Dirt
Street Car Supernationals Still Shines a Dozen Years Later
By Brandon W. Mudd
NHRA Pro Mod regulars Sidnei Frigo and Troy Coughlin were all but guaranteed to leave the Street Car Super Nationals with big trophies and bigger paychecks. Coughlin, a twotime winner of its Outlaw Pro Mod class, was looking at the possibility of the first-ever 280 mph doorslammer pass and was hands down the quickest car on the property. Frigo was the No. 1 qualifier in the traditional Pro Mod class and ran a race-low ET of 5.687 seconds at a top speed of 261.83 mph.
Coughlin didn’ t make the finals and Frigo was beaten by the ninth-overall qualifier. Bench racing on paper before the meet is never a good idea.
Mike Bowman earned the win light against the Brazilian Frigo with a pass of 5.788 seconds at 259.06 mph and SCSN veteran Mike Maggio finally broke through for the victory after defeating John Stanley, who red lit. Making the defeat even more painful for Stanley, who fouled out by. 049 seconds, was the fact he laid down a pass nearly a full tenth quicker than his opponent.
The event, hosted annually at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway the past 12 years, is unique as both a drag race hosting huge names within the sport and as a marathon event closing out the drag racing season. Mel Roth, the promoter and the president of the event’ s sanctioning body, the Premier Street Car Association, is the glue that holds the event together along with his wife, Heather, and a seemingly-inexhaustible staff. Roth is at the starting line, filming pass after pass on Facebook Live. He’ s in the tower, talking to the announcers regarding which sponsor has stepped up for some on-the-spot cash for lowest ET of that particular qualifying round. He’ s taking verbal abuse from drivers and crew for any number of transgressions, many of them resulting from a poor run that couldn’ t possibly be their own fault.
“ Loved seeing Maggio get that win,” Roth said when it was over.“ I mean, I like watching all of
the winners react, but I’ ve known Mike a long time. He’ s been to every one of these but one. So’ s Bowman actually. It was a great race.”
PHOTOS: PAUL GRANT
30 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 115