For most of us it was a long cold winter - we wanted some sunshine and needed a nitro fix! The Goodguys 2004 45th March Meet was just what the doctor ordered. In spite of outrageous rip-off gas prices, for the forty fifth year in a row a full complement of race cars invaded the hallowed grounds of Fomosa Raceway and gave the record crowd one hell of a show.

When the warm California sun set Sunday evening, Murphy and crew were the victors over another stellar field of Nostalgia Top Fuel Dragsters. The final pitted the two quickest cars on the property, the yellow and black OSH entry of Murphy and the VRA Speed record holder, Jack "The Sheriff" Harris in his "Nitro Thunder" fueler. Murphy's 5.88 @ 247 was just enough to beat Harris' 5.92 @ 241 and give the OSH team their first step in repeating their VRA Top Fuel Championship and keeping the big # 1 on the car.

Backing up to Friday (which offered only one qualifying session), the 21 top fuel cars entered found the hot track to be tricky and a little slippery on the top end. It was looking like the combination of warm weather and the new Nostalgia Top Fuel VRA rules implemented this season (designed to slow the cars down), would keep the times far off what we saw at the Goodguys Finals last November.

When the dust settled (literally) on Saturday it was Jack Harris on top of the A Field with a sterling 5.907.

In the first qualifying session on Friday Jack "The Sheriff" Harris was ready. Coming into the meet the Nitro Thunder team had three major situations to deal with. One being a brand new car that had never been down a drag strip. The second was tuning around the new rules implemented by the VRA this year meant to slow the cars down. (Harris' 259 last season was deemed "too fast" by the powers to be). The third factor was the weather. Unlike the perfect racing temperatures (mid 60s) here last November for the Finals, this weekend would bring mid to high 80s - not ideal racing temps.

Everyone held their collective breaths as Harris launched the car for its first pass. With a "light" tune-up, the car left a little soft but started to haul down track.

Being a new car, Harris was advised to make a half pass but it felt so good he took it about 1000 feet when the tires got loose and he shut it off to a 6.11 @ 212 - not bad for the maiden run.

In session two on Saturday Harris who, because of the alternate lane assignments in qualifying, got another single.

No dummies, these boys from Utah. On just the second pass with their new Nitro Thunder, Harris dips into the fives with a nice 5.979 @ 237.34.

By design, the new car arches up like a modern fueler from about sixty feet mark on. After the first pass Jack had to "raise himself in the seat" so he could see over the injector when the car did arch. Caught him off guard the first session.

For the third time in as many sessions "The Sheriff" had a singel for the final session.

Third run on the car, it left hard and once again improvement on performance.

Harris just barely knocks Murphy out of the top qualifying spot with a 5.902 @ 252.80. Murphy does hold on to top speed of the event at the close of qualifying. Once again, the two "Big Dogs" are one and two on opposite sides of the ladder.

Final Top Fuel Qualifying

'A' Field

1. Jack Harris 5.907 @ 252.80
2. Jim Murphy 5.919 @ 255.31
3. Bill Dunlap 5.937 @ 221.72
4. Jeff Diehl 5.995 @ 247.45
5. Jason Richey 6.071 @ 241.22
6. Brendan Murry 6.137 @ 230.59
7. Pete Kaiser 6.145 @ 229.59
8. Chuck Tanko 6.173 @ 227.50

'B' Field

9. Sean Bellemeur 6.178 @ 238.03
10. Lee Jennings 6.207 @ 227.73
11. Rick White 6.377 @ 163.69
12. Rick McGee 6.380 @ 175.91
13. Denver Schutz 6.412 @ 226.07
14. Rick Rogers 6.554 @ 202.93
15. Mark Malde 6.614 @ 215.67
16. Dusty Renteria 6.702 @ 184.53

This is usually the most predictable race of the opening round. All the money was on Jack Harris - Chuck Tanko being the definite long shot.

No problem! Harris strapped a huge holeshot on Tanko and never looked back taking the win with another 5.90 @ 251.

Jack's race in the semis promised to be a dandy. Harris coming off a round one 5.900 @ 251.25 and Jeff Diehl off a 5.947 @ 245.09.

Both cars left together but it was Harris all the way as he again card low ET of the meet with a 5.888 @ 253.80. Note as his ET drops his MPH goes up. Looks like Murphy could be in big trouble for the final.

Diehl couldn't repeat as he blew the tires off before 60 feet mark and this tough competitor had to coast to a 12.865 @ 62.36 - his worst run of the weekend.

The Top Fuel final pitted the #1 and #2 qualifiers - Harris vs Jim Murphy - again. This seemed to be a repeat of the entire 2003 season. But this is the match up the fans pay their money to see. Friends off the track - fierce rivals on - when these two come to the line there is no quarter given, no easy tune-up - no shut off early.

 

Harris leaves first (barely) but Murphy caught him by half track. Both cars thundered toward the finish line side by side ... an extremely close drag race.

At the stripe it was Murphy with a stout 5.888 (low ET of the meet) @ 247 to Harris' very close 5.92 @ 241. Jim Murphy's margin of victory was a scant 0.0350 seconds (approximately 12 feet).

Although disappointed, Harris and the Nitro Thunder team knew they had an animal on their hands and the wind would come soon.