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Murphy - OSH-WW2 Racing
Win 3rd March Meet
Runs
fastest speed ever - 256
Jim Murphy
and the OSH-WW2 Racing team started the 2003 season the same
way they ended the 2002 campaign - with a huge win. The March
Meet has been held at the Famoso Raceway outside Bakersfield,
CA for the last 44 years. Next to the US Nationals, it is the
longest running annual event in drag racing. In four decades
only one driver has won Top Fuel Eliminator three times ... until
this year.
When the sun set Sunday
evening, Jim Murphy and the OSH -WW2 Racing crew were the victors
over a revamped race track and a stellar field of Nostalgia Top
Fuel Dragsters. The final pitted the two quickest cars on the
property, the yellow and black entry of Murphy and the new VRA
ET record holder, Roger "Radar" Lechtenberg in the
"Orange Crate" of Dale and Kat Suhr. Jim's 5.97 was
more than enough to cover the trouble plagued Radar and give
the team their first step in regaining the VRA Top Fuel Championship
and putting the big # 1 back on the car.
Enjoy
the entire story and photos below.
Final Top
Fuel Qualifying
1. Roger Lechtenberg 5.853 239.93
2. Bill Alexander 5.882 240.00
3. Jack Harris 5.962 243.77
4. Howard Haight 5.963 236.09
5. Gerry Steiner 5.978 229.06
6. Bill Dunlap 6.013 233.88
7. Rick McGee 6.029 224.32
8. Lee Jennings 6.068 220.64 |
9. Denver Schutz 6.071 229.29
10. Kent Terry 6.162 217.54
11. Jim Murphy 6.182 202.20
12. Brendan Murry 6.215 222.22
13. Pete Kaiser 6.234 202.56
14. Rich Howell 6.291 188.79
15. Tim Gibson 6.300 222.44
16. Mark Malde 6.347 207.56 |
The Top Fuel final was
literally anybody's race. Roger "Radar" Lechtenberg
had a 5.91, 5.85 and record setting 5.78 under his belt, while
Jim Murphy had carded a 5.80 (256) and 5.98 in eliminations.
Lechtenberg had a slight starting line advantage and was barely
leading to the 600' mark when his engine started eating its internal
organs.
As the sun sets over
the track, Murphy hits the throttle in route to a 5.97 win and
a third March Meet trophy.
By 800'
it was a done deal and Murphy streaked on to a 5.97 @ 240.25
win. Covered in oil, Lechtenberg had a hand full of race car
and finally got it stopped in Murphy's lane.
Like
the Rolling Stones song, "It's All Over Now". The chute
is out, the car stops and out pops a very happy Jim Murphy.
Murphy gets comfortable
while his elated crew comes to get him (below).
In the background you
can see the VRA Safety Safari tending to Roger Lechtenberg who had more than his share of
problems during the race.
The crew gets the car
ready for the Winners Circle photos while Jim shares the thrill
of victory with wife, Judy.
Backing
up to Sunday morning, without question, the best race of the day was
the first round match up between Jim Murphy and Jack Harris.
Both cars had struggled in qualifying - neither getting in until
the last session. Jack's 5.96 was good for the # 3 spot while
Jim's 6.18 was only good for the #11 position. So on paper, Harris
looked to be the favorite, but races are never run on paper.
Gentlemen, start your
engines.
Murphy heats the tires
prior to his round one race with Harris.
Jim
got a huge hole shot (0.515 to a 0.621) and never looked back
in the quickest side by side race in NTF history - 5.80 to a
5.93. For good measure, the OSH-WW2 Racing fueler tripped the
clocks with an incredible 256.84 top speed ... the fastest MPH
ever for a front engine dragster.
Murphy
launched like a rocket and never missed a lick in route to his
5.80 win.
256 MPH - stable as
a rock.
Going
into the second round against the always tough Rick McGee, the
OSH team was just trying to repeat their first round numbers.
The cars left together and most figured Murphy would pull away
down track.
Murphy's
car had basically the same tune up as the previous run and left
the starting line perfectly. However, the track surface had gotten
hotter and after a close race to half track the abundant horsepower
in Murphy's fueler started the rear tires to spin, causing the
engine RPM to go dangerously high. When pulling on the break
didn't stop the spin, Murphy was forced to shut off and watch
McGee take a 6.07 @ 224. Even with the early chute, Jim still
ran a 6.10 and only 195. Had the car not spun the tires, the
times would have been close to those in round one and the win
would have been in the bag.
After
the second round loss to Rick McGee, Jim Murphy capitalized on
the one thing all racers need, a little luck, to proceed to the
finals. When the Dunlap & Fuller car was unable to repair
their round two damage, Murphy (being the quickest loser from
the previous round) got back in on the "break rule"
(designed to put on a better show for the fans), and went on
to beat the newest member of the 5-Second Club, Howard Haight
in the semis which put the Orchard Hardware Supply fueler into
the finals.
Tim
Beebe makes last minute adjustments the engine as Jim Murphy
puts on his firesuit prior to their semi final race with Howard
Haight.
A strange
thing happened to Murphy during his semi final match up with
Howard Haight. After his burnout the starting line crew found
two chunks of track missing near the staging beams.
After
some momentary confusion, Murphy was moved over to the left about
a foot.
He then proceeded to
rip off a 5.98 @ 241 in his new groove which easily defeated
an up in smoke Haight. Look to the right of the front wheels
and you can see the damaged surface.
Two huge chunks of track
are gone down the foundation. No clue what caused it. Nonetheless,
Murphy got the win and was into the finals.
The following
shots were taken over the weekend and show what goes on off the
track.
Jim Murphy proudly displays
the award he received Wednesday evening before the March Meet
from The Motor Sports Press Association. The prestigious group
chose Murphy "Drag Racer of the Year" for his participation
in the Goodguys (VRA) nostalgia series.
MSPA
Awards
The hottest ticket at
the March Meet were the hundreds of OSH 4-gallon utility buckets
given away at the WW2 Racing trailer to the fans.
Crew member Jon Moore
had the enviable task of passing out the buckets, thus meeting
all the great fans that follow the Orchard Hardware Supply dragster.
Jim Murphy spent all
the time he could shaking hands and autographing the OSH buckets
and full color handouts.
Needless
to say, the attractive OSH buckets were seen everywhere over
the weekend. To say this was a successful promotion would surely
be an understatement.
In all
forms of racing the driver usually gets all the accolades when
he or she does good. But its what goes on "in the trenches"
that makes the driver look good (and often bad). Here are several
pit shots taken over the weekend of Ron Rapadas, Barry Byrne,
David Thornhill, Gary Grisel, Jeff Shamrock, Brian Shamrock,
Jon Moore, Tim Beebe and Jim Murphy at work in the pits. This
is where it all happens because if the car isn't right when it
leaves here - it doesn't perform out there.
WW2 Racing Crew
Drag racing is far from
a 9 to 5 job. Many teams, including the OSH-WW2 Racing crew often
work long into the night to get the race car ready to go down
the quarter mile the next day. These are a rare breed of people
who will eat cold hamburgers in lieu of a steak dinner in order
to see their car perform as they hope on race day.
Unlike the night maintenance,
the days are more hectic. There are more people willing to help
and a lot more fans wanting to watch. Just take a look at the
next group of photos and ask yourself if this is how you'd like
to spend Sunday afternoon.
The fans at nostalgia
races are no different than those at the "Big Show".
They watch the between round thrashes and move from camp to camp
during warm ups.
WW2 Crew Chief, Tim Beebe
and Gary Grisel prepare to fire the OSH car.
Barry Byrne (in front
of the car) and Gary Grisel (behind) back up Murphy to the starting line,
making sure he stays in "the groove" (the track surface
with the best traction). Backing up in the same tracks you made
on the burnout is crucial to the best start possible.
After every run the
onboard data computer is downloaded and analyzed by Tim Beebe
and Jim Murphy. This information will tell the duo what was right
or wrong on the tune up - what the engine did and where - and
hopefully give them what they need to make the car run better
next time.
Judy "Team Manager"
Murphy obviously approves of things at this time and place.
Gary Grisel, Jon Moore
and David Thornhill get the car ready to be towed to the staging
lanes for the final round of racing.
After their huge win over Lechtenberg,
the WW2 team had some fun on the top end before towing the car
back for the trophy, photos and the all important $10,000 purse.
All is well that ends
well. Jim Murphy and the Top Fuel Eliminator trophy for the 44th
annual March Meet. |
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