The West Coast launch of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national event schedule is taking place this weekend at the dragstrip in the desert, Firebird Motorsports Park. Qualifying and time trials for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors took place throughout the day on Friday, and eliminations are set to begin bright and early on Saturday at the 40th running of the NHRA Arizona Nationals for racers in six Sportsman categories.
The race takes place in Chandler at a facility nestled just outside of the sun-soaked metropolis of Phoenix. The racetrack first opened at Firebird International Raceway in 1983, but the first NHRA national event was held there in 1985 as the NHRA Fallnationals, sandwiched between the Keystone Nationals in Reading and the World Finals in Pomona. In addition to Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock, the alcohol classes, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, and Super Gas were run at that first event, and the inaugural prize was won by Gene Snow (Top Fuel), John Collins (Funny Car), Bob Glidden (Pro Stock), Stephen Fedele (Top Alcohol Dragster), Vern Moats (Top Alcohol Funny Car, Glen Self (Comp), Dave Boertman (Super Stock), Larry Harrell (Stock), and Neil Schindler (Super Gas).
Fast forward four decades, and there are 42 drivers here to challenge for a trophy in Super Stock, 47 in Stock, 15 in Comp, and 30 in Top Dragster, with 50 Super Comp entries on the entry list and 42 cars entered in Super Gas. Not all of those classes are being run at this year’s rendition of the annual event, but last season’s winners at Firebird Motorsports Park included Ryan McClanahan in Super Stock, Tony Marconi in Stock, Madison Payne in Super Comp, Evan Kowalski in Super Gas, Thomas Bayer in Top Dragster, Allen Firestone in Top Sportsman, and Keith Manogue in Super Street.
Last season’s Super Stock winner McClanahan is a driver who has experienced a good amount of success in Phoenix; the trophy he earned here last year marked the third time he’s won at this racetrack. Bayer is also a three-time winner, though his Top Dragster win was his first at Firebird Motorsports Park as his first two were in Super Comp. Keith Manogue’s Super Street win was also his third, with his first national event win at the facility in 1999 and a 2006 title between his first and most recent.
Drivers do like to win more than once at this racetrack, especially Dan Fletcher; he claimed six of his plethora of wins there — five in Super Stock and one in Comp. The one and only Jody Lang has five Phoenix wins, each in Stock, while brother Toby Lang has two in Stock. Justin Lamb is a four-time Phoenix winner, but his triumphs are a bit more diverse with two in Super Stock and one each in Comp and Super Gas. David Nickens has five in Comp, and the legend David Rampy has four (three in Comp, one in Stock).
Heading into eliminations, Craig Gualtiere is sitting atop the Super Stock qualifying sheet with his brilliant red GT/GA Cavalier (-1.021), and reigning series champion Joe Sorensen is No. 1 in Stock in his flame-laden L/SA ’69 Camaro (-1.044). Eliminations are set to begin with Stock at 8:15 a.m. MST (which is now aligned with PST, after the recent time change). Subscribers can watch on NHRA.tv, and round-by-round results can be found at DragRaceCentral.com, as always!
If you find an error in this story or have anything to add, please contact WinLight News editor Kelly Wade: kelly@winlightnews.com. Thanks for reading!
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