2006 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals - Indy Invasion

Our own Dan Fletcher drove... 

   

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Our own Dan Fletcher drove his Summit Racing/Valvoline B/SA 396 Camaro to he finals in Stock Eliminator where he captured his 42nd NHRA national win, but his first at the coveted U.S. Nat.

For NHRA drag racers, the U.S. Nationals ranks right up there with the Daytona 500, the Indy 500, or the Super Bowl. It's the single largest and most coveted event on the NHRA tour. A racer's resume may have a championship on it, but it isn't complete without an Indy victory.

Held during the Labor Day weekend, the grueling six day event draws thousands upon thousands of fans and over 1,000 race entrants in a variety of classes, from Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock, to the Sportsman categories of Alcohol, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp and Super Gas.

Competitors arrive from each of the NHRA's seven divisions and virtually all of the 50 states are represented at the hollowed ground of Indy. The action is more intense than any other drag race, with an unmatched energy level. You'll find racers with some of the best cars in the country sweating just to qualify. And while it's an accomplishment just to make the show, others expect nothing less than an Indy Wally trophy.

For 2006 Super Chevy was there to capture the action; we focused on the Sportsman ranks. We found many unique, interesting and very fast Chevrolets on track-the only shame was that we couldn't feature them all. Nevertheless, it was our own Dan Fletcher in his Summit Racing/Valvoline '69 Camaro taking home the win in Stock Eliminator.

Now kick back and check some of the cool rides we found at "The Big Go."

Ron Morehead took the hotly...        read full caption Ron Morehead took the hotly contested SS GT/EA victory over eight competitors. In the final, Morehead had a near-perfect .001 light with his high-flying '82 Camaro, then ran 9.78 to top Scott Lamar who ran 9.84. Morehead's Camaro is powered by a John Gulius small-block.	Steve Brack had a great weekend...        read full caption Steve Brack had a great weekend at the Nats. Brack first took home the Stock E/FI class win with his Tuned Port 305, four-speed-equipped Camaro running 11.59, he then qualified second in the tough field (169 cars tried for 128 qualifying positions), then he lasted until the third round before falling to Super Chevy's technical answer man and event winner Dan Fletcher.	Multi-time Indy winner Kevin...        read full caption Multi-time Indy winner Kevin Helms took the B/S honors with this time-tested 396/four-speed Camaro. Helms had a .039 light and ran 10.39 to beat the '68 Camaro of Don Duke, who had a .014 light and ran 10.42.
James Lee of Tulsa wheeled...        read full caption James Lee of Tulsa wheeled his mint '55 to the SS/N class win with a time of 11.55 at 113 mph. The red and white Chevy sports a 265 with a three-speed manual tranny.	The SS/O winner was Richard...        read full caption The SS/O winner was Richard Feldman in his long '66 Impala, which is motivated by a 283 and four-speed. It ran 11.49 at 114.	Ed Matsko of Mount Pleasant,...        read full caption Ed Matsko of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, scored a class victory in SS/FM with his popular Chevy-A-Go-Go '69 Camaro. The Chevy runs low 10s at 130 mph with a destroked 282 small-block that's backed by a five-speed.
Bo Butner was the top qualifier...        read full caption Bo Butner was the top qualifier in Competition Eliminator with his nasty, Procharged '05 Cavalier running in the AA/Super Modified catagory. While somewhat unassuming, the centrifugally blown Chevy ran 7.13 at 200 mph. Butner made it to the quarter-finals before losing to Glen Treadwell.	Check out the wheelstanding...        read full caption Check out the wheelstanding '66 Nova of Don Duke.	Corvettes with flames are...        read full caption Corvettes with flames are hot, and so was Brandon Wilkinson, who took home the SS/AA class title with his '69 427 Vette. Wilkinson ran 9.02 at 146 mph.
Ben and Dave Wenzel have been...        read full caption Ben and Dave Wenzel have been racing this '67 Z/28 Camaro since it was new. At Indy, Ben took the D/S class win over Todd Bednaz. Wenzel ran 10.78 to Bednaz's 10.87.	This sweet '65 Chevy belongs...        read full caption This sweet '65 Chevy belongs to Bill Long of Warsaw, Indiana. Long ran 11.50s in I/SA and lasted until the third round.