Day 3 at Martin Michigan saw all time Drag Week bests for the pair, as Sias' Ford clawed back some of the 13 hundredths he'd lost in the first two days 9.793-136.7 to the Black Pearl's equally stout 9.851-134.7. Indy was a repeat of the third day, as Ray managed another great 9.859-135.1, but the fox body went 9.841-137.2 to take back nearly two hundredths more of the deficit.

Entering the Class car session on the final day at National Trail, Ray held court in the lanes as he leaned against the front of his 67 Barracuda.
"I don't know if we can hold him off", he shook his head, "he's had two to five mph on us all week...that's horsepower, and if he gets enough shots at the track, they will find a way to make it stick!"
"Ray, it looks pretty greasy out there right now", I explained.
"Yeah, it does, but if they run us four hours, it'll be near dark when this thing wraps up, and that surface will come back around!"
Zac Ravencraft is Ray's trunk gorilla, as he towers over Ray in a size difference reminiscent of the Skipper and Gilligan. While not as animated as Ray, they share a great attitude and are usually upbeat. "We just have to match them pass for pass, and you have just as good a chance to make ET as they do", he chimed in.

"How much are they holding on the Mustang right now", Dale asked Boone as Ray and Jeff entered the water box side by side for their first pass.
"51 thousandths, still in hand", Boone replied
"These are the top two competitors in Super Street Small Block NA" Brian Lohnes explained over the speaker, "Separated by mere hundredths over the entire week, and about to go down the track side by side!"
"This could decide who will take the class win right here", Freiburger added.

Neither car left particularly well, and they appeared to be even at the eighth mile. Jeff's speed advantage was obvious as he pulled a car length ahead in the back half to turn on the win light with a 10.138-140.11 to Ray's 10.003-133.33.
"That was well above both of their averages for the week, so I have a feeling they will be back in the lanes right away", Freiburger elaborated.
"Optical illusion" Dale laughed, "Sias treed Ray so bad it looked like they were even at the eighth, but Ray's Barracuda sixty foots hard, even on a bad pass!"
"1.34 or 1.35, I think."
"Pretty stout for a stock suspension, small tire, street car", Boone agreed, "but do any of us think that ten flat is going to hold up?" We watched that pass from beside the burnout area, because none of us had ran yet. their second opportunity occurred an hour and fifteen minutes later as we were in the tower getting our final time slips turned in. Instead of racing each other they went back to back out of the same lane. The Black Pearl blew the tires off and ran 10.26-133, then the fox body coupe made a solid 9.97-134.4.
"That's not enough to topple the 10.0, but the Mustang is improving while Ray is going in the wrong direction", Dale shook his head.
"The lanes are dwindling down, I have a feeling those two will be hot lapping soon!"

We had settled into the bleachers by the time Ray idled the stroked gen 3 Hemi back into the water box. Alongside him was second generation Drag Weeker Scott Miller in his Street Race BB/NA 68 Cougar, well on his way to a runner-up behind 6 time class winner Curt Johnson. The Barracuda seemed to grab all of the line as the front tires tip-toed to the sixty foot clocks. The big inch Merc thundered by at half track as the cougar went 9.23-142, but there was little doubt Ray was on a good one too. My brothers and I leapt to our feet with cheers and fist pumps as the scoreboard lit up with 9.923 at 135.20! The guys on the front row turned to give us a dirty look, allegiances on Drag Week don't always fall along brand loyalty, often they follow geographical boundaries as well, and Jeff has quite a few of the guys from the North East in his corner. We didn't care, it was all in good fun.
"Jeff would have to go 9.871 to beat that, and I just don't see that happening", Boone smiled.
"Unless it improves right at the end of the session, the track and the air just aren't good enough", Dale agreed.

Ten minutes later Jeff made his third attempt, and the high rpm 427 belted out a 9.949-133.82.
"That was the run he needed to beat Ray's ten flat", Boone nodded his head, "I knew first one wasn't good enough, but that .92 is going to hold up."

Ray smoked the tires on his fourth pass, and eased to a 13.71. He hot lapped around and spun at the hit to a 10.47-133 on his 5th attempt. Jeff's 90 Mustang pulled to the line beside Matt Grant's red 07 Modified Power Adder Mustang.
"Grant needs better than an eight thirty-seven to beat the LS turbo Challenger for third right", Darren asked.
"Yep", Boone nodded, "and Sias is searching for a 9.86."
Both cars made clean, hard launches and looked to be on solid runs. Matt Grant went 8.218-166.83 to secure the third place plaque in Modified Power adder, and Jeff bang shifted to a stout 9.904-139.43 which just wasn't going to be quite good enough to get the job done.
We let out a collective sigh of relief.
"About thirty minutes of track time left", Dale noted, looking at his phone.
"Conditions are definitely coming around", I added.
"Yep, fireworks aren't over yet!"
Fifteen minutes later, Ray ran 10.01-134.81 on his 6th pass of the evening. Two minutes after that, Jeff and his 90 Fox body coupe pulled up to stage for his fifth and final attempt to steal a Drag Week Jacket off the back of a Moparts racer for the third time. From a spectator's view the rear end of the Mustang jumped around a bit too much in second gear for it to be a stellar pass, and Lohnes reported that it was down a half mph at the eighth mile. The Gebhart brothers were celebrating when the scoreboard read 9.991-138.86! Ray Meyers and the completely scuttled and re-masted Black Pearl had their second class win at Drag Week! Never one to rest on his laurels Ray brought the Barracuda back around for a victory lap just as the lanes closed. The little Hemi that could responded with a 9.918-133.8 on it's seventh pass of the day.

#5 Ray Meyers Black 67 Plymouth Barracuda
Day 1: 9.96-134.7
Day 2: 9.86-135.6
Day 3: 9.85-134.7
Day 4: 9.85-135.1
Day 5: 9.91-133.8
Final Average: 9.890-134.81