We stopped by the Hamstra pit this morning and spoke with Kevin Hamstra, VP Racing Fuels Pro Mod racer Jason Hamstra’s father. Jason has taken some time away from racing this year and has been focusing on tuning for some NHRA Pro Mod teams instead. Since the family lives just eighty miles from here and decided to put some laps on the car and have some fun this weekend at Route 66 Raceway. Jason has struggled with the set up and different track conditions than at NHRA national events and currently sits outside the 16 car qualified field.

NMCA West 2014 Pro Mod Champion Rick Snavely made the trip from Los Angeles, California with the Turbos Direct Camaro. They went to Indy as spectators which was rained out and decided to fly back out and bring the car here for the NMCA/NMRA Superbowl to compete and are just one of several NMCA West teams here this weekend. The Bickel built car is powered by a MBR Hemi fed by a pair of Garrett turbos modded by Turbos Direct. Snavely is currently qualified sixth with a 5.98 at 238 MPH. Rick Snavely pictured on the right.

Pete Llamas has his TA Race Cars built1972 Nova here this weekend for some Stainless Works Street Outlaw action. He normally races locally in X275 at Great Lakes Dragway running in the 4.80 range. He runs a 565 from Goodwin Competition topped with a Nitrous Outlet Stinger plate system backed by a PTC converter and Proformance Racing Transmission with sponsor help from Bullseye Boring. From left to right, Pete Llamas, his son Gage and Pete Llamas Sr.

We stopped by David Hutnick’s pit and spoke with Kevin Stevens from Straightline Performance. Hutnick took number one qualifier after two sessions in Edelbrock Xtreme Street with a 7.66 at 180 MPH, a new personal best for the team on a slick. The BTR built engine features Edelbrock heads, intake and nitrous system topped with a CFM built Dominator carb. David chimed in to thank Lane from PTC, Dave Klaput from Proformace Transmissions, Winner Circle Speed and Custom and Carey Redmon and Craig Parker from Edelbrock.

Michael Biehle earned top qualifier in VP Race Fuels Pro Mod with a 5.853 at a new best 256.26 MPH in the final session. His previous best ET was a 5.81at the SCSN in Las Vegas last year. Biehle has worked with Pro Torque Converters and the changes made this year with the converter has helped get the MPH up and consistency. Power comes from a pro Line Racing 481X fed by twin Precision turbochargers. Biehle will be a force this weekend for sure.

Clint Satterfield hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico with his BAE Hemi powered 68 Firebird. He landed sixth in Pro Mod with a 5.96 at 238 and made some consistent laps so far this weekend.

Randy Dolensek has my favorite car in NPS this weekend with his 1960 Mercury Cyclone sporting factory style paint job and Ford 598 big block under the hood. His best effort 7.93 at 172 was good only for twelfth in the field for the Frankskille, Wisconsin based racer.

Fast Forward Race Cars owner Aaron Stapleton is trying his hand at ARP Nostalgia Pro Street with his Chevy powered 2007 Mustang. He runs a Chevy 632 cubic inch big Chevy and qualified eleventh in class today running a 7.80 at 177 MPH.

Phil Hines has been on a tear this weekend landing top qualifier in VP Fuels/Stainless Works Street Outlaw running a 4.458 at 165.

Charles Hull brought his car up from Kentucky and has Joel Greathouse behind the wheel this weekend. The team is running well qualifying in thirteenth spot in Street Outlaw with a 4.70 at 160 MPH. We caught up with them in the pits changing out some rod ends on the rear control arms and in need of a drive shaft this afternoon.

Greg Powrie made the trip from Clarkston, Michigan with his 2000 Camaro for soem Radial Wars action. He qualified with a 4.55 at 167 and is pleased with the performance so far this weekend with his eighth qualified position.

Matt Amrine took top honors in American Racing Headers Factory Stock qualifying with a 10.78 at 115 MPH and a wheels up launch for the Batavia, Ohio based racer and 2014 class champion.

Winder, Georgia racer Tim Matherly is running Strange Coyote Stock with his 2003 Cobra and landed fifth in class running a 10.47 at 129.12 MPH earning top MPH in qualifying.

Drew Lyons (far lane) took top qualifier in Strange Coyote Stock running a 10.39 at 128 MPH.

Clint Satterfield and Willard Kinzer were paired for round one eliminations with Satterfield taking the starting line advantage and promptly moving hard to the right at the hit. He pedaled the car but moved right again before lifting as Kinzer went on to a6.18 at 245.63, his best run of the weekend.

Brian Hicks and Josh Green had an interesting match with a staging duel that went on well over a minute before Josh’s father Dan approached the car and waved him to stage. Both drivers were late on the tree with the advantage going to Hicks. Both cars were on good runs but Hicks lost an engine before the stripe slowing to a 6.07 at 213. Green was game with a 6.36 at 218 though the round went to Hicks setting the team up for a long night repair the engine.

Jennifer Brooke Hicks met with Gary Nash in ARP Nostalgia Pro Street taking the advantage at the tree and going on to take the round with a 7.46 at 178, well over a tenth better than her qualifying lap.

2014 NPS Champion Don Baskin and Andy Vogt met with Vogt taking a bite out of the tree with a .022 reaction to Baskin’s .072. Vogt had qualified second with a 7.36 to Baskin’s off pace thirteenth and he slowed only slightly to a 7.40 while Baskin improved greatly to a 7.32 at 186 earning the upset win a and will fave off with Rice in round two.

Marty Robertson and Peter Campbell faced off in Radial Wars with Robertson gettign the win, albeit an expensive one as he backfired after the stripe blowing the intake apart and sending shrapnel and bolts flying across the track and high into the air.

Brian Mitchel and Curtis Catalon were set to have a good match as number seven and eight qualifiers respectively. Mitchel took the tree first nailing a .001 reaction to Catalon’s .069. The two were side by side but for the starting advantage for Mitchel. At the stripe Mitchell put up a 7,910 at 175 to Catalon’s game 7.915 at 169 giving Mitchell the nod to move to round two.

NMCA West racer Tony Aneian met with Chad Nevenschwande out of Ft Wayne, Indiana in Quick Lane Tom’s River NA 10.5 for an interesting match. Nevenschwande turned on the red light with a -.038 reaction seemingly ending his day right there however Aneian left hard and got out of shape early in the run crossing the center line and nearly taking out his opponent and doing a great driving job to avoid a two car crash and avoiding the wall giving Nevenschwande another life in the class.