The weather bureau promised that Sunday would the best day of the weekend - and they didn't lie. The Kentucky sun was shining, the unbearable humidity of Saturday was down to 40% and there were fans in the stands. Life was good.

 

Things kicked off at 11:00 a.m. with event MC, Dave McClelland introducing the event Grand Marshall, Dick LaHaie.

 

Once again, crew chief, Steve Faria makes final adjustments to the engine before Thompson moves in to stage.

Murry got Thompson on the lights (0.041 to a 0.156) but that's where any good news ended for Brendan.

By the 60' clocks Thompson was truckin' to a nice 5.752 at 255.05. Murry had his best run of the weekend (6.709 at 178.61) but was train lengths back when Brad cleared the traps.

After a hard leave, Thompson gave his all to put on a show for the fans (and maybe try to get the track record back) to rip off another great time - 5.756 at 243.28... sacrificing more pistons in the process. He would meet Adam Sorokin in the final.

If you have any thoughts that top fuel drag racing is all fun and games here are some random pit shots of the crew servicing the car between the semis and the final.

5:05 p.m - Brad Thompson and Adam Sorokin roll into the lanes for all the marbles.

Sorokin rattled the tires hard at half track and was forced to lift. He pedaled but shook again and headed for the center line and simply had to lift.

Thompson, taking the stance any good drag racer would take in a final, was not about to lift in spite of the fact he knew his engine was a dead player by the 900' mark. The wall of smoke and ground rattling "boom" in the lights pretty much told us there would be carnage when the car came back to the pits.

 

Carnage or not, the crew was ecstatic and besides, the damage could go in the box to be fixed back home. They won!

In a post race interview Thompson said he ran the last 400 feet blind because he burnt about 16 pistons and the supercharger blew off , covering him in oil. "I had to radio in to ask if I won," he said. This was Thompson's first time racing at Beech Bend. "It's a great place. I'm just glad we got it done this weekend. These bookend Reunion trophies (2007 CHRR and 2008 NHRR) are because of Larry Bless (Thompson's sponsor). He's like a father to me."

 

When the car got back to the pits it was cleaned and made photo ready for the Winners Circle. The engine damage would be another issue.