(Photos by Bob Snyder) – Taking advantage of a near perfect race track and good weather conditions, Bobby Cottrell dominated a strong field of nitro funny cars to win the opening event of the inaugural United Nitro Funny Car Championship Series, presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports, held at the Tucson Dragway Reunion over the weekend.
2018 Good Vibrations March Meet funny car winner Bobby Cottrell in the Austin & O’Brien “Northwest Hitter” ’69 Victory Camaro qualified #1 with a 5.698 ET at 247.34 MPH charge to lead the 8-car qualified field. Canadian Tim Boychuk’s “Happy Hour” Camaro sat second; Matt Bynum in the “Nitro Nick” Camaro qualified third and “Mr. Explosive” Mark Sanders fourth in the top half of the all 5-second field.
On the way to the Tucson Dragway winner’s circle, Cottrell defeated Bill Windham’s “Shakedown” Camaro.
In the Semi Final match with between Cottrell and six-time funny car Champion Jason Rupert (above) smoked the tires with Cottrell setting a new track record with a 5.657/250.09. The previous track record was 5.665 ET, set by Mike McIntire Jr. back in the IHRA Nitro Jam series.
Cottrell and Boychuk met in the final round after a multi-team thrash to repair a gaping hole in the roof of Boychuk’s Camaro where a number of other teams pitched in helping to fill the gap. Bobby Cottrell prevailed in the final, running another bracket-like pass of 5.665 elapsed time at 244.92 mph with Boychuk shutting off early.
In Series points, the top five earners has Bobby Cottrell in the lead winning the event with 98 points, Tim Boychuk second with 77 points, Matt Bynum third with 56, Jason Rupert sits fourth with 55 points and Steven Densham fifth with 34 points.
Videomaker Les Mayhew filmed the event and caught the action in Eliminations.
The UNFC Championship Series meets next for a Pacific Northwest double header on July 4 at Spokane County Raceway and Pacific Raceways on July 6-7 in Kent, Washington.
Steven Densham in the Densham Family’s “Teachers Pet” Camaro racing Matt Bynum in the “Nitro Nick” Camaro.
Geoff Monise driving the VanGundy & Clark “Quarter Pounder” Chevy Monza.
The Tucson Dragway Reunion attracted many nitro racecars, fuel altered, funny cars and bikes.
I’m gona have to go see me one of those races this year
Too bad they didn’t have any nostalgia funny cars…
Those POS’s are not nostalgia funny cars.
No, they are NHRA Heritage-type nitro funny cars, not Nostalgia as are the ones in the NHRA Motorsports Museum.