Drag Illustrated Issue 159, August 2020 | Page 96

TOP FUEL ELIMINATOR QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS (1000-feet) RANK PERF DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 3.623 Brittany Force Mohnton PA 9/14/2019 1 338.17 Brittany Force Las Vegas NV 11/1/2019 NHRA PRO STOCK ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS (EFI, quarter-mile) RANK E.T. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 6.460 Matt Hartford Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 TOP 8 FUNNY CAR ELIMINATOR QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS (1000-feet) RANK PERF DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 3.793 Robert Hight Brainerd MN 8/18/2017 1 339.87 Robert Hight Sonoma CA 7/28/2017 TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) RANK PERF DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 5.103 Bill Reichert Baytown TX 4/1/2007 1 285.83 Don St. Arnaud Pomona CA 11/10/2016 TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) RANK PERF DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 5.352 Sean Bellemeur Gainesville FL 3/17/2019 1 275.56 John Lombardo, Jr. Gainesville FL 3/21/2016 NHRA PRO STOCK ELIMINATOR QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS (carbureted, quarter-mile) RANK PERF DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 6.455 Jason Line Concord NC 3/29/2015 1 215.55 Erica Enders-Stevens Englishtown NJ 5/31/2014 2 6.467 Aaron Stanfield Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 3 6.468 Erica Enders Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 4 6.470 Greg Anderson Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 5 6.472 Deric Kramer Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 6 6.476 Jason Line Gainesville FL 3/17/2017 7 6.478 Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 8 6.480 Kyle Koretsky Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 NHRA PRO STOCK ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS (EFI, quarter-mile) RANK M.P.H. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 214.59 Greg Anderson Gainesville FL 3/17/2017 2 214.31 Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Gainesville FL 3/17/2017 3 214.28 Bo Butner Gainesville FL 3/17/2017 4 214.18 Erica Enders Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 5 214.11 Shane Gray Gainesville FL 3/17/2017 6 214.08 Vince Nobile Gainesville FL 3/18/2017 7 213.87 Jason Line Gainesville FL 3/17/2017 8 213.37 Tanner Gray Gainesville FL 3/17/2017 CHUCK BAIRD OBLITERATES NOSTALGIA TOP FUEL RECORDS! Chuck and Tina Baird, the legendary husband/ wife team whose drag racing partnership spans over forty years, entered the drag racing record books once again with the quickest and fastest eighth-mile pass ever clocked by a front-engined Top Fuel Dragster. Baird, whose humble beginnings in Assumption, Illinois, took him from some of the quickest bracket racing machinery ever seen to the first 250 mph pass ever recorded by a blown alcohol dragster, was one of the most dominant Top Alcohol Dragster campaigners in the 1990s. Although now out of the national limelight, Chuck and Tina have remained busy with a front-engined nitro-burner carrying their traditional red-and-gold livery and “Wild Side” name. The Bairds restrict their activities to Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana which may seem like tight confines but the four-state area contains no less than thirty-eight active dragstrips! The “Wild Side” team holds the track records at the majority of eighth-mile facilities in the region and it has a massive following at each track. Baird gave a hint of the car’s power when a new tune-up in late 2019 produced a stunning early shut-off 3.69 at only 197 mph. Coming into 2020, the quickest eighth-mile clocking for a front-engined dragster stood at an amazing 3.64 shut-off pass by Mendy Fry, the California-based World Champion who would later wreck the NHRA National Heritage Series quarter-mile mark with her infamous 5.49 at the 2019 “March Meet” at Bakersfield, CA. It should be noted Fry’s eighth-mile on the 5.49 pass was a 3.67. Returning to World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, IL, (site of the 3.69), for a match race against John Umlauf’s new Monza Nostalgia AA/FC, the Bairds were faced with less than favorable atmospheric conditions but still managed a 3.72 at an ungodly 221.67 mph to win the opening round. Chuck, Tina and team members Todd Musick and Carl Huels took advantage of better air in the second round and used a perfectly-prepared track to unleash a staggering 3.610 at a jaw-dropping 228.96 mph speed to claim not only the ET record but the AA/FD eighth-mile speed mark, as well. One month later at a Nostalgia Drag Racing League event at Madison, Baird used a modified tune-up after consultation with tuning legend Tom Conway. The first of two passes resulted in a phenomenal 3.551 at a coasting 216 mph during which Baird insisted he lifted off the throttle because a loose chin strap caused him to lose sight of the track! The day’s second run produced a piston-burning 3.57 at the PHOTO: MIKE KELM NHRA PRO MODIFIED ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) UNLIMITED TURBOCHARGED PRO MODIFIED ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) UNLIMITED SUPERCHARGED PRO MODIFIED ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) UNLIMITED NITROUS OXIDE PRO MODIFIED ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) RANK E.T. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE RANK E.T. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE RANK E.T. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE RANK E.T. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 5.623 Justin Bond Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 1 5.379 Khalid Mohammed Sakhir BAH 2/28/2018 1 5.424 John Zappia Dinwiddie VA 10/19/2017 1 5.572 Dean Marinis Budds Creek MD 10/5/2019 2 5.643 Steve Jackson Gainesville FL 3/17/2019 2 5.403 Jose Gonzalez Cecil GA 3/10/2017 2 5.476 Frankie Taylor Madison IL 8/23/2014 2 5.622 Fred Scriba Budds Creek MD 10/5/2019 3 5.656 Jason Scruggs Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 3 5.440 Eric Dillard Las Vegas NV 11/19/2017 3 5.513 Justin Jones Las Vegas NV 11/23/2019 3 5.689 Rickie Smith Bithlo FL 3/6/2020 4 5.657 Jose Gonzalez Concord NC 4/26/2019 4 5.461 Turki al Zafiri Madison IL 8/23/2014 4 5.521 Kevin McCurdy Budds Creek MD 10/5/2019 4 5.710 Khalid al Balooshi Gainesville FL 3/16/2019 5 5.660 Alex Laughlin Bithlo FL 3/7/2020 5 5.524 Rick Hord Las Vegas NV 11/15/2018 5 5.522 Aaron Wells Las Vegas NV 11/24/2019 5 5.713 Bob Rahaim Gainesville FL 3/16/2019 6 5.662 Todd Tutterow Gainesville FL 3/17/2019 6 5.543 Ed Thornton Las Vegas NV 11/18/2018 6 5.527 Jason Scruggs Bradenton FL 3/15/2016 6 5.718 Chad Green Gainesville FL 3/16/2019 7 5.674 Jeremy Ray Gainesville FL 3/16/2019 7 5.565 Paul Mouhayet Las Vegas NV 11/21/2015 7 5.527 Scott McLean Willowbank QLD 6/2/2018 7 5.734 Ed Burnley Crofton MD 9/9/2017 8 5.676 Mike Castellana Madison IL 9/22/2018 8 5.591 Troy Coughlin Las Vegas NV 11/20/2016 8 5.534 Mattias Wulcan Poddington ENG 5/20/2018 8 5.753 Mahana al Naemi Doha QAT 1/15/2016 NHRA PRO MODIFIED ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) UNLIMITED TURBOCHARGED PRO MODIFIED ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) UNLIMITED SUPERCHARGED PRO MODIFIED ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) UNLIMITED NITROUS OXIDE PRO MODIFIED ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS (quarter-mile) RANK M.P.H. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE RANK M.P.H. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE RANK M.P.H. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE RANK M.P.H. DRIVER SITE STATE DATE 1 261.22 Erica Enders Norwalk OH 6/22/2019 1 278.79 Khalid Mohammed Sakhir BAH 2/28/2018 1 266.74 John Stanley Las Vegas NV 11/19/2017 1 255.19 Dean Marinis Budds Creek MD 10/5/2019 2 260.41 Steve Matusek Norwalk OH 6/22/2019 2 275.45 Eric Dillard Las Vegas NV 11/19/2017 2 266.42 Aaron Wells Las Vegas NV 11/24/2019 2 254.28 Rickie Smith Bithlo FL 3/6/2020 3 259.96 Jose Gonzalez Concord NC 4/27/2019 3 274.83 Troy Coughlin Las Vegas NV 11/21/2015 3 265.33 John Zappia Dinwiddie VA 10/19/2017 3 252.85 Khalid al Balooshi Gainesville FL 3/16/2019 4 259.91 Mike Bowman Las Vegas NV 10/27/2017 4 274.61 Ed Thornton Las Vegas NV 11/18/2018 4 263.82 Mike Maggio Las Vegas NV 11/24/2014 4 251.58 Fred Scriba Budds Creek MD 10/5/2019 5 259.66 Don Walsh Las Vegas NV 10/31/2015 5 274.33 Paul Mouhayet Madison IL 8/28/2015 5 263.77 Frankie Taylor Madison IL 8/23/2014 5 251.49 Bob Rahaim Topeka KS 5/20/2017 6 259.56 Sidnei Frigo Concord NC 10/14/2018 6 272.83 Turki al Zafiri Madison IL 8/23/2014 6 262.67 Mattias Wulcan Poddington ENG 5/20/2018 6 251.34 Chad Green Norwalk OH 6/22/2019 7 259.31 Troy Coughlin Norwalk OH 6/24/2017 7 272.34 Greg Tsakiridis Eastern Creek NSW 7/20/2019 7 261.02 Steve King Budds Creek MD 10/5/2019 7 250.97 Jonathan Gray Baytown TX 4/21/2017 8 259.16 Alex Laughlin Norwalk OH 6/22/2019 8 267.64 Rick Snavely Las Vegas NV 11/23/2019 8 260.95 Paul Mouhayet Kwinana Beach WAU 3/3/2018 8 250.92 Erica Enders Clermont IN 9/1/2018 ATTENTION READERS & RACERS: The Drag Illustrated Top Eight lists do not include the eight quickest elapsed times or eight fastest speeds recorded in each class. The Lists also do not reflect the eight quickest or fastest vehicles. The DI Top Eight lists rank the quickest and fastest drivers in each Eliminator category. The DI Top Eight rankings do not necessarily reflect the current National or World Records of any association. For current official world records, consult the sanctioning body or racing organization. Listings are not subject to verification or confirmation by any other runs. A claim to any record may be made by submitting all pertinent information and a photo or scan of a timeslip to [email protected]. Performances recorded outside organized drag racing events are accepted in all classes except NHRA Pro Modified, NHRA Pro Stock, NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster, NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car, Extreme Pro Stock and X275 Eliminators. Testing results may be subject to additional scrutiny. Drag Illustrated reserves the right to refuse a claim for any reason. 96 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated.com Issue 159