05/02/10
Firebird Raceway, Boise, Idaho: The second NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing
Series points race of the 2010 season is in the books and although
Adam Sorokin maintains the points lead, it was #1 qualifier Jim
Murphy who was standing in the Winners Circle on Sunday.
As it often does
this time of year, the cool weather and some rain caused several
delays on Friday and Saturday with cold winds on Sunday. From
the Canadian border to the southern tip of Nevada, a massive
low pressure zone made just getting to the race a major challenge
for everyone. From a record falling Canadian snow and ice storm
to desert winds of 120 mph blowing over 18 wheelers, the race
attendance was surely effected.
Friday was pretty
much rained out and Saturday mornings weather was still not conducive
for racing but amid intermittent rain showers the day would ultimately
yield two qualifying sessions.
FINAL QUALIFYING
ORDER:
1) Jim Murphy --- 6.019 at 206.23
2) Adam Sorokin --- 6.022 at 232.07
3) Brad Thompson --- 6.066 at 230.88
4) Mike McClennan --- 6.419 at 187.50
5) Randy Eakins --- 9.997 at 76.23
6) Mike Chrisman --- 13.220 at 72.74
7) Rick White --- 15.158 at 51.20
Sunday stayed
in the high 50's with a strong head wind but no rain. In round
one Murphy led off with a singled and used it for a test run
carding a stout 5.832 at 230.76 .
The first pair
was March Meet winner Adam Sorokin in the RB Entertainment car
and Rick White shoeing the Neal & White entry. Unfortunately
White's weekend ended early when his driving woes continued with
a red light throwing away a 5.82 at 259.14 (top speed of the
meet). Sorokin clicked it early to a 6.278 at 180.10 .
Pair two featured
Mike McClennan in Mike Fullers "'Forever Young" and
Randy Eakins in the Botehlo & Patterson entry. It wasn't
pretty but with a 6.72 at 209.01 McClennan advanced to the next
round. Eakins clicked it early and coasted through with a 8.62
at 77.02.
The final pair
was Brad Thompson in the High Speed Motorsports car and Mike
Chrisman driving for John Rodeck and his Paso Posse. This was
Thompson's first return to Firebird since his horrific crash
in the final of the 2008 Nightfire Nationals. This was another
lopsided match up as a weak 6.36 at 201.07 by Thompson trumped
Chrisman's tire smoking 8.42 at 150.57.
The first pair
of round two pitted Thompson and Sorokin - both hard core racers.
Sorokin got a slight jump at the hit but his holeshot was short
lived as Thompson had reeled him in and passed by the 330' mark.
Great White was on a monster pass when the blower exploded before
the lights slowing him to a 5.93 at just 216.55. Sorokin who
was no slouch himself carded a 5.825 at 233.58 for the win.
The other semi
final pair was Jim Murphy and Mike McClennan. This was no contest
as Murphy's 5.820 at 247.45 sent him to the final.
The final pitted
the two cars that deserved to be there. #1 & #2 qualifiers
who had just run nearly identical times in the semis. With every
eye in attendance welded to the starting line Sorokin welded
Murphy to the tree leaving Jim to play catch up. But the holeshot
was for naught as the blower on the potent hemi in the RB car
let go about the 330' mark leaving a clear road for Murphy to
the Winners Circle. His 5.80 (low ET of the meet) at 248.82 put
another notch in a gun that is in its fourth decade of driving
fuel car.