World Sand Drag News

Original Post: Drag Racing Online

This “Sidewinder” blown small block Chevy powered front-motored car embodies the innovative engineering Sand Drag racers are famous for. Former T/F driver Frank Prock handles this dragster.

Words by Tim Marshall (Special thanks for notes by Tom Bray)
Photos by Tim Marshall and Eileen Staunton

The annual Mertens Springnationals held at the Kingman, Ariz., sand drags facility is one of the bigger summer races for sand drags fans and racers. The fact that eight Top Fuel sand dragsters pre-entered and more than 100 other racers showed up for this event proves its importance.

The Kingman track with concrete guard walls and shaded bleachers for the fans is one of the finest facilities in the sport. The organizers of the event had the dirt/sand prepped extremely well as demonstrated by the fact that Dennis Rieck driving his nitro-burning, small-block Chevy powered Top Fueler re-set the track record with an ET of 2.374 lap on the 300-foot track.

Drag racing fans were treated to everything from a ’68 Camaro to the Blair’s “Fugowie” Top Fueler that had four rubber paddle tires on the back and lots of nitro.

TOP FUEL

Jeff Janoe had an engine malfunction right off of the line in the Top Fuel final round. He’s seen here during qualifying.

Right off the trailer, former TF record holder Dennis Rieck in the Hammer down small block Chevy on nitro set the pace in Friday night qualifying with a Kingman-Fast Guys Sand Drag ET record 2.374/140.88 lap. Rieck, from the San Diego, Calif., area, kept the number one spot throughout the qualifying.

The “Coldwater Kid”, Matthew Ludlow (with his brother Dwight) in their Arizona-based TF car with veteran wrench John Aleman calling the tuning shots, qualified with a stout 2.434 ET but due to some issues with the MPH light they did not get a speed.

The fifth spot in the field went to distaff driver Terri Blair in the famed Blair’s “Fugowie” with a respectable 2.657 ET at just 115.50 mph. One look at the rear tire set-up on the ST/F car and you know this isn’t your daddy’s Top Fuel car.

After a year and a half lay off to take care of business ventures, California’s Jeff Janoe in his JWJ car qualified third in Top Fuel with a 2.447 at a very impressive 155.24 mph that held up as Top Speed of the meet! Jeff was racing with a new bullet purchased from none other than John Force himself.

Budget nitro racers Marcus Norris and his father, Pat, put their single mag Hemi-powered (ala Steve Plueger) rail into the show with a strong 2.489/144,96 lap.

Because it was to be an eight-car Top Fuel field and just five cars showed there were three bye runs in the first round but all of the drivers put on a show for the fans. The Darth Vader black “Nitro Mouse” of Dennis Rieck laid down a strong wheelstanding pass of 2.464, 123, 84 mph with no “death smoke” coming from the engine in the “eyes” for a nice clean pass.

Next up was Janoe, whose red, white and blue dragster cranked out a solid 2.472, 126.94 mph. Matthew Ludlow in the “Coldwater Kid” digger was the only one to lift a bit early recording a 2.837 at just 81.78 mph.

The only real race of the first round was a fantastic side by side affair with Terri Blair behind the butterflies in the famed “Fugowie” (the only four-rear tired TF) getting a 2.494/133.64 win over Marcus Norris’s game 2.521/134.92 effort

Ready with the “Nitro Mouse!”

Second round Top Fuel action had Terri and Butch Blair’s Hemi-powered rail paired against Janoe’s SBC-powered Top Fueler. Blair’s mount made a hard right near the lights and she lifted and slowed to a 2.697/107.57. Janoe ran a stout 2.420/142.79 for the wim.

In the semis Janoe’s digger left the starting line like a bullet running against Mathew Ludlow and got the win light with an unreal 2.23 ET that easily covered Ludlow’s respectable 2.449/138.68. There was some discussion regarding the legitimacy of Janoe’s 2.23 lap as often happens when a low number comes up but in the end the decision was that since his win light had come on he was the winner and would advance to the final round.

For the last pass of the evening it was Hemi versus small block Chevy with the “Nitro Mouse” and the JWJ Spl. Both cars shot off the starting line only to both have major engine problems, first Rieck’s engine gave up right off the starting line then Janoe’s at the 200 ft marker. Janoe coasted to the win with a 3.999 at only 47 mph.

TOP ACOHOL

Only three of the Alcohol burning dragsters were on hand for the Springnationals instead of the 10 that usually attend this event. World record holder Gary Mink set the pace running an effortless  2.452/140.90 lap. The long green dragster of Scott Carroll was number two with a 2.575/137.88 effort and rounding out qualifying was the Lucas Oil-backed Allen Brothers machine with a 2.675/139.03 clocking. Dan Allen, always a tough competitor, made a nice straight pass of 2.529 at 145.16 mph for Top Speed of the Alcohol cars and defeated Scott Carroll’s sub par 2.835/136.01 effort 

In the final it appeared that the Lucas Oil dragster of the Allen Brothers had easily defeated the record holder Mink but Dan Allen just left a bit too soon picking up a rare red light start. Allen wasted a  2.683 while Gary Mink coasted to a 5.56-second win!

FRONT ENGINE PRO OUTLAWS (2.95 INDEXES)

What a great class this was to watch even though there were only three of these cars here too! Former Alcohol Funny Car competitor Jimmy DePasse from Hemet, Calif., came out of retirement to drive Otis Simpson’s trick blown Jeep. DePasse went old school during qualifying getting the car sideways but he never lifted and turned in a stellar 3.016 ET for the top spot.

Former asphalt T/F driver Frank Prock who drove Top Fuel back in the 1960s and ’70s put his unique sidewinder car into the field at 3.250.
The likable DePasse, who started his racing career in the sand, got the odd lot single and blasted to another 3.335 at only 88 mph.

In a great side-by-side FE race Frank Prock’s machine narrowly defeated Tracy Malan, with a 3.345/101.01 win over Malan’s game 3.535/95.36 mph pass.

In the final it was DePasse in Otis Simpson’s Larry Minor-backed blown Jeepster, against Prock. Prock red-lighted his chances away in the sidewinder digger giving the easy win to DePasse and company. DePasse legged the blown Jeep to a very quick 2.971/111.78 mph for low ET, Top Speed and the trophy too!

FAST FOUR

Nitro burning, turbocharged VWs!

This is the most awesome class as these super light, nitro-burning dragsters really put on one hell of a show. Especially at night when they all carry the wheels at least 200 feet or more, and some even put on a fire show! Six of these fine machines were on hand running 2- and 3-second passes!

Daniel King at 2.828 led the nitro burners and Art Cronin’s very quick 2.857 pass was good for second. The champ, Aaron Mamer in “Animal Control” also was in the 2-second group with a fine 2.930. Young John Cronin cranked out a nice effort of 3.014, followed by Brian Chapman at 3.338 and Don Deffenbaugh filled the field with a 3.460.

Art Cronin and Daniel King received odd-lot byes but put on quite a show as Cronin ran a fine 2.887/115.05 mph lap and King followed with a quick 2.929/111.86 mph. Jim Cronin won his match up with Brian Chapman running a winning 2.984 (no speed) beating Chapman’s 3.141/ 96.33. Don Deffenbaugh advanced to round two at 3.761,9 (no speed) when the “Animal Control” with Mamer driving broke on the run.

A full pass 2.847/115.97 put King into the finals when Jim Cronin shut off way early after handling problems and slowed to a losing 4.478/68. 

In the best side-by-side Fast Four race, Art Cronin blasted out a fine 2.832, 118.14 mph (Top Speed!) to just nip a game Daniel King at 2.891, 110.55 mph in the lights.

TOP ELIMINATOR (2.95 INDEX)

Another fantastic class in the sand is Top Eliminator where dragsters, altereds, or even funny cars are allowed but must run on a 2.95 index.  Both Paul Taylor and Billy “Two Dollar Bill” Morris made 2.95 passes  during qualifying with Taylor’s 2.956 just edging out the 2.957 by the Eddie Knox-tuned Morris entry.

In a family affair, Leon Januik narrowly defeated Tiffany Januik both in T roadsters. Leon got the win with a nearly perfect 2.955 ET while sister Tiffany broke out with a too quick 2.902 pass. Avenal’s Ron D’Artenay left on his completion, Jim Rossi, but horsepower prevailed as Rossi powered to a 2.978 good for the win over D’Artenay’s 3.183.

Paul Taylor narrowly edged out Jack Hines with a 3.037 covering Hines’ 3.146. Billy Morris easily advanced to round two with a 3.035 effort that trailered Las Vegan Terry Crawford’s 3.186.

“Two Dollar Bill” and crew once again were the stars of the show in Top Eliminator.  Morris cranked out another fine 2.961 and forced Las Vegas racer Leon Janiuk  to breakout with a 2.902. Paul Taylor used a holeshot to narrowly defeat Jim Rossi in get into the finals with a  2.984 to Rossi’s quicker 2.953.

Young Billy Morris scored another win in a string of victories as he ran 2.949 (break out) but his competitor, Paul Taylor, ran even quicker at 2.844 giving the win to the “2 Dollar Bill” team. This was Billy’s ninth straight victory in a row and his second straight at the Kingman Fairgrounds.

BRACKET ACTION

Phil Soper was the big winner in the bracket races as he won both Pro 1 and Sportsman 2 classes. Garrett Radliff continued his great season in ATV classes with another Motorcycle Pro 2 win while Aimee Mamer won the JRs to take the lead in the points in that class.

The NSDA with coordination with the entire Route 66 Wheels and Wheels of Kingman put on an expellant show and will o return to this facility for the World Finals in November.

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