COTTRELL, HILTON DOMINATE WALLY PARKS NHRA NOSTALGIA NATIONALS IN BOWLING GREEN
It wasn’t a cakewalk, but two of drag racing’s leading nostalgia nitro racers made it look that way. Fresh off of his Legend NHRA Funny Car win in Bristol, Bobby Cotrell made it two in a row, winning the Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals at Beech Bend International Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky. Nostalgia Top Fuel champion Tyler Hilton also made it two in a row by successfully defending his title.
Starting from the No. 1 qualifying position, Cottrell maintained a torrid pace scoring low elapsed time each round, first with a 5.751 to stop Jim Maroney and then a 5.686 to drive past Geoff Monise.
Cottrell was the only AA/Funny Car racer in the 5.60s, as he saved his best for last, a 5.665 elapsed time at 261.22 to beat Kamaka Pocock.
Hilton, starting from the No. 1 qualifying position, was also in his own zip code. After easing it through with a first-round bye run, the second-generation drag racer ran a 5.784 to stop Julius Hughes. Jim Murphy left on Hilton in the final round, but it wasn’t enough to hold off his 5.720, 261.98. Murphy finished runner-up with a respectable 5.857, 260.11.
A full slate of sportsman action was on hand, with winners including Kurt Duckworth (6.0 PRO), Robbie Freels (7.0 PRO), Jaxon Messamore (7.50 PRO)(Pro Comp), Jason Satterly (Pro Gas), Tug Brock (Modified Production), Frank Gaskins (Nostalgia Super Stock), and Jacob Weigl (Hot Rod).
MURPHY, POCOCK LEAD FIRST DAY BOWLING GREEN NOSTALGIA QUALIFYING
Nitro racing veteran Jim Murphy was the quickest of the Top Fuel qualifiers during the first day qualifying at the Wally Parks NHRA Nationals at Beech Bend International Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky.
Murphy stopped the timers with a 5.947 elapsed time at 222.29 miles per hour. Slipping into second was Julius Hughes with a 5.968. Second-gen front-engine Top Fuel racer Adam Sorokin was third.
The Funny Cars were in Bowling Green, and after one session, Komoka Pocock was the quickest nitro racer on the property, following a 5.704 elapsed time at 256.55 miles per hour. The dominant Bobby Cottrell was second with a 5.770, followed by Tim Boychuck’s 5.780.
Other top qualifiers included Kurt Duckworth (6.0 PRO), Robbie Freels (7.0 PRO), Bo Boles (7.50 PRO), Nick Hamilton (Pro Comp), Chip Carta (Pro Gas), Chuck Lipka (Geezer Gassers), Donnie Wilson (Nostalgia Super Stock), Terry Tyler (Hot Rod) and Chuck Dever (Straight Axle Mafia).
