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Eliminations - Round Three

2:30 p.m. With just four cars left in - two of them still in contention for the championship - all eyes were riveted on the starting line. The first pair matched Jim Murphy and Brett Harris who had lane choice. It was do or die for Murphy and a walk in the park for Harris who was there to play the role of spoiler.

In less than 6 seconds the drama was over. Harris unloaded low ET and top speed of the event (5.696 at 260.56). Murphy's 5.810 at 258.99 was no match and just like that Troy Green was the 2008 Top Fuel Champion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harris was out first and never looked back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low ET and top speed of the event (5.696 at 260.56) and Harris was in the final.

 

 

 

 

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Prior to the semi finals Walt Stevens (from High Speed Motorsports) told Brett he'd kiss him if he beat Murphy. Walt is a man of his word.

 

One of the local TV stations cornered Brett for an interview.

 

 

And the car got buttoned up for its last battle.

 

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Eliminations - Final

5:00 p.m. Right on schedule Brett Harris and Rick White did their burnouts for the honor of winning the 17th annual CHRR.

 

 

 

 

 

The burnout itself sounded fine.

 

But by the time Steve Tyrrell started backing Brett up it became clear to anyone who knows what Harris' engine usually sounds like that something was not right.

 

 

 

 

 

The engine was clearly running on 7 cylinders with smoke and raw fuel coming out of both banks.

 

You could see the concerned looks on the crews faces. Jack Harris (on right) moved toward the car.

 

 

All the while Rick White and his crew were going about their normal procedures.

 

Harris got the signal to shut the wounded hemi down and all a dejected Harris could do is watch Rick White single for all the marbles.

 

 

 

 

 

At this point nobody knew what the problem was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was not the way the team wanted the car to return to its pit but as they say, "That's drag racin'." They would soon find out that an exhaust rocker arm had broken on the burnout. A tough way to loose especially when you were the class of the field.

And so ended another season for Nitro Thunder and Jack Harris Racing. The team will spend the next 4 months getting both the Top Fuel car and Funny Car ready for the 2009 season. See all of you at the March Meet.

 

Page One: CHRR Qualifying