Cox/Buck and Musi First to Score Flatout Gaskets Nitrous Wars Wins in 2017
PITTSBORO, NC – The Flatout Gaskets Nitrous Wars puts legs to the underlying tension between Pro Nitrous engine 
builders. With competition so close any one Pro Nitrous entry can win on race day, the battle for bragging rights isn’t an easy one. Sub 3.70 numbers are the new norm for the class. It took a 3.67 at both the season opener in Valdosta and the East Coast Nationals at GALOT Motorsports Park to score the pole position.
At South Georgia Motorsports Park, Jay Cox laid down a 3.679 at 200.71 MPH to get the first Flatout Gaskets Nitrous Wars win of the season for his engine builder, Charlie Buck. Lizzy Musi was right on his heels in her Musi-powered Camaro with a 3.707, followed by Randy Weatherford, 3.717, and a host of 3.73 runs. Lee Adkins Jr. rounded out the field at 3.83.
“This is a good feeling,” Cox said of scoring his first Flatout Gaskets Nitrous Wars win of the season. “This thing sat on the ProJacks for four months. Then we came down here and it’s running as fast as it’s ever run. I have a lot of good people in my corner – good crew, good family, and a good guy backing me, Luke Clements and Clements Mechanical. They’re new to drag racing, and what better way to introduce them than with a performance like this.”
Cox went on to win the event, setting himself up as an early season favorite.
At the next event, Cox and Musi were once again front-runners in qualifying, with reigning champ Tommy Franklin added to the mix. Cox put in a solid 3.689 but it was a side-by-side run from Musi and Franklin that really turned heads. Each in a Musi-powered machine, Lizzy and Franklin recorded a pair of 3.675 runs. It was Lizzy who got the number one spot, however, thanks to her 205.07 MPH. Cox’s run put him in third with Randy Weatherford and Jason Harris following in fourth and fifth. The entire field was separated by just over a tenth with Brian Shrader rounding out Pro Nitrous competition with a 3.781.
“We actually struggled the first qualifying round,” Musi said. “We had something wrong with our purge solenoid and it actually ended up staying stuck open. That’s why you saw my purge deal constantly wide open when I staged and made that first pass. We knew it probably wouldn’t make the run but we had to just try it. We got that fixed and made a nice run in the second session.”
A surprise newcomer found his way to the winner’s circle at GALOT Motorsports Park. James Hancock won it all on race day with Sonny’s Racing Engine power under the hood. The class is still showing incredibly parity making it anyone’s guess who will be in the winner’s circle. A certain trend is already arising, however, for the Flatout Gaskets Pro Nitrous Wars. It remains to be seen if Cox and Musi can continue leading the field.
The next Flatout Gaskets Nitrous Wars title will be up for grabs at the PDRA Spring Nationals, May 18-20 at Darlington Dragway in Darlington, S.C.
