June 19-21, 2009 - Bowling Green, KY: The 7th annual National Hot Rod Reunion is in the record books and for many reasons, it was an event that will stand out in the memories of all who attended. No one will forget the relentless heat and brutal humidity... the worst ever for the event. But they will also remember the over 400 race cars that descended upon the historical Beech Bend track, the hundreds of quality street and hot rods that packed the areas designated for them and of course, the huge crowd that packed the facility on Saturday and a record number of Cacklefest cars that put on a great show Saturday night.

And for many, the Top Fuel show will be talked about for years to come... especially Troy Green. Troy and Bowling Green - a match made in motorsports heaven. Destiny may have played a part. Well, at least for Troy it was a very special National Hot Rod Reunion weekend. Troy, of Purcell, OK, defeated veteran reunion competitor Denver Schutz, of Fresno, CA, in a nail-biting race in the Top Fuel category, 6.777 to 6.890.

Winning in the High Speed Motorsports top fueler was only part of the victory, Troy also celebrated his first fathers day with his lucky charm, newly adopted daughter Ava Claire. A few weeks before the Reunion, Troy and his wife Lara partnered with The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids to adopt their little girl. All weekend long, little Ava was part of daddy’s racing crew sporting a baby tee that read “#1 Top Fuel”. A littler charmer indeed!

"We are very excited about being able to bring awareness about adoption to as many people as we can. There are nearly 129,000 foster children available for adoption in the United States. We would like to help these children find forever families," expressed Troy Green on his adoption.

Regardless of the scorching heat, Reunion organizers were overwhelmed with positive feedback from racers, hot rodders and most importantly, the fans that keep coming back for more.

Under some of the worst of conditions Troy Green driving the potent High Speed Motorsports top fueler, captured an unprecedented 5th Top Fuel win in the seven year history of the NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion. Under thee days of very hot, very humid Kentucky skies, Green went low in all three rounds of qualifying and ultimately capped the weekend with a thrilling pedalfest final with Denver Schutz in the Cullen & Schutz Raisin Express 2.

Going through the drag racing record books, including the NHRA Stat Guy, no one can find where a pro fuel team has ever won an NHRA featured event five of the first seven time it was contested - until now. No wonder the HSMS guys look forward to the long trip back to Beech Bend!

Enough lead in, enjoy the rest of the story accompanied by hundreds of great photos.

Photos by: Arlene Eliason, Don Ewald, Paul Hutchins, Paul Broughton and Jeff Unfried.

Backing up to Friday, the weekend weather report had already set the stage for the most uncomfortable NHRR yet. Like everyone else, the HSMS team set up camp and went about the job at hand... winning a drag race.

The rest of the team prepared the car for the first qualifying session scheduled for 2 PM.

This would be a good time to report that at this particular event the HSMS team was comprised of a very large cast. It was a Shelar family reunion, the Johansen clan was well represented and Troy Green had family and friends up from Oklahoma. Add in other friends and fans - well, it was well over 30 folks in and out of the pit over the weekend and needless to say, not all worked on the car.

Gorman Green (Troy's dad) got a chance to mind Ava while his son gets into his firesuit.

Green made the short walk to the staging lanes because, well, he couldn't fit in the truck.

The crew (Tom Shelar and Rian Kono above) and Brett Johansen and Kono (below) check out the track temp and condition prior to the session.

1:58 p.m. Really hot and humid with a heat index of 105 degrees. Track temp in 130. Not even close to ideal racing conditions.

Session one found Green in the right lane paired with Dave Miller in the Telstar entry out of Cedar Hills, MO.

Brett Johansen did his final check of the engine before sending Green up to stage.

No tire or engine smoke... a nice 6.029 was the perfect base line pass and good for low ET of the session.

Saturday 1:59 p.m. The second round of Top Fuel was right on schedule. The heat and humidity of Friday had decided to stick around. Again, it was not the kind of weather one can go fast in.

After a tweak on the first session tune-up, the car left hard and had a better 60' time.

Green shut off at the 1200' mark but still carded the first five of the weekend. It would be one of only three recorded at the event and the first of two by the HSMS car.

Within minutes of getting back to the pits the crew had the engine down to a long block and prepared to replace the damaged pistons.

Rick Shelar, the "bottom end" man, had a rough weekend as checking the bearings and changing pistons is the least enviable, yet most important job on the crew. When its killer hot, the job is only tougher.

When you go to sleep in a racing pit you leave yourself wide open for any number of pranks. Thus was the fate of an out cold Patrick Shelar. His dad, Tom, latched on to a Sharpie and proceeded to do a not so professional job of ear tattooing.

7:16 p.m. Right on schedule again and appeared to be better conditions. Almost total cloud cover and much cooler...about 92 degrees. But the high humidity still had the air too heavy to take advantage of a very good track.

 

Only four cars opted to run the final session and in the second pair Green was back in the right lane with Denver Schutz in the left. Ironically this would be a preview of the final with considerably better times.

There it was - low ET of the meet (and top speed - 250 mph) and a lock on the #1 qualifying spot.