NMRA Milan 2008 Friday Coverage

Mark Keiser · #1 (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 01:06 PM

We are here in Milan, Michigan for the third race of the season. The gates were opened a little early to let all the early arriving racers in to get parked. Right after we pulled in the gate and got settled it started to sprinkle. It picked up to a strong sprinkle as you can see in a couple of the photos, but has since stopped and they are working on the track. The plan is to open it up for time trials at 3 pm and qualifying at 7pm. We will keep you updated since it is looking like more rain today.

This event also includes the Ford Racing Media Invitational race. Here is a photo of the cool cars these guys will be racing.

The forecast has not hurt the turnout for the race. As you can see below there are trucks rolling in and tech is keeping busy.

The new Super Stang class looks to have a good turnout for the first race. Here are a couple of the cars that will be competing this weekend.

Mark Keiser · #2 (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 01:24 PM

There are a couple of surprises in the pits I found so far this weekend. Shawn Johnson hurt his Real Street engine last weekend during testing, so in 5 days Shawn swapped his car over to run in the Pure Street class.

Brian Mitchell’s old wizard car is here with a nitrous power plant in it. We will keep an eye on how it runs.

Ron Anderson is here in his silver Pure Street Mustang. This is great news that he is recovering from health problems Ron endured over the winter.

Another racer making his first appearance of the year is Bruce Hemminger.

Mark Keiser · #3 (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 02:59 PM

The lanes were open for test and tune for about an hour or so. It was long enough for John Kolivas to run an 8.05 at 178 in Drag Radial. John McDonald laid down a 7.59 in Super Street Outlaw. Then the rain came back and does not look like it is leavening soon. Steve Matusek is here and you can not tell that he had wrecked the car.

David Purlee showed up to his first NMRA Drag Radial race without a transmission in the car. He is hoping to find all the parts to get it in for a round of qualifying.

Bart Tobener is here in his own car for the first time in EFI Renegade. Bart’s first race on the car was at the last NMCA race.

Mike De Mayo’s pit was flying the School of Automotive Machine. Word is De Mayo has switched engine builders for both of his race cars and SAM has the duties of supplying the horsepower for the Hot Street car.

Mark Keiser · #4 (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 03:27 PM

They have announced we are done for the day due to the rain. The racing will start an hour earlier tomorrow.