|
|
October 03-05, 2003
Murphy Go
To Semis
Jim Murphy
and the OSH-WW2 Racing team came to the 12th California Hot Rod
Reunion, a race they had won on two previous occasion, primed
and ready to win it again. That was not to be but the team put
on a great show and were happy at the end of the day. Enjoy this
photo recap of the event.
Final Top Fuel Qualifying
1. Denver Schutz 5.858 @ 236.34
2. Bill Dunlap 5.895 @ 238.41
3. Bob Muravez 5.926 @ 249.51
4. Jack Harris 5.960 @ 244.89
5. Jim Murphy 6.006 @ 229.94
6. Glenn Hutchinson 6.031 @ 246.10
7. Howard Haight 6.064 @ 227.56
8. Rick McGee 6.080 @ 209.20 |
9. Lee Jennings 6.141 @ 234.19
10. Rich Howell 6.142 @ 217.67
11. Pete Kaiser 6.148 @ 219.94
12. Sean Bellemeur 6.178 @ 203.94
13. Jason Richey 6.282 @ 234.19
14. Scott Mason 6.321 @ 225.50
15. Chuck Tanko 6.384 @ 203.94
16. Jeff Diehl 6.416 @ 179.35 |
This
year the CHRR hosted a 16 car field so the OSH-WW2 Racing crew
wasn't worried about making the field, but they did want to qualify
at or near the top. With only two qualifying sessions offered
(both on Saturday) crew chief Tim Beebe approached the first
session with conservative but proven tune-up.
With the temperatures in the mid 80s and the track
in perfect condition, Murphy was in the first pair of cars to
"test" the racing surface.
After
the burnout the car gets a final check and sent into the staging
lights.
The
launch was hard and the car made a nice straight run to an easy
6.006 at 229.94.
Between qualifying sessions the crew just did some
basic maintenance. This is a good thing as opposed to major maintenance.
The second session was "under the lights"
(a fan favorite) and everybody, including the OSH-WW2 team were
going for a "big number". Murphy sounded great on the
burnout and when the light went green was on a solid five second
run until a faulty piston pumped some oil and forced him to shut
off with a 6.320 @ 174.58. This did not improve their qualifying
position but # 5 was still a very good spot to be in.
Sunday 11AM - The last strains of the National Anthem
die away - the airplanes fly low over the track - and the first
pair of Top Fuel dragsters fire-up. Jim Murphy would face Jason
Richey in the opening stanza of round one.
# 5 qualifier Murphy has lane choice over the # 13
car of Richey.
Both cars leave together
but Murphy is in the lead by the sixty feet mark and pulls away
for the win over Richey with a stout 5.914 @ 243.30. It would
be the first of many fives in eliminations... 19, the most in
history.
Second
round - eight cars left - all of them tough. Murphy would face
Lee Jennings Sr. in the lone Chevy powered car. Jennings had
carded a 5.97 @ 236 in round one so he was not to be taken lightly.
Jennings takes a slight lead off the line but by
half track Murphy was in the lead on on his way to another win
at 5.897 @ 228.89 to Jennings game 6.005 @ 231.95. The OSH-WW2
car was going to the semis.
Trying to keep cool before the semi finals.
Ready to rumble....
The semi finals
by itself was worth the price of admission featuring the four
quickest cars during eliminations and four drivers were seasoned
vets 60 or older - the kids were long gone. And there was no
question that it would take a solid five second run to win in
a race in this round.
In round three Murphy would face Bob Muravez who
had also been running 5.90s all day. Two vets with a combined
racing career of 70+ years - the race was a coin toss.
Murphy's round two 5.89 gave him lane choice over
Muravez's 5.95 and he took his favorite left lane.
Had all things been equal, the end result here would
have been the OSH-WW2 going to the finals instead of the Western
Hoist Special. But things weren't equal and that happened at
the starting line. Muravez cut his best light of the day (0.497)
getting a 3 hundredth of a second lead on Murphy who had a very
respectable 0.528 light.
Muravez
needed that slight advantage for the win as his 5.902 @ 233.88
just barely held off Murphy's hard charging 5.892 at a huge 252.10.
Drag racing is said to be a sport of inches and this was definitely
the case here. And that's drag racing.
 |
Return
to Photo Archive
|
|
