East Vs. West
Aug 22, 1998 (Rocky Mountain Raceways): One of the highlights
of the CIFCA funny car circuit is the Funny Car Fever held just outside Salt Lake City,
Utah. This annual race attracts teams from a half dozen states and produces side-by-side
racing under the Musco lights.
Mike Hilsabeck led qualifying with a 7.53 while Sean Dale
(both of Phoenix, AZ) anchored the 8 car ladder with a 7.77. The Perma-Cool Burnout
Challenge was won by Elko, NV based Randy Smith.
The racing started off extremely close with Hilsabeck
defeating the Good Vibrations of Jim Maher on a 7.61- 7.58 holeshot. Margin of victory:
.038 seconds! During the semi-finals, Hilsabeck's Arizona Thunder clocked a near prefect
7.49 to CHP Dave McDannel's red light.
On the other side of the ladder was newcomer Matt
Sullivan, VP and past champion of the Midwest Funny Car Assoc. This makes the first time a
member of MFCA competed on the CIFCA circuit. Sullivan's Sheer Craziness Corvette
qualified with a 7.60 and ran an early shut off 7.81 in round one against Buzz Miller.
Sullivan then cut an unreal .403 light coupled with another 7.60 elapsed time to trailer
Robert Lee's game 7.59.
The final paired Iowa against Arizona. East vs
West. Both are great drivers and with many wins to their credit. Hilsabeck's sliced
the 'tree with a .421 light and led all the way clocking a too-quick 7.48. Sullivan would
take the victory and savored it 1350 miles back to the midwest. The Made For Best ET award
went to Maher while Sullivan clinched the Tavia Best Reaction Time bonus with his .403
light.
Special thanks to Brandon Gee and the staff at Rocky Mountain
Raceways for their great support and facility. The event was run just like the race
surface: very smooth. They have not left any stones uncovered in making this racetrack one
of the premier on the west coast. And the fans are some of the most appreciative and fun
loving. -Jim Maher
Local favorites Jim and Shane Westring
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