Moving onward with the Best Runs of 2011 series,
we take a look at the season that was in the Top Eliminator category. The goal
in this class is to run 2.950 exactly. Racers across the country enjoy the
competition in this category, and it makes for some great wheel-to-wheel
racing. Let’s take a look at who ran the closest to the 2.950 target in 2011.Top Eliminator - Top 10 Best Runs 2011
1. Tim Martin 2.950 - Dome Valley, AZ - Jan-11
2. Tim Martin 2.951 - Atoka, OK - Nov-11
3. Terry Glasscock 2.952 - Grain Valley, MO - Sep-11
4. Jim Rossi 2.953 - Kingman, AZ - May-11
5. Ron D’Artenay 2.954 - Soboba, CA - Apr-11
6. Terry Glasscock 2.954 - Grain Valley, MO - Sep-11
7. Leon Januik 2.955 - Kingman, AZ - May-11
8. Paul Taylor 2.956 - Kingman, AZ - May-11
9. Billy Morris 2.957 - Kingman, AZ - May-11
10. Courtney Stidham 2.959 - Atoka, OK - Nov-11
Tim Martin once again did the nearly impossible running a dead-on perfect 2.950 during eliminations at Dome Valley Raceway in January. Tim also became the first person to run a perfect 2.950 more than once as he also accomplished this feat at Primm in October 2008. Tim became the first person to sweep the Top 2 Runs in the TE season running a great 2.951 in the final event of the 2011 season in November at Atoka, OK. Terry Glasscock ran a great 2.952 in the final round at Thunder Valley Sand Drags’ Fall Nationals in Missouri to end up third. Terry also ran a 2.954 earlier in eliminations with his Turbo Pinto-powered Dragster. Class champion Jim Rossi led the group with at the Kingman May race with a 2.953 in the Bad Toy Dragster while Ron D’Artenay ran a great 2.954 in the final round at the April Soboba event. The Kingman May event saw 4 of the 10 Best Runs of the season, while the Atoka November & Thunder Valley September races both saw 2 of the 10 Best Runs of the season..
2011 Race Winners:
Dome Valley (Jan ’11) - Billy Morris
Soboba (Apr ’11) - Ron D’Artenay
Avenal (Apr ’11) - Ron D’Artenay
Kingman (May ’11) - Billy Morris
Atoka (May ’11) - Courtney Stidham
TVSD Fall Nats (Sept ’11) - Terry Glasscock
Avenal (Sept ’11) - Adam Wimberly
Dome Valley (Oct ’11) - Jim Rossi
Soboba (Oct ’11) - Paul Taylor
Atoka (Nov ’11) - Tim Martin
The competition was fierce coast to coast in the TE class. Jim Rossi came out on top of the NSRA Top Eliminator class championship after a great battle with Paul Taylor. Billy Morris & the 2 Dolla’ Bill team as well as Ron D’Artenay & the “Red Warrior” were the only repeat winners on the season.
Each year the competition level continues to increase in this very popular category. We are looking forward to what the 2012 season will bring to the TE category. Let’s take a look at the Top 30 passes from the season that was.
Tim Martin was the only TE racer to card a perfect 2.950 in 2011. Tim ran this pass at the Dome Valley Season Opener. He also went on to win the Atoka November race. (Lonestar Photo)
Terry Glasscock made the Best Runs list twice, including being third on the list with his great 2.952 en route to the win at the Thunder Valley Sand Drags (Grain Valley, MO) September event. (Lonestar Photo)
Jim Rossi made the Best Runs list in the 4th spot with his 2.953 in Kingman. Jim went on to win the NSRA TE Championship with his Bad Toy Dragster. (Lonestar Photo)
Billy Morris had a great season of TE action with the 2 Dolla' Bill / MFR Dragster. Billy won the first race of the season at Dome Valley as well as the Kingman May event & posted the 9th Best Run of the season with a 2.957 in Kingman. (Tim Marshall Photo)
The Texas-based "Twisted" Dragster driven by Courtney Stidham turned in some great performances in 2011. Courtney scored a huge win at the Atoka Heartland Nats in May, followed up by making the Top 10 list with a 2.959 at the November Atoka TE event. (Lonestar Photo)
Paul Taylor had a great season with the Outta Control dragster coming up just 9 points short of the NSRA TE championship after carding a big win at the Soboba October race. Paul also laid down a 2.957 at Kingman that ranked 8th on the 2011 Best Runs list. (Lonestar Photo)
Ron D'Artenay had a spectacular weekend at Soboba in April with the "Red Warrior" dragster where he ran a 2.954 to put him fifth on the Best Runs list on his way to scoring the class win on that weekend. Ron also scored a class win a few weeks later at Avenal. (Tim Marshall Photo)
PHOTOS COURTESY
Tim Marshall / Donna Bistran Photography - http://nitrodreamingphotography.shutterfly.com/