Burbage gets opening win of the 2012 WCOPMA season

Written by Steve Bunker

Boise, ID – Rod Burbage drove his Spec-Rite Converter sponsored 1958 Corvette to a win this past weekend at Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho. With a short field Burbage grabbed the number one qualifying position away from Dan Nickelson during the final qualifying session.

Nickelson came out of the box with a 6.271 @ 230.41 in the first qualifying session on Friday evening to take to top spot when no one else could get down the 115 degree track. The New Family had the track prepped the best they could given the conditions but most of the drivers still overpowered the track.

During the second qualifying session on Saturday the track came around and so did the performances. Burbage ran a 6.311 @ 223.93 to bump into the number two spot; Andy Neyer was in third with a 6.649 @ 210.03.

The third and final session is when Burbage stepped on it and took the number one spot away from Nickelson with a 6.201 @ 231.00. Nickelson was behind the water box to witness that run and stepped up to try and take the top spot back but his 6.229 @ 230.41 wasn’t enough and landed second on the qualifying order.

Tommy Johanns finished fourth with a 7.865 @ 197.58 while still trying to figure out his new screw blower combination and Yvonne Lucas was in fifth with an 18.877 @ 42.47 but was not able to make the first round call after seeing some beginning wear/cracks on the 4-link brackets of her 1968 Camaro.

Andy Neyer ran consistently all weekend in the mid 6.60-range and did the same in the first round of eliminations against Nickelson. Neyer knew he didn’t have a 6.20 in the car but if Nickelson messed up he was there with another 6.60 pass to grab the win, and that’s exactly what happened. Nickelson broke his blower belt leaving the line and Neyer cruised down for the win with a 6.636 @ 201.29 to claim a spot in the final round.

On the other side Burbage was paired up with Johanns. Burbage got off the line first and ran low ET of the event with a 6.184 @ 223.60 pass while Johanns had his hands full around the 330’ mark as he lightly tagged the wall. Tommy was out of the car on his own in the top end and not injured in the mishap.

The final round paired Burbage vs. Neyer. When the tree dropped Neyer was off way too early with a -.127 red-light but it didn’t matter as Burbage ran another consistent pass to take the win with a 6.206 @ 229.24 to Neyer’s losing 6.738 @ 206.13.

With the event win Burbage has an early lead on the point’s standings heading into our next event in Mission, BC, Canada at Mission Raceway Park on July 6-8. There will be lots of cars from both Canada and the ‘States headed up there to put on a killer show you won’t want to miss!