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Rush Thunder in the Valley Nationals |
Britol Dragway, Bristol TN
8/8/2009
With a weekend off from the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Doug traveled to the AHDRA Rush Thunder in the Valley Nationals at Bristol Drag way. For this event he competed in both Top Fuel and Pro Fuel.
Qualifying
On Saturday morning the Pro Fuel left the line good but dropped a cylinder. Next came Top Fuel, Mike Romine and Rex Harris had worked all spring and summer at various races and exhibitions to develop a combination with the transmission. The first qualifying pass all the hard work paid off with a 6.49 good enough for the #1 spot.
Round two saw the Pro Fuel lay down a 6.70 at 199.85 mph to put Doug #1. In Top Fuel Doug runs as 6.55 to move him to #2. In the last qualifying session Doug improves his ET to 6.66 at 205 mph to stay in the #1 spot for Pro Fuel. Doug runs in the next to the last pair for Top Fuel and runs a 6.45 to move him to #1 but with Joey Sternotti on the Ray Price Harley Davidson bike waiting to run his final qualifying run; Joey lays down a 6.30 at 220.01 to regain the #1 spot for Sunday. Doug sits #2 for his first Top Fuel eliminations on Sunday.
Elimination
Sunday morning brings much warmer and humid conditions. Crew Chief Rex Harris armed with 6 runs down the track on Saturday prepares both bikes for what we hope will be a long day of racing. In Doug’s first round of Top Fuel eliminations he faces Derrick Nelson, Doug leaves first and runs a 6.49 at 210 mph for low ET of the first round. On the Pro Fuel bike Doug lines up with the #8 qualifier Russell Sowers, Doug lays down a 6.68 at 205 mph for the win. Second round Doug runs his mentor and bike builder Mike Romine on the Salt Lake City Harley Davidson. Doug leaves first with a 0.031 reaction to Mike Romines 0.098/ 6.54 package for the holeshot win to advance to his first semi-final appearance in Top Fuel. In the semi-finals in Pro Fuel Doug faces his friendly rival Tommy Sloan. Tommy leaves first and with a malfunction on the timing system Tommy runs through for the win and eventually the race. Meanwhile in Top Fuel semi-final Doug faces Steve Dorn on the Latus Harley Davidson bike. Doug leaves first with a 0.027 reaction time and clocks a 6.43 at 217 mph to Dorns 6.78 at 183 mph to advance to his first Top Fuel final to face Tracey Kile the #4 qualifier. Doug again leaves first and lays down a 6.44 at 208 mph to Tracey Kiles 8.37 for his first Screaming Eagle Top Fuel win.
Without the hard Work of Rex Harris, Mike and Patty Romine this would not be possible, they really laid the ground work for a successful weekend. Doug would like to thank Chesapeake Harley Davidson, Energy One Clutches, Red Line Oil, Romine Racing, Rex Harris Rocket Management, Cecil County Drag way and Maryland Portable Concrete. Doug plans to compete at the Screaming Eagle Performance Parts Jim McClure Nationals at Rockingham Dragway, October 9-11, 2009.
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