In NMRA competition in Dallas, Walsh and Mangrum qualify #1 and #2 respectively, and meet each other in the finals. Walsh takes the win in his automatic-equipped ride as Mangrum has problems with his fuel pump in the finals. With this win, Walsh now has a solid lead in the Pro 5.0 championship points race. In other classes, Phillip Clemmons takes runner-up once again in Drag Radial, and Donna Sydor and Mike Trimandilis qualify #3 in EFI Renegade and Super Street Outlaw classes, respectively.

Ray Sanchez qualifies #2, running 7.64 @ 187 in NMCA Super Street competition at Michigan. He has run a best of 7.42 @ 189 to date in his ProCharged �68 Camaro, and in addition to competing in the States, is also the points leader in the Super Street class of the OSCA (Ontario Street Car Association). At the same NMCA event in Michigan, Ed Grisez qualifies #3 in Super Street in his ’93 Pontiac Firebird. This car has previously run a best of 7.65 @ 188.

At the Fun Ford Weekend event in Gainesville, Gillig and Huston post the win in Pro 5.0 competition, and take a big step forward in the championship points race. After taking runner-up in the past 2 events, it’s great to see the Big Red III team get a well deserved win. Aaron Archer also puts on a show in his bright orange 4-valve, the fastest supercharged modular in country, and takes runner-up with consistent bracket racing in Modular class. This car is the fastest of at least 4 ProCharged modulars currently running in the 8’s. Aaron is running an Intercooled, self-contained ProCharger F-2M.

At the PRO event in Bowling Green, Joel Greathouse runs 193 mph and sets the MPH record in Super Street. Joel also finishes runner-up at the event, and is now locked in a two-man race for the points lead, with his blown 376 cid small block outrunning a 598 cid big block nitrous car. In Fun Ford action at Richmond, the team of Tim Huston and Tony Gillig win their second straight Pro race of the year, on top of runner-up finishes in two prior races. With this dominating and extremely consistent showing, the Gillig/Huston team takes the points lead for the Fun Ford Pro championship. In Drag Radial class, Philip Clemmons steps it up and nearly takes the win, running right next to Dwayne Gutridge and losing by less than 0.1 second.

The NMRA event at Maple Grove is rained out, so a group of Real Street racers decides to perform testing in Maryland. Justin Burcham, the 2002 Factory Stock champion who has stepped up classes, runs a 10.10 in his ProCharger-powered Mustang, the best performance of the group. To illustrate the changes in this class, just 19 months ago Ed Curtis used a ProCharged P-1SC to become the first Real Street racer to run in the 10’s, and the field has already advanced by nearly a second. With his 10.10, Justin shows that he is not only ready to compete at the top of the Real Street Class, but could also become the first supercharged Real Street racer to run 9’s.

View 2003 Race Schedule