Bouchey and Marriott Duke It Out in Denton
Event #5 - July 7th, 2007
North Star Dragway - Denton, Texas
The 2007 Outlaw Fuel Altered racing season has been nothing short of spectacular. Bobby Marriott’s “Shockwave” team took a very emotional and memorable win to kick off the season in Shreveport. Pine Valley Raceway in Lufkin, Texas witnessed Dave Gallegos laying Mitch King’s “Bone Bucket” on its side then come back and put the car into the field while Jack Hodgson did a stunt show doing donuts through the traps at the top end after clicking off a career best. Brad Rigler hopes to defend his back to back championships but is outside of the top five yet he scored a victory at Caddo Mills, Texas. Donny McSwain totaled his beautiful machine in extraordinary fashion in the final round against Marriott at Prescott, Arkansas. Should the fifth event of the season be any less intense? Don’t bet on it! This season many cars have tickled the three second zone and the competition is stout. Heading into Denton’s North Star Dragway, Marriott held the points lead by twenty two over Larry Reep who has Travis Bouchey nipping at his heels in third. Thirteen front motored monsters came to assault the asphalt in hopes of taking home a well earned OFAA event title.
Who says we run low elapsed time of the event on the first pass off the trailer? Team “Shockwave” does! 3.93 at a blistering 191.82 mph by Marriott was quick enough for low et, top speed and a trip to the sandbox at the top end of North Star Dragway. No damage was done to the car and qualifying continued with Brad Rigler blazing through the beams with a 4.00 at 171 mph. Travis Bouchey’s “Excitation” fueler went 4.07 at 175 mph and Jack Hodgson laid down a nice 4.08 at 178 mph. Tim Hay made a nice 4.19 at 167 mph squirt in the “High Voltage Hayride” Chevrolet on 85%. Donnie Massey’s 4.20 at 168 topped off the best passes of the first session.
Nick Poloson stepped up in second session to a 4.25 at 167 mph in Tom Wood’s “Sundown” machine, good enough for the number seven spot. Wayne Lewis went 4.39 in Herb Whisnant’s “Thrill Factor” to secure the bump spot at 4.397 which included Missouri racer Howard Knowles whose 4.391 put him ninth. Now here’s where things get a little wacky. Tim Hay had reverser issues at the Lufkin event but thought the problem was solved. Unfortunately, they were not and the gremlin returned as he prepared to stage for his second qualifying lap. As he tried to inch forward the car would not disengage from reverse. In an effort to jump the car into forward Hay blipped the throttle which kicked off a series of frantic events. Once Hay realized there was an obvious malfunction he hit the kill switch which broke off. Still moving backward with no way to shut off the car Hay thought of the fans and teams behind him and tried to bounce off Howard Knowles’ tow truck and flip his car on it’s side. The attempt almost worked but Knowles’ truck simply acted as a guardrail and bounced Hay off at an angle now heading across the water box into the other lane where Jack Hodgson sat strapped in waiting to fire up for his run. Hay’s big rear Goodyear contacted Hodgson’s rear slick and climbed it sending the “High Voltage Hayride” toward the sky rear end first. The car came down on top of Hodgson’s machine and landed on its side which resulted in both the driver’s cockpits facing each other. Hay explained that he was face to face with Hodgson both still strapped in their cars and after a few seconds the car shutoff on it’s own and Hay said, “You ok buddy?” starting directly into Jack’s eyes.
(Tim's car climbing Jack's rear slick)
(When it was all said and done)
After all the commotion was said and done amazingly only one serious injury was to report and that was a broken ankle of Hodgson crew member Ryan Smith. Tim and the entire “Hayride” team would like to express their deepest apologies to the “Southern Outlaw” team of Hodgson and to the OFAA, but would also like to deeply thank the countless members who have phoned and e-mailed the Hay family to make sure Tim was ok and see if there was anything they could do to help. Incidents like this remind us of the dangers of drag racing especially in the fuel altered arena, but they also remind us of the friends and family members we can count on in a time of need. The OFAA family came together for everyone involved and proved its strength once again. Needless to say, Hodgson and Hay were not able to continue racing but walking away from an incident like this one with only one non-life threatening injury is all the two could ask for. Ryan will be admitted for further testing this coming Monday and the decision will then be made on whether or not surgery is necessary. Larry Reep took home the Meyer Enterprises “Luck of the Draw” qualifying bonus before mechanical failure ended his day early, Tim Hay’s number five qualifying spot at the fifth event earned him the Marriott “Progressive Bonus” and John Broussard claimed the Disciple Cycles “Roll of the Dice” bonus. After qualifying adjustments were made, Brad Rigler’s 4.00 took the number one spot heading into first round with Marriott and the rest of the boys right there ready to rock and roll into the final round.
Final Qualfying Order:
1) Brad Rigler – 4.00
2) Bobby Marriott – 4.06
3) Travis Bouchey – 4.07
4) Jack Hodgson – 4.08
5) Tim Hay – 4.19
6) Donnie Massey – 4.20
7) Nick Poloson – 4.25
8) Larry Reep – 4.36
9) Howard Knowles – 4.391
10) Wayne Lewis – 4.39
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11) John Broussard – 4.54
12) DoDad Burton – 4.58
13) Jimmy Todd – 4.89
The first round of eliminations kicked off with a battle between points hungry Brad Rigler and Donnie Massey who is always a threat. Rigler clicked off a 4.22 at 154 mph to take the win over Massey who struggled to a 5.50. Lightning lit up the sky as the track crew cleaned up an unfortunate oil down in Massey’s lane. When racing resumed, Marriott was caught snoozing at the tree against Poloson, but when you click off a 3.99 at 189 mph ground is easy to make up! Poloson ran his best pass of the night with a 4.23 at 165 mph but it wasn’t enough to hold off the “Shockwave.” Wayne Lewis went 4.39 on his solo pass where he should have raced Tim Hay. Howard Knowles struggled to a 7.33 in his solo run with Jack Hodgson absent in the other lane. So it was Marriott and Rigler holding tickets to the final round with one pair left. So far this season nothing is set in stone until the “Excitation” fuel Fiat has made its run. Bouchey blistered the North Star strip with a 3.97 at 167 mph to trailer Broussard’s 4.54 at 153 mph and for the second time this season, Marriott and Bouchey would advance to square off in an all nitro final round!
First Round Results:
(W) Brad Rigler (.061 rt) 4.22 at 154 mph vs. (L) Donnie Massey (.443 rt) 5.50 at 87 mph
(W) Bobby Marriott (.162 rt) 3.99 at 189 mph vs. (L) Nick Poloson (.066 rt) 4.23 at 165 mph
(W) Wayne Lewis (.118 rt) 4.39 at 159 mph vs. (L) Tim Hay (Broke)
(W) Howard Knowles (.289 rt) 7.33 at 66 mph vs. (L) Jack Hodgson (Broke)
(W) Travis Bouchey (.128 rt) 3.97 at 167 mph vs. (L) Kevin Broussard (.186 rt) 4.54 at 153 mph
This makes three straight final round appearances for Marriott and no matter the result it will keep him atop the points standings with three events remaining in the season. Bouchey was in search of his second win this season after taking out Marriott in the final at Lufkin with a 3.95 to Marriott’s 4.09. Bouchey remained undefeated in final round match ups as he took out Marriott in the quickest and closest side by side final round in OFAA circuit history! Bouchey got a slight starting line advantage and clicked off a 3.981 at 179 mph to Marriott’s 3.982 at 186 mph. STELLAR! Header flaming sub four second passes by both cars under the lights to wrap up yet another very eventful outing for the Outlaw Fuel Altered Association.
Final Round Results:
(W) Travis Bouchey (.112 rt) 3.981 at 179 mph vs. (L) Bobby Marriott (.140 rt) 3.892 at 186 mph
“We had to change motors after our first qualifying pass. My crew Rex, Benny, Jodi and I along with the help of two fans Kelly and Kurt did an outstanding job for me tonight. It was a great drag race in the final and I was glad to be a part of it and we put on a great show for the fans,” said Bouchey.
The OFAA will have a few weeks off to prepare for the B.H.R.A Nationals at Texas Raceway in Kennedale, Texas on August 3rd. With his second win on the season Bouchey passed Reep for second in points behind Marriott who now holds a stout thirty six point lead and looks to be the car to beat as he closes the gap on his third OFAA championship.
Bonus Awards:
Cen-Tech Scales Quick Reaction Time – Donnie Massey (.443)
Meyer Enterprises Luck of the Draw – Larry Reep
Disciple Cycles Roll of the Dice – John Broussard
Marriott’s Progressive Bonus – Tim Hay
Low Elapsed Time: Bobby Marriott - 3.93
Top Speed: Bobby Marriott - 191 mph
