[woodcote]

NHRA 4-Gear Funny Car & Pro Stock

The final race of the Summer Series promised to be another good one. Top qualifiers Pete and Jerome sat out the first round, Pete taking a solo run in the DHL Funny Car, clocking a pretty rapid 0.851 seconds.

The first race was between Iain's Auto Club Funny Car and David's Tire Kingdom Pro Stocker...

   

Iain was off the line fractionally quicker and the two cars ran side-by-side down the strip and through the line. Iain had it by 0.009 seconds - his time 0.885 and David's 0.887. That was close!

Andy qualified second and Alan's Pro Stocker seventh and last. An overnight inspection showed a brush at right-angles in the Summit car's motor. That fixed, Alan's crew were looking for a better run today...

   

The Summit Pro Stock was transformed - and Andy's JEGS car a little slow after a quick start. Alan crossed the line 0.011 seconds ahead, his ET 0.881, Andy's 0.901.

   

Doug's Nitro Fish Pro Stock had finished third in the qualifiers, so was surprised to be run very close by Rebecca's Castrol GTX Funny Car. It looked all the way as if the Funny Car would win it, but a dive for the line saw Doug win by 0.007 seconds - 0.860 to 0.875.

That gave us two pretty tasty semi-finals - a pair of Funny Cars and a pair of Pro Stockers

   

Iain was the outsider against Jerome in the DHL flopper. He wasn't far off. A quick 0.884 for the Auto Club car wasn't quite enough. Jerome clocked 0.864 and crossed the line 0.021 ahead.

   

On paper, Doug was favourite for the second semi, but Alan's car was now on the pace. It looked close to begin with... until the Nitro Fish car pulled away for a 0.051 second victory. Doug's winning ET was 0.846 and Alan's pace dropped off a little to 0.891.

   

Pete lined up in the DHL Funny Car against Doug in the Nitro Fish Pro Stock...

   

Pete nailed the start and already had a lead...

   

There was nothing Doug could do...

   

A 0.088 winning margin for Pete - a very rapid 0.798 ET to Doug's 0.882...

   

Huge congratulations to Pete and Jerome on their first Summer Series win!

   

Here's the ladder...

   

And the stats...

   

And that's it - the end of the RCR Summer Series. I hope you've enjoyed our socially-distant HO racing fun. A huge thanks to everyone who has taken part and to all those - especially Super Tires and Jadlam Toys & Models - who've supported the series.

The racing will start again in six weeks - with a five-event Winter Series... However, there's the small matter of another post-race South Coast HO Dragster fanzine to wrap up the Summer and prepare for the Winter. That'll be published over the weekend.