2014 NHRA U.S. NATIONALS - SPORTSMAN NOTEBOOK
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MONDAY - DEMKE, PAYNE HEADLINE U.S. NATIONALS SPORTSMAN WINNERS
Chris Demke transferred his red-hot Top Alcohol Dragster win streak from the NHRA Lucas Oil Regional Series over to the largest stage in drag racing as he defeated Rich McPhillips to win the 60th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals.
"The spirit was very strong this weekend and I knew I had to tap into it. With the names they had here - Garlits, Prudhomme, McEwen, Muldowney - there's just something about Indy that means more than any other national event out there.
"We struggled in qualifying. From anyone else's perspective we did great, but I'm getting cocky and I'm just not happy with number four qualifier. The car was very consistent but it wasn't fast enough. We'd turn one knob and the car would run a thirty-two. We'd turn another knob and it'd run a thirty-three. Finally we turned all of the knobs on kill for the semifinals against Randy (Meyer) and the car ran a twenty-eight. At that point I was satisfied with the car's performance.
Monday's victory is Demke's first Indianapolis victory as a driver. Demke won in 1998 as a crew member for Darren Nicholson. He has reached the semifinals twice and recorded a runner-up finish prior to the weekend.
"In the final, while I still need to look at the computer data, I'm pretty confident I screwed up the foot swap and caused the car to smoke the tires. I didn't know that McPhillips had red-lit until about half-track where I felt like I hit the wall twice and the center line a few times. When I got the car settled down, I looked up and noticed my win light was already on.
"I padded my points lead. I haven't locked it (the national championship) up yet but I'm having the greatest year I've ever had and I'm looking forward to my next few races.
Top Alcohol Funny Car veteran Jay Payne ran a 5.705, 241 to beat the upset-minded Todd Robertson. Payne established a strong 5.6-second pace to reach the final round by defeating Annie Whiteley, Mike Doushgouni and No. 1 qualifier Jonnie Lindberg. For his part, Robertson beat John Lombardo, Jr., and Fred Tigges to reach the finals.
In a throwback to the old Modified eliminator days, Joe Santangelo drove his B/Street Roadster to the Comp eliminator win with a 7.835 elapsed time in beating Rick Brown's B/Truck Automatic. Santangelo was -.515 under his index for seventh career NHRA national event victory.
Nick Morris scored his second career NHRA event as he claimed the Super Stock title when Gary Richard fouled by -.011. Morris worked his way through the field from the No. 53 qualifying position.
If you are a Chevrolet fan, then Stock eliminator left you with a proud feeling by seeing a pair of COPO Camaros in the final. Bruno Massel, past NHRA Comp eliminator champion, made his weekend a successful one. Massel reached the finals of the Factory Stock/A class eliminations on Friday, and four days later secured the overall Stock title by stopping Joe Wilkes' B/Stock Automatic.
Super Comp racer Ty Davis made his first NHRA final round one to remember. Davis worked his way through seven eliminations rounds behind the wheel of his '32 Bantam and sealed the deal by running an 8.932 to beat Jimmy Lewis.
Rounding out the Indy winners was third-generation drag racer Troy Coughlin Jr. Coughlin added to the family heritage with his second career NHRA U.S. Nationals victory.
Coughlin was dead-on the 9.900 Super Gas index over a too-quick Jeffrey Weets.
MONDAY NOTEBOOK -
THIRD-GEN COUGHLIN DELIVERS - For the second time in his still-blossoming career, Troy Coughlin Jr. has earned drag racing's crown jewel by winning the Super Gas category at the 60th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in his JEGS.com Corvette roadster.
Coughlin survived a grueling eight rounds of elimination action to clinch the sport's most coveted trophy, which will now reside next to the Super Comp Wally he captured at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in 2010.
"This whole weekend takes me back to when I was a kid," Coughlin said. "We used to sneak out of school a little early on Friday and come over here and stay until Monday night. Back then it was watching my uncles and my dad race. Now we're getting the chance to race ourselves. It's just the biggest thing going. There's really no way to describe it all.
"When I won here in 2010, I really couldn't say what it meant to me until about two years later. It's such an historic race. You think about Shirley (Muldowney) and 'Big Daddy' (Don Garlits) and legends like that who have won here. Standing here (in the winner's circle), it hits you in your stomach. You go home at night and you can't sleep."
REICHERT EXITS EARLY – Shawn Cowie, drag racing’s greatest-ever comeback story, scored a monumental victory in the first round of Top Alcohol Dragster by knocking off a retiring Bill Reichert.
KNOCKED OUT – Fred Tigges, the No. 11 qualifier, grabbed a monumental victory in the second round of TAFC when he eliminated Steve Harker.
The second round upsets continued when No. 15 Todd Robertson took out heavy-hitter Tony Bartone.
LUCKY BREAK - In the second round, Rich McPhillips gained his luck break after shaking the tires, and watching Samsel pull ahead. Samsel's drifted toward the center line and took out the eighth-mile timing blocks. McPhillips advanced automatically to the semis.
COMP QUARTERS UNKIND TO FAVORITES – No. 59 qualifier Todd Frantz took advantage of Arnie Martel’s tardiness on the starting line to win in the opening round of the quarters.
Jim Kimbrough, the No. 40 qualifier, scored an easy win as Scott Chamness fouled.
Joe Santangelo took out defending NHRA Comp series champion Alan Ellis while Rick Brown, No. 14 qualifier, got the best of No. 2 Todd Patterson.Top Alcohol Dragster -- Chris Demke, 5.801, 261.42 def. Rich McPhillips, foul.
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Jay Payne, Chevy Camaro, 5.705, 241.45 def. Todd Robertson, Chevy Monte Carlo, 6.171, 164.03.
Competition Eliminator -- Joe Santangelo, Chevy Roadster, 7.835, 168.20 def. Rick Brown, Chevy S-10, 8.294, 161.67.
Super Stock -- Nick Morris, Ford Mustang, 10.121, 114.62 def. Gary Richard, Mustang, foul.
Stock Eliminator -- Bruno Massel, Chevy Camaro, 8.825, 143.34 def. Joey Wilkes, Camaro, 9.978, 128.77.
Super Comp -- Ty Davis, Bantam Roadster, 8.932, 163.69 def. Jimmy Lewis, Dragster, 8.927, 167.22.
Super Gas -- Troy Coughlin Jr., Chevy Corvette, 9.900, 166.01 def. Jeffrey Weets, Plymouth Barracuda, 9.867, 141.15.
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SUNDAY NOTEBOOK - WHITTLED DOWN TO THE ELITE
ON TOP - A late day qualifying session set the Top Alcohol field. The original schedule of a morning final session and when NHRA officials scrapped the first round for Sunday. Randy Meyer [5.274, 271.24] jumped top to the front of the pack in Dragster while Swedish Funny Car racer Jonnie Lindberg held onto the top spot with a 5.551, 262.23.
ELIMINATED DOWN - Comp and Super Stock head into Sunday's eliminations with sixteen entries while Stock is down to eight. Super Comp and Super Gas both have five entries remaining.
First round of Top Alcohol runs at 8 AM on Monday morning.
SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - TOP ALCOHOL TAKES CENTER STAGE
Top Alcohol Dragster racer Rich McPhillips made a monumental leap from the provisional No. 14 spot to take the pole during the second qualifying session at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.
McPhillips, who was fifth quickest after first day qualifying, thundered to a 5.282, 269.51 pass, a vast improvement over Friday's 5.451 performance. Trip Tatum, Chris Demke and Bill Reichert rounded out the top four qualifiers.
Supercharged racer Marty Thacker rounded out the provisional sixteen car field with a 5.447.
Following McPhillips' lead, Swedish Top Alcohol Funny Car racer made a huge leap to the top spot jumping from No. 12 to the top with a 5.580 elapsed time at 263.05 miles per hour. Steve Harker, Annie Whiteley and Tony Bartone rounded out the top four qualifiers.
Steve Gasparrelli rounded out the field with a 5.830, 256.80.
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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK -THE BIG SPECIALTY EVENTS CROWN WINNERS; A LEGEND RETIRES
THE BIG FISH - Mopar Hemi Challenge racer Charlie Westcott Jr. allowed his prey a little running room before successfully tracking him down for the kill in the lights.
The veteran Super Stock/AH racer wasn't deterred by a .005 reaction time by Wendell Howes. He used an 8.557, 157.28 to pass Howes at the stripe, who turned in a strong but losing 8.669, 154.05.
En route to the final round Westcott stopped Fred Henson, Steve Comella, Joe Teuton and Steve Kent. For his part, Howes eliminated Russ Campbell, Larry Perkins, Bucky Hess and Charlie Westcott Sr.
The victory marked Wescott's sixth Mopar HEMI Shootout crown in nine years.
“This win in a way was bigger than the others because we didn’t come in with the performance advantage we typically have,” said Westcott Jr., whose father Charlie Westcott Sr. also won the Mopar HEMI Challenge event at Indy in 2009. “I had been fighting some kind of gremlin all weekend in my car. I never could get it right, but the final round was a little better. We got the job done, and that’s all that matters. We’ve won this thing six times, and seven if you count my dad. It’s always a good event for us.”
The Mopar HEMI Challenge, which debuted at the 2001 U.S. Nationals, features 1968 HEMI Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas, the classic muscle cars that contributed to the brand’s legendary reputation and success at the drag strip, engaged in a quarter-mile battle. For this year’s edition, competitors battled for a $15,000 first place award, the special 50th anniversary 426 HEMI Challenge trophy weighing in at 42.6 pounds, and newly added prize, a custom Mopar winner’s jacket. This year the Mopar HEMI Challenge featured an added cash prize payout to the full 16-car field competing in the elimination rounds.
“It’s great that Mopar supports this class,” said Westcott Jr. “People really appreciate Mopar putting up the money and also coming out here to support the event. This is one of the biggest fields (26 cars) we have had in years.”
The 42.6-pound Mopar HEMI Challenge trophy served as added incentive for the Parma, Michigan, native. “I like that trophy a lot,” said Westcott Jr. “I told my wife, ‘We need to get that.’ And we did.”
TWO IN A ROW - For the second year in a row, Chris Holbrook captured the NHRA Factory Showdown run-off.
Holbrook, running a supercharged Ford, successfully tracked down Kevin Helms, who cut a .008 light in the final round. The hard-charging FS/A Cobra Jet carded an 8.694 elapsed time to track down Helms handicap-aided 9.029.
Holbrook won the FS/A class title over Bruno Massel while Helms, last season's A/Stock class winner topped the 427-inch COPO of Dave Connolly.
"Two years in a row, thanks to my team," Holbrook said. "Driving this car is a bad to the bone experience."
FAREWELL TO A LEGEND - A Top Alcohol Dragster legend has called it a career.
Bill Reichert, a five-time NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Champion, announced his retirement Friday afternoon at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Citing health issues related to his back, Reichert said the retirement will become effective at the end of the season. He added his last race would likely be the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., or the Division 2 NHRA LODRS in Gainesville, Fla.
"It has been getting worse over the years," Reichert admitted. "It's not as comfortable in the car as it used to be. For me, this is the right time to stop."
Reichert, since licensing for Top Alcohol Dragster in 1992, established a benchmark for success. This weekend marks his 202nd career TAD race, the most of any participant since the Pro Comp split in 1982, and he made the most of those events with 305 round wins, 39 times leading the qualified fields and 62 national event victories.
Additionally of 167 different opponents Reichert faced, 100 never beat him.
Reichert was a tough driver as evidenced in 1999. After suffering a devastating crash during the NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga, rebounded, and four weeks later, reached the finals at the Pontiac Excitement NHRA Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, not only in the race portion but the All-Stars event as well.
Reichert said he will sell his car, and could be available to work for another team. Serving as a car owner with a replacement driver is not an option for Reichert.
"I've always said if I were going to spend my money, I am going to drive it," Reichert said. "I just wouldn't be comfortable in that kind of a situation."
SCHEDULE CHANGE - Because of Friday morning showers, NHRA was forced to cancel the 1 PM Top Alcohol sessions and open with the 4 PM session, originally scheduled to be Q-2.
Additionally, Competition eliminator was declared final after Friday's two sessions, setting the 64-car field.
RAIN RAIN GO AWAY - Sportsman qualifying was delayed by nearly two-and-a-half hours. Racing was already on hold following an oildown when the rain set in.
FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME - This is the first time Ashley Sanford, a 20-yeah old Top Dragster racer, has raced east of the Pacific Time Zone.
“I'm blown away by the experience so far,” Sanford said. “It's kind of a racer's dream to come to Indy, especially coming from southern California. Making the trip to Indy is a big deal for a sportsman team like ours. It's the 60th anniversary, my first time here – I'm so excited for the experience.”
Sanford last competed at the NHRA Northwest Nationals outside of Seattle.
“Seattle was after four months away from racing,” Sanford added. “We were all ready to be back but the car just had a few gremlins that have since been worked out. We're hoping to run some really great numbers. Our sixty-foot times are the best they've ever been, so we have something to build on. Alcohol cars get four qualifying runs here instead of the typical three so we'll get that extra run and hopefully qualify in the top half of the field.”
IN TRIBUTE - When Kon Rodz Racing driver Sean Bellemeur rolled to the start he did so sporting a unique helmet.
“The helmet was something I wanted to do since this is the 60th Anniversary of the most prestigious race NHRA puts on and I wanted the helmet to serve as a reflection piece to show all of the important milestones at Indy that have made our sport what it is,” said Stefan Kontos, president of Kon Rodz Racing, a Canadian Top Alcohol Funny Car team based out of King, Ontario, Canada. “There are so many great moments that have pushed our sport into mainstream media and a lot of them happened in Indy, so I figured we should do something to celebrate that.”
According to Kontos, Nick Pastura painted the helmet for his team. Pastura is well-known in motorsports, painting helmets for the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., and numerous NASCAR drivers, as well as drag racers like 2012 world champion Top Fuel pilot Antron Brown.
“He (Pastura) came by at the Norwalk race (July 3-6) since it's only about an hour from his house and we started talking about this idea and he was all about it,” Kontos said. “All I had to do was find good quality pictures and he would take care of it, and here we are. Bell Racing USA is a big part of our team and they were super excited to do this as they are also celebrating their 60th year. All in all it's a great time of the season.”
Kontos admitted he is eager to see Bellemeur sporting this one-of-a-kind helmet.
“I'm really looking forward to having Sean running it this weekend and showing it to guys who I really look up to as drivers and businessmen like Don Schumacher, Snake (Don Prudhomme), Connie Kalitta, John Force, and many of the legends we are so lucky to have in our sport. Towing up to the line in Indy is a special feeling and as a fan of the sport I'm thrilled to do something like this.” - Tracy Renck
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THURSDAY NOTEBOOK - THURSDAYS ARE FOR STOCKERS
LEADING THE WAY - Joey Tanksley made his trip to the NHRA U.S. Nationals worthwhile as he drove his A/Dragster to the No. 1 qualifying position after two sessions on Thursday.
After jumping out to an early lead with a -.59 under performance, the Greenwell Springs, La.-based driver became the first driver in the eliminator to go six-tenths under his index with a -.606, 6.414 performance. Todd Patterson was .011 behind in second with a -.595, 7.895 effort against the A/Super Modified Automatic standard.
Dan Jacobs held on to the Super Stock top spot as no one could come close to his -1.290 hit under the GT/G index. Leonard Mattingly was second with his GT/HA entry.
Larry Hill also was untouchable in second day qualifying as his incredible -2.217 run under the V/Stock index.
NEW TOYS FOR THE BIG BOYS - Two of the Detroit Big Three made their appearance at the NHRA U.S. Nationals sporting new engine combinations for the Factory Stock Showdown. They made lasting impressions on Thursday.
Ford introduced a new 429 Cobra Jet engine while Chevrolet unveiled a new 427 intended to run in the naturally aspirated Factory Showdown/B classification.
"We had some teams really thrashing to get our new 429 combo out," said Ford Racing director Jesse Kershaw. "It was just approved by the NHRA and this is the first NHRA U.S. Nationals that we've been able to showcase it at. There's a learning curve whenever there's a new engine."
Chevrolet introduced their 427 combination in hopes of catching up with the Mopar Drag Pak and Ford Cobra Jet packages which had pulled out ahead last season with clear advantages.
"We developed this combination specifically for the Factory Stock Showdown to compete against our competition who had a jump on us in competition last year," said Roger Allen Chevrolet Performance's NHRA Program Manager and COPO Engineering Manager. "We developed it with hardware that existed last year in the Chevrolet Performance catalog.
"The short block is our standard 427 engine and it has the LSX-DR and an intake developed specifically for this. It's a tunnel ram intake sold by CFE Racing. It also has a single Accu-Fab throttle body located in the middle of the tunnel ram. That's a significant improvement over our base production head LS7 427 combination."
Kershaw is excited to have a new weapon for the brand, adding to the parity between the manufacturers.
"We are excited because we feel we have something to run alongside of that 426 Hemi," said Kershaw. "Chevy's got a nice 427 too. It's really nice to have our 429 out there against the 427 and the Hemi 426."
HOW THEY FARED - Of the new combinations, Chevrolet's 427, piloted by Dave Connolly, will race in Friday's Factory Showdown/B final round.
Connolly, who raced finished runner-up to Chris Holbrook's supercharged entry last season, races Kevin Helms in Friday's final round. En route to the final, Connolly defeated Jeff Myers and then Bo Butner in the first head-to-head match between the COPO 427 and the new Cobra Jet 429.
Butner left on Connolly with a .002 reaction time but unable to fend him off in the 8.996 to 9.056 loss. Connolly then went on to reach the final round by defeating Ray Barton.
Kenneth Miele, the second of the two 429 Cobra Jet competitors participating, reached the semis before losing to Helms' Mopar.
The only other Chevrolet 427 in the FS/B classification was Joseph Welch, who ran an 8.931 after three qualifying sessions. He lost in the second round of class eliminations.
Todd Patterson, also running the new COPO 427, opted to race in the BB/Stock Automatic division and was No. 26 by running -1.107 under the index with a 9.193.
The FS/A division, the smaller displacement supercharged combinations pared down to defending event champion Holbrook and Comp standout Bruno Massel.
REMEMBERING STEVIE - Alton Smyth, best known for his Porta Tree Timing Systems business, has a neat Super Stock/AH Barracuda. On the eve of the most prestigious event for this type of car his car is in the least likely place for a car of this pedigree -- his shop back in Uxbridge, Mass.
Smyth knows if the late Steve Collison were alive he'd likely catch an earful for the decision to race his two other cars and not the big fish.
"When we first began to build the car I discussed the idea with Stevie and he was more excited than we were about it," explained Smyth. "I knew the class was going to be tough. I even made him the offer ... when we get the car tested and sorted out, you can take it for a run. I thought he was going to wet his pants he was so excited.
"He was bubbling and shaking and blurted out, 'You really going to let me drive that car?"
Collison was a champion for the sportsman racer and nothing tickled his fancy like a class car. He worked in the influential position as editor of Super Stock & Drag Illustrated, but on December 14, 2000 he passed from a severe heart attack.
"The car still has a spot in there for him," said Smyth, who said the news of Collison's passing left him heartbroken. "He will always be on this car. You cannot come around this car without being reminded of him."
Smyth agrees Collison was a champion for every little guy racer in the drag racing community.
"He loved the fight," Smyth said. "Class racing was like Pro Stock to him. He was all about making a car the best you could make it. Driving my car was going to be special to him but honestly, I think he wanted to drive every one of them. He was a true friend of the sport and I miss him."
When drag racing lost Collison, Smyth summed up the loss by a simple phrase on his SS/AH entry.
"Drag racing's best friend ... Steve Collison."
STILL JAMMING THE GEARS - Jimmy Bridges has his Tennessee-based Corvette at Indy once again. He 9.467, -0.433 against the SS/B index.
SIGNIFICANT MOVES - Though no one could touch Larry Hill's -2.217 shot under the V/Stock index, Luke Ubelhor narrowed the gap when his E/Stock 2009 Challenger ran -1.547 under the index with a 10.103. David Barton moved up to third with his Factory Showdown Drag Pak Challenger with an 8.849 second, -1.501 under effort.
THERE'S A COPO IN THE SHOOTOUT - Could the COPO have another avenue to dominate? The revered A/Stock Shootout title was captured by Rich Renke, who drove his 2014 COPO to victory over past winner Caleb McFarland. The match was over before it began as McFarland fouled in an attempt to overcome a two-tenths advantage from the opening round when Renke stopped the timers with a 9.859.
NOT A COPO BUT BAD TO THE BONE - Much emphasis is put on the Factory Stock Showdown and Mopar Hemi Showdown, but filed away in the corner of the gearhead world is the revered U/Stock Automatic Challenge.
This year's champion was Roy Dean's 1960 Chevrolet Kingswood wagon which turned in a 13.756-second, 96.75 mile per hour performance to beat out the Mustang II of Gary Summers. Summers turned in a 13.814, 94.26 performance.
SS/A - For year's Ray Pacquet campaigned his legendary Ford in the SS/C division. This year he's running SS/A where he turned in a 8.757, -0.893 performance.
GRABBING THE GROCERIES - There's a healthy abundance of station wagons in the Stock and Super Stock divisions. 
SHOEBOX DREAMS - Rene Garza had his SS/PA Bel-Air running well with a 11.782, -0.868 performance while [Below] Wayne Denklau had his gear-jamming SS/P wagon lumbering to a 11.652, -0.848.
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WEDNESDAY NOTEBOOK - AND THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY
AND THE LEADERS ARE - The first day of qualifying for the NHRA Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals is complete. After a three-hour delay from Jeff Colvert's crash, the NHRA and four classes managed to get in two sessions.
Super Stock racer Dan Jacobs pushed his GT/G Chevrolet Camaro to the top spot in his division by beating out his first session No. 1 effort with an even better -1.160, 9.590 performance. A distant second was Bill Skillman, who was -1.054, 8.846.
There are 28 cars entered for the Mopar Hemi Shootout, and after two session of Super Stock qualifying, the quickest car against the index is Steven Herbert with an 8.526, -0.774 effort.
In a heads-up race, Larry Hill's Chevrolet pick-up truck wouldn't stand a chance against Chis Holbrooks supercharged Cobra Jet Mustang. However, when running against the V/Stock index, Hill left the Holbrook Factory Showdown Mustang in the dust.
Hill ran a 13.295 elapsed time, -1.955 under his index, to snatch away the No. 1 spot from Holbrook. Holbrook ran an 8.683, 1.417 under the Factory Showdown/A index. There are 185 cars competing in this weekend's event.
STOCK'S SUPER STOCKER - John Stock understands his 1967 Shelby Cobra Super Stocker defies traditional logic.
"It's a one of a kind Super Stocker," said Stock, who races the 285-horse, Cobra Jet [352 pushrod] Ford powered roadster in Super Stock/GT/CA. "But, it's been an option in the guide since they first published it. It's an interesting car."
The Sandusky, Ohio-based Stock said the purpose-built GT Super Stocker is legal in the C/Automatic division.
"I am working on a SS/FA combination to run traditional Super Stock," Stock added. "It will be a regular 428 as published in the guide. I'd like to think that I could eventually get around to that project. I just wanted to get around to something a little more formidable than the 428 combo."
The Shelby Cobra is a break from tradition for Stock, who previous had raced only GM vehicles.
"I worked on this combination for a number of years, and a lot of people really helped me," said Stock. "This is a great finished product that should make everyone who helped proud."
Stock said he hasn't caught much grief from the traditionalists who might contend the car is more suited for Super Gas than Super Stock.
"They've all said it is a nice piece," Stock admitted. "Of course I haven't beaten many people with it. Maybe one day I might win class here."
Stock ran a 10.043 elapsed time, .-357 under his index during the first session. He was No. 138 of 168 entries.
Jeff Colvert was largely uninjured in his Wednesday crash but the same couldn't be said for his phone and prized 1969 Mustang. Jeff Colvert picked the biggest stage in drag racing to experience his first crash.
Colvert, from Arkadelphia, Ark., crashed his 428-inch powered, 1969 Mustang when a brake failure sent his 3300-pound Super Stock/F entry into the catch nets where it came to a stop on its roof during Wednesday qualifying for the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.
Colvert was checked out by medical personnel onsite and released with minor injuries and soreness.
"I'm fine, just a little sore," Colvert said. "That's what happens when you have no brakes at 141 miles per hour."
Colvert's classic Mustang traveled through three nets before striking a row of water barrels where the elasticity of the nets turned the car over backwards.
"I was wondering as I got closer to the nets how the impact was going to feel," recalled Colvert. "I had the brake pedal to the floor and it just wasn't slowing down. I was holding on and had already killed the motor.
"The car was off and out of gear coasting. I shoved it back in gear and started swerving back and forth. I was just trying to scruff off some speed. I finally got it back in gear, but the clutches we run on these cars are so light when the motor isn't running, they just slip. Getting it back in gear didn't help at all. When it hit, it hit hard. I just hung on."
The damage to the nets halted Wednesday's Super Stock qualifying for nearly three hours as the Safety Safari worked to repair the damaged net. At first glance, Colvert's classic Ford will require more than three hours to repair.
"Somebody could probably fix it, it's pretty beat up," said a disappointed Colvert. "The sheet metal, body is damaged badly and the frame is pretty tweaked behind the pillar. It's bent right now."
Colvert has been racing Indy since 1985, when his machine won the SS/F class in its first outing.
"It breaks my heart to see this car like this but it could probably be fixed and definitely can be replaced," said Colvert. "I guess you just have to look at the positives in a clearly negative situation."
A clear positive for Colvert was on the fateful run, he qualified tenth out of 168 entries.
THE HOT HAND - TJ Coughlin is on a hot streak as of late.
Coughlin claimed the Super Gas title at the Division 1 race in Cecil County, Md., two weekends ago and followed that up with a runner-up result in Super Gas this past Sunday in a Division 3 race at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Kentucky.
"All credit to the JEGS.com crew," Coughlin said. "Justin Beaver, Rick Rossiter, Tony Collier, and Greg Cody have given me a perfect race car and that's increased my confidence as a driver. When you combine a great race car with a driver that can do his job you have success, and we've been on a roll lately.
"Beech Bend was a good test and probably a great lead-in to Indy. The track was very warm and I expect we'll see very similar conditions at Lucas Oil Raceway. If we stick to what we're doing, we could have another exciting weekend."
Coughlin will be racing in two different eliminators in Indy. In addition to his Super Gas Corvette, the son of Pro Mod world champion Troy Sr. will wheel his JEGS.com Super Comp dragster. Coughlin actually won Indy before in Super Comp when he claimed the trophy there in 2010.
A TALE OF TWO SUPER COMP CARS - What do you do when you have an extra SS/AH car? If you're Stephen Herbert, you put a slash through your class and put S/C on the window. Well, it's not that cut and dry. The Reher-Morrison tribute car showed up at Indy with a much larger engine [572 inches]. [Below] Bob Eaker's 572-inch powered 1967 Nova Wagon stands out in a sea of dragsters. 
HE'S BACK! - Absence can sometimes make the heart grow fonder. For SS/AH racer Don Bales, three years away from the Big Go helped to deal with the loss of someone close to his heart - his dad
"I had raced the Hemi Shootout for about four years and my dad, my best teammate, passed away and had to deal with that," Bales said. "He's been gone a few years but I knew he would have wanted me to get back out here and race again."
Bill Bales still rides with his son on his 8.9-second passes.
"Keep a picture of him on my dash," Bales proclaimed proudly. "He liked this class and this kind of racing for the same reason I do, and it's my favorite level of drag racing ... heads-up and first to the finish line."
Bales admits that even though he's been away for a while, the class hasn't made significant gains.
"It has leveled off somewhat," Bales said. "I think the class has tightened up a bit from the top to bottom."
Another aspect that hasn't changed with this style of racing is the focus of the competitors. Winning Super Stock doesn't have as much value as the Mopar Hemi Shootout.
"If you're running one of these cars, Friday is your day," said Bales.
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