The Mother's Day Competition Eliminator

 

“I love you Mom” was declared in shoe polish on the back windshield of Ron Gulbransen’s ’68 California Special, charging up the Samoa Dragstrip in the Property Damage Appraisers/California Auto Image Competition Eliminator on Mother’s Day       

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Kyle Skillings clinched a third consecutive Top Qualifier thanks to his first pass at 8.48, from the first session of Time Trials.

On April 3oth, Jerry Toledo borrowed Ray Rapp’s ’71 Vega to snag 1st place in Pro, and this time around Rapp got in on the action in Super Pro while Toledo raced it some more in Pro. Rapp got it into the Finals to face Dale Waddell’s ’27 T (who’d run in the previous Super Pro finals). Eleven and a half seconds into it, 1st place belonged to Rapp, his Vega puling a 11.28 @ 110 mph ahead of Waddell’s 10.17 run @ 133 mph.

Kevin Dinan’s ’87 Mustang is a common sight at the Thursday Night and Eureka P.D. Street Legal Drags, but Sunday found him climbing the Sportsman ladder to take on Jim Prueher’s ’66 Ranchero. The ‘Chero ran a 12.81 @ 105. bit first place belonged to Dinan, his Mustang running 14.28 on a 14.28 dial-in @ 91 mph.

Shelter Cove biker James Surber’s been flying with a new ride, this season, a ’06 Harley Davidson Destroyer drag bike, and it took him to the Motorcycle Finals to race Kirk Speelman’s ’01 Suzuki for a 9.99 win @ 134 mph over Speelman’s 10.63 @ 137 mph.

Nick Purcell’s ’75 Torino had a good day at the office, cutting a perfect reaction time (.500) in Eliminations Round 1, before rattling the front bumper with high-revs in the Pro finals against Rich Given’s ’79 Mustang. The Mustang had been a wild, fast runner all day, but the winner in this one was Purcell, his 11.88 pass @ 110  over Given’s 12.92 @ 102 mph.

The Junior Dragster field gets bigger all the time- the Competition Eliminator welcomed two rookies to the field: Loleta’s Krystal Hughes and Alyssa Masterson. Masterson got herself in the Consolation round, running runner-up to veteran Mike Pettit. The Final matchup was Robbie Waddell and Kara Pettit, with Waddell running a 11.54 @ 54 mph, but Pettit had been roping in the lowest e.t.’s among the Juniors,a nd her 7.92 in the final helped get her first place @ 82 mph.

Even if someone got sacked after the second round, several lined back up for the Gamblers’ Bracket. Four rounds of it later had Troy Beck’s ’69 GTO facing Harlan Tucker’s ’67 Barracuda, with the ‘Cuda snapping at first place  with a 12.61 @ 101 mph against Beck’s 11.51 @110 mph.

The next race day will be Sunday, June 11, with the Denny’s Restaurants Grand Slam Eliminator. The Saturday before should also see plenty of action with the Eureka Police Department’s Street Legal Drags, as well as a Test ‘N Tune. In the weeks leading up to it (except for June 8), the Thursday Night Street Drags continue. Both Street Drags happen 5 PM ‘til 8 PM, where every ticket to ride is a pit pass.