Bateman defeats Pruett-LeDuc for Nitro Nite Of Fire crown
7/6/2009

 

 
No. 2 qualifier Leah Pruett-Leduc

 
No. 1 qualifier and eventual winner Garrett Bateman

 
Chris Bennett

Garrett Bateman in Steve Plueger's Plueger & Gyger Ford Mustang defeated Leah Pruett-LeDuc in the Pruett-Jennings Heart Breaker Ford Mustang in the final round at the Fuel Energy Beverage 33rd Annual Nitro Nite Of Fire at Sacramento Raceway Park to take the Nitro Nite Of Fire Crown. This was also the second event on the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Funny Car Championship Points Chase.

Pruett-LeDuc did her part by leaving on Bateman with a .079 reaction time to Bateman's .161 but didn't have enough to hold off the 5.963 at 237.97 of Bateman with her 6.063 at 246.62.

Bright sunshine, high humidity, and an air temperature of over 110 degrees was on tap for Saturday as the final day's festivities got underway. During qualifying, Dennis LaCharite was held up on the line while waiting for the Pruett-Jennings team had a problem latching the body. Subsequently LaCharite went up in smoke. Race promoters Lisa and Lee Paul Jennings scheduled a make up qualifying session for LaCharite in his Back In Black GTO before noon, which carded LaCharite a 6.285 at 231.07 which moved him temporarily into the 6th qualifying position.

The final round of qualifying kicked off with the track temp hovering in the 140-degree range and yet there were still improvements and movement in the qualifying order. Bateman, Pruett-LeDuc , and Bucky Austin in the Northwest Hitter Plymouth Arrow remained in the top 3 qualifying positions without improving on their earlier passes.

Final eliminations kicked off around 5 p.m. with the track temperature still hovering around 115 degrees or better and the air temperature still well over 100 degrees. Talk about some hardcore fans in the stands and at the rail.

In the first pairing of the opening round No. 5 qualifier Mendy Fry in McCain's Bomb Squad Plymouth Duster defeated No. 4 qualifier Mark Sanders in the Mr. Explosive Chevrolet Nova with a 6.249 at 234.05 when Sanders lost traction off the starting line and carded an on and off the throttle 7.355 at 214.46. In the upset of the round, No. 6 qualifier LaCharite in the Back In Black Pontiac GTO defeated No. 3 qualifier Austin on a holeshot with a 6.273 at 233.27 to the trailing and quicker Austin's 6.262 at 233.11.

No. 1 qualifier Bateman defeated Chris Bennett in the Pure Heaven Chevrolet Camaro with a 6.077 at 230.36 to Bennett's 6.497 at 224.32. In the final pairing of the round No. 1 qualifier Pruett-LeDuc defeated No. 7 qualifier Josh Crawford in his Ford Mustang with a 6.073 at 250.37 when Crawford red lit, ending his day early.

In round two, Bateman defeated Fry with a 5.941 at 232.34 to Fry's trailing 6.200 at 239.67 while Pruett-LeDuc defeated LaCharite with a 6.136 at 243.77 to LaCharite's 6.234 at 232.60.

Sacramento Raceway Park's crew led by Paul Brandner did an outstanding job on the racing surface all weekend long, especially considering the air and track temperatures involved. There were 5-second passes in both the right and left lanes with the much maligned left lane seeing two 5-second passes, the first 250 mph pass by a AA/FC, and Bateman winning the event in that lane in the final round.

The crowd was light on Friday which in today's economy is to be expected. The crowd on Saturday was great even though it had to be one of the hottest days seen in Sacramento in many years. They were treated to Outlaw Pro Mods, Jet Funny Cars, wheelstanders, AA/FAs, and a dozen cackle cars for the inaugural Cacklemania.