10/30/2005 Bakersfield, CA - The Goodguys 7th Fuel & Gas Finals will probably not be remembered as the "feel good" drag race of the year. It will more likely be recalled as the "upset nationals". Going into the event there were five drivers within striking distance of the 2005 Top Fuel Points Championship. All five made the show and after first round but only two made it to the second. It was like the championship nobody wanted. Brett Harris was within reach but needed to win the event with other drivers going out early.

In round one the points leader, Rick McGee (in on the break rule) smoked the tires against Rick White (who was # 2 in the points) leaving White well in the hunt. Then Bill Dunlap put Murphy, the # 5 points driver away erasing him from the picture. # 4 in points, Terry Cox hung in by beating Mark Hyla running low ET of the round (5.896). Another shocker followed when Rick Rogers won a pedalfest over the # 3 driver, Brett Harris. They left with Top Speed of the event (259) but not a repeat championship for Nitro Thunder. The story and photos below.

Friday morning Harris and crew unloaded Big Red and set up camp.

In the first qualifying session Friday afternoon Brett Harris was paired with Jason Richey. A march up that had the makings of side by side fives.

Harris backs up from his burnout.

Harris left hard and proceeded to go to the head of the class with a quick 5.861 at a huge 259.06 (top speed of the event).

Richey's solid 6.027 at 247.86 was paled by Harris' times.

The second qualifying session got under way at 5:15 Friday evening. Harris was paired with Pete Kaiser.

After the burnout Harris moved up to the staging lights.

Harris left really hard but at about the 150' mark the clutch shaft broke, allowing the engine to rev to 13,300 rpm. There was a huge flash and a bunch of sparks (below) from the the top end of Big Red. Harris slowed quickly and stopped on the track. Kaiser added to the problem with a blown engine in the lights... lots of oil. BUT, he did run a nice 5.897 at 225.28.

Jack Harris shows broken clutch shaft - 13,300 rpm - OUCH!

After the sheering the clutch shaft the Nitro Thunder team had a lot of work to do Friday night.

Saturday afternoon saw the second and last qualifying session. Due to the opposite lane assignments Brett Harris heats the tires for a single.

Steve Tyrrell backs Brett up from his burnout.

Harris left hard and ran a 1.059 sixty foot number but he was off the pedal well before the end of the run netting a 6.128 at just 209.64. He remained in the # 6 spot with his earlier 6.01.

First round matched # 2 qualifier Brett Harris and the # 15 car of Rick Rogers. Harris was # 3 in the point and still had a shot at the title.

Rogers got a slight lead and Harris went up in smoke early (below) and he was on and off the pedal. Rogers got a bit further down track but he to fell to spinning tires and smoke himself. it was an old time pedalfest. Rogers had enough of a lead that he managed to hold off the big red car from Kaysville with a 7.273 at 126.83 to Harris' coasting 9.352 at 106.42. The season was over for the Nitro Thunder team.