Ross Environmental Services supplied the purse. The Mountain Motor Pro Stock competitors delivered the performance Friday night at the 49th annual Night Under Fire.
When qualifying concluded, veteran Jerry Tucker emerged as the provisional No. 1 qualifier, driving his Mountain Motor Pro Stock entry to a 4.058-second pass at 177.16 mph over the eighth mile. His run was nearly five-hundredths of a second quicker than defending NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock champion John DeFlorian.
“[Crew chief] Frank [Gugliotta] has been working real hard and we’ve been trying a lot of stuff and fighting a lot of issues, but finally had all the stars line it up and it went down the track,” Tucker said.
DeFlorian qualified second with a 4.103, followed by Brad Waddle, whose 828-inch Mustang posted a 4.109. Chris Powers (4.138) and Jesse Alexandra (4.144) completed the top five.
“It’s always a good feeling when you’re in the lanes with 24 other cars and it’s a full field and the pressure’s on to perform,” Tucker said. “It’s just a great deal. Those Mountain Motors put on a great race, and the Ross Environmental guys put the money up. It’s a good class, and if there’s a place that’ll race and do it properly, I think the cars, the drivers and the owners will support whoever it is.”
Mountain Motor Pro Stock veteran Elijah Morton rounded out the provisional field with a 5.245-second pass in his Mustang.
Several accomplished racers found themselves outside the 16-car field after the opening qualifying session, including John Montecalvo, Jordan Ensslin, Dwayne Rice, Alan Drinkwater, Mike Coughlin and Johnny Pluchino.
The class also showcased a diverse mix of body styles. While NHRA’s 500-inch Pro Stock category has become heavily Camaro-based, the Night Under Fire field features eight Camaros, nine Mustangs, two Chevrolet Cobalts, two Pontiac GXPs and one Chevrolet Cavalier.
