Dunphy Late But Great at Hot Rod Drag Week Day Two
Ned Dunphy’s Dodge Viper remains in the lead of Hot Rod Drag Week following a consistent 6.203/246mph blast at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
After making a one and done pass on day one (6.196/247mph), Dunphy arrived in Indy with a little valvetrain work to do before he put the Viper in the staging beams. Despite it being late in the day for his first run, Dunphy delivered another great pass to keep the Unlimited class lead and the overall quickest average for Drag Week 2024 at 6.199.
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One of Dunphy’s main opponents should have been Dave Schroeder, but with overheating problems on the drive last night, Schroeder has decided to call it a week.
Bryant Goldstone also only needed one shot today at Indianapolis for an improved 6.507 at 224mph, keeping him at the top of the Ultimate Iron class. David Armentrout bowed out following day one, elevating Steven Spiess to second. His 6.902 run today at Indy resulted in a 6.866 average, keeping him ahead of Alex Taylor’s 6.886 average. Taylor made two six-second passes at Indy, with a best of 6.886.
Fresh off his Sick Summer victory, Alan Whitaker came into Tuesday leading the Pro Street Power Adder class but he was a no-show at Indy due to medical issues, which swings the lead to Glenn Hunter, who had a tough time getting ahold of the track and settled for an 8.312, well off his 7.333 pace of day one. Hunter’s average of 7.822 is only just ahead of Evan Uerkwitz’s 7.891.
Matt Sweet rolled out to a stunning 7.762/175 mph pass at Indy to snag the top spot in the Pro Street Naturally Aspirated class from Scott Miller, who has withdrawn from the event after the Ford Mustang spluttered to just a nine-second pass today. We did catch Sweet on the road earlier tonight replacing a broken rocker.
Chuck Stefanski slowed a little from his 7.3-second pace to a 7.558 today, but it’ll be enough to move the zoomie-equipped Lemans wagon to the top spot in Modified Power Adder. Incoming leader Clark Rosenstengel had two cracks at the track, but tire shake caused havoc in the driveline and he handed in just a 12-second slip to fall way back.
Jim Trettel’s twin-turbo Firebird stays atop the Super Street Big Block Power Adder class, thanks to a 7.852 for a 7.723 average. Rick Trunkett closed up the margin between the top two spots, guiding his ’72 Duster to an improved 7.799 for a 7.905 average. Rob Senkyr’s Pontiac is inching closer to seven-second territory with an 8.068.
David Diehl made a big move in Super Street Small Block Power Adder, improving to a 7.394 today, but Jason Bergeson’s ’81 Monte Carlo retains the class lead thanks to a 7.72 average. This should be a fun battle to watch play out!
Street Race Small Block Power Adder’s top six are all under 8.55 averages, with Randy Seward now in the lead on an 8.503 average, just ahead of Bill Schwarz’s 8.508 average.
Other day two leaders include Frank Romano in All Motor Big Block (9.960), Glen Sheeley in All Motor Small Block (8.986), Randy Belehar in Street Race Big Block Power Adder (8.592), Chris McNeeley in Street Race Big Block NA (9.198), David Hembree in Street Race Small Block NA (9.072), Wayne Baker in Gasser A (8.808), Cody Helger in Gasser B (9.531) and Riely Grabiak in Hot Rod (10.974).
The day’s drive was 280 miles across Indiana and into Michigan with stops at Goldstone Automotive and Lane Automotive. Both were pretty wild scenes with plenty of spectators joining in the fun of America’s quickest real street cars journeying along the highways.
Day three of Hot Rod Drag Week will take place at US 131 Motorsports Park with racing from 8am.
