlier timeslip with an even better 5.465 - 270.05. Nearly matching her wheel to wheel was Stan Sipos who dropped into the 5.40's with a 5.487 - 267.37 to solidify his hold on the #2 spot on the ladder.

The dragsters that didn't run well in the first session seriously picked up the pace in the second. First out of the lanes was Kim Parker who jumped into the #2 spot with a very good 5.347 - 268.92 to vault into #2 on the list. The first pair, both A/Fuel cars, made great side-by-side passes, with Casey Grisel bumping Parker down one spot as he ran 5.336 - 269.78. Leading Grisel at half track was Mike Quayle before he dropped a cylinder and slowed to a still good 5.410 - 243.24 as he picked up two spots.

The next pair were both disappointed with their first passes but more than made up for it in the second, with Shawn Cowie blitzing the timers with new low e.t. and top speed marks at 5.203 - 279.73, while Jackie Fricke wasn't far behind with an excellent 5.282 - 276.13 that took over the #2 spot, behind Cowie's top qualifying effort.

And the hits just kept coming as the last three pairs of the round produced three runs in the 5.20's, two in the 5.30's, and the slowest run of the round was Mitch Myers decent 5.455 - 268.17. The first of the three pairs featured side-by-side 5.2 runs, with Jon Bradford bumping Fricke out of her #2 spot with career bests of 5.268 - 269.78. Just a couple of ticks behind at 5.270 - 274.00 was Garrett Bateman who inherited the #3 spot.

The next pair were both blown alcohol cars and both improved their positions by two spots, but Joey Severance couldn't be totally happy with his 5.320 - 269.35 as he was still not where he wanted to be on the tuneup. Mike Austin, on the other hand, had to be reasonably happy with his 5.376 - 267.91 pass. Closing out the session in a big way was Trevor Larkin who re-set his personal bests for the second time in one day, knocking half a tenth off his previous best with a great 5.265 - 269.83 to get back near the top of the heap in the #2 slot.