White Conquers the Mountain

05/15/10 Brandimere Raceway, Denver, CO. For the first time in the 2010 season nostalgia Top Fuel dragsters filled the mile high air with nitro and and at the end of the day the King of the Mountain was Rick White in the Neal & White car out of San Diego, CA.


Running a Chicago style match race format (the two low ET winners run for the title), White, Jim Murphy, Mike McClennan and Mike Chrisman put on a great show for the huge crowd who braved very cool and damp temps. In the first round White got the best of Mike McClennan who was holding his own until the engine went away at the 1000' mark. White ran a 6.02 at 254 MPH.


Murphy was on a huge run before he got out of the groove and had to shut off to avoid the center line. His 6.08 at just 189 suggests it could have been a track record. Chrisman boiled the tires at the hit and was never a factor.


The night session first pitted Chrisman and McClennan with the latter prevailing. This was the first time Chrisman had ever driven at night and the header flames at the hit startled him to the point he got off the throttle immediately. Once he realized what he was seeing, he got back in it but spun the tires. In Mike's defense, if you have ever driven a front engine fuel car at night you would understand what a spectacle it is and its not something you get used to in just one run


White and Murphy then paired up for the title with White carding low ET and Top Speed of the meet with a 5.98 at an incredible 259 MPH! Keep in mind, the air density was at 7500 feet above sea level and it was 50 degrees with dew over everything. That would be over 270 at a track like Bakersfield or Pomona. Murphy spun the tires and shut off early to a 6.30.

Photos by Neonrod Photography

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