For this weekend, we’re stationed here at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, California for the NMCA West showdown. To say it’s hot would be a complete understatement. Our current temperature is just near 100 degrees and it hasn’t even hit noon yet. However, the remaining race weekend should have slightly cooler temperatures. So, what’s on the grid for this weekends round of races? For starters, The Flowmaster NMCA WEST will be here on the Autoclub Raceway at Pomona all weekend for August 17-19. Of course, we’ll be here all weekend to cover the entire event all the way through finals. This will be the second Annual Lucas Oil NMCA WEST Coast Shootout, which is presented by JE Pistons. What’s more, this is the second of four races where drivers will earn championship points. With only three races scheduled for this specific track, the NMCA WEST is privileged to be here at this iconic track. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. We’ll have all the coverage, including qualifying, eliminations, semi’s and the finals. Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, SCT Performance. For all your high plug and play performance, look no further than SCT Performance. We’ll have complete coverage of today’s elimination rounds including semi’s and the finals. Stay tuned, we’ll have more as the show goes on!
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We're already on our way to a great day of racing here at Pomona for the NMCA WEST Series race. The heads up classes have just been called, including the Pro Street class, which will be running first.
Morning Pit Notes – Behind the Scenes
After suffering from that nasty spill on Friday, Cedric Washington stayed focused and is now the number one qualifier in the Outlaw 8.5 class with a best ET of 5.35.Another Outlaw 8.5 contestant, Ron Shaw, is a street class record holder with a personal best ET of 8.96 at 160 mph. Here, Ron is making some pre-race final adjustments.Roger Holder was just wrapping up some last minute checks on his Camaro. Josh Deeds and Eddie Rios were there as well to touch base and wish Holder luck.A crew member is filling up the crankcase on John Scialpi's True Street '57 Chevy. Like most other racers, John mentioned that the track was quite slippery throughout the weekend.Here racer and team owner, Chip Rumis, celebrates the victory of successfully applying the event windshield banner to his Pro Street Cobalt, despite the morning wind.This '69 Camaro SS belongs to Eric Gustufson, and packs 412ci. of ProCharged-boosted LSX. Eric was on hand to answer our questions feeling confident about the day.
First Round Eliminations – Heads Up Classes
Larry Drake set up for the go during his first round of eliminations. However, Drake's 5.24 at 157 mph was not enough compared to the his opponents 4.18 at 177 mph.Chip Rumis, who we previously mentioned was successful in applying a window sticker, just went 4.52 at 155 during his first round of eliminations. Rumis managed the lead and will advance to the next round of eliminations.Russ Delia out of the True Ten.5 class put on a show by riding out his bucking '68 Camaro. What started as a mild wheel stand ended up with the Camaro completely riding out the bumper. This run put on quite the show, although we don't think the oil pan was as excited.Al Jimenez was having some issues with spinning the tires, however, he still managed to go 4.76 at 155 mph. Jimenez has told us that for his next round of eliminations, pulling out some timing will help keep the tires in check.Again, Mike Saiki proved to stay on top. This round Saiki's '72 'Vette went 5.520 at 133 for the win against Cameron Hensley's '02 Camaro.Van Tol's '64 Chevelle took the light against Mark Washington; however, it wasn't enough. Washington came around Van Tol with a 5.39 at 134 mph. Washington advances to the next round.
Allen Stewart True Ten.5 Crash Sequence
Things started off well for in the second round of True Ten.5, until Stewart crossed lanes. Stewart did what any good racer would do; pulling the chute early, however, the Camaro was still packing a lot of energy and eventually smacked the wall.
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Thankfully, Allen Stewart was able to walk away from the accident completely unhurt, although his Camaro will need some touch up before it's ready to race again.
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Pit Notes – After Second Round Eliminations
Unfortunately, Ryan Toaster Jones was unable to keep up the pace. Toaster's Nova unexpectedly blew a burned a head gasket and was unable to make the second round of eliminations. We'll see him in a couple weeks in Arizona, he'll be back.
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Lepone Jr. wanted to make sure his team and car were ready for the next round. Lepone Jr's team hustled to fine tune and make any last minute adjustments necessary.
Third Round Eliminations – Advances To Final Round
Round three saw Pro Street favorite Scialpi sleeping at the light, however, still managed to pull out the win. Scialpi went 4.16 at 172 against Greg Seth-Hunter’s ’07 Mustang. Scialpi will go to the finals.Although True Ten.5's Rick Snavely took a single run down the track, that meant it was up to Al Jimenez and Scott Wile in his big-block powered '89 Toyota pickup. Yeah, that's right we said Toyota. Wile's '89 took the hole shot with a quicker light at .066 than Jimenez with a .0.94. However, Wile shut it down early and Jimenez took the win (4.85 at 154 mph), advancing himself to the finals against Snavely.
Final Rounds – For The Class Win!
Pro Street's John Scialpi, a Phelan, California resident took the light away from Joe Lepone Jr in his ’57 Bel Air. Scialpi’s win light took him all the way to victory and managed a blazing 4.05 at 182 mph against Lepone Jr.’s 4.20 at 175 mph. Scialpi wins the Wally.The finals were tough during Outlaw 8.5. With Mark Washington against Cedric Washington, it was for sure a win for Washington. Wait, I know it’s confusing. Mark Washington cut a .057 light against Cedric’s lazy, .0164. Mark Washington was able to keep up the distance, taking the win and the Wally with a 5.44 at 134 mph.Drag Radial finals threw in Artis Houston's '71 598-inch Nova against the consistent Kevin Jones and his ProCharged '86 Camaro. Jones go the hole shot and was able to keep the lead with a final time of 5.01 against Houston's 5.07. Wow, talk about a close finish. Jones grabbed up the Wally for finals.Talk about a man on a mission. Jimenez began the weekend as top qualifier for the True Ten.5 class and essentially dominated the entire weekend, even after battle some tire slip. Eventually, Jimenez saw Snavely during the final round. Unlike most of the True Ten.5 class, Jimenez's leaf spring car is confusing to watch during the launch. While most cars squat, Jimenez's Camaro stiffens up, lifts the front and went for the win. Even though Snavely snagged the hole shot, Jimenez was able to come around for the win and the Wally. Jimenez went 4.88 against Snavely's 4.97.
Final Round Video Recap
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The Winners Circle
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We weren't able to grab shots of all the finalists. But here's Kevin Young and crew (top) while Jimenz and Tony Aneian crew celebrate their wins.
See you in Phoenix, Arizona on September 21-23 for our continued coverage of the NMCA West Series.
For this weekend, we’re stationed here at Autoclub Raceway at Pomona, California for the NMCA West showdown. To say it’s hot would be a complete understatement. Our current temperature is just near 100 degrees and it hasn’t even hit noon yet. However, the remaining race weekend should have slightly cooler temperatures. So, what’s on the grid for this weekends round of races? For starters, The Flowmaster NMCA WEST will be here on the Autoclub Raceway at Pomona all weekend for August 17-19. Of course, we’ll be here all weekend to cover the entire event all the way through finals. This will be the second Annual Lucas Oil NMCA WEST Coast Shootout, which is presented by JE Pistons. What’s more, this is the second of four races where drivers will earn championship points. With only three races scheduled for this specific track, the NMCA WEST is privileged to be here at this iconic track. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. We’ll have all the coverage, including qualifying, eliminations, semi’s and the finals. Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, SCT Performance. For all your high plug and play performance, look no further than SCT Performance. Morning Pit Notes – Behind The Scenes
Racing has begun at Pomona's iconic track. Weather is warming up and it's expected to dip into the triple digits. We'll have more coverage as soon as we bring qualifying rounds.Cars are lining up and the the fields are deep with entries. The heads up classes are thick with 54 cars. We can't wait to see how competitive this field is.Cars of all makes and models, from new to old were well represented in the NMCA show n' shine on Saturday.
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Here's Steve Jarvis' '41 Willys pickup packing 427ci. of blown Chevy Big Block. The BBC is backed by a TH400 and a 9-inch rear. Though it's a nod towards the nostalgic race cars of yore, Steve made the trip from Covina, CA to partake in Saturday's show instead. Cars of all makes and models, from new to old were well represented in the NMCA show n' shine on Saturday.Nostalgic drag cars were out in force on Saturday, although most of them were more interested in collecting show trophies.We spotted this clean '64 Chevelle with the perfect stance in the show area. We weren't able to catch up to the owner, Jan Speer, to found out more detail for press time, but we took the time to admire it anyway.
First Round Qualifying – Heads Up
Mike Saiki's first qualifying round was a stunner; nearly placing his 'Vette on the bumper. Saiki ended up with a 6.902 at 104.80mph.Outlaw 8.5 saw Joshua Gomez smack the back tires in his '00 Camaro. Gomez managed a 5.81 at 126.40 mph.Simi Valley, California native Dan Hale slipped out a 5.89 at 120 mph in his twin-turbo '89 Mustang.Kevin Young in the Outlaw class locked away second place for first round of qualifying by running his '86 Chevy Camaro to a 7.88 at 179 mph.Russ Delia's, 355ci. small-block powered '68 Camaro edged out the Chevy-powered Toyota pickup for a 5.072 at 147.73 mph.Al Jimenez was messing around, carrying the front tires of his '72 Camaro from the lights. Jimenez's efforts were good for 4.77 at 157.50; landing his top spot for round one of qualifying.
Terry Barkley Nova Crash – Qualifying Round 1
Unfortunately, Terry Barkley had a serious collision with the opposing lane. Barkley's front-mounted fuel tank instantly exploded and turned the Nova into a rolling fireball. Luckily, Barkley managed to walk away from the incident with minor injuries to his left leg.
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Barkley's race weekend is over but thankfully Barkley was able to walk away. He'll be back... With two crashes today, the track is making a safety call; cutting racing to only half track.
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Yes, it goes as fast as it looks. Roger Holder did not disapoint when it came to his first round of qualifying. Holder's '00 Camaro, packing 522 inches of big-block Chevy went 5.776 at 154.99 mph.Ryan "Toaster" Jones swung for the fences on his first qualifying pass of the day, landing a 5.02 at 156.59 mph.Artis Houston left the lights and wasn't afraid to show his underside. Houston's '71 Nova went 8.023 at 179.73 by way of a 598-inch big-block.Every race fans favorite class is up - Pro Street. Wade Maggio's '03 'Vette proved he was up to the task. Maggio's first qualifying pass was good enough for a 5.77 at 131.11 mph.Gary Ross, known for his red hair and extravagances was throwing down some serious cubic inches. Ross's 711ci Sony-powered '05 Grand Am went 4.47 at 160 mph.Though Joe Lepone Jr. shut it down early, Lepone still managed during an eight place qualifying place during round one of qualifying. Lepone Jr.'s beautiful '70 Duster is shaped like a bullet and goes like a missile thanks to a Musi 903ci. mountain motor. Lepone's first run was good for 5.102 at 112 mph.
Qualifying Round One Results
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Garrett Turbo Pro Street.
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Qualifying Round Two Results
John Scialpi's '57 Chevy was no slouch. Scialpi threw down the quickest pass of for qualifying in round two; landing him the top spot. Scialpi went 4.14 at 173 mph. Whoa...Gary Ross came around in the second round, qualifying in the eight spot with a 4.45 at 160 mph.True Ten.5 saw Al Jimenez's '72 Camaro stage, launch, hook and slam its way through the traps; qualifying himself in the number one spot with a 4.74 at 157 mph.Ryan "Toaster" Jones, again? That's right, Jones' twin-turbo 406ci small-block bucked out the number two qualifying spot; just under Jimenez. "Toaster" went 5.02 at 156 mph.Case Van Tol was gettin' it done in his bumper-draggin '64 Chevelle for the Outlaw 8.5 class. Van Tol clicked out a 5.92 at 119 mph.
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Pit Notes – Behind The Scenes After Dusk
Pro Street's Maggio team was busy making the rounds on their vehicle. Aside from the packing the chute, an oil change was next on the list.Earlier, we had shown you the crash sequence of Terry Barkley's Nova. Here's an up close and personal look at the carnage. Again, Barkley was OK and thankful to walk away from the incident.Eddie Rios was busy in the Jimenez camp reviewing the RacePak data from the last round of qualifying.
For this weekend, we’re stationed here at Autoclub Raceway at Pomona, California for the NMCA West showdown. To say it’s hot would be a complete understatement. Our current temperature is just near 100 degrees and it hasn’t even hit noon yet. However, the remaining race weekend should have slightly cooler temperatures. So, what’s on the grid for this weekends round of races? For starters, The Flowmaster NMCA WEST will be here on the Autoclub Raceway at Pomona all weekend for August 17-19. Of course, we’ll be here all weekend to cover the entire event all the way through finals. This will be the second Annual Lucas Oil NMCA WEST Coast Shootout, which is presented by JE Pistons. What’s more, this is the second of four races where drivers will earn championship points. With only three races scheduled for this specific track, the NMCA WEST is privileged to be here at this iconic track. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. We’ll have all the coverage, including qualifying, eliminations, semi’s and the finals. Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, SCT Performance. For all your high plug and play performance, look no further than SCT Performance.
Pit Notes – Behind The Scenes
Racers have already begun making passes at this legendary track. We'll be going through today with a complete round of test and tune.Check out this '66 Chevelle belonging to Mike Boulier out of San Clemente. Mike claims that his fortified BBC is docile enough to be a daily driver, but ferocious enough to dominate True Street.Al Jimenez was running an F3 Procharged BBC under the liftoff front clip of his '72 Camaro. Jimenez was pretty tight-lipped about the details of his setup, but he was able to tell us that he has swapped out the Crower rockers for a set of Jesel units, after they consistently kept breaking at Bakersfield.Ryan "Toaster" Jones brought his low 7-second '65 Nova to the Pomona battlefield. We caught up to him in the pits where he just finished up some last minute tweaks.
Test And Tune – Run What You Brung
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Let's face it, drag racing is dangerous. Just check out the this wagon and driver who nearly avoided getting center-punched. Luckily, the driver and car escaped injury.Our Power Automedia BlownZ project car made the obligatory appearance at this year's NMRA event. Despite some technical difficulties, it still managed a 9.55 econd pass at 119 mph, with driver James Lawrence lifting off at the end.
For this weekend, we’re stationed here at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, California for the NMCA West showdown. To say it’s hot would be a complete understatement. Our current temperature is just near 100 degrees and it hasn’t even hit noon yet. However, the remaining race weekend should have slightly cooler temperatures. So, what’s on the grid for this weekends round of races? For starters, The Flowmaster NMCA WEST will be here on the Autoclub Raceway at Pomona all weekend for August 17-19. Of course, we’ll be here all weekend to cover the entire event all the way through finals. This will be the second Annual Lucas Oil NMCA WEST Coast Shootout, which is presented by JE Pistons. What’s more, this is the second of four races where drivers will earn championship points. With only three races scheduled for this specific track, the NMCA WEST is privileged to be here at this iconic track. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. We’ll have all the coverage, including qualifying, eliminations, semi’s and the finals. Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, SCT Performance. For all your high plug and play performance, look no further than SCT Performance. We’ll have complete coverage of today’s elimination rounds including semi’s and the finals. Stay tuned, we’ll have more as the show goes on! 
For this weekend, we’re stationed here at Autoclub Raceway at Pomona, California for the NMCA West showdown. To say it’s hot would be a complete understatement. Our current temperature is just near 100 degrees and it hasn’t even hit noon yet. However, the remaining race weekend should have slightly cooler temperatures. So, what’s on the grid for this weekends round of races? For starters, The Flowmaster NMCA WEST will be here on the Autoclub Raceway at Pomona all weekend for August 17-19. Of course, we’ll be here all weekend to cover the entire event all the way through finals. This will be the second Annual Lucas Oil NMCA WEST Coast Shootout, which is presented by JE Pistons. What’s more, this is the second of four races where drivers will earn championship points. With only three races scheduled for this specific track, the NMCA WEST is privileged to be here at this iconic track. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. We’ll have all the coverage, including qualifying, eliminations, semi’s and the finals. Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, SCT Performance. For all your high plug and play performance, look no further than SCT Performance. Morning Pit Notes – Behind The Scenes
