LAS VEGAS — Spirits were willing, but the weather and wallets were weak.
Despite an overly pessimistic weather forecast that called for cold, uncooperative temperatures and first evidence of the impact from Torco’s cold-turkey sponsorship withdrawal earlier this month, four Top Fuel drivers and three from the Funny Car class attended the Nitro Blast-Off at The Strip @ Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Two-time Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon debuted his paint job for new sponsor U.S. Smokeless Tobacco. Although UST/Skoal have been part of Don Prudhomme’s Snake Racing family for years, it is the first time Dixon has driven with the sponsorship.
But Dixon, like fellow dragster drivers Alan Bradshaw, Dave Grubnic and seldom-qualified Arley Langlo, was experimenting with the reinstated 90-percent nitro rules, among other factors in the tune-up equation. And making full passes on the well-prepared but chilly drag strip wasn’t the point of participating in this first of three unsanctioned pre-season test sessions.
Bradshaw, with first-time crew chief Tony Shortall, was experimenting with everything in his first passes in Dexter Tuttle’s dragster. Bradshaw took over the seat when J.R. Todd left to join Morgan Lucas Racing last November.
Del Worsham used the three-day session more as a boot camp for his new crew members, who requested the opportunity, than anything else. He led a three-man Funny Car contingent that included Gary Densham and Scott Kalitta.
Matt Guidera was the lone Pro Stock Motorcycle rider to participate.
On the heels of the Eric Medlen’s and John Force’s Funny Car accidents in 2007, NHRA instituted new tech rules during the off-season.
Force had climbed in and out of the cockpit of one of his Castrol GTX Ford Mustangs on his own power three times in the past week at his shop at Yorba Linda, Calif. He has said he will be ready to drive at the test sessions and certainly for the season-opening Winternationals at Pomona, Calif.
The rehabbing 14-time champ’s medical progress might be a moot point. His four cars aren’t ready yet, and teammate Robert Hight has flown back to Indianapolis to monitor what’s happening. That includes several trips to builder Murf McKinney’s fabrication shop at Lafayette, Ind.
That means rookie Mike Neff, the former Gary Scelzi crew chief, has to wait for his Mustang, as do Force and daughter Ashley Force for theirs.
Doug Foley was ready to haul his new Top Fuel dragster to Las Vegas in preparation for his first full NHRA season, but he, like at least 18 other drivers, was a victim in the Torco fiasco.
Worsham, owner/driver/tuner of the Checker, Schuck’s, Kragen Chevy Impala Funny Car, said he hadn’t planned to attend and once he decided to go after all, he was “not going with a real aggressive agenda.”