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It’s time for the 2014 NMRA World Finals from Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, KY. This is the oldest repeating venue on the NMRA schedule, and there’s a good reason that the Ford Racing juggernaut comes back here year after year. Beech Bend loves the Mustang crowd. The weekend forecast is calling for cool temps by Friday evening, and an even cooler Saturday and Sunday, ensuring that records will fall, and the crowds will be thick.
Thousands of spectators, hundreds of racers, and car show fanatics are on hand to take part in this once a year extravaganza of all that is good about the Mustang scene. Of course we’ll be bringing you updates and photos all weekend long as the event progresses. So keep checking back here, it’s going to be one awesome weekend.
GT500 Six Speed World Record Holder Mark “Birddoc” Duber is here, with his revamped GT500. The car has been completely overhauled by London Chassis and Dyno since setting the GT500 six-speed record in Maryland this spring. Birddoc’s ride is making way more power, and he’s looking to go even faster at his home track in the cool Kentucky Autumn Air.
Fresh off his win at the NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Drag Racing in Joliet, IL, Terry “Beefcake” Reeves has also been busy during the long, late season break. Our cameras caught Beefcake testing during a private track rental Wednesday. We’re looking for the Vortech Sponsored and Finish Line Performance built Mustang GT to stay in the hunt for a points title in a close battle with Frank Varela and the Hellion team.
Also testing on Wednesday was the VMP Tuning Crew, and Mrs VMP herself, Rebecca Starkey. Ripping off some fast ET’s, Rebecca and her Husband, VMP Head Honcho Justin Starkey, were discussing which class the mother of four should race in this weekend.
Birddoc is on the hunt for another six-speed record. Will the cool air, and major updates to the car do the trick?
It's always good to see the Modfather smiling upon you. We caught up with Ronnie Diaz in the pits, just like everyone else in Street Outlaw, he's looking to lay down some big numbers this weekend.
Rain has kept the track wet for most of the day, but late day sunshine, combined with extra effort from the Beech Bend staff lead to some great passes in the evening qualifying session, this was before another rain storm surprised everyone with torrential rains ending qualifying for the night. Gates will open up early at 8am, with qualifying set for 9am.
After round one of qualifying, Jay Dold sits atop the Factory Stock field with a 10.76 ET at 123.88 MPH.
Teddy Weaver is number one in Pure Street after round one, with a 9.72/137.95.
Hot on Weaver's tail was Jimmy Wilson, who stood his car on the bumper on the way to an ET of 9.77 at over 138 MPH.
Coyote Stock is featuring its biggest field ever with 18 cars making the call for first round qualifying.
Hi-Po Joe Charles tested at Beech Bend just a few short weeks ago, and has been working on his combo prior to the world finals. That work has paid off. After round one qualifying Charles has the Coyote Stock field covered by over a half-tenth.
Just four cars showed up for Coyote Modified. Frank Valera dominated round one in his Hellion powered machine running a first round qualifying pass of 8.54/163.87
The VMP Tuning GT500 vs Terminator class is packed full of heavy hitters. This one will certainly be entertaining to watch this weekend.
After switching to an automatic earlier this year, Adam Cox thrashed before the World Finals to put a Tremec back in the tunnel. Cox is still trying to sort the car back out, but we expect some fast times from his Carb’d DOHC combo this weekend in Modular Muscle.
