Well...it was almost another trip to Pomona for one of the guys. Mike Larose Sr, lost in the 9th round of Pro at Maple Grove today. Mike is a former National Footbrake Champion that races out of the Competition Wedge shop. He got a little heavy on the converter in the final round and went .496 red.

Funny thing is he built this car to go get pizza in on weekends. We call it the " Pie Wagon". Just an old Dart that he was supposed to pick me up on Fridays or Saturdays ( I still dont know how that supposed to work, he is always racing on Saturday nights while I am working at the shop!)When he wasnt driving it, I was going to drive it when I could get away from the shop. That never happened either...lol. He gave it a hell of a run, footbraking it to the final, and had a chance to go for the National Championship again. Such a heartbraker, kind of bittersweet for sure.

Congrats to Andy Anderson on the PRO win. The good thing is, Andy also is a Mopar, running another Dart, flying the colors for Kenny Koretsky and Nitro Fish.

Mopar was well represented for sure.

Its surely been a mentally draining day. I wasnt able to go and had to get phone calls by the hour and minute by minute updates at the shop.

Our team, ESTA Dragstrip ( of which I am a Board memeber and stockholder) won 3rd place overall in points and also have the Bike/Sled Class winner, so he will represent us in Pomona for Bike. Very cool.

1686 Mike Larose
-0.004 10.783 122.54
PROET Dial: 10.81 (+/-): -0.027

(P Truitt ) 0.027 10.836 0.036
BYE -0.012 10.784 -0.016
(J Szumski ) 0.001 10.813 0.003
(R Robertson ) 0.011 10.819 0.009
(J Albrecht ) 0.025 10.819 -0.001
C Crawford ) 0.024 10.827 -0.013
(B Layfield ) 0.012 10.835 0.035
L Chronister) 0.012 10.949 0.109
#97 10.949 111.53

What other Moparts members were at Maple Grove?

Nice Job..

MB

I was there and couldn`t get hold of the tree and went red 1st round as did many others. Congrats to Mike Larose on his runner up. I met him after I picked up my time slip after a time shot. As I drove past his pit spot and he saw my Dart he waved. I looked over and saw his Dart.... Wow!!! it looked almost identical to how my Dart looked 27 years ago when I first got it same color and all it even had a black roof. I rode my quad down and met him and we talked for awhile... Nice guy and Congrats again to him!!! I just got home a little while ago ( Sunday evening) my wife came down Friday and since my friend/engine builder went a few rounds in Pro on Saturday we stayed over until today and did a little shopping at the Outlets in Reading. It was my first long trip with my 08 Hemi QC since I got it last November and it towed great! Plenty of power on long hills and much more stable than my Durango was I even got a few compliments on it. Although I lost early I still had fun hanging with my fellow Island team mates and eating( our track operator puts out a great spread of food for us during the whole event). Only 6 months until points start and I can start going rounds to try and qualify to go again next year.