Cleetus McFarland and Brett LaSala Clock Personal Best Runs on Day 1 of Qualifying at World Cup Finals at Maryland International Raceway
Anticipated each year for cool temperatures and great track prep, the World Cup Finals Import vs. Domestic event at Maryland International Raceway normally sees some record-setting runs and sold-out crowds.
Eleven classes got their first shot at the track as qualifying began on Thursday, and several drag-and-drive competitors are in the mix.
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Cleetus McFarland, who took delivery of a freshly constructed ’69 Chevy Camaro from Cameron Johnson Race Cars less than a week ago, had only made three shakedown runs at Bradenton Motorsports Park before the Camaro went in his trailer and headed north for Maryland.
After some tire shake and an early-shut off 7.58 at 117 mph pass during the first qualifier, Cleetus exercised the ProLine twin-turbo HEMI a bit more during the nighttime second qualifier, carding a 6.059 at 215 mph, with a 1.10 60 foot time, for the ninth qualified spot.
That 6.05 run also came with an early-shut off at about the 1200 foot mark, as Cleetus lost the driver side window.
Cleetus also piloted his 2001 Corvette ‘Leroy’ to a 7.29 at 190 mph without the new body for the ninth spot in the Stick Shift class, and ‘Mullet the El Camino carded a 6.70 at 214 mph with ‘Jackstand’ Jimmy Taal in the Warriors versus Tres Cuarto class after one round of qualifying.
Brett LaSala, who comes in as the defending Warriors versus Tres Cuarto champion, has made the move to the Renegade vs. Modified class with his new ‘Snot Rocket 3.0’ Mustang.
After posting a 3.968 at 192.25 mph eighth-mile blast during testing, LaSala opened with a 6.21 at 227 mph full run at Maryland. LaSala came back for the second session, and the Mustang improved to a 6.116 at 233.80 mph, with a 1.043 60 foot, and a 4.01 at 186 mph eighth-mile time.
The new personal best quarter-mile time for LaSala moved him to second on the qualifying sheet.
Jim Braun qualified his recently-revamped 2012 Mustang in the fourth spot in the Street Fighter class with a 7.06 at 196 mph from the twin-turbo Coyote engine, and Doug Cook produced an early-shut off 6.94 at 198 mph pass from his LTR twin-turbo powered Chevrolet Nova in Warriors versus Tres Cuarto.
Today and Saturday will wrap up qualifying with 3-4 more sessions, and round one of eliminations get underway for 32-car qualified fields on Saturday afternoon, with final eliminations set for Sunday.
The racing action can be viewed on Flo Racing.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Cleetus McFarland, Doug Cook and Brett LaSala.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com