John Cross Wins Pro Gas Title at NHRA National Open

By Bob Johnson
L.A. County Raceway Palmdale, CA April 10, 2005

John Cross of Riverside drove his Lucas Oil-Cross Motorsports ’34 Chevrolet roadster to his first Southern California Pro Gas Assoc. victory, winning at the annual NHRA National Open at L.A. County Raceway. Cross defeated Doug Spencer in the final round.

Sixty-nine cars entered the JE Pistons, The Brakeman, Tryon Patterns & Rumis Motorsports-sponsored event. Ray Cordeiro qualified number one with a perfect 10.140 second timing with his Cordeiro Motorsports-sponsored ’63 Corvette. Hubert Pierce Jr. and Tom Bayer also qualified with perfect qualifying passes for the second & third qualifying spot. A total of 14 cars qualified on the 10.14-second index, including Dan Beresford, Phil Miller, Randy Kersey, PJ Giacalone, Glenn Wagner, John Ross, Les Harris, Randy Fabbro, Alan Hoeffer, Tim Daniel, and Wayne Newman.

Quarterfinal round racing began with Randy Fabbro cutting a .009 reaction with his ’78 Ford Pinto to defeat Rich Okerman, Doug Spencer and Dave Coapstick ran identical 10.105 break-out timings, with the win going to Spencer via his .010 reaction time. Cross ran a 10.138 on a bye run.

Cross and Fabbro matched up in the semifinal with a -.005 red light by the Pinto driver putting the roadster of Cross in the final. Spencer got a bye into the final. The trophy round saw both drivers leave the line with nearly identical reactions--.028 for Spencer, .032 for Cross—with the win light going to Cross with a 10.184, 139.39 to a second best of 10.242, 151.80.

Ray's Notes