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Brett
Harris Back and Looking Good
Semi-Final
finish marks stout return
August 08-10
- Boise, ID - For
Firebird Raceway's signature event it was a weekend of warm weather,
huge crowds, record runs, upsets and heart stopping drama as
the 37th edition of the Boise Nightfire Nationals concluded Sunday
night under the dark skies of Idaho. All in all it was a good
weekend for the Nitro Thunder cars as Brett Harris marked his
return to the drivers seat of the Top Fuel car by going to the
semi-finals after carding some great numbers. Jack Harris went
to the second round in his trouble plagued Funny Car.
Photos
and full results below.
This annual event at Boise is
different than most in that the majority of the featured action
happens in the evening into the night. With the first qualifying
session not scheduled until 7 PM, the teams have the luxury of
doing things in the morning (like having a real breakfast or
playing a round of golf) and at a decent hour. Pretty laid back.
Friday - Qualifying
Session One
8:11 p.m. A late
start for the festivities but the day time was taken up with
a bracket race that paid some serious change to win. The Pepsi
NightFire Nationals are a lot more than Top Fuel and Funny car.
There are bracket races all four days of the event and today
they staff of the raceway had to play catch up as the final three
rounds got 'winded out' yesterday evening.
Weather conditions:
air temperature 94 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer
29.75 inches.
The next pair
featured the return of Brett Harris to the seat of "Nitro
Thunder" (aka Big Red) and Brad Thompson in the Thompson
& Bless "Agent Orange" car. Brett had been sidelined
since the 2007 CHRR tending to work and family affairs.
Brett's daughter Carissa
backs dad up from his burnout.
Thompson shook so hard in the
first 60ft that he had to slap of the pedal before getting the
car settled and then still carding an abbreviated 6.072 at just
208.81. Harris had nearly the same ET in the other lane but had
a much faster MPH carding a 6.070 at 245.70.
Saturday had two qualifying sessions
and Big Red was ready early so the team could get some kick back
time in.
If you have a camera,
Kaden Harris (Brett's son) is there!
Jack put on his 5.60 Club sticker.
He and Brad Thompson are the only two members so far but that
figures to change at the 2008 CHRR in October.
Carissa Harris and Loren
Tyrrell - "The Backup Girls"
Saturday - Qualifying
Session Two
2:40 p.m. Weather conditions:
air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 18 percent, barometer
29.80 inches, adjusted altitude 5,400 feet.
In the staging lanes
Kaden had the right idea in 90 degree sun.
Paired as they were in session
one, Brett Harris and Brad Thompson were both trying to improve.
Both cars left with authority.
Harris put Big Red into the fives
with a huge speed (5.901 at 252.88) to provided a fine show for
the fans. Thompson was side by side with Harris all the way down
with a 5.922 at 234.61. Two nice runs under not the best of conditions.
The crew liked it.
What has become a welcome tradition
for the drivers and fans at the Nightfires is the Saturday afternoon
autograph session. This year some of the Funny Car shoes joined
the Top Fuel guys, including Jack and Brett Harris, to sit in
90 degree sun to sign everything from their handouts to T-shirts.
Saturday - Qualifying
Session Three
8:15 p.m. Weather conditions:
air temperature 90 degrees, relative humidity 18 percent, barometer
29.95 inches, adjusted altitude 5,600 feet.
In a rare hiccup for the Nitro
Thunder team, Harris lost fire at the end of his burnout ending
any chance to improve their #3 qualifying position.
Back in the pits no obvious problem
could be found. An air bubble in the fuel line was the likely
cause.
Prior to the first round of eliminations
six of the elite seven members of the Top Fuel 260 MPH Club were
recognized. From L to R: Jason Richey, Jack Harris, Brett Harris,
Don Ewald (for sponsor WDIFL.com), Brad Thompson, Troy Green
and Adam Sorokin. Missing was Pete Kaiser.
260 MPH CLUB
Sunday Eliminations
Round One
2:20 p.m. Weather conditions:
air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer
29.95 inches, adjusted altitude 5,100 feet.
In the hottest part of the day,
Big Red headed for the staging lanes for the first round of eliminations.
Harris ran the forth
pair against Terry Cox.
Harris took a huge lead at the
hit (0.038 to a 0.139) and then had to really drive the car to
keep it in his lane.
Harris carding a 5.899 at 248.00
to move on to round two. In vane, Cox ran his best effort of
the weekend (6.293 at 217.81).
Sunday Eliminations
Round Two
First pair out for round two
was Brett Harris and Rick White. This would prove to be a dandy.
Harris drilled White on the tree
(0.044 to 0.137) leaving the blue car to play some big time catch
up.
In what would prove to be the
quickest side by side race in Boise history, Harris' 5.847 at
257.51 beat White's 5.863 240.83. This was a drag race!
WE WON!
Following their round two win,
the entire Nitro Thunder team was focused on the dragster. With
Jack's funny car out of the program, both teams were all over
Big Red.
Sunday Eliminations
Round Three
Weather conditions: air temperature
83 degrees, relative humidity 14 percent, barometer 29.95 inches,
adjusted altitude 5,350 feet.
Brett and Jack follow the car
to the staging lanes like they are off to play 18 holes of golf.
Facing hard hitting Brad Thompson
in the semi finals, Brett had to get focused so all the fun and
games were over.
With three cars left in the semis,
the pair was Brett Harris and Brad Thompson with Jim Murphy getting
the single. Harris had out preformed Thompson all weekend so
he was a slight favorite.
Thompson got a slight lead at
the hit and then had his best 60' numbers of the event. Harris
was right behind him.
Both cars were nearly welded
together all the way down with Thompson getting the nod with
a "where did that come from?" 5.783 at 262.16 to a
very game 5.824 at 260.19 by Harris. We believe this was the
first ever side by side 260 MPH race in NTF history.
Thompson would go to the final
to face Murphy and Harris would head back to Utah feeling real
good about his comeback performance. Next stop the 17th California
Hot Rod Reunion at Bakersfield in October.
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