Live from Maple Grove Raceway - NHRA Auto Plus Nationals

[Chuck Beach]

Congratulations Matt Welker for getting your Hemi in to the 8 second zone !!!!!

[Ken Miele]

Racing is over for the day, we finished up about 5pm. It has been smooth day, I have not been to race that was run so well in a very long time. Everyone received 4 runs if they wanted to expect Super Stock because of class.

Here are pictures of the cars that returned for this race. I was very surprised to see how low the car counts were. I guess between the racers that wanted the experience of a National event and the ones that could not return made for a low car count.

The weather for the day could not have been better, another first in a very long while.

The in car cam is Mark Faul running Lincoln Morehead in the first round of GT/GA

[Jack Matyas]

Everyone on the property got happy today ---- why you ask ? ? Not only did S/S class elims take place but everyone and I mean everyone got four - count 'em - four qualifing runs in all the different conditions - morning / mid-day and late afternoon .

Speaking of S/S - how about Don Fizell winning the S/S stick combo in his '08 Cobra Jet .Or John Armstrong in his '69 Corvette going 8.92 to win the automatic combo class . Then there's Bob Cupp in his trusty '65 Chevelle winning SS/KA with a convincing 10.31 run .And lets not forget the #1 man - Rich South in his fresh G-5 GT/FA going - 1.180 to take the pole .I could go on and on .......you had to be here .

Now we'll test your memories - when is the last time a small-block powered "Big" car was #1 in Stock ? ? I can't remember but today was Kevin Fogertys as his mile deep black '65 Impala coupe is on the pole and not an easy task but he had his 327 hummin' as he went 11.888 in the process .Congrats to Team Fogerty .............

All in all it was a terrific day here @ Maple Grove - if you didn't comeback it was surely your loss .And if you didn't enter - do so next year .

Yeah - I know it was terrible last week but today was special - and tomorrow looks even better .How am I ever going to fall asleep tonight ..............

[Bobby Fazio]

Nice weather today and like everyone else I definitely couldn't wait to get down the quarter mile and rip some gears, unfortunately the trusty little 289 spun a bearing today so I had to come home early, can someone tell Doug Chervanik he has a bye so he doesn't wait around for me first round, thanks.

[Bob Don]

I noticed on the Mark Faul video that the NHRA took its fancy 'tree with the funky pre-stage and stage home with them. What's up with that? Also - big congrats to Kevin Fogerty for #1 qualifier! Kevin - I couldn't go that fast if I got pushed out of an airplane!

[Bobby Fazio]

I must add that Kevin Fogerty offered to tow me back to my pit spot with his race car after his tremendous qualifying pass! He reversed off the scale and we were about to hook up the strap when the tow truck arrived. What a guy!

[Ken Miele]

More picture and video's.

The in car cam is Thomas Fletcher racing Norm Hall in the GT/BA final.

[Larry Hill]

Ken I thought ss GT/BA had to wear gloves, you know cars that run faster than 10.00 ?

[Jack Matyas]

Good morning - Finally ! ! Its here - race day and a great day it will be .Just like yesterday the forecast calls for sunshine and blue skies without a possibility of a storm of any kind .

This morning there is again "frost on the pumpkins" as they say in these parts as its a chilly 47 degrees at this moment but the Sun will be up shortly to warm things up .

Speaking of the weather dialing this morning will again be a challenge as its a tad better than yesterday morning withe barometer at 29.88 combined with the low temps and a good VP the DA is very close to sea level .

We were to have a 8:30 start but it will more than likely be close to 9 when we get going as this is a very relaxed deal because of the low car count .

For those of you who didn't know yesterday was "Purple Friday" and as you can see Penny Bender was honoring her Baltimore Ravens by wearing the colors while partying last night with Kevin Fogerty Jr. who was celebrating their teams # 1 spot yesterday.

To my friend Lewis - is your picture the result of what happens when you don't use that new fangled strobe thingie ? Or could it be I just didn't turn the flash on ?

Also pictured below is Tony Elmo -Director of Event Services here at the 'Grove who got himself a new Bobcat ride recently .Most of us at sometime or another meet up with Tony and he truly is the racers friend - and a get it done kind of guy ! !

I 'gotta get going as the Suns' coming up ............later