It’s that time of the year again for the always popular NMRA finals in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  Virtually any class that is being led by 1000 points or less is still up for grabs.  Also, Saturday will be the make up final eliminations for the NMRA Columbus rain out.  Keep it tuned to Stang TV all weekend for the updates and videos from Bowling Green.

Special thanks to our event coverage sponsor SCT Performance, check their fine line of flash tuners out at www.sctflash.com.

Morning Pit Notes

John Kolivas is here this weekend but surprisingly not competing in any classes. Kolivas is here testing for this month's ORTC race at SGMP.

Robbie Blankenship is in a heated battle against 2011 (and multi-time) champion Charlie Booze. Blankenship won his first Hot Street championship in 2008, finished second in 2009 and third in 2010.

On board with Joel Greathouse’s SSO Mustang

Qualifying Round 2 and 3 Notes

Don't count out Tim Essick out of the 2011 Pro Outlaw 10.5 championship, who is within striking distance of defending champion Mike Murillo. Essick laid down his fastest pass of the weekend on his last qualiying attempt with a 6.781, putting him about a tenth slower than Murillo's number one spot.

On car with Bart Tobner

Sam Vincent suffered from rear end failure as soon as he released the transbrake on his final qualifying attempt. Vincent has been struggling with consistency this weekend and sit in 7th with a 7.322

Playing around with my new fish eye lens, I took a shot of Race Pages Associate Editor Greg Acosta.

Chris Tuten talks about a tough year that is finally paying off

Chris Tuten said 'Don't forget about me', with his stellar 7.036 pass in the final round of qualifying this weekend, putting him .011 behind John Urist.

Multi-time champion Chris Parisi talks about how he uses SCT tunes in his Super Stang Mustang

It was Bob Cook with the top honors in Renegade until the last qualifying session where Brian Mitchell laid down a 8.315 @ 162.92 mph, besting Cook's 8.346. Mitchell currently sits number one in the Renegade points.

Mike DeMayo got DQed on his last qualifying pass by the starter for leaking fluids at the line. DeMayo sits in the third qualifying spot with a 8.478 @ 157.74 mph.

As it normally is, Hot Street's naturally aspirated class holds the tightest margin in qualifying, separating first to fourth by .06 of a second. On top of that list is Charlie Booze Jr. with a 8.435 @ 163.14 mph.

Heads up qualifying round 2

Here is one epically twisted driveshaft that we spotted walking around the pits. Apparently this racer had previously broken an aluminum driveshaft as well.

Nothing changed much in the final round of qualifying in Drag Radial where Sean Lyon retained the number one spot with a 7.520 @ 189.44. Brad Medlock sit second, while defending champion Jason Lee sits in third. Lee has been having a hard time keeping the front wheels of his four eyed Fox body Mustang on the pavement.

Bruce Hemminger backed up his first round qualifying record in round two with a 9.166 @ 147.42. Dan Baumann rode out a huge wheel stand that almost resulted in a collision with the retaining wall. We will have that one up later in our video coverage.

Tim Matherly doesn't seem to have much luck at the Bowling Green finals in recent years. This time around Matherly has been struggling with horrible clutch slip problems during every round.

Carlos Sobrino's Milk-Powered, dairy cow Mustang charged into the number one qualifying spot during round two, with a 10.908 @ 122.71 mph pass. It made for an unprecedented weekend of qualifying with four Factory Stock Mustangs in the 10s.

In the Pits with Carlos Sobrino

Final Qualifying Order

Compulink StarTrak TURBOSMART PRO OUTLAW 10.5 Qualifying for 5 entries
Low ET 6.656 2 MIKE MURRILLO
Top Speed 255.00 1003 TIM ESSICK
2     PRO    93 MUSTANG     FORD 549     MIKE MURRILLO    SAN ANTONIO TX 6.656    217.11    217.11
1003     PRO    03 MUSTANG     FORD 430     TIM ESSICK BRANDYWINE MD 6.781    255    255
3     PRO    03 COBRA     FORD 440     DWAYNE JAMES    ALBEQURQUE NM    7.165    164.13    194.69
1023     PRO    03 MUSTANG     FORD 550     JIM BROWN OFALLON MO 7.317    139.63    161.13
1001     95 MUSTANG     FORD 446     EDGAR RICE    SPRINGFIELD TN 9.293    157.17    157.17

Compulink StarTrak PROCHARGER SUPER STREET Qualifying for 8 entries
1     SSO     JOHN URIST    ALBUQUERQUE NM 7.025    203.68    208.71
2023     SSO    87 MUSTANG     FORD 363     CHRIS TUTEN PELION SC    7.036    199.94    210.9
4     SSO    01 MUSTANG     FORD 423     PHIL HINES LEBANON OH 7.136    199.88    204.91
2554     SSO    03 COBRA     FORD 412     TERRY ELAM    PROSPERITY SC 7.137    196.04    196.04
2020     SSO     FORD 434     JOEL GREATHOUSE OAKLAND KY 7.228    203    203
2000     SSO    98 MUSTANG     FORD 427     KENJO KELLEY BRAZORIA TX 7.278    197.33    197.33
2077     SSO    88 MUSTANG     FORD 454     SAM VINCENT    CENTRAL CITY KY 7.322    190.97    190.97
2015     SSO    82 FAIRMONT FORD 323     KURT BORTON ST LOUIS MO 10.014    96.21    96.21

Compulink StarTrak BLOW-BY RACING EFI REN Qualifying for 9 entries
2     REN    03 COBRA     310     BRIAN MITCHELL    CHADDS FORD PA    8.315    162.92    162.92
3     REN    90 MUSTANG     FORD 311     BOB COOK CHICAGO HEIGHTS IL 8.346    167.74    167.74
4126     REN    89 MUSTANG     FORD 310     ALTON CLEMENTS    CENTRAL SC 8.433    160.75    160.88
4214     REN    92 MUSTANG     336     BART TOBENER    WINDER GA    8.45    161.52    163.31
4124     REN    04 COBRA FORD 358     VICTOR WIEBLAS    MIAMI FL 8.456    160.48    160.48
7     REN    00 COBRA     FORD 308     BRYAN MUTH    WALNUTPORT PA    8.465    163.87    163.87
4049     REN    80 CAPRI     FORD 310     CHAD ALLMANDINGER DECATUR IN 8.474    160.63    161.59
4084     REN    95 MUSTANG     FORD 309     JOHN KELLER HUBBARD OH 9.589    122.28    122.28
4077     REN    86 MUSTANG     FORD 353     JOEL HOWARD    COLUMBUS OH 9.593    108.49    108.49

Compulink StarTrak EDELBROCK HOT STREET Qualifying for 7 entries
3398     HS    92 MUSTANG GT     419     CHARLIE BOOZE JR.    MARION PA    8.435    163.14    163.14
2     HS    72 MAVERICK     FORD 400     DON BOWLES    MADISONVILLE KY    8.469    161.42    161.42
3117     HS    89 MUSTANG     FORD 347     MICHAEL DEMAYO    BUTLER PA 8.478    157.74    157.74
3     HS    04 MUSTANG     FORD 400     ROBBIE BLANKENSHIP    HUDSON FL    8.495    160.06    160.06
3707     HS    81 CAPRI     FORD 400     RICK RICCARDI    TOMS RIVER NJ    8.573    144.69    144.69
3339     HS    88 MUSTANG     FORD 399     SHANE LONG    ODELL IL 8.656    156.75    156.75
3139     HS    00 MUSTANG     FORD 399     KEITH COURTNEY MADISON IN 8.7    155.63    158.07

Compulink StarTrak AFCO XTREME DRAG RADIAL Qualifying for 6 entries
Low ET 7.520 4 SEAN LYON
Top Speed 221.38 4 SEAN LYON
4     DR    93 MUSTANG     FORD 353     SEAN LYON    PANAMA CITY FL    7.52    189.44    221.38
10125     DR    04 MUSTANG     FORD 400     BRAD MEDLOCK SHERWOOD AZ 7.655    189.2    189.2
1     DR    86 MUSTANG     FORD 361     JASON LEE    MAUMEE OH    7.704    182.3    211.63
10353     DR    99 COBRA     FORD 283     ORSON JOHNSON HOUSE SPRINGS MO 7.774    212.13    212.13
8     DR    91 MUSTANG     330     BRIAN TUTEN    LEXINGTON SC    7.861    174.57    174.57
10088     DR    96 COBRA     325     ANDY MANSON    WOODBRIDGE VA    18.702    60.43    60.43

Compulink StarTrak STEEDA REAL STREET Qualifying for 7 entries
2     RS    86 MUSTANG     FORD 311     BRUCE HEMMINGER    BURNHAM IL    9.166    147.42    147.42
5     RS    88 MUSTANG     FORD 302     DAN BAUMANN    FORT WASHINGTON WI    9.306    144.66    144.66
8014     RS    93 MUSTANG     FORD 311     JAY MARR    LONGWOOD FL    9.401    145.45    145.45
3     RS    04 MUSTANG     FORD 286     JIM BREESE TRANSFER PA 9.443    153.13    153.13
8062     RS    91 MUSTANG     FORD 306     CRAIG BALDWIN PORT BRYON IL 9.469    144.52    144.52
1     RS    01 MUSTANG     284     TIM MATHERLY    STATHAM GA    10.806    120.89    123.44
8006     RS    92 MUSTANG     FORD 308     MICHAEL BELL DAYTON OH 11.446    84.4    84.4

Compulink StarTrak STEEDA REAL STREET Qualifying for 7 entries
2     RS    86 MUSTANG     FORD 311     BRUCE HEMMINGER    BURNHAM IL    9.166    147.42    147.42
5     RS    88 MUSTANG     FORD 302     DAN BAUMANN    FORT WASHINGTON WI    9.306    144.66    144.66
8014     RS    93 MUSTANG     FORD 311     JAY MARR    LONGWOOD FL    9.401    145.45    145.45
3     RS    04 MUSTANG     FORD 286     JIM BREESE TRANSFER PA 9.443    153.13    153.13
8062     RS    91 MUSTANG     FORD 306     CRAIG BALDWIN PORT BRYON IL 9.469    144.52    144.52
1     RS    01 MUSTANG     284     TIM MATHERLY    STATHAM GA    10.806    120.89    123.44
8006     RS    92 MUSTANG     FORD 308     MICHAEL BELL DAYTON OH 11.446    84.4    84.4

Compulink StarTrak BF GOODRICH FACTORY STOCK Qualifying for 11 entries
Low ET 10.908 2 CARLOS SOBRINO
Top Speed 130.32 6009 JOHN LESLIE SR
2     FS    86 LX     310     CARLOS SOBRINO    FAIRVIEW NJ    10.908    122.66    122.71
8     FS    91 MUSTANG FORD 309     LOUIS SYLVESTER    MATTESON IL 10.946    121.8    121.8
6001     FS    98 MUSTANG     289     BRIAN CAMPBELL    LOVELAND OH    10.946    120.89    120.89
6     FS    89 MUSTANG     289     JOHN LESLIE JR.    DEMOTTE IN    10.981    121.53    123.33
4     FS    MUSTANG     308     ALAN CANN    RACINE WI    11.179    120.76    120.76
7     FS    90 MUSTANG LX     308     RICK WALSH    LAKE PANASOFFKEE FL    11.405    120.24    120.24
6060     FS    85 MUSTANG     FORD 306     MATTHEW WILLIAMS    LONG BRANCH NJ 11.589    117.66    117.66
6018     FS    88 MUSTANG     FORD 306     CHARLIE RANKIN    MEDIA PA    11.601    115.28    115.34
6572     FS    92 MUSTANG FORD 311     ERIK SHANKLES RISING FAWN GA 11.605    116.56    116.65
6009     FS    89 MUSTANG     FORD 310     JOHN LESLIE SR    MUNSTER IN 11.711    130.32    130.32
10     FS    89 MUSTANG     284     ZANE REED    TRENTON GA    15.691    63.7    63.7