Bugg wins nostalgia Funny Car finale at inaugural Speed Spectacular at The Strip
Source: LVMS, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
May 5, 2008 - 7:42:30 AM
|
|
The inaugural Las Vegas Speed Spectacular at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway ended with a bang as Nathan "Li'l Nate" Bugg won the nostalgia Funny Car finale as opponent and No. 1 Qualifier Mendy Fry crashed in the right lane. Bugg, of Orange, Calif., was in the left lane as Fry, of Aliso Viego, Calif., chose the right lane. As the pair took off, Fry's "Future Flash" Dodge Charger headed for the right-side wall and crashed. The impact shed the body from the chassis and a fire erupted, but Fry was not injured.
Bugg defeated Steve Romanazzi in the first round and Jeff Utterback (Pisano & Matsubara Vega) to face Fry in the final. Fry singled in the first round and defeated Jeff Bennett of North Las Vegas in the second to reach the finale. In other first-round action, Utterback defeated Jack Harris and Bennett topped Ed Dougan.
Other final-round winners included: Ronnie Lennon (Nostalgia Eliminator I), Cecil Molina Jr. (Nostalgia Eliminator II), Lindsey Lister (Nostalgia Eliminator III), Dave Matson (A/Gas), Randy Armstrong (B/Gas), Mike Wortman (C/Gas), Alan Ross (D/Gas) and Josh Conrad (Hot Rod).
Eily Stafford of Mt. Laguna, Calif., won the pin-up girl contest Saturday afternoon. Stafford competes in the Nostalgia Eliminator class and was the meet's No. 1 Qualifier but fouled out in the first round.
The two-day event included a car show hosted by the Las Vegas Cruisin' Association, Danny Dean & The Homewreckers, Mad Max & The Wild Ones, DJ "Flattop Tom" Jacob and Quarter Midget races.
Results, indicating driver, hometown, car, reaction time, elapsed time (ET) and top speed:
NOSTALGIA FUNNY CAR
Winner: Nathan Bugg (Orange, Calif.) Barracuda .199 7.528 sec./165.76 mph.
Runner-up: Mendy Fry (Aliso Viego, Calif.) Charger .168 13.679 sec./62.73 mph. (accident)
NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR I
Winner: Ronnie Lennon (Sonoma, Calif.) 1932 Bantam roadster .001 7.730 sec./169.96 mph.
Runner-up: Richard High (Lake Havasu City, Ariz.) .067 7.818 sec./185.15 mph.
NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR II
Winner: Cecil Molina Jr. (Fresno, Calif.) 1923 Ford .018 8.753 sec./145.59 mph.
Runner-up: Gary Ryan (San Francisco) 1932 Bantam .015 8.744 sec./140.44 mph.
NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR III
Winner: Lindsey Lister (San Pedro, Calif.) 1972 Shoemaker dragster .054 9.574 sec./138.30 mph.
Runner-up: John Lyon (Overton, Nev.) 1967 Gilmore dragster -.034 (foul) 9.671 sec./137.26 mph.
A/GAS
Winner: Dave Matson (Grass Valley, Calif.) 1967 Camaro .016 7.712 sec./171.73 mph.
Runner-up: Ken Ratzloff (Idaho Falls, Idaho) 1953 Studebaker .033 7.760 sec./179.04 mph.
B/GAS
Winner: Randy Armstrong (San Ramon, Calif.) 1957 Chevrolet .046 8.778 sec./155.31 mph.
Runner-up: Casey Treur (Santa Maria, Calif.) 1933 Willys .092 8.701 sec./152.87 mph.
C/GAS
Winner: Mike Wortman (Santa Paula, Calif.) 1969 Mercury .029 9.759 sec./140.11 mph.
Runner-up: Doug Araiza (Santa Paula, Calif.) 1969 Camaro -.019 (foul) 9.732 sec./142.91 mph.
D/GAS
Winner: Alan Ross (Atascadero, Calif.) 1965 Mustang .022 10.693 sec./126.51 mph.
Runner-up: Ed Carey (La Jolla, Calif.) 1971 Camaro .022 10.691 sec./125.12 mph.
HOT ROD
Winner: Josh Conrad (Bakersfield, Calif.) 1967 Nova .109 10.217 sec./135.73 mph.
Runner-up: Dale Thomas (Chowchilla, Calif.) 1968 Dart .061 11.806 sec./112.45 mph
|
