Marriott Notches North Star Win
North Star Dragway - Denton, TX
Event #3 of 8
Story & Photos - Chris Graves
The Royal Purple Outlaw Fuel Altereds put on one of the most entertaining events in series history May 17th under the lights at North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas. Seventeen blown fuel altereds packed into the beautiful North Star complex along with the Smiley’s Southwest Junior Fuel Association and booming local band Somebody’s Darling. Inside Drag Racing with Bret Kepner and Racing Sports Live Radio were also on hand covering the event. It was a night full of entertainment, nitro fumes and great people and if you missed it, well you missed a good one. Nick Poloson in the “Sundown” machine has held the top spot in the Royal Purple points series all year and team owner Tom Wood and company look strong, killing the competition with consistency. Poloson has clicked off six straight passes in the 4.20 zone or quicker and is doing his job well behind the wheel. That my friends will earn you some points not only from Royal Purple but also for the special four race North Star Dragway Outlaw Fuel Altered Shootout being held by the track. Mitch King, Travis Bouchey and Tom Butherus made their first appearances of the season while John Broussard and DoDad Burton missed the show due to parts damage suffered two weeks prior in Shreveport. After a special group photo and Rudy’s BBQ catered dinner compliments of Royal Purple, it was time for the altered gang to warm-up their hot rods and go racing! Fans were lined up down the fence past the scoreboards and many more were still trying to get in the gate as the announcer called the altereds to the lanes to start the first qualifying session.
(The OFAA 2008!)
(Eric Marc from Live 105.3's "Pugs and Kelly" had never seen a nitro car in person prior to this event. Less than five minutes upon his arrival at the track he was warming up Bobby Marriott's AA/Fuel Altered!)
Two nitro burning Chevrolets got the action started with Tim Hay in the “High Voltage Hayride” along side Roy Sanchez’s “Nitro Coupe.” Sanchez is wisely taking baby steps with his new car and has done well in his first season with the series. Hay has struggled since his first outing of the year and looked to turn things around in Denton. An A to B pass is all Hay wanted from this run and he got it with a 4.41 at 169 mph after a half track pedal job. Sanchez ran into problems and lost the blower belt in his fuel Fiat actually casing severe damage and ending his night early. J.T. Heslink rolled out next in the “Punisher” with Bobby Marriott and the “Shockwave” in the other lane. Heslink has run very well in his first year behind the wheel and laid down a nice 4.19 at 171 mph with a Bond, I mean bold, .007 reaction time. It did him no good in qualifying but looked great on his time slip! Marriott laid down a strong 4.12 at 180 mph in the other lane on a track that has been good to him in the past. Brad Rigler’s “Toxic” got down with a 4.29 at 160 mph and Larry Reep put down his best pass of the year with a 4.14 at 171 mph in the “Grim Reeper” out of Austin. Points leader Poloson looked ready for action with a strong 4.16 pass at 176 mph and Kansas native Tom Butherus wheeled the “Rude Rat” to a 4.57 at 164 mph. Donnie McSwain laid down a nice opening lap with a 4.24 at 167 mph and Mitch King closed out the session with a 4.19 at 163 mph in the “Bone Bucket.”
King had promised the week before on Racing Sports Live Radio in Dallas that he would do a fire burnout and backed up his word in spectacular style to start off the final qualifying session. The sun had ducked behind the Texas skyline and it was the perfect setting for King to light up the sky with some big Texas size flames. King crew member Martin Blake laid down a horseshoe style trail of half gas, half traction compound and then the team brought the beast to life. The crew then pushed King backwards in neutral (to avoid putting the car in reverse) then lit the horseshoe shaped puddle from the back. In seconds the mixture was blazing and creeping up both sides of the skull covered fiberglass body. King hit the throttle and flames billowed into the sky from the wheels up past the rear wing with flash bulbs flickering from all angles. King and crew pulled it off nicely and of course the crowd went wild. But wait, we aren’t done yet. King backed up, did a dry hop, staged the car and then ran a 4.01 at 167 mph to take the number one qualifying spot all within about two minutes. Sweet huh? Don’t think that will sell some t-shirts? You try it! King joked after the run, “I’m glad I’m not driving a burnt bucket!”
(No caption needed)
Brad Rigler rolled out next and stepped up to a clean 4.18 at 165 mph to secure his spot in the quick ten while Marriott laid down another 4.12 and looked good in the number two spot. Former Eric Medlen crew member Anthony Whitfield went 4.42 at 159 mph and squeaked in the field in the tenth spot. Hay’s “Hayride” improved in his second pass with a 4.36 at 156 mph which earned him the ninth qualifying position. Travis Bouchey was outside looking in with one run remaining and he thundered down the North Star strip to a 3.867 at 173 mph in the “Excitation” fuel Fiat. That time converted to a 4.13 after the series’ 4.00 qualifying index rule (index enforced during qualifying only) and put Bouchey in the fourth spot. Bouchey owned the track record at North Star with a 3.78 at 203 mph but recently had that taken away by NHRA A/Fuel competitor Aaron Tatum who went 3.52 during testing.
(Travis Bouchey in the "Excitation")
In the next pair Heslink and McSwain had a close call at the top end in a side by side bout. Both cars moved toward the centerline and the two almost met as they went through the traps together. McSwain clicked off a 4.26 at 142 mph to Heslink’s 4.28 at 170 mph. Both drivers did a great job and had their hands full while at top speed in the dark. I’d like to see an in-car camera from either side of that! Shreveport winner Donnie Massey struggled with clutch issues in his “Showtime” fuel Hemi and failed to qualify for the first time in ten races. The “Southern Outlaw” gang from Waco and driver Jack Hodgson suffered the same fate and failed to make the field for the first time in eleven races. Both these cars have run threes this season and these teams will attempt to change their luck as the season nears the halfway mark. But they were not alone in that regard because Chris White, David Purifoy, Tom Butherus, Howard Knowles and Roy Sanchez all fell short of Whitfield’s 4.42 bump spot while Mitch King led the field into eliminations. A mix of four nitro and six blown alcohol altereds advanced to do battle in first round where the two quickest winners would advance to the final.
(Tim Hay in the "High Voltage Hayride")
Final Qualifying Order:
1) Mitch King (Galveston Island, Texas) – 4.01
2) Bobby Marriott (Pilot Point, Texas) – 4.12
3) Travis Bouchey (Stephenville, Texas) – 3.687/4.13
4) Larry Reep (Austin, Texas) – 4.14
5) Nick Poloson (Bulverde, Texas) – 4.16
6) Brad Rigler (Heath, Texas) – 4.18
7) J.T. Heslink (Sasche, Texas) – 4.19
8) Donny McSwain (Rockwall, Texas) – 4.24
9) Tim Hay (Burleson, Texas) – 4.36
10) Anthony Whitfield (Elk City, Kansas) – 4.42
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11) Tom Butherus (Goddard, Kansas) – 4.57
12) David Purifoy (Texarkana, Texas) – 4.68
13) Jack Hodgson (Waco, Texas) – 4.75
14) Howard Knowles (Carthage, Missouri) – 4.81
15) Chris White (Mansfield, Texas) – 5.88
16) Donnie Massey (Little Elm, Texas) – No Time
17) Roy Sanchez (Austin, Texas) – No Time
(Missouri native Howard Knowles in "Cheaper Than Therapy")
Fans enjoyed some great southern style rock and roll from Dallas based Somebody’s Darling between sessions and closed out the night with a great Janis Joplin “Bobby McGee” cover from female vocalist Amber Ferris as the quick ten cars towed past them heading to the staging lanes. The first round looked like a dandy on paper with some large match-ups. The air and track conditions were top notch as Marriott and Heslink rolled out to start off the round. Marriott’s “Shockwave” team made a peach of a pass with a 3.96 at 187 mph, their best of the night. Heslink was no factor and laid down a trail of oil as he made his way to a 5.07. After the clean up King rolled through the water, this time without the fire show, facing Rigler who went to the final here at Denton at the season opener. Rigler got the starting line advantage but couldn’t match the “Bone Bucket” horsepower as King drove around for the win with 4.02 at 169 mph to Rigler’s 4.25 at 166 mph. Whitfield came out next and got his first round win with a career best 4.33 at 160 mph after Poloson wisely shutoff with an intake manifold issue on the starting line. Poloson ran into issues when it mattered most, but the team is in the middle of their best effort yet so expect them to bounce back in a few weeks at Evadale. The Kansas based “Mighty Mouse” team of Whitfield had a great showing and hopefully will join the series on a regular basis. Bouchey was next along side McSwain in the “II N’Tense” machine. McSwain had over a tenth on Bouchey at the green and laid down a nice 4.23 at 150 mph but that was no match for Bouchey’s track blistering 3.80 at 191 mph. Adios King, Bouchey bumped himself into a guaranteed final round spot with one pair left ready to fire. Hay and Reep laid down side by side burnouts but unfortunately Reep ran into problems shifting back into forward and actually broke the shifter handle at the line. That sent Hay on a solo 4.92 at 105 mph pass to take his first round win of the year.
(Anthony Whitfield in the "Mighty Mouse")
First Round Results:
(W) Bobby Marriott (.084 rt, 3.96 at 187 mph) vs. (L) J.T. Heslink (.067 rt, 5.07 at 109 mph)
(W) Mitch King (.123 rt, 4.02 at 169 mph) vs. (L) Brad Rigler (.075 rt, 4.25 at 166 mph)
(W) Anthony Whitfield (.092 rt, 4.33 at 160 mph) vs. (L) Nick Poloson (No Time)
(W) Travis Bouchey (.205 rt, 3.80 at 191 mph) vs. (L) Donny McSwain (.093 rt, 4.23 at 150 mph)
(W) Tim Hay (.156 rt, 4.92 at 105 mph) vs. (L) Larry Reep (No Time)
Hay, Whitfield and King all put forth a solid effort and earned round wins and more Royal Purple points at Denton, but it was Marriott and Bouchey who would advance to the final round as the two quickest winners. This marked the fifth final between these two cars in the last nine Outlaw Fuel Altered events dating back to last season. Bouchey held the better final round record of 3-1 against Marriott heading into this one.
In a quick turn around, the finalists towed to the starting line as a slight drizzle rolled into North Star Dragway. It only took one drag of the tractor and the track was dry. The Southwest Junior Fuel Association ran their final and Ricky Marshall defeated Rick Grindstaff to take his first win in that young series. For more on them visit www.southwestjrfuelers.com. Now it was time, the final two cars of the night, the fuel altered final round. It was nitro or nothing as these two ground pounders fired up quickly and blazed the hides side by side. Track operator Larry Croft was surveying the weather and gave the final round a thumbs up! The cars crept into the stage beams cackling nitro fumes thicker than Missouri molasses. Marriott, in the left lane, got a jump off the tree and made a steady move toward the guardrail. By the 330 foot cone Marriott was well out of the groove and had to shutoff early to avoid hitting the wall. Meanwhile, Bouchey was marching down through but drifting left toward the centerline. The scoreboards lit up with a 3.81 at 180 mph for Bouchey but those all important orange cones were flying through the air at the top end. Bouchey’s “naughty” Fiat (as it reads on the rear wing) acted up and he tagged the finish line cone disqualifying his win. Marriott kept his car off the wall and earned a time of 3.85 at 178 mph which came from cone debris but his time was irrelevant, Marriott got the win!
(Bobby Marriott wins at North Star Dragway over Travis Bouchey)
Final Round Results:
(W) Bobby Marriott (.095 rt, 3.85 at 178 mph) vs. (L) Travis Bouchey (.130 rt, 3.81 at 180 mph)(Centerline Foul)
“I had him off the line and we were dead even about halfway down. I rode it as long as I could but had to lift so I didn’t get into the wall and I thought, well I’m done. I looked up and saw him moving toward the centerline and then hit the finish line cone at the top end so then I thought, well he’s done. It was a good day for our whole team. The track personnel and fans at North Star Dragway were excellent and I had many friends there watching that had never been to a drag race before. I wish we (Marriott and Bouchey) would have both had straighter runs because I’m sure it would have been a side by side 4.80 final. Thank you to Royal Purple and Inside Drag Racing TV for their support of our series and we couldn’t be happier,” said Marriott.
(Team "Shockwave" and Racing Sports Live Radio's Joseph Campbell)
Bouchey didn’t leave empty handed as he won both the Disciple Cycles “Luck of the Draw” bonus and Smiley’s Racing Products “Progressive” bonus for qualifying third at the third event. Mitch King won the MaxCacklePhotos.com “Best Burnout” bonus for his spectacular fire burnout.
With his first win of the season, defending series champion Bobby Marriott and company took over their familiar spot atop the Royal Purple points standings with Poloson not far behind in second. Massey dropped from second to fifth after his unfortunate DNQ but the “Showtime” crew will have another shot next month on June 21st at Ben Bruce Raceway in Evadale, Texas. Don’t forget, you can catch all the action including this amazing fire burnout via the Ion Media Network on Inside Drag Racing with Bret Kepner on back to back weekends in June. A special thanks to the fans, Inside Drag Racing, Royal Purple, North Star Dragway, Racing Sports Live Radio and Somebody’s Darling for making this event one that will never be forgotten. To view photos from this event and keep up with all the Royal Purple Outlaw Fuel Altered Action visit www.ofaa.net.
Click Here to see photos from this event.
Low Elapsed Time – Travis Bouchey (3.81)
Top Speed – Travis Bouchey (191.82 mph)
Bonus Winners:
Smiley’s Racing Products Progressive – Travis Bouchey
Disciple Cycles Luck of the Draw – Travis Bouchey
MaxCacklePhotos.com Best Burnout – Mitch King
