By Jake Amatisto

In what has become a “Mecca” for muscle cars and drag racing enthusiasts for the last twenty years, the legendary Memphis Motorsports Park on October 16 was the spot to be if you wanted to prove you had the quickest and fastest muscle car in the country. It was also the third time for the GM Performance Parts LSX Shootout, which drew some of the baddest LS-powered drag cars as well.

Due to cold temps, accidents and oil downs, the NMCA Memphis Finals were finished on Monday, Oct. 20.

There were over 500 cars acceleration machines on the property, a record car count for this event, and the competition was stout in all categories. The NMCA’s Nostalgia, Index, and Heads-Up classes, combined with the 3rd Annual LSX Shootout, made the 2009 World Finals one to remember. The crisp, down-right chilly air meant that the cars across the board were capable of making big horsepower, but a cold racing surface on Saturday made the track surface a bit tricky for all racers and it came down to who could get a hold on the track’s characteristics.
     
Even though very few Scorpion Performance Pro Street competitors made clean passes for qualifying in Memphis, the tricky track made it a challenge for those who wanted to separate the men from the boys. Topping the field was Noel Felton, who had won the Milan, Michigan, NMCA event last month. A 6.51 at 214 pass from Felton, followed by Chris Rini’s 6.54, and Billy Glidden’s 6.58 rounded out the weekend’s top three qualifiers.

In eliminations, Felton advanced over a broken Andy Burnett, Mark Micke took out Tony “The Sandman” Williams with a 6.71 pass, Chris Rini ran a 6.32 to beat Laracuente, Poulos got past a broken Matusek, Glidden had a broken bye run, as did Troy Coughlin. In the second round, Felton had to use all his driving skill when his Camaro got out of shape and whipped around violently, but was able to get it under control, as Micke won with a 7.24. Rini won with a nice 6.31 and Coughlin beat Glidden with a blistering 6.27 run.

In the semi-finals Micke got a bye into the finals, and in one of the coolest races of the weekend, Rini was able to take out the 2009 Scorpion Pro Street Champion. Rini busted a .017 to Coughlin’s .087 and was able to stay ahead of Coughlin for the win.

The finals were a bit anti-climactic, as Micke was broken, so Rini simply bumped into the beams to take the victory.         
     
In Mickey Thompson Super Street, Conrad Scarry topped the field with a 6.69 at 221 mph, number two was Bill Lutz who ran a 6.70, and third was Mike Murillo with a 6.70.