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CLEAR Temp: 70 °F Wind: SSW at 3 mph Saturday, August 30, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend July 28, 2003 Top fuel dragster Paul Romine is looking to exceed 300 mph at Tuesday�s event at the Southern Oregon Dragway. Romine headlines ‘Top Fuel Tuesday’ at Southern Oregon Dragway By DON HUNT Mail Tribune WHITE CITY — Top fuel dragster standout Paul Romine will take his shot at history Tuesday night and attempt to become the first drag racer in state history to exceed 300 mph. Romine, fellow National Hot Rod Association drag racer Don Sosenka and top fuel funny car specialists Dale Creasy, Jr., and Terry Hoddock will headline "Top Fuel Tuesday" at the Southern Oregon Dragway. The event annually attracts a handful of the country’s top drag racers as they travel between NHRA stops in Seattle, Wash., and Sonoma, Calif. Gates will open at 2 p.m. and final eliminations begin at 7 at the White City track. Admission is $25 for adults and $12 for kids 7-12. Advertisement Joining the popular nitro-powered dragsters and funny cars will be a duel between Rogue Valley top alcohol dragster stars Mike Austin and Dave Hix. The West Coast Top Sportsman class, featuring door-slammers and souped-up dragsters capable of going 200 mph, will also be featured, along with the local Summit ET class. But the majority of fans in attendance will have their attention focused on the NHRA drivers and their quest to surpass 300 mph. Promoter John Skinner is offering a $10,000 bonus for anyone who can meet or exceed the magical barrier. Romine, who will line up his Car Quest dragster alongside Sosenka and the Mr. Magoo vehicle, is probably the best bet to walk off with the extra cash. A former three-time champion of the IHRA circuit, the 55-year-old Romine has surpassed 300 twice this summer — a 310.13 run at the SuperNationals in Englishtown, N.J., on May 18 and a 318.09 pass at the Pontiac Nationals in Columbus, Ohio on June 15. Creasy went 307.86 at the Summit Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Ga., on May 4. "Three-hundred is doable," Skinner says. "It’s going to happen at this track at some point." However, drag racers at the White City track invariably face a couple of obstacles: Heat and altitude. Heat robs engines of horsepower and brings oil to the surface of the track, which causes the cars to lose traction. Monday’s forecast calls for a high of 102 degrees. The cars also run fastest at low altitude; the Southern Oregon Dragway is at 1,300 feet. But regardless of whether anyone can crack the 300 mph barrier, watching an NHRA dragster or funny car shake the ground and speed up the quarter-mile track is an experience few will forget, Skinner says, adding that the cars boast as much as 7,000 horsepower. "There’s nothing like being there and watching a top-fuel car," he says. "When they explode off the starting line, you lose your breath and your eyes burn from the nitro. "And the ground shakes so hard, it sets off fire alarms." Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times