With one of the most picturesque settings in ADRL history, the second round of qualifying at historic Bristol Dragway more than delivered in an oustanding session of racing on Friday at the ADRL Spring Drags III.
As racers continued to rave about racing in Thunder Valley for the first time or returning for the first time in several years, the action more than lived up to the high expectations coming into the race.
Jason Scruggs laid down an amazing 3.649 at 206.57 miles per hour, highlighting a session that had standout runs in every class. With Scruggs’ Pro Extreme Corvette echoing in the mountains, he pulled off a marvelous run as the sun started to set.
Minutes earlier, it was Doug Riesterer who thrilled the crowd in Bristol with the first 3.70s run in Pro Nitrous in 2012, going 3.79. Riesterer didn’t arrive until nearly 11:30 a.m. on Friday, but things appear to be clicking for the innovative Texan.
In Extreme Pro Stock, it was John DeFlorian who jumped to the top of the pack with a 4.10. While many drivers in the class reminisced about returned to Bristol for the first time in more than a decade, the performance topped what nearly everyone in the class predicted. A great deal of drivers expected things to top out in the mid-4.10s in the high altitude, but DeFlorian and a number of others shattered those ideas heading into the final qualifying session under the lights.
Japel Heard was the surprise standout in Pro Extreme Motorcycle, showing continuous improvement in a highly-competitive class. Heard went 4.133 right out of the trailer to set the car in what is another strong field.
Coming off his first ADRL win, Alan Pittman seems to be shooting even higher, delivering a career-best 3.86 in the middle of the day in Mickey Thompson Extreme 10.5.
But the general theme through the pits continued to be the praise everyone shared regarding the track, the scene and a simply unbelievable atmosphere.
Mike Castellana’s 3.88 puts him in line to be the favorite once again in Aeromotive Fuel Systems Pro Modified.
In Summit Racing Top Sportsman, a huge class delivered plenty of thrills, topped by Chuck Mohn’s 4.10.
(Photos by ADRL/Richards)
