Remember the raging Southern California wildfires that collectively charred as much land as the entire state of Rhode Island a few months back? Well, guess what else was happening at the exact same time? You guessed it-the NHRA Sport Compact World Finals. We were there, breathing in the noxious fumes of toasted chipmunks and scorched rabbits, experiencing what was quite possibly the most surreal drag race we've ever attended.
If you look at the photos, you'll notice that each run appears as if it was staged at sunset, but they actually weren't. Almost all of the pictures we snapped were at high noon or slightly after, but the Snoop-sized clouds of smoke wafting above our heads tinted the sunlight with a deep, unhealthy orange hue. Add a few plumes of tire smoke, plenty of falling ash, the sweet stench of nitrous, lots of coughing, our lungs disintegrating, and a few record-breaking achievements on the track, and you have the weekend of the NHRA Finals summed up in a nice, smoldering little nutshell.
Pro RWD
Looking at the official record books, you would probably venture to think Steph Papadakis pulled a beginner's mistake during the final round, seeing as though he had an easy win until he crossed the centerline at the end. But then you would just believe everything you read, which, because you read this magazine, is a very bad trait. We can say for sure, since we were there, that the ash content on the track was higher than the average can of cat food, which made conditions very slippery. We also heard via spies down the line that the top end was quite greasy due to a lack of upkeep by the time the final rounds rolled in, a very unsavory characteristic in professional racing. So, we're siding with Steph here, who we believe heroically avoided mashing his car into the left wall by crossing over into Hiroshi Shiobara's lane. Not that it mattered to Hiroshi, who was watching Steph from the staging area as his 300ZX sat still with mechanical problems. However, rules are rules, so Hiroshi takes the win, while Steph hangs his head in shave. Er, shame.
Pro FWD
Lisa Kubo blew the doors off her challengers, along with the minds of everyone at the race. Not only did she reach deep down into the 8-second range's pockets, but she also did it when it counted most. Her qualifying run on Saturday brought the expectations of a record-breaking day with an 8.046-second run at 185.68 mph. Then, to add even more insult to her competitors, her luck pounded through the thick smoke when it mattered most on Sunday as she made an 8.087-second run at 187.93 mph, a new national record for the Pro FWD class. But does she stop there? Ha, not even close. The final round resulted in an 8.701-second pass at 161.43 mph-not quite a record breaker, but definitely a great run, and certainly good enough for Lisa to take home the winnings.
Modified
Jamaica, Queens, was in the hizz for the Modified class as Vinny Ten, an East Sider in a '95 Toyota Supra, dominated throughout. Consistently locking in the 7-second range, Vinny must've had the sorest neck muscles in Pomona as he absorbed the excessive g-forces like a champ. Up against the venerable Ray Lockhead in his RX-7, the race appeared to be evenly matched. That is, until Vinny wound up at the finish line with Ray still sitting at the starting line with his car turned off. By the time Ray restarted, Vinny had already tasted the sweet Big Mac of victory with a flawless 7.725-second pass at 178.46 mph.