Green
Wins Rain Delayed Top Fuel Title
Runs low ET and Top Speed
of Meet - 5.962 at 215.46
August 26
- Mission, BC, Canada: After being rained out the previous weekend at
Seattle, the High Speed Motorsports/SilverThin Bearing team was
less than thrilled when rain halted qualifying action at Mission
Raceway Park on Saturday and could only hope it cleared up enough
to run on Sunday. Well, it did and left enough time on Sunday
afternoon to get in one qualifying session and eliminations.
The short field
on a short day belonged to Troy Green. After qualifying # 1,
Green handily beat John Shoemaker in the final. The win was a
nice way to cap off the teams three race Northwest tour and advanced
Green in the 2007 AAFD Top Fuel
point standings.
Arriving Friday, the
pit area was spacious and very laid back. At this point there
was two qualifying sessions scheduled for Saturday with eliminations
on Sunday. On Friday Green was the only TF car to make a run
during the open test n tune. They planned a 1000ft run and all
went very well, the car ran 6.12 195, it gave them a very good
baseline.
Then came a total rain
out on Saturday so racers and fans alike spent much of the day
watching drag racing DVD's on the HSMS outdoor big screen.
On Sunday afternoon the
rain stopped, the sun came out and the track was dried enough
to race on.
Looking lonely, the HSMS car sits in the tree lined
staging lanes prior to racing. Brett Johansen checking the tire
pressure.
Green does his burnout
for the first and only qualifying session.
Backing up with Phil
Ruskowski in the other lane.
Green drove it about
1200ft before a burnt piston and was starting to puff some smoke
so he shut it off to a 5.96 at 215. That would put them number
one by almost a full second.
Some of the other cars
on hand were John Shoemaker in his "American Eagle"
entry. John went on to the runner-up spot to Green in the final.
Also making the long
tow to Mission was Brendan Murry and his interim driver, Bill
Dunlap who lost in the semis.
Two of the local cars
made the show.
In round one Green was
paired with Bill Dunlap in Brendan Murry's car. Green left first
but the car started vibrating very hard almost instantly. Green
was only able to drive it to about 800ft before the vibration
became to dangerous to continue. Dunlap had smoked the tires
early on but did his best to run Green down but came up short.
Troy's 6.38 covered Bill's 6.90. Upon inspection the HSMS team
found that one of the new tires they had put on the car was way
out of balance.
John Shoemaker and Troy Green were both confident
before the final.
By
the time the final went off the air got
very good (about 600ft) and the track cooled off (75 degrees)
as the sun was setting. Once again Green left first and with
a hand full of brake for about 400ft. As he eased off the brake
the car made a quick move left the wall and he had to lift in
order to straighten out the car. When he got back on the throttle
the car was a handfull the rest of the track. Nonetheless he
took the win as Shoemaker had problems of his own and crossed
the centerline at the 1/8 mile ending the race right there. Troy
carded a 6.37 at 207 for the money.
Green and the crew celebrate their first win on Canadian
soil at the top end.
Without an official Winners Circle, the team got
the trophy and made their own.
HSMS CEO Dale Singh and Troy Green pose for photos
by their wives while ex-HSMS driver, Sean Bellemeur (right) reports
the results to home.
As a side note, Canadian Mo Davidson (on right) was
on hand with his WILD "Big Show" FED
No, this is not a Funny Car - its a front engine
Top Fuel dragster with a 500" TFX hemi engine with dual
mags and all. Needless to say, its not NHRA legal (the engine
in TF must be behind the driver) but Mo and crew plan to have
some fun with it nonetheless. The car hasn't made a complete
pass yet and who knows if it ever will as it is described as
"an animal".
Video of the Mission
runs and other events can be seen on:
HSMS
Videos
Check
out the
2007 Schedule
for the teams next appearance.
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