Goldstone’s Gladiator Effort Keeps Drag Week Lead
Bryant Goldstone is the leader of Hot Rod Drag Week going into the final day at National Trail Raceway in Ohio following a herculean effort to stay in the event.
Goldstone and co-pilot Brian Robbins pulled the engine out of their ’73 AMC Javelin to fix cylinder head damage, welding and decking one head. The duo got the car running at 6am the following morning and then completed the drive to Milan Dragway, thankfully only interrupted by an alternator change. They didn’t arrive until after lunch and it was 3pm by the time of their first run, which produced a 7.11. Quoted as saying he wasn’t at Drag Week to run sevens, Goldstone returned and put down a 6.543 for a 6.692 average and the lead going into day five.
Goldstone had one major ally: the weather. A thick blanket of fog covered Milan for much of the morning, delaying the start of racing. Given many days of Drag Week are finished by 2pm, he was fortunate.
LAST DAYS! Don’t miss out on your chance to win this 1962 Chevy Gasser!
With Ned Dunphy and Dave Schroeder out of competition, Les Smith is the top dog in the Unlimited class. He’s had to work to get the Camaro to make a good pass at each location, but 6.98/210 mph was a good lick at Milan.
Alex Taylor has done a lot in drag-and-drive, but she has some items left on her bucket list. One of those is running a 6-second pass on each day, and she has a chance to do that this year. She made her first pass today her best of the week, a 6.799 at 213mph, and called it good. She is second overall.
Steve Spiess took a couple of shots at the track and produced a 6.881, keeping his average in the sixes at 6.904, and staying third overall. If he can keep that average in the sixes on the final day he will be just the 13th driver to finish a drag-and-drive event with a six-second average.
Graham Hayes, fourth in the Ultimate Iron class with the nitrous Nova, ended up on the side of the road with a wheel bearing issue but made some DIY repairs and went 7.234 to also stay fourth overall.
Modified Power Adder leader Chuck Stefanski ran his best pass of the week on his only hit, 7.16 at 194mph, and packed up for the road. The team hopes they have fixed a misfire.
Pro Street Naturally Aspirated got a major shake up when Matt Sweet hung a rod out of his engine during his first run. That has now elevated drag-and-drive rookie Jeremiah Kirby to the top with an 8.460 average!
Wayne Baker made his best run of the week in A/Gas at 8.71 for a one-and-done, putting the pressure on Mike Finnegan to produce a solid run to stay in contention for the class title. Unless Finnegan gets close to his personal best of 8.52 and Baker slows significantly in Ohio, Baker is in good shape for a class victory.
Super Street Small Block Power Adder leaders Nick and David Diehl set a goal of being the first car to run a six-second pass in the Super Street class. They’ve gotten close, with a 7.08 at 195mph at US 131 Wednesday, and a 7.22 at 201mph on their second run at Milan.
Jim Trettel continues to enjoy a fantasticly smooth week with a 7.719 average in his Super Street Big Block Power Adder Pontiac.
Randy Seward has a shot at an 8.50X average in Street Race Small Block Power Adder with an 8.507 currently his number - the lowest average of any of the Street Race classes.
The almost 200-mile drive back to Ohio went via Snook’s Dream Cars and then Mega Moo Ice Cream, a popular stop given the line to order!
Day five begins at National Trail Raceway from 10am today (Friday).
