(Words by Darr Hawthorne – IHRA photos Courtesy of IHRA Communications) Kris Krabill and the Austin & O’Brien “Northwest Hitter” Firebird nitro funny car team wrapped up the 2016 NHRA Heritage Series Nostalgia Funny Car Championship with a win in the rain-delayed “Summer Kick Off” event held at Rocky Mountain Raceways. Krabill’s 5.977 elapsed time at 234.98 miles per hour final round run defeated Ryan Hodgson’s “Pacemaker” Camaro, who ran a 6.057 ET at 234.25 mph.
With 2016 victories in the season-opening Good Vibrations March Meet and at the NAPA Ignitor at Firebird Raceway in Idaho, Krabill clinched the Heritage Series Championship with an insurmountable points advantage over 2015 Champion Steven Densham, after Densham’s semi-final finish at RMR event.
One more event remains at the 25th Hot Rod Reunion at Auto Club Famoso Raceway where he recorded the two quickest times in Nostalgia Funny Car history including an NHRA Heritages record setting 5.552 second run at 261.62 mph.
Krabill also won the 2006 Goodguys Funny Car Championship when he raced undefeated in competition while driving Gary Turner’s “Pedaler” with crew chief Donnie Couch.
Jason Rupert took home his third consecutive IHRA AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car World Championship and his second win of the 2016 season in the final event at US 131 raceway in Martin Michigan driving his Littlefield & Rupert Camaro. Rupert shattered the IHRA elapsed time World Record when he eclipsed his previous 5.57 record with a stunning 5.522 at 262.54 mph in the final round.
Rupert and Mike McIntire Jr. were in familiar territory as the two paired up for final round eliminations. McIntire Jr. needed to break the IHRA record in order to secure the championship by one point but fell short and finished in the runner-up position in the point standings for the third year in a row to Rupert.
This is the third IHRA Nitro Funny Car Championship for Rupert after previously winning three consecutive NHRA Heritage Series Championships.
Both Krabill and Rupert are members of the exclusive Legends of Nitro 260 Mile Per Hour Club for Nitro Funny Cars.
funny cars are far out!