PROBLEM CHILD DOMINATES FIREBIRD'S TOP FUEL HYDROS
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SUNDAY: FIREBIRD DRAGBOATS THUNDER TO DRAMATIC FINISH
To say Eddie Knox and Daryl Ehrlich have a flair for the dramatic would be putting it mildly.
Knox, the owner, and Ehrlich, the driver, of the Top Fuel drag boat Problem Child could have taken it easy during the Top Fuel Hydro Final of Sunday’s Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series NAPA Auto Parts World Finals. After all, their final round opponent – driver Mike Robbins and Liquid Quicker, was mechanically unable to make the final run.
A mere ‘breaking of the beam’ – a simple breeze down Firebird Lake would be all Problem Child would need to pick up its second consecutive win in drag boat racing’s premier event.
But that’s not how Problem Child rolls. Instead, the duo of Knox and Ehrlich decided to go all out. In doing so, Problem Child set a new elapsed time (ET) record with a run of 3.597 and 251.593 miles per hour to thrill the sun-baked crowd.
“We ran it hard anyways for the crowd,” Knox said. “It was a great crowd all weekend, and there was no way we were going to let them down.”
When asked about recording his second NAPA World Finals win, Knox commented: “Our set-up seems to really like the density of the water here…It’s really the best place there is in drag boat racing.”
Knox and Weber might have gotten their all-out approach for the finale from Joel Weber, driver of the What a Tomato Too Top Alcohol Hydro boat. In a final-round showdown with Mike Fry’s Meanstreak, Weber ran a record ET of 4.39 and a sizzling 205.987 to edge out Fry, who was speedy himself at 4.427 and 199.946.
While the solo finale in Top Fuel Hydro and the final round shoot-out in Top Fuel Hydro brought Firebird fans to their feet , the finale of Top Alcohol Hydro Flats between Greg Jones’ Back in Black and Marcus Kinsey’s Bad Company unfortunately fizzled before it ever began. Neither boat was able to make the final pass after experiencing mechanical problems at the starting line. Kinsey and Bad Company were declared victorious based upon their better average overall times throughout the weekend.
Arizona’s newest city – San Tan Valley – can also claim a champion this weekend. Jeremy Denny piloted the Cyanotic River Boat to victory with consistent runs throughout the weekend. He closed out his quest for a NAPA World Final victory with a final round win over Keith Turly and Gittr Done after Turley’s boat red-lighted at the starting line.
“With the new boat,” Denny explained, “we were just trying to make it safely to the finish. We had a couple of things we were trying to get dialed in, but it ended up working out really well for us.”
Here are the results for Sunday’s other final round match-ups:
Modified Eliminator: Gambler (David Cooper) 10.050 ET, 106.132 MPH def. Abracadabra (Bob Prigmore) 9.951 ET, 103.330 MPH
Pro Comp Eliminator: Hot Shot (Mike Martin) 8.818 ET, 102.389 MPH def. Wet Dream (Tony Scarlata) 7.49 ET, 138.889 after Scarlata red-lighted
Pro Eliminator: FBomb (Mike Declark) 8.218 ET, 105.263 MPH def. Nicki’s Boat (Jeff Miller) 8.085 ET, 146. 341
Pro Mod: Just One More (Mike Lamb) 7.069 ET, 161.002 MPH def. Alcohol Dependent (Reagan Everet) 7.522 ET, 164.835 MPH
Personal Watercraft I: Monkey See, Monkey Do (Dave Watkins) 11.82 ET, 69.76 MPH def. Ollie Oliver (Draggin Waggin) 15.490 ET, 64.655 MPH
Personal Watercraft II: Can’t Touch This (Shelby Ebert) 17.487 ET, 51.195 MPH def. Cody Gray (Say When Again) 18.721 ET, 50.819 MPH
Stock Eliminator: Flexible (Al Zemke) 11.127 ET, 88.496 MPH def. Mamma’s Diamond (Bob Winder) 11.154 ET, 90.180 MPH
Top Eliminator: Josh Patridge, 9.132 ET, 108.827 MPH def. Blown Assets (Joey Valedez) 9.087 ET, 115.979 MPH
SATURDAY: ASSAULT ON RECORD BOOK CONTINUES IN DAY TWO OF LUCAS OIL DRAG BOAT EVENT
In what’s proving to be a nearly continuous display of record speed, Top Alcohol Flat Driver Tony Scarlata and Top Alcohol Hydro driver Andy Reynolds set 
the tone early Saturday during the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series NAPA Auto Parts World Finals at Firebird International Raceway.
Scarlata’s Shazam got a leg on the new Top Alcohol Flat elapsed time (ET) record, recording a 5:30 9 in his first run of the day. In drag boat racing, all new records must be backed up with a second run that is within one-percent of the record prior to the end of the event.
Scarlata said while records are nice, his main goal is to come out of the NAPA Auto Parts World Finals with a win.
“Records just come,” said Scarlata. “You go out and run the very best you can. If you go out there trying to set new records, you can end up going swimming!”
Reynolds, who was part of a historic two-run sequence on Friday afternoon which featured three Top Alcohol Hydro boats getting a leg on the elapsed time record, officially set a new miles-per-hour (MPH) record with his first run on Saturday when his Little Red Draggin recorded a blazing 204.13 mph.
Reynolds was humble and realistic about whether the record would last the weekend.
“It was a good run,” Reynolds said. “They hopped up the boat a little bit, and it seemed to like the extra power. It ran right down Broadway. I’ve never held the record before and I don’t know if the record is going to hold up this weekend, but it’s cool to have recorded it!”
Another Top Alcohol Hydro drag boat carved at least a temporary place in the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series when What a Tomato Too established a new ET record with a run of 4.402.
In the Top Fuel Hydro division, Problem Child failed to back up its record run of 3.643. Driver Daryl Ehrlich recorded a 3.757 early during Saturday’s session, locking up the top spot in Top Fuel Hydro heading into Sunday’s eliminations. With the top spot secured, Ehrlich and owner Eddie Knox watched the afternoon Top Fuel Hydro session safely from the Firebird Lake shoreline.
Saturday Results from NAPA Auto Parts World Finals
Here are pairings heading into Sunday’s elimination rounds:
Class: Modified Eliminator
Boat Driver ET MPH
1. WhiteKnight Mike Heitman 10.003 96.879
2. Gambler David Cooper 10.005 108.565
3. Ain’t Scared Greg Carr 10.009 97.403
4. Pressure Cooker John O’Hara 10.012 102.157
5. So Vain Mike Garrett 10.019 107.271
Pro Comp Eliminator
1. Wet Dream Tony Scarlata 7.486 138.037
2. Hot Shot Dave Lipinski 8,092 141.732
3. Bad Influence Steve Schmidt 7.745 145.867
4. Flat Magic Milton Tolen 7.809 131.387
5. Sunday Showdown Ken Meyers Jr. 8.957 113.208
Pro Eliminator
1. Stark Naked Chris Starkweather 8.000 122.283
2. Without a Trace Dan Jensen 8.003 149.502
3. Who’s Who Bobby Booher 8.007 138.462
4. Texas Red Jerry Hardwick 8.019 145.867
5. Slayer John Digiacinto 8.019 113.493
PROMOD
1. Risky Business Dustin Nesloney 7.000 169.811
2. Agent Orange Steve Rajcic 7.001 174.081
3. Top Gun Mickey Snider 7.016 168.539
4. Fist Full of Dollars Jimmy Booher 7.028 169.811
5. Screamin’ Seaman Terry Kain 7.036 166.976
Personal Watercraft I
1. Monkey See Monkey Do Dave Watkins 11.527 78.603
2. Texas Slingshot Curtis Byler 15.938 59.880
3. Draggin Wagon Ollie Oliver 15.073 65.312
4. Water Lilly Mary Silva 16.512 55.693
Personal Watercraft II
1. Can’t Touch This Shelby Ebert 17.322 53.508
2. Say When Again Cody Gray 18.726 51.165
River Racer
1. Capital Punishment Justin Niesener 12.000 90.634
2. White Lightning II Roger Silva 12.001 83.256
3. Brain Damage Jeff Koerner 12.410 82.342
4. Cyanotic Jeremy Denny 12.961 76.923
5. El Bandito Roger Sayles 12.796 77.855
Stock Eliminator
1. Do Run Run Jeff Berr 11.014 89.731
2. Sublime Jim Bernard 11.030 89.910
3. Flexible Al Zemke 11.096 88.496
4. Mamma’s Diamond Bob Winder 11.123 89.552
Top Alcohol Flat
1. Shazam Tony Scarlata 5.309 152.192
2. Habit Forming Don Bausher 5.400 149.850
3. Bad Company Marcus Kinsey 5.586 141.163
4. Aw Sum Toy Cole Thurston 5.622 142.939
5. Back in Black Greg Jones 5.816 147.261
Top Alcohol Hydro
1. What A Tomato Too Joel Weber 4.402 205.987
2. What A Tomato Bob Pizza 4.433 204.137
3. Mean Streak Mike Fry 4.444 199.362
4. Little Red Draggin Andy Reynolds 4.453 204.134
5. Bad Habit Kebin Kinsley 4.623 194.250
Top Eliminator
1. Little Blue Craig Lucas 9.000 115.979
2. Shock Therapy Jeff Vail 9.002 111.940
3. Blow’n Feathers Stan Tweety 9.005 116.883
4. Black Rat Bill Miller 9.008 107.015
5. Josh Patridge Josh Patridge 9.010 110.701
Top Fuel Hydro
1. Problem Child Daryl Ehrlich 3.643 248.839
2. Spirit of Texas Scotty Lumbert 3.651 249.750
3. Liquid Quiker Mike Robbins 3.814 237.567
4. Toxic Rocket Glen Wilson 3.995 226.518
5. Hot Licks Jarrett Silvey 4.102 222.816
FRIDAY QUALIFYING: PROVISIONAL RECORDS SET IN FRIDAY QUALIFYING
If Friday afternoon’s first round of pro qualifying during the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series NAPA Auto Parts World Finals at Firebird International Raceway proves 
any indication, the series’ current record book could be obsolete by Monday morning.
One of the culprits behind the potentially massive revisions is no stranger to running record speeds at Firebird – a Problem Child was up to his old tricks. After setting a world record on the quarter-mile course during last year’s race on Firebird Lake, the Top Fuel Hydro Drag Boat owned by Eddie Knox and driven by Daryl Ehrlich decided to set its aim at the 1000-foot elapsed time record currently held by Spirit of Texas with a 3.645 (David Kirkland/Scotty Lumbert).
Despite having taken only one partial run in essentially a completely rebuilt boat during Thursday’s Test-and-Tune, the new version of the Problem Child proved just as pesky as his predecessor, getting a leg on a new world record with an of 3.643 et. In order to set a new record, the Problem Child will have to back up its run with a time of 3.679 prior to the end of the event on Sunday.
The boat had to be rebuilt following a crash in San Angelo, Texas earlier this year.
“I love this place,” an emotional Knox said following the run. “To get a leg on a record for a second time at Firebird, especially when it was our first real attempt at a full pass – that was a shocker.”
But if the Problem Child provided the main story, the subplot had to be a crazy two-run stretch in the Top Alcohol Hydro division which witnessed three of the four boats involved getting a leg up on a new world record.
In an awesome display of speed, driver Mike Fry’s Mean Streak, Andy Reynold’s Little Red Draggin and Joel Weber’s What a Tomato Too all got a leg up on the existing elapsed time record for the category. Weber topped the trio with a 4.402 – to set a new record he’ll need to run a 4.446 or better prior to the event’s end. Weber went a step further in his pursuits, also setting a new mile-per-hour record at 205.987mph. What a Tomato Too crashed during last year’s race, meaning he’ll have a chance at redemption if he can back up either record.
Friday Results from NAPA Auto Parts World Finals
Here are results from Friday’s qualifying:
Class: Modified Eliminator
Boat Driver ET MPH
1. Undertaker Jerry Rudow 9.355 115.533
2. Undertaker Rudow 9.375 115.090
3. Undertaker Rudow 9.417 113.924
4. Gambler David Cooper 9.832 111.111
5. Cheyenne Express Gary Payne 9.833 105.758
Pro Comp Eliminator
1. Wet Dream Tony Scarlata 7.486 138.037
2. Wet Dream Scarlata 7.495 138.249
3. Bad Influence Steve Schmidt 7.795 144.928
4. Bad Influence Schmidt 7.803 144.462
5. Bad Influence Schmidt 7.818 144.695
Pro Eliminator
1. Slayer John Digiacinto 7.706 125.174
2. Killin’ Time Kurt Powers 7.823 152.284
3. Killin’ Time Powers 7.828 152.027
4. The Butcher Steve Penberthy 7.851 144.000
5. Guess Who’s Back Arek Strohmenger 7.895 123.457
Pro Mod
1. Black Jack Gary Bauer 6.838 175.781
2. Few Dollars More Tommy Thompson 6.872 172.414
3. Money Shot David Fuentes 6.874 172.414
4. Alcohol Dependent Reagan Everett 6.925 172.414
5. Hypochondriac Bryan Sanders 6.933 174.757
Personal Watercraft I
1. Monkey See Monkey Do Dave Watkins 11.470 81.227
2. Monkey See Monkey Do Watkins 11.549 80.000
3. Monkey See Monkey Do Watkins 11.624 81.744
4. Draggin Wagon Ollie Oliver 14.999 65.741
5. Draggin Wagon Olliver 15.355 64.609
Personal Watercraft II
1. Can’t Touch This Shelby Ebert 17.322 53.508
2. Can’t Touch This Ebert 17.407 54.381
3. Can’t Touch This Ebert 17.874 54.022
Stock Eliminator
1. Flexible Al Zemke 10.944 91.371
2. Do Run Run Jeff Berr 10.989 89.552
3. Do Run Run Berr 11.014 89.731
4. Do Run Run Berr 11.047 90.180
5. Sublime Jim Bernard 11.080 89.552
Top Alcohol Flat
1. Shazam Tony Scarlata 5.405 152.532
2. Habit Forming Don Bausher 5.597 146.000
3. Monster Mark Porter 5.833 142.342
4. Back in Black Greg Jones 5.890 151.179
5. Bad Company Marcus Kinsey 5.952 136.364
Top Alcohol Hydro
1. What A Tomato Too Joel Weber 4.402 205.987
2. Little Red Draggin Andy Reynolds 4.519 203.528
3. Mean Streak Mike Fry 4.574 202.922
4. What a Tomato Bob Pizza 4.587 194.805
5. Bad Habit Kebin Kinsley 4.676 190.985
Top Eliminator
1. Midlife Crisis Marvin Davis 8.661 139.752
2. Midlife Crisis Davis 8.760 136.986
3. Black Rat Bill Miller 8.856 111.524
4. Just a Few Seconds Doug Williams 8.942 125.174
5. Shock Therapy Jeff Vail 8.960 112.360
Top Fuel Hydro
1. Problem Child Daryl Ehrlich 3.643 248.839
2. Spirit of Texas Scotty Lumbert 3.651 249.750
3. Liquid Quiker Mike Robbins 3.814 237.567
4. Nitro Chicken Douglas Verstuyft 4.620 210.438
5. Hot Licks Jarrett Silvey 5.486 203.528
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