Rocky Mountain Race Week Nears the Finish Line, As the Third of Four Race Days Finds the Competition at Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Oklahoma
The drag-and-drive community can sometimes get a harsh reminder that just surviving the week is the top task, as Rocky Mountain Race Week (RMRW) 1.0 has battled brutal heat and breakage that has shaken even some top tier rides.
Then again, RMRW has also seen some competitors clocking insane times, and the index classes continue to be close battle grounds, proving some can take the heat being dished out this week!
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Bryant Goldstone continues to lead the Unlimited class, but battled alternator issues on the drive to Thunder Valley.
He had to make two runs after getting loose on the first shot, but a 6.93 at a lifting 180 mph was his reward, keeping an all 6-second week intact and a 6.83 average result.
Rowdy Radial become a two-car battle in the low 5-second range, with Donavon Linwood at the front with Aaron Shaffer chasing him down.
After making up some ground on day three, Shaffer slipped to a 5.42 while Linwood improved to a 5.18, keeping him in the lead by more than a tenth of-a-second on averages.
Jim Parkingson continues to distance himself from the field in Outlaw Street, posting a best-of-the-week 8.39 blast to stay ahead of Brady Davis and Kenneth McGarry.
The Hot Rod class got even hotter in Oklahoma, as we witnessed the first 8-second blasts of the week. Incoming leader Walter Doyle cracked off an 8.61, while second-place Tim Meyer also invaded the eights with an 8.93, allowing the duo to separate themselves from the rest of the field by eight tenths of-a-second.
The Ultimate Radial class also heated up, as Brad Thiessen and Ricky Daniels continued to roll through the street miles and lay down impressive numbers on the track.
Both clocked their best-of-the-week runs at Thunder Valley, with Thiessen’s 7.61 at 182 mph keeping him in front of the 7.78 at 176 mph from Daniels.
Limited Street class continues to employ the same runners in the top two spots, but Steven Willinham had a reason to smile as he is closing the gap on leader Ryan Minyard, and they go into the final competition day with Minyard leading via an 8.72 to 8.76 average.
Bill Armstrong is still at the helm of the sizable Stick Shift class, but he was barely able to stay in the nines with a 9.91 on day three. That slowed his average to a 9.39 and allowed the competition to edge closer, including Nathan Curran with his quickest of the week with a 9.15 run and a 9.57 average.
A change at the top spot happened in the Pro Street class, as incoming leader Mike Hazelwood slowed from his 8.49 average when he turned in an 11.39 time slip. That moved Adam Crego from second to first, and his 8.71 pass on Wednesday strengthened his average to an 8.79.
The Gasser class had a major shake-up, as both Joe Grier and Eddie Wilson dropped from the top two spots! Reggie Moore’s 1930 Model A is now in the lead with a 12.12 average, with Fred Cullon’s ’55 Bel Air not far behind with a 12.17 average.
Sean Stanford continues to rule the Naturally Aspirated Small Block class, staying the only car in the 9-second range and holding a 9.62 average.
The Big Block side had a change at the top, as leader Bob Ruppel slowed enough to allow John Daugherty to slip by for the top spot, 10.51 to a 10.55 average.
The Index classes continue to get tighter with one competition day remaining. The 9-second class has Shawn Slaubaugh on top with a 9.024 average, with Brian Walden and Jeremy Wilson both holding 9.04 averages. Mike Mead remains atop the 10-Second class with a 10.045 average and Kyle Calkins in second thanks to a 10.058 average.
The 11-Second class has the 11.026 average of Landon Jensen in first, but Derek Lewis is gaining ground with an 11.039 average.
Five rides are separated by less than four hundredths of-a-second in the 12-Second class, with the 12.01 average of Nicholas Roberts continuing to lead the pack.
The closest battle in Index is the 13-Second class, where Alan Ledesma’s 13.03 average stays just ahead of Nicole Ledesma’s 13.034 average! Nicole helped her cause with a near-perfect 13.001 pass in their 2023 Mach-E electric Mustang on day four.
Incoming 14-Second class leader Jennifer Burst stayed at the front after the third race day, but leads Josh Odom’s average by less than a hundredth, 14.055 to 14.063.
After the Motorcycle class changed leaders twice when the top runner dropped out with problems, Shane Werner has hung on to the lead for two days with a 9.71 average. He has a trio of 9-second pursuers, with the 9.86 average of Donavon Leeder in the second spot.
Austin Allsup continues to hold not only the quickest ride in the Junior Street class, but also the most consistent. His Mustang produced a 9.08 on day three to complement his 9.07 on day one and the 9.10 time slip on day three.
Today finds RMRW motoring to Missouri and Mo-Kan Dragway for the final day of competition. Who can hang on for a class victory, and who will falter from the drive or lack of performance on track? We’ll continue to post updates on Sick the Magazine, including results and photos.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com