10-02-05 Bakersfield, CA. Once again Greg Sharp, Sam Jackson, Steve Gibbs and the entire NHRA Motorsports Museum staff gave us yet another unforgettable weekend. CHRR 14 was three days of hot weather filled with non stop action and events punctuated with a 49 car Cacklefest on Saturday night. Emotions ran high as old friends were reunited, fallen comrades remembered, legends honored and some incredibly close racing contested. I'm way done saying, "It can't get any better than this." Because every year it does.

Saturday saw a huge crowd pack Famoso Raceway for Nostalgia Top Fuel qualifying and round one of eliminations under the lights. Come Sunday, a smaller but equally enthusiastic crowd was treated to the last three rounds of the quickest 16 car NTF show in history. For Jack Harris Racing this could have been a forgettable event performance wise as Nitro Thunder didn't qualify all that well and lost in the first round of eliminations. That's the bad news. Enjoy the story, photos and good news below.

Friday afternoon and its HOT (95 degrees). Brett Harris was paired with Jim Murphy for this first session of qualifying.

Harris staged but Murphy had a real nasty moment when his reverser malfunctioned as he was putting the pre-stage light was on. He rolled backwards and out of the lights to regroup. Harris left and Murphy restaged and waited for the tree to be set before he left. After the run (and thinking of the possible consequences) Murphy told me it was one of the scariest things that ever happened to him. Had the reverser done that at the hit --- well you figure it out.

Harris left hard and tripped the beams with a 6.015 at 244.53. After collecting himself, Murphy restaged and ran a 6.135 at 236.53.

Saturday morning it was maintenance as usual in the pits. Expectations were high as the new light weight Crower "knife edge" crank was keeping the bearings like new.

Saturday afternoon saw the second and last qualifying session. Due to the opposite lane assignments Brett Harris heats the tires for a single.

Harris left hard and ran a 1.059 sixty foot number but he was off the pedal well before the end of the run netting a 6.128 at just 209.64. He remained in the # 6 spot with his earlier 6.01.

After every run during qualifying and a winning run in eliminations each car is weighed to make sure it makes the minimum limit of 1600 lbs. All weights are with driver.

In the first round of eliminations on Saturday night Harris was paired with Rick White.

This didn't go as planned... White left on Harris and then proceeded to pull away at every marker on the track to a 5.972 at 242.06 win. Harris played catch up with a 6.043 at 240.25. An upset for sure but see below what Jack runs in the car on Sunday.

None of the Nitro Thunder crew was thrilled with their first round loss the previous night and after a tear down found the problem - they were battling a warped flywheel all weekend so every run that Brett made the clutch "sawed" through all the discs. So Jack decided to make a pass in the car on Sunday with a complete new clutch. The gang readies the car.

Prior to the second round of Top Fuel on Sunday morning the 16 members of the 250 MPH Club were honored and introduced by Dave McClelland. From left to right: Jim Murphy, Gerry Steiner, Jack Harris, Howard Haight, Jeff Diehl (not pictured) Dale Suhr for Roger Lechtenberg, Mendy Fry, Bill Dunlap, Jason Richey (not pictured), Terry Cox, Brett Harris, Lee Jennings Sr., Rick White, Rick McGee, Sean Bellemeur and Rick Rogers. 250 MPH Club

Jack got his chance to make a run just before the third round of Top Fuel eliminations. He was paired with Terry Cox who was also testing a tune up change. The starter is on the engine and they are ready to roll. Other than the clutch, the tune-up was that same as the night before.

As Harris moves in to stage the tires are cleaned, the data computer is activated and the tire temperature is taken.

Harris tested indeed stunning everybody with the second quickest (only to Jim Murphy's 5.71) and fastest (breaking his own record of 262) AA/FD run in history.

On an absolutely flawless run Harris lit up the scoreboard with a 5.725 at 265.09.

As well he should have, Harris and crew towed back in front of the stands to screams and cheers.

Jack shows off the one and only 260 MPH Club hat after his historic run.

All's well that ends well. You can't win every race but you can sure let everybody know you were there.