Fri, 31 Dec 1999, 05:44 AM Nitro New Year Underway at AUTOfest 2000 in Florida

Courtesy of Bill Walters

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- AUTOfest 2000, a 4-day motorsports spectacular presented by GRAND Systems Corporation, roared to life Thursday at Moroso Motorsports Park in sunny Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Warm temperatures and beautiful clear skies greeted racers and fans alike as "Big Daddy" Don Garlits came to the line behind the wheel of Paul Smith's Top Fuel Dragster and was the first fuel car down the track. Garlits used the first pass as shakedown run and returned to the track just before dark to lay down a 5.30 to officially regain his Top Fuel license. Garlits will be facing Shirley Muldowney in a special New Year's Eve "Nitro Millennium Mania" match race at AUTOfest 2000. Muldowney, who was sporting the beautiful pink and blue paint scheme of her new sponsor, Goracing.com, went up in smoke in her only attempt of the day.

Moroso Motorsports Park only sees fuel cars several times a year and the racing surface can be tricky at best. Most of the fuel teams on hand at AUTOfest 2000 used Thursday to make check out passes. Steve Smith set low E.T. of the day with a 5.23 at 264 mph. NHRA Top Fuel World Champion, Tony Schumacher, went up in smoke on his first run but came back later to make a beautiful half-track pass, posting a 3.20 E.T.at the eight-mile mark despite having already shut off. Clay Millican, Chris Karamesines, and Bob Vandergriff, Jr., also made runs on Thursday. Vandergriff suffered the worst fate, popping a blower right on the launch and destroying the carbon fiber injector.

The fuel floppers were well represented at AUTOfest 2000 with Scotty Cannon, Phil Burkart, Jr., and Todd Paton all making a pair of shake-down runs. Dale Creasy, Jr., and Jack Wyatt each made a single pass.

Nostalgia front engines dragsters, nitro Harleys, jet Funny Cars, and the jet limo also made runs on Thursday. Many of the drivers took part in a special autograph session which included the event Grand Marshal, 9-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion, John Force. The racing will continue at AUTOfest 2000 through Sunday.