Burbage Runs Career Best, But Falls Short in Finals

Sacramento, CA – Rod Burbage and the Spec Rite Converters 58 Corvette went to the finals and ran a career best at last week’s Funny Car Fever event at Sacramento Raceway. Burbage started the weekend by qualifying #2 with a 6.14 @ 238mph and then making two more consecutive 6.14 laps through qualifying and eliminations. For the finals, Burbage’s tuner, Lonnie Houde knew he had to step the car up.

“Brett (Williamson) had qualified with a 6.09 and then ran a 5.90 in the first round of eliminations in the Pittman built ‘Stude, so we knew going into the finals we really had to step the car up, to even have a chance.”

In the finals Williamson ran a stellar 5.92 at 248 mph to Burbage’s 6.03 @ 241. Burbage stated, “I’m really proud of our crew, our Bunker Race Cars built car, and the rest of the racers that attended. It was a great event that 619 Promotions put on and the Smith family made some good improvements to the track in the offseason.”

Lonnie Houde also tuned Jay Diedrich to a track and association record of 249 MPH (with chassis help from Bob Bunker Jr.), Dan Myers to a personal best 6.40 @ 225 in his 1957 Chevy Pick-Up truck (also with assistance to the chassis from Bunker Jr.), Scott Bailey with his GSA/NHRA legal blown Camaro to the best early numbers the car has ever had .974 60’ and 2.64 330’ and True 10.5 racer, Jalil Jaber into the 7-second zone with his small block, 3100 pound, stock frame rail, 10-71 blown Chevelle this past weekend in Sacramento.