NHRA FMDRS: Superstar Muldowney puts on show for Montgomery fans
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
April 9, 2001
Montgomery, Ala.- Three-time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion, Shirley Muldowney, 60, of Armada, Mich., brought her famous pink Top Fuel Dragster to Montgomery Motorsports Park to make some exhibition passes during Saturday's event qualifying for the nearly 4000 fans that packed the grandstands for the Dixie Nationals NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event. This was the first time Muldowney has ever run her Top Fuel Dragster in Alabama. She was scheduled to run at this event last year, but a near blow-over in the first round of the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis a week prior damaged the car extensively. Even though she did not run the car at last years event, she still made an appearance at MMP and signed autographs for more than three hours. This year, Muldowney also made herself available to her fans by signing anything and everything on Friday and Saturday.
"I love coming out and meeting the fans", said Muldowney. "These are the best fans in the world and they keep me going strong. I would not of been in drag racing this long if it wasn't for the love of the fans."
Muldowney made up for her absence last year with one half-track shake down pass and two full passes. Muldowney's best pass of the night was 4.888 seconds at 297.81mph. Muldowney was not the only Top Fueler on the premises on Saturday, current NHRA Top Fuel Dragster pilot, Steve Smith of Princeton, N.C., took the track with Muldowney and beat her on their final pass when Muldowney's tires went up in smoke at half track. Also part of the show on Saturday night was an eight car Pro-Mod exhibition and the Mississippi Madman Jet Car. Ancel Horton of Rowlett, Texas is the driver of the Mississippi Madman Jet Car got the standing room only crown to their feet with the fastest pass in MMP history. Horton bested the track speed record of 304 mph on both his passes. Horton ran 306 mph in his first pass and 308 mph in his final Saturday pass. Horton and his jet car decided to make one more pass on Sunday afternoon and crushed his track stopped record from the night before with a blistering pass of over 310 mph.
LOCAL IHRA FUNNY CAR RACER LOOKING FOR SUCCESS IN NHRA
Montgomery, Ala.- Monty Todd, 33, of Montgomery, Ala. has been alcohol racing since he was fifteen years old. When you're fifteen, it's easy to race if your dad owns the racetrack. Todd's father, Buck Todd, built and owned Capitol City Dragway from 1968 through the late '70's. The now defunct track was located about a mile from where Montgomery Motorsports Park is today. Today, Buck Todd, owns and operates Dothan Dragway in Dothan, Ala., which is about 50 miles north of Montgomery, Ala. "My father was the biggest influence in my racing career", said Todd.
"He couldn't make it out here today because he is running an event at his track, but he is on the phone after every run."
Monty Todd owns and operates a very successful auto repair and used car lot, Monty's Automotive, here in Montgomery. He sells cars on credit and when the payments come in each month from his customers, the money goes right into the race team and his brand new 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Federal-Mogul Funny Car. This is Todd's first time back to race in the NHRA in five years and his goal is to take his funny car to the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.
"It's been a dream since I was a little kid-to go to the U.S. Nationals", said Todd. "My dad and I have wanted to race at the biggest event of the year since I started racing. Hopefully, we can get a sponsor and get to Indy this year."
In 1998 and 1999, Todd finished No. 7 in the IHRA Funny Car points race. Todd took last year off of racing while building his brand new hot rod and the new car has already paid off. Last week, Todd won the first race on the IHRA schedule in Rockingham, N.C. Todd came to MMP this weekend and made everyone take notice that he is for real with a No. 2 qualifying effort of 5.940 seconds at 235.23 mph. In the first round of eliminations, Todd took out William Fulford of Virginia Beach, Va. When Fulford broke during his burnout. Todd advanced to the semifinals to meet his archrival and former three-time IHRA Funny Car World Champion, Von Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn. Smith ended Todd's day with the quickest and fastest Federal-Mogul Funny Car pass of the weekend-5.832 seconds at 244.03 mph to Todd's run of 6.042 seconds at 229.24 mph.
"This is the sixth time Von and I have faced each other in competition and he has knocked me out all but one time, when he red lighted" said a frustrated Todd. "Von is one of the best out there and I'm looking forward to more shots at Von-someday we will get him."
BOB DENNIS WINS HIS SIXTH SEALED POWER LOW QUALIFIER AWARD IN 2001
Montgomery, Ala.-Bob Dennis of Shorter, Ala., has been perfect in Stock Eliminator qualifying in 2001. Dennis has entered six NHRA events this season and took home all the Stock Eliminator Sealed Power Low Qualifier money. Dennis has collected the $100 bonus with his '82 Oldsmobile Cutlass at the four Southeast Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series events (Gainesville Raceway, Orlando Speed World Dragway, Memphis Motorsports Park and Montgomery Motorsports Park) and two NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series events (Gainesville Raceway and Houston Raceway Park). Dennis has also collected the Super Stock $200 Sealed Power Low Qualifier bonus once at the Gainesville Raceway Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event.
"I just got sick and tired of getting outrun at each event-so I fixed it", said Dennis. "I knew I could go quicker-I just hope I don't get an [horsepower] adjustment from NHRA."
Others collecting low qualifier bonus money from Sealed power include: Michael Gunderson of Middleburg, Fla. in Federal-Mogul Dragster and Jay Payne of Claremont, Calif. in his '01 Chevrolet Camaro Federal-Mogul Funny Car each collected $1000. In Comp Eliminator, Larry Pritchett of Clarkrange, Tenn., took home $200 from Sealed Power.
Jerry Silveus of Van Buren, Ohio is $200 richer after taking low qualifier honors in Super Stock. Von Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn., not only won the event in his beautiful '01 Pontiac Firebird Jensen Audio Federal-Mogul Funny Car he collected the CSI Performance Best Appearing Car honors. Lyman Smith of West Point, Miss. took home the CSI Best Engineered Car award with his '63 Super Gas Chevrolet Corvette.
Text provided by NHRA FMDRS
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