2006 6th Annual Nitto NHRA Nationals

HQualifying got started late Saturday afternoon with two rounds. On Sunday there was one more round before the eliminations got underway. On Sunday morning Jeremy Lookofsky set the standard. He ran a 9.70 making that the new national ET record. However with that record setting run he wouldn’t exit the weekend as the victor. That would go to East coast racer Norris Prayoonto. For Norris to get to the final he had to run against Scott Kelley and his teammate Saul Salceda. He faced the national record holder Lookofsky in the final. With a staging battle that got the crowd roaring, Norris eventually lit both bulbs. When they finally got down the track Jeremy got there faster running a 9.70 @ 141. However Norris beat him on the tree to take home the Wally. Norris ran a 9.73 @ 139, giving Norris his first win of the season.

The Hot Rod class was also full of some record setting runs. Ron Lummus set the National speed record of 181.40. However, Stephanie Eggum in the last round of qualifying Sunday morning, blazed down the track to run a 183.12 mph pass. Unfortunately for her she didn’t have a chance to back it up. With Stephanie running the 183.12 she is now the fastest FWD Honda, surpassing such drivers as Gary Gardella and Stephan Papadakis. When it came right down to the nuts and bolts, Ron Lummus would go home the winner this weekend. In the final he ran unopposed and threw down an 8.08 @ 178.

Modified was the class of the weekend however. With many hometown favourites the crowd was certainly behind this class. Jorge Lazcano in his 87 RX-7 was top qualifier running a 7.50 @ 181mph and it made him the one all would be chasing. In the second round of eliminations Lazcano backed up his earlier run with a 7.55 @ 179mph setting the new national record! He would go on to face 3rd place qualifier Dee Karagiannis in the final. Lazcano wasn’t finished for the weekend though. He went on to RESET the national record by running a 7.49 @ 180mph. The stands were an absolutely buzzing!

Pro FWD was no different then the rest of the classes, in terms of records falling that is! Jason Hunt was on fire and his car was dialled in. Some exciting stuff happened in the second elimination run. Gary Gardella lined up with Ed Bergenholtz, and lost on the tree regardless of having the quicker timed run. But after he crossed the 1320 the car jerked severely to the left and he did a complete 360. Luckily though he did it with out hitting the wall. In the final it was Bergenholtz squaring up with Hunt. This was Hunt’s day though. He ran a 7.52 @ 194mph setting the National ET and speed record!

The last guys up for the day were the Pro RWD cars. Brad Personett was the top qualifier for the day with a 6.70 @ 212.mph. He would go on to the final to face teammate Gary White. He was unopposed in the first and second round toward the final in which Gary was his opposition. Brad in the ‘06 Scion went the distance by beating White with a 6.64 @ 213mph. Check out an upcoming issue of Modified for more on the event.

By Stew Lawson

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