Clint Thompson's Blue Cascade Chevrolet funny car has been a familiar site in the Lordco Auto Parts
BC Nationals Winner's Circle for the last three years. And instead of being content with three in a
row, the Klamath Falls Oregon racer wanted to make it four in a row. With the odds of coming out on
top were just as good as before, Thompson went into qualifying with the confidence knowing he could
win it all on Sunday.
With only seven funny cars on the Mission Raceway Park grounds, qualifying wasn't as difficult as
it has been at some of the events already held in Division Seven. By the end of the final
qualifying session, Thompson had qualified third with a 5.70.8 at 253 MPH.
In the first round of eliminations, Thompson faced popular Chilliwack BC racer Tim Nemeth, who was
hoping to win a round in front of the home crowd. Nemeth tried to make it a good race as he got off
the line first but by 300 feet Thompson caught up and drove around him. By half track Nemeth banged
the blower and that was all she wrote as Thompson easily took the win with a respectable 5.64 at
254 MPH to Nemeth's slowing 7.28.
In the second round Thompson took on yet another tough Canadian racer, John Evanchuk, of Edmonton.
Evanchuk qualified second just ahead of Thompson with a 5.70.6 to Thompson's 5.70.8. So, on paper
this was anyone's race. At the hit Evanchuk was out of the hole first with a 0.058 reaction time to
Thompson's 0.144. Thompson was in hot pursuit of Evanchuk but at the stripe Evanchuk was able to
hold on to beat Thompson who lost the race in a squeaker. Thompson, recorded a 5.63 at 256 MPH to
Evanchuk's winning 5.69 at 252 MPH.
Thompson and his dedicated team will now head east to the Midwest and race at the O'Reilly Summer
Nationals scheduled for May 29-May 31 in Topeka Kansas.
