CONCORD, N.C. (September 23, 2015) – Former NHRA Carolina Nationals event champion Brandon Booher came just one win-light short of adding a second Charlotte Wally to his trophy case this past weekend. Booher fell to 2011 Top Alcohol Dragster national champion Duane Shields in the Carolina Nationals final round, capping off a four-week stretch of races for the family-owned team out of Champaign, Illinois.
“We started in Bowling Green with new cylinder heads from MBE – that definitely picked up our program. Not being able to field a competitive car in hot weather was something that was hurting us before. We could run well in good air, but so could everyone else. Now I feel that we can be competitive anywhere. Then we went to Indy with a new front-half. We had some issues there, then ran well in Earlville. We were able to finish strong this weekend at Charlotte, qualifying solidly in the field and reaching the final round,” Booher commented.
Booher drove his torque-converter-equipped dragster to the No. 4 qualifying spot with a stout 5.325 et at 271.95 mph. His supercharged machine struggled to get off the tricky starting line in the following qualifying sessions and subsequent rounds of elimination. Booher left the line first in all four rounds, first beating Wayne Morris with a 5.424/270.37 mph pass. He used a sizable holeshot to dispatch rookie Josh Hart's 5.428 with a 5.486 et. Booher had to pedal to a 5.509 in the semifinals, but opponent Robin Samsel also struggled to hook up to the zMax Dragway surface. In the final round, the AB Construction dragster was out of the gate first with solid lead, but Shields drove around Booher's 5.444 to win with a 5.318 pass.
“It was good to go to a final round. It would've been that much sweeter to win the Wally, but Duane made a hands-down excellent run in the finals. We bounced back and forth between lanes in eliminations. It was like I was always a run behind. When these things shake and you have to pedal them, it's not good, especially when the guy in the other lane is running a 5.31. I think it was definitely an issue plaguing almost every class. The starting line surface was marginal at best, and the starting line is where these supercharged alcohol cars are at their best. It was a successful outing. It could've been a little better, but nothing to hang our heads over,” Booher said.
The versatile driver/tuner attributed the recent uptick in performance to the efforts of some of his product partners – MBE Cylinder Heads, MVM Motorsports Products carbon fiber wheelie bars, and longtime Booher Racing chassis builder Spitzer Race Cars.
Matt (Bieneman, of MBE) and I had been working together on some stuff off and on with Brandon Snider's Pro Extreme car, and I really saw the potential in the MBE heads with what Brandon accomplished with his own car. I was able to secure a set for my car. Matt stepped up big and it's definitely been a great partnership so far and no doubt will continue to be one as we take what we're learning on this car with a small cubic-inch motor on the quarter-mile, and progressing forward. We're already discussing things we want to change for next year.
“Matt and his company definitely are at the top of their game. They have some of the best people operating some of the best machinery. He's at the track, he's involved, he's helping out when necessary and that goes a long way. I think that's something people should consider when they're looking to purchase cylinder heads.
“We also started working with Mike and Frank Valerio at MVM Motorsports Products on the carbon fiber wheelie bars. Previously we were having issues with the moly bars. After tire shake or just general use, they would be bent, bowed and the metal lost memory. That's adding another variable into the tune-up. With the rigidity that the carbon offers, you have something that is no longer a variable. We shook the tires hard on five runs this weekend, and the wheelie bar is as strong as it was the day we got it.
Mike Spitzer and I have been together for around 20 years, from Junior Dragster to Super Comp, Super Eliminator and Pro Top Outlaw, to Top Alcohol and the new Top Alcohol Dragster we had them build in 2010. Anything I need, it gets done. I've said it before, but it's like family there. Indy was a shining example of the kind of service they offer to their customers. I pulled into Spitzer's shop early Sunday morning, broke the news that I needed a new front-half by Wednesday, and they didn't bat an eye. They had other stuff going on, other stuff they could've been doing, but they got it done. That's a pretty big statement right there. They just take care of their customers, and that's one of the reasons why Mike and his team have been successful in this business for decades and he'll continue to be until he decides he doesn't want to do it anymore.
“Those are three big partners that help us whenever they can, and in return we try to translate that quality into results on the race track. For what we have and what we spend, I definitely think it's there,” Booher decided.
As Booher points out, a strong support system of manufacturers is critical to a small team like his, especially one running a torque-converter in a class full of time-tested clutch set-ups.
“You're talking about a combination that was laughed at when it came into the class,” Booher said of his converter-equipped blown alcohol car. “That has transitioned into petitions being drafted against the combination, and negative comments from opponents' crew members on the return road. I just don't see how better-funded teams with full-time crews can complain about the torque-converter set-up being unfair. We operate on a shoestring budget, and as far as crew, I have a carpenter in my father, a network engineer in my brother, and a writer for Drag Illustrated. It's not like there's a bunch of engineers sitting up in the lounge. This is a labor of love. Whatever it takes, somehow, someway – I'm not sure sometimes how it gets done, but it gets done. That drive and determination is what's made us successful. We also couldn't do it with the companies and individuals listed above, among others. They make a world of difference.”
In addition to sitting ninth in NHRA Lucas Oil Series national points, Booher is second in North Central Region points. He must reach the final round at next weekend's regional race in Noble, Oklahoma to overtake Mia Tedesco, who holds a ten-point lead but is out of races to claim. Unfortunately for the 2013 North Central regional champion, he will likely sit out the rest of the season unless sponsorship opportunities arise.
“As it stands right now, Charlotte is our tenth and final race this year. It's been a good season, but there comes a point where you can't spend what you don't have. We're not going to race on credit cards. I have a wife and a new daughter. It's been a heckuva year – a win, two runner-up finishes, and two semifinals in regional competition. Mia just had a little better of a year, and my hat's off to her and the Hirata team for it. If someone wanted to work with us on a marketing partnership, or just wants to see me throw some dice out there, that's the only way it can happen,” Booher admitted.
ESPN2's Sportsman coverage of the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway airs at 7:30 AM ET on Saturday, September 26th.
ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MBE Cylinder Heads, MVM Motorsports Products, Goodson Tools, Spitzer Enterprises, and Torque MGMT.
Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).
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