(Words and Photos by Brad Klaassen) – As many of you hard core Bangshifters already know, the IHRA revamped their racing program for the 2014 racing season with their new Nitro Jam Pro Touring Series that includes Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars, Fuel Altereds, Nitro Harleys, Mountain Motor Pro Stocks, and a four car Jet Dragster show with all cars being piloted by lovely female drivers. So, when the IHRA’s traveling road show roared down to San Antonio, TX, we decided to ramble down to Texas to take in the event plus hang out with our drag racing brothers and sisters at John Hale Racing. Since the race was relatively close for this Okie nitro junkie and my wife Phyllis (aka Bad PK) had yet to get her first nitro fix for the year, we could hardly wait to get there.
So, how was the race you ask? I’ll put it the simplest of terms that we can all understand. Bangshift Approved! That’s right. What’s not to love about nitro belching and fire spewing nostalgia nitro funny cars and Jason Rupert’s Black Plague blazing the track to take his second IHRA Nitro Jam with a 5.764 at 252.38 over John Bodie Smith in the Jungle Jim Vega. The fuel altereds put on a banner show as well with one of my all time favorites, the Rat Trap, in the house doing wicked long smoky burnouts. Nitro Harley heavy hitter Jay Turner had a three bike contingent in his pits to battle all the other nitro hogs in the house and none of them disappointed with rear wheel only runs at over 200 mph. Mountain Motor Pro Stock racer and fellow Okie Cary Goforth came to San Antonio with an Iron Man already under his arm from his last win at the IHRA Nitro Jam race in Tucson and was #1 qualifier at the San Antone race. However, he came up just a little bit short in the finals against event winner John DeFlorian,
from Arnold, Missouri, in his Black Diamond Motorsports Camaro. Deflorina reset both records in the class with a 6.224 at 226.70 in the finals. And to put peanut butter on top of the IHRA’s Nitro Jam samich the four jet cars made blazing inferno side by side passes two separate times on Saturday night to finish off the show for a packed house of rabid race fans.
Okay Bangshifters in review, nitro header flames, smoky old school burnouts, thumping nitro Harley motors, wheels up mountain motor pro stock launches, and jet dragster fire shows, are all good! And a full house of excited and entertained fans equal success for the IHRA and their Nitro Jam Series. While we were only able to make the last day of this two day show, Bad PK and I had a fantastic time and give the IHRA two thumbs up for putting this killer series together. We also recommend all of you fellow Bangshifters attend one of the IHRA’s Nitro Jam events when they tour near you.
See you at the drags. –Bad Brad
Look at all the people in the stands. What are they doing right?
I didn’t make it, but 6 of my co-workers ended up there and said the place was packed.
The biggest crowd we had seen out there before was “Pinks” and they said it was very close to the same.
The weather was great and the Nitro thumped like it should.
What they are doing right is simple Paul. They are putting on a show and entertaining their fans! Pretty basic stuff. You could feel the energy and excitement from the fans in the stands. A fantastic race!