Live from Budds Creek

BREAKING NEWS

Father's Day Weekend in IHRA Drag Racing means the TORCO Racing Fuels President's Cup Nationals, and it comes on a warm weekend at the Maryland International Raceway. Eliminations begin tonight, in the "Night of Fire" and the biggest factor has been the heat, which has already taken its toll here at the Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek.

Friday, June 13, 2008: An IHRA official was transported to the St. Mary's Hospital Center when he collapsed and stopped breathing trackside. As that was going on, a crew member for one of the race teams also passed out and stopped breathing. He was pronounced dead. (UPDATED)

Saturday, June 14, 2008: Despite the heat, there have been some very good runs in the low 6 seconds range. The speeds have been impressive despite theheat. See, this race date was moved from a late cool September afternoon to a hot June weekend, and that has made for a very slick racing surface. (3:15 PM EST)

EXTENDED COVERAGE: Round-by-round results from DragRaceCentral.com | Latest Radar Imagery

Dale Brand just set the speed with a 5.715 at 247.57 mph as Bunny Burkett tries to make the show. She runs a 6.309, and that is not good enough, she will have to use the last chance qualifier to get in to the big dance in front of her hometown crowd. See folks, this is Burkett's home track and her favorite track and this track just paid Bunny Burkett the greatest honor one can have. Her IHRA World Championship winning racecar is the crowned jewel of the new $1 million concession stands here at Maryland International Raceway. Alcohol Funny Car points leader up, Laurie Cannister for Kalbones Racing. She has only lost one round all season long, and is the defending winner in this class of funny car here at MIR. Laurie is qualified with a 5.827 set last night. (3:35 PM EST).

As they continue qualifying, they have moved to Nitro Funny Car, and as they run things are not looking good for Jack Wyatt who is 6th in points and was runner-up in the championship standings one year ago. He is 12th with an 8.626 with only one more chance at making the show. (3:52 PM EST)

Number one and two Tp Fuel qualifiers are coming out now. The skies has started to get a little hazier, and weather is on the way. Bruce Litton and Bobby Lagana, Jr. are the top two qualifiers and they are both on track. So, here we go, this could be a preview for the win. They don't improve, the best times remain a 4.699 (#1 - Litton) and a 4.717 (#2 - Lagana) in top fuel dragster. A time management situation has developed because weather is on the way with top sportsman due to the staging lanes. (4:38 PM EST)

The rain has come, the racing has stopped. Everyone has left the grandstands. This is a popup thunderstorm, and the front edge has clipped us here at the Maryland International Raceway. The race has stopped for about 40 minutes, and track officials are looking for a window of opportunitty. If a window cannot be found, the "Night of Fire" is over. (5:20 PM EST)

The race is over, we continue tomorrow. All "pro" fields have been set based off 2nd round qualifications. The racing will start at 9:30 AM EST tomorrow morning from Budds Creek. This is a severe storm, lightning has been spotted and a large storm front is on the way. MIR Track Officials tried to fight it off, but to no success. (5:37 PM EST)

Sunday

Racing has resumed with top dragster and pro stock running now at Maryland International Raceway. (10:00 AM EST)

Elijah Morton has knocked out John Bartunek in pro-stock. Pete Burner knocks out Dean Gorforth despite sleeping at the tree. (12:23 PM EST)

LATEST UPDATES (2:00 PM EST)

NITRO FUNNY CAR - ROUND ONE ELIMINATIONS.

MIKE SMITH VS. DALE CREASY, JR.

MIKE SMITH RED LIGHTS, .217 … CREASY ADVANCES 5.872

TERRY HADDOCK VS. PAUL LEE

BOTH DRIVERS RED-LIGHT, THE WIN GOES TO TERRY HADDOCK WITH A 5.567.

STEVE MACKLYN VS. TODD SIMPSON

TODD SIMPSON ADVANCES WITH A 5.781 (192.91 MPH), KNOCKING OUT MACKLYN WITH A 6.218 (157.067 MPH).

MATT HAGAN VS. ANDY KELLEY

MATT HAGAN *SHOULD* WIN THIS ROUND. BIG PROBLEMS FOR HAGAN, KELLEY WINS WITH A 5.418 (239.78 MPH). HAGAN WAS GOOD OFF THE LINE BUT HIS TIRES DIDN’T HAVE ANY GRIP WITH THE RACETRACK, HE ALMOST WRECKED IT.

TOP FUEL DRAGSTER

BOBBY LAGANA, JR. VS. SPENCER MASSEY

MASSEY OFF THE GAS, GIVE IT TO LAGANA WITH A 5.335 (258.42 MPH). WORD FROM THE IHRA IS THAT WAS NOT A CLEAN RUN FOR MASSEY, HE CROSSED THE CENTERLINE.

BRUCE LITTON VS. KEVIN JONES

BRUCE LITTON WINS WITH A 4.896 (288.09 MPH). THAT WAS A WIN ON REACTION.

MIKE STRASBURG VS. TERRY MCMILLEN

STRASBURG WINS WITH A 4.938 (282.84 MPH). MCMILLEN PEAKED AT 298.47 MPH, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT ROUND.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

DALE BRAND VS. LAURIE CANNISTER

LAURIE CANNISTER IS THE CURRENT TA/FC POINTS LEADER. BRAND HAS BEEN FAST AT MIR ALL WEEKEND AND IS THE #1 QUALIFIER. CANNISTER WINS WITH A 5.85 (212.10 MPH). TOO MUCH TIRE SMOKE FOR BRAND, WHO WAS BETTER OFF THE TREE AND HE ALMOST CROSSED THE CENTER LINE. CANNISTER HAS WON ALL BUT ONE ROUND OF RACING THIS SEASON.

LARRY DOBBS VS. PAUL NOAKES

PAUL NOAKES WINS, 5.815 (243.77 MPH).

MARK THOMAS VS. THOMAS CARTER

MARK THOMAS WINS (5.848, 244.87 MPH), CARTER BREAKS LOOSE.

ROB ATCHISON VS. TERRY MUNROE

ROB ATCHISON ADVANCES WITH A 5.868 (247.88 MPH).

NOTES: MARK THOMAS HAS LANE CHOICE AGAINST LAURIE CANNISTER. PAUL NOAKES TAKES ON ROB ATCHISON NEXT ROUND.

Update from Maryland International Raceway (3:31 pm est)

ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR – ROUND 2

PAUL NOAKES VS. ROB ATCHISON

PAUL NOAKES BEAT ROB ATCHISON WITH A 6.129 (241.80 MPH)

MARK THOMAS VS. LAURIE CANNISTER

CANNISTER WINS WITH A 5.823 (245.27 MPH). LAURIE CANNISTER CALLS IT LUCK, IT WAS A WHOLESHOT AGAINST HER BUT SHE SCORED THE WIN.

NITRO FUNNY CAR QUARTERFINALS

DALE CREASY, JR. VS. ANDY KELLEY

DALE CREASY WINS WITH A 5.118 (293.73 MPH)

TODD SIMPSON VS. TERRY HADDOCK

BOTH CARS BLOW THE TIRES, THEY BOTH SMOKE, THEY BOTH LET OFF, BUT SIMPSON WINS WITH A 5.434 (263.26 MPH).

TOP FUEL DRAGSTER

MIKE STRASBURG VS. BOBBY LAGANA, JR.

LAGANA, REACTION TIME .141, 4.941 AT THE LINE (291.82 MPH). BOBBY LAGANA IS GOING TO THE FINAL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2008.

BRUCE LITTON HAS A SINGLE PASS, WILL TAKE ON BOBBY LAGANA. HE NEEDS TO OUTRUN BOBBY LAGANA FOR LANE CHOICE. CAN HE OUTRUN LAGANA’S TIME? NO! 5.143 SECONDS WITH A TOP SPEED OF 210.18 MPH, THAT’S NOT ENOUGH. LAGANA HAS LANE CHOICE IN THE FINAL.

FINAL ROUNDS

ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR FINAL

PAUL NOAKES VS. LAURIE CANNISTER

NOAKES BREAKS LOOSE, USES ALL THE TRACK, LAURIE WINS WITH 5.780 (246.57 MPH) OVER NOAKES’ 6,015 (238.17). THE HOT STREAK FOR LAURIE CANNISTER CONTINUES.

NITRO FUNNY CAR

DALE CREASY, JR. VS. TODD SIMPSON

CREASY WINS IT BY A MILE! 5.08, 294 MPH AND IT’S A VICTORY BY 1.224 SECONDS.

TOP FUEL DRAGSTER

BOBBY LAGANA, JR. VS. BRUCE LITTON

GREAT RACE!!!! LAGANA BY A TENTH. 304.40 MPH, 4.869 SECONDS!

Refresh this page for the latest updates from the TORCO Racing Fuels President's Cup Nationals.

Set as favorite