Nitrous is back (1 Viewer)

[luxexpress]

Congratulations to Pat Stoken winning Pro Mod in Tulsa. This is the first victory for a nitrous car since 2005. Also congrats to Kevin Jones in Top Fuel for your first win, Dale Creasy Jr. in Funny Car, and Pete Berner in Pro Stock. Glad to see the IHRA was able to get the event in.

 

[Sully]

The Sportsman eliminations wrapped up at 3:30 a.m. and the winners' circle stuff finished around 4:30, just in time for a quick shower and a mad dash to the airport. It sucked staying up that long to get finished, but it sure beat the heck out of coming back again.

 

[Matt]

Stoken was on it, he was our favorite for the PM's. I was really glad to see Scott Palmer do well, wish he could have stayed in it a little longer in the semi's, I think he had Litton covered! But I was at the starting line so he may have known the run was lost and clicked early.

Glad the race got in the books as well. Even though I am local I was not looking forward to coming back out Sunday! I do think the 7 p.m. downpour was a blessing in disguise. The track seemed to be a left lane affair before the rain and it also cooled things down a lot. After, the tracked seemed more equal and got its bite back.

Larry, great job as always keeping us all up to date. I got up this morning and checked when the final rounds were and knew you had earned your overtime!
At least the track is located where noise restrictions and curfews will never be an issue. Maybe next year we can have you out for a home cooked meal (read: cookout) before you get buried in work.

It would probably never happen, but to tell the truth, I would love to see next year's event run as follows: Start event on Friday, start sportsman time trials and early rounds during day, have first round Pro qualifying as Friday evening Night of Fire. Saturday, continue sportsman, have 2nd and third round of Pro qualifying at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., start final rounds about 3 or 4 p.m. and run into night.

This plan gives the fans a night event which is always great, event is wrapped prior to Sunday but Sunday is there in case an extra day is needed...

OK, that would make ME happy! LOL!

<Everyone I know who went truly enjoyed themselves, but I would like to know how the IHRA truly feels it went. (aside from the wet stuff!) I think next year will be a lot bigger and better if the weather works with us.>

 

[Sully]

The fans were amazing - the left-side stands were full most of the evening Saturday, right through the final Professional eliminations. They waited out the rain delay in their cars and came right back for more.

 

[Matt]

The fans were amazing - the left-side stands were full most of the evening Saturday, right through the final Professional eliminations. They waited out the rain delay in their cars and came right back for more.

I'm telling you, the fans around here are hard-core, lots of drag racing heritage in Tulsa, the fans just need the races to go to, let the word get around and the place will be packed...plus the burgers at TRP concession are pretty decent! I see people out at the track that I saw there back in the mid 70's...we are all just older, bigger and balder now. I truly believe over time with ongoing facility improvements and promotion this will turn into one of IHRA bigger and more successful events...oh, and decent weather!

 

[Eric Gross]

You wanna talk about hard core fans Tulsa has them !!!!! How about a fan who was going down the walkway of the stands gets a UMBRELLA dropped from the top row of the bleachers stuck in his head . He was rushed to the hospital in the ambulance only to return a couple hours later wrapped up like a mummy and 9 staples to finish watching the races . HARDCORE !!

 

[Sully]

That guy should get some kind of "Fan of the Year" award - his head was wrapped up like a mummy and he was hanging in there. Amazing!

As for Stoken - the old saying, "There's no substitute for cubic inches." appears to stand up in the blower versus nitrous war. Stoken's car was strong at both ends of the track and he showed that he could run with the blower guys under warm, humid conditions. Might not be true across the board, but it sure was fun watching him hustle down the track.

 

[Eric Gross]

O yea Stoken was on . Quain Stott and Cannon JR also . I think Stott would have put a number down his last pass if he had not have made a sand box of the track after his exit out the back . I know I had a blast working the race and met alot of cool driver and crew guys along the journey !

 

[Toyse Jr]

 

[Eric Gross]

Hey I see part of me in that pic lol