NIGHT UNDER FIRE IN PHOTOS

For over three decades the Bader family has hosted what has become the largest single-day racing spectacular in North America. The Night Under Fire has drawn huge crowds of enthusiastic spectators and the best of the best in NHRA Funny Car competition to Norwalk, Ohio's Summit Motorsports Park.

In addition to the fuel floppers, such attractions as jet trucks, jet dragsters, wheelstanders, and many other attractions from the world of motorsports entertainment have been an integral part of the big show in the Buckeye state. The Bader's also boast of exploding $100,000 worth of fireworks to cap the big show, and anyone who has seen this pyrotechnic spectacular will agree it's one of the best.

At this year's 33rd edition of the Night Under Fire, John Force, a man who has been part of the show for most of its lifetime, once again showed why he is still the most popular personality in the sport. Although daughter Ashley seemed to get a slightly more boisterous reception from the fans, her dad, who is having a tremendous season in NHRA competition this season, was his inimitable self, spending hours signing autographs and entertaining the fans.

The unique field of cars consisted of the Force father and daughter duo, the father and son pair of Tim and Dan Wilkerson, the Pedregon brothers, Cruz and Tony, as well as Jeff Arend and Jim Head. The NUF format calls for the cars to make a qualifying pass and then come out for a second appearance later in the evening, with the quickest two cars from the qualifying session coming out last to race for the title.

As has become a Night Under Fire tradition, during pre-race ceremonies John Force unveiled the one-off special body created just for the event. This year his Castrol Ford Mustang paid tribute to America's most famous fighter plane from World War II, the P-51 Mustang. The car was dubbed the American Warbird. Complete with simulated pop rivets, black and white D-Day Invasion Stripes, and a pin-up girl,  the car also featured 14 bomb kill stickers, one for each championship John has won. The highlight of the presentation was the appearance of a real-life pin-up girl, who Joined John on the track for a unique photo shoot.

Once action got under way, it was Ashley Force leading qualifying with a blast of 4.115, 291.01, followed by her dad, who took "the ole hot rod" through the traps with a mark of 4.163, 275.84. Force kicked the rods out on the pass, but assured the fans that "we've got a hundred more motors with us, so we'll drop in another one and be back." Here's how the other drivers fared:  Jeff Arend, 8.469/84.86, Dan Wilkerson, 10.293/79.42, Cruz Pedregon, 4.594/187.86, Jim Head, No time, Tim Wilkerson, 4.229/292.27, and Tony Pedregon, 4.683/134.50.

Head's Toyota didn't make a full pass as it suffered a fiery engine failure just after leaving the line. The Ohio-based veteran made repairs and returned for the night session, however.

With Roman Candle-like fireworks launching from the concrete walls, John and Ashley Force moved into the staging beams for the big race of the night. The crowd reaction was electric, and the support seemed to be pretty evenly divided between father and daughter as the PA announce worked the old shtick of “who wants John to win? Who wants Ashley to win?”

When the smoke cleared, it was youth and enthusiasm overcoming age and treachery as the second-generation driver came out on top with a 4.836-second E.T. vs. her father's 4.858. The elder Force was the defending event Funny Car champ.

On the jet dragster front, the men against the women match-up was taken yet again by the women. During qualifying, Jill Canuso led the way on the strength of her 5.289, 297.09 pass. She was followed by Ernie Bogue Jr., 5.445, 297.42, Lou Pereira, 5.669, 279.90, and Elaine Larsen, 5.777, 280.89. In the final it was Canuso taking the victory over Bogue with a 5.218-second E.T. vs. Bogue’s 5.391.

Rounding out the night was Bob Motz in his jet-powered Kenworth and the appearance of four nostalgia cars.

Several classes of sportsman competition continued until 11:00 am Sunday, finishing a grueling 26-hour racing marathon. Kirby McLennan of Temperance, Mich. put $5,000 in his bank account when he won the American Race Cars $5K race in Super Pro against David Davis of Toledo, with a 7.472-second E.T. vs. Davis’ 7.786. In the APD Engine Race presented by Dart & Wiseco in the Pro class, John Gregory of Elyria, Ohio took home a new 555 cubic-inch big block Chevy engine with his winning 10.158-second E.T. against runner-up Nick Moss of Amherst, Ohio, who ran a 11.410.