Capacity crowd on hand for weather-shortened race
BATON ROUGE, La. (May 5, 2012)
– For 60 incredible minutes the capacity crowd at the Mardi Gras Nitro
Jam presented by Domino's Pizza witnessed fast times and great racing.
And then the rain came.
Just
as the Mardi Gras Nitro Jam was set to kick into high gear Saturday
evening a passing thundershower passed over State Capitol Raceway,
postponing the remaining rounds to Sunday afternoon and giving Louisiana
fans another full day of racing.
Mike Hilsabeck
All
of the nitro classes and a few pairs of Outlaw Pro Modified were able
to make passes before weather washed out the remainder of the
professional card. The monster truck duo of Grave Digger and Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtle and the jet show brought Saturday's action to a
close just before midnight.
Fans
in attendance at Saturday's Mardi Gras Nitro Jam will be able to bring
their ticket back on Sunday to see the finals of all of the professional
classes including competition in Pro Fuel Dragster, AMSOIL Prostalgia
Nitro Funny Car, Fuel Altered, Nitro Harley and Outlaw Pro Modified in
addition to another jet show plus a full day of sportsman racing during
the Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL. Fans
wanting to take advantage of Sunday's Mardi Gras Nitro Jam finale that
weren't in attendance on Saturday can purchase tickets at the front
gate.
Racing
will get underway at 9 a.m. with sportsman racing and another round of
Outlaw Pro Modified qualifying with the finals of Nitro Jam set to begin
at 11 a.m.
James Day
Prior to Saturday's thundershower all of the nitro classes got in one round of competition and what a round it was.
Fuel
Altered saw one of the more entertaining rounds of competition as Mike
Hilsabeck and Ron Maroney – both from Arizona – set up a rematch of
Friday's final with a pair of quick passes. Hilsabeck, behind the wheel
of the "Arizona Thunder" Fuel Altered, set low ET of round one with a
6.578, 181.52 to drive around Tom Padilla. Maroney, behind the wheel of
the "Blind Faith" entry, was just off the pace with a 6.521, 212.11 over
Kyle Hough.
Saturday
also saw a great show from the AMSOIL Prostalgia Nitro Funny car lineup
as James Day in the "Candies & Hughes" Barracuda defeated Brad
Thompson in the "Wheel Vintiques" Nova with a 6.053, 236.03 to
Thompson's 6.457, 188.24. The pair will square off once again on Sunday.
Bill Evans
Pro
Fuel Dragster will see a new matchup in the final as Bill Evans and the
"Black Pearl" team set low ET of the round with a 5.510, 257.51 to
square off with Robin Samsel in "Predator" who posted a 5.776, 246.71.
Cherissa Smallwood and Kristen Dennis – both with wins already this
season – will meet in the consolation round.
Wrapping
up the nitro classes was Nitro Harley as Jay Turner advanced past 2011
class champion Steve Dorn and will meet Canadian Mike Scott in the
final. Dorn and Randal Andras will meet in the consolation pairing.
The
Outlaw Pro Modified field looks the same as Friday with Denham Springs,
La. native Al Suggs Jr. topping the field in his Mardi Gras themed
Willys with a 3.981, 181.48 in the 1/8th mile. Last year's winner Joe
Palmisano is second on the charts, followed by Joseph Mohana, Bill
Doucet and Delaney Weaver.
Don't
miss another full day of racing on Sunday as the Mardi Gras Nitro Jam
presented by Domino's Pizza comes to close with four nitro classes,
Outlaw Pro Mods, jets, sportsman cars and more.
Jay Turner
|
NITRO HARLEY:
ROUND ONE -- Jay Turner, Broke def. Steve Dorn, DQ; Mike Scott, 6.646, 184.08 def. Randal Andras, 10.901, 129.96;
PROSTALGIA NITRO FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- James Day, Barracuda, 6.053, 236.03 def. Brad Thompson, Nova, 6.457, 188.24; James Day, Plymouth Barracuda, 6.053, 236.03 def. Brad Thompson, Chevy Nova, 6.457, 188.24;
PRO FUEL DRAGSTER:
ROUND ONE -- Robin Samsel, Dragster, 5.776, 246.71 def. Cherissa Smallwood, Innovative, 7.232, 141.33; Bill Evans, Spitzer, 5.510, 257.51 def. Kristen Dennis, Monden, 8.727, 95.11;
NOSTALGIA FUEL ALTERED:
ROUND ONE -- Mike Hilsabeck, '23-T Ford, 6.578, 181.52 def. Tom Padilla, '23-T, 6.799, 209.93; Ron Maroney, Bantam, 6.521, 212.11 def. Kyle Hough, '23-T, DQ;
