Phil Hutchison Drag Racing Action Online

Images John Charbonneau, Chris Graves, Mellissa Gillett, Dave Kommel, Phil Landram

As the East Coast was nothing but rain, racing in the Mid-West was lucky enough to take place, albeit, with some inclement weather. The third race of Chris and Tera Graves Funny Car Chaos series sponsored by Comp Cams was on hand for an inaugural performance at the Ohio track. The event was also the second Nitro Chaos for 2026 for racers to earn points. The dual event brought in the cars with over three dozen blown machines making the trip to the Summit Motorsport Park in Norwalk Ohio. Qualifying went pretty much without a hitch but the weather report for Saturday’s finals forced the track owners and Graves to switch gears and move the finals to Sunday.

“While Mother Nature forced our hand on Saturday, we couldn’t be more excited to crown our champions on a historic ‘Sunday, Sunday, Sunday’ at Summit Motorsports Park,” said Bill Bader and Chris Graves. “With the best CHAOS Funny Cars, Altereds, Dragsters and Door Cars in the business and free Velvet Ice Cream for our early bird fans, this is shaping up to be an unforgettable Memorial Day weekend tradition.”

Three Funny Car classes were run at Norwalk. And as usual at an FCC race, fields were set by qualifying times.

Leading the Rodak’s Custom Roasted Coffee ‘A’ field was Keith Zimmerer in the Zimmerer Racing Mustang with a 3.64 at 208 mph. A tick behind Zimmerer was fellow Texas racer Alan Bradshaw in his blown Mustang with a 3.680.

After two rounds of racing, it was the two quickest cars in the finals. The race was over fast as Zimmerer rolled the light with a -0.332 red light putting Bradshaw, who races a variety of blown cars, in the winner’s circle.  

After his win in Ohio, Bradshaw said, “Thanks to all our sponsors from all of us at Dakota Pony II Racing for your great products that help us perform at the highest level.”

“Troy green at Maxima Racing Oil, Justin Arias at CP Pistons, Steve Macklyn at B&J Transmission and Steve Graves and Tony Eben at Quick Drive Racing. Also, thanks to FTI Convertors, NGK, VP Racing Fuel.”

“And thanks to Tom Conway and Les Davenport where I reach out for clarity and understanding! Your experience and our friendship mean the world to me!

“And as always, THANK YOU Chris and Tera Graves for having the Funny Car Chaos series for us!!

“But I really need to add how much I appreciate Dallas Schott, for putting his trust in me to run the entire operation from the shop to the track to the tuning and driving. Also, the sacrifices my wife Melissa has made over the years while I chase this racing dream and my daughter, Jacque. Both have missed a lot of moments in life with me because of my racing, but I couldn’t do it without their support and love.”

“And finally, my guys and gals at home, the track and everywhere else along the way to keep this high HP circus rolling”

Even with the final round loss at Norwalk, Zimmerer leads the Chaos point series with two wins and a runner up.

The Alkydigger ‘B’ field was led by fellow Pennsylvania racers Bobby Toth and Rocky Pirrone with Toth carding a 4.13 and Pirrone right behind with a 4.159. Fouls ruled in round 1 with both Toth and Pirrone leaving too soon ending their weekend sooner than they would have liked. The disqualifications also decided the finals as Curt Duckworth in his ’05 Monte Carlo could not make the finals due to breakage giving first time Chaos racer Dale Duche from Ruffsdale PA his first ever FCC win in his ’92 Olds Cutlass.

Long time Drag Racing Action and drag racing fan Donald “DJ” Johnson adds, “How cool is this? Ruffsdale, PA, racer Dale Duche is in his first Funny Car Chaos B Field final against Kurt Duckworth from Weirton, WV.”

“Duche raced a funny car previously before running a bracket dragster at Keystone Raceway Park and is a member of the KRP Hall of Fame. Dale is driving for former Mid-America funny car Circuit racer Paul Scalise. Duckworth put a Monte Carlo funny Car body on his old altered for 2026.”

“Unfortunately, Duckworth had a problem making the final and Dale Duche won the ‘B’ field Chaos winner at Summit Motorsports Park in his first attempt at a Funny Car Chaos race.”

 

The Wulff Pumps ‘C’ field had long time FCC racer Jordan Ballew from Bartlesville OK in the top spot with a 4.289 and the Camaro driver ran a string of 4.20s to make it to the final. Unfortunately for Ballew, Philadelphia racer Joe Pirrone, driving the family “Screamin Eagle” Firebird was improving round by round after trying out new parts in their car.

After a 4.237 in his semifinal victory over the Camaro of Rex Jordan, the Pirrone clan stepped up and ran a 4.070 to beat the 4.276 of Ballew.

“First, I want to thank all the men & woman in the Armed Forces who gave their all for us to be able to go out and enjoy drag racing while they didn’t make it home, Pirrone said after his win.  “Second, this win did not come lightly. The “Screamin Eagle” kept having oil issues all “weekend. Popped the blower/pushed intake gasket out q1, blew the belt q2. Started going rounds and yet again, blower/ gasket problems.”

“Figured out our problems and went from there, end up parking it in the Winner’s Circle. Without my dad, Bryanna, mom, Whole team from back home & the ones who travel from afar, none of this would be possible.”

Adding to Pirrone’s win was the debut of Back Up Girl (BUG) Marissa Gillett helping stage the quick Pontiac after the burnout.

Bringing Gillett, who is 24 years old, had very little if no experience of backing up a high-powered race car but things have a way of working out. Phil Landram Owner & Grand Poohbah of the Bedrock Bruiser 1970 Camaro FC had a major part of Marissa’s making her Chaos introduction at the Supernationals.

As Landram tells it, “We had Ava, (aka Bedrock Barbie) join my merry little group early 2025. At that time, it was so neat watching Max Maxine teaching her the ways of BUG.”

“BB went from being Miss Detroit Autorama 2025 and everybody’s favorite pin-up girl to an exploding social media presence. One year later we now see the “instructor” touch passing and Bedrock Barbie now teaching Marissa. That was a real “thing of beauty”.

“As with all our BUGs on tour, Marissa is going to do great things in this sport, and it makes me happy seeing some of our drag racing heritage coming back to today’s busy “electronic” world. It’s almost like stepping back in time to the old Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars tour, except now, you have everything from the 10,000 hp Big Show cars unlimited budgets to teams with not much more than a dream, a plan, and a bunch of friends that don’t mind hooking up over the weekend to make memories!”

After her dream weekend Marissa had this to say, “Where do I even begin. This weekend was a dream come true. When Phil Landram said he had a team for me to backup for I said yes without hesitation, not even knowing who it was. When I finally got to meet Rocky, Joe and Bryanna as well as the rest of the team, Jakob, my boyfriend and I were welcomed with open arms despite me having never backed up a car before. Bedrock Barbie and Bryanna took me under their wings (that I’m convinced they have because they are literal angels) and showed me what they know and did their best to make me feel comfortable.”

“Neither of these women had to allow me to back up with them but they did with no questions asked. I could not have done this without them. I want to thank the entire Pirrone family and team. Words cannot express how eternally grateful I am. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Jakob and I have gained some amazing friends/family that I think we will have for life. Racing truly is a family.”

“I also would like to thank the Wayne Hofmann family for allowing Ava and I to back up their car! Their car was the first that I ever backed up, and I will never forget! It’s a lot but I cannot let these amazing people and their kindness go unnoticed. I pray that this will not be the last time I’m out on the track.”

After Marissa’s freshman BUG experience, ‘C’ winner Joe Pirrone said,” She had helped back up the Camaro and the Screaming Eagle once as she was a BUG in training. She progressed this weekend, as she was able to bring the Camaro into the groove just right. It was awesome to see the rest of the BUGs welcome her with open arms.”

For the second Nitro Chaos event of the 2026 season, two fields were run at Norwalk. The class is an amalgam of front motor Fuel Dragsters, Fuel Altereds, and Funny Cars and its head’s up to see who is turning on the win light.

After two qualifying sessions, the Fuel Altered of John Umlauf Jr from Rolla Mo. sat on top with a quick 3.578. Dave Hill from Valparaiso Indiana was second with a 3.639 in the Mad Max ’65 Mustang.

Umlauf ran a mid three in R1 but slowed to a 4.108 losing to the dragster of Garry Wheeler in the semis.

Hill put his Mad Max Mustang in the win column in R1 over Levi Keenen and defeated Colin Thomas in his Fiat Fuel Altered in the semis to meet Wheeler in the ‘A’ Fuel finals.

On paper Wheeler had a chance against Hill as both were within a tenth of each other in qualifying but at the green, Hill was off the line first and held on to a 3.610 win over Wheeler’s close 3.670.

“I know that we are excited to be a part of the drag racing world and have accomplished so much with our team and determination that we still have to pinch ourselves to believe it”, Hill said after his win in Ohio.

When asked about the impact his Back Up Girl Mad Maxine who is arguably the most talked about BUG in the country, Hill adds, “Mad Maxine (Shannon Hill) is a crucial part of our racing team. She gives Ryan and I the go get em attitude that helps us strive for that win.”

Dave Belock from Hinckley Ohio had his front motored dragster leading the ‘B’ Field with a 5.006. Chuck Loftin, a many times FCC racer never made a representative pass in the “Crap Shoot” Altered during qualifications and was put in the bump spot.

Belock beat a broken Tim Barone in R1 but lost in R2 to Anthony Whitfield’s Altered in the semis. Whitfield, like Loftin was inserted into the field after not making it down the track earlier and made the most of it.

Whitfield’s Mighty Mouse II strung together a pair of 4.20s to make the final as Loftin improved with a 4.44 and a 4.247.

The final featured a pair of Fuel Altereds with Loftin waiting for the last race to step it up. Loftin had the better light and sped to a 3.943 for the CP Carrillo ‘B’ field win at Summit Motorsports Park win.

Rocky Pirrone, who came to Norwalk on a mission bringing two blown cars from Philadelphia adds,”The inaugural Norwalk Funny Car Chaos Supernationals was SUPER! Bill Bader and Chris Graves hit it out of the park in bringing this venue to Summit Motorsports Park. The facility is the nicest in the country and Bill Bader is the best promoter bar none.”

“The Pirrone Race team brought two funny cars out to do our best to bring home a victory. Joe Pirrone was driving the Screamin Eagle, and I was driving the Super Camaro. The race started with some issues with the Screamin Eagle with some intake nuts coming loose allowing the intake to lift and causing Joey to abort the run early. His 4.38 at least stood to get him in the show, but the team was in store for a thrash.”

“The Super Camaro with a new engine n Transmission combo made a easy 4.15 shot to claim number two in the B field. We brought Joey back up for the second qualifier, but a broken blower belt cut short another pass. His 4.38 put him in the number four slot for the C field.

“Eliminations started with the Super Camaro facing the always tough Geeslin family Camaro. The Super had the butterflies’ ice over causing me to press too hard on the throttle and jumping right through the beam for a DQ.”

“The Screamin Eagle got a bye when his opponent the Phil Landram owned Bedrock Camaro broke a blower belt on the burnout. In the second round we faced our good friend Rex and the beautiful T. Rex Camaro. Joey won a close race with a 4.23 to advance to the finals. In the final Joey uncorked a 4.07 to defeat Jordan Ballew’s game low 4.20’pass. The victory was the second in a row for the Pirrone Race Team, following their Texas Motorplex Funny Car Chaos win in April. Congrats to the other winners as well”

Chaos President and Promoter Chris Graves said after the successful event, “We’d like to first of all thank the Bader family for the opportunity to bring the CHAOS to the most professionally operated drag racing facility on the planet”

“We’d also like to thank our CHAOS racers for their support in braving the forecast, diesel prices and so forth to pack the pits with racecars and put on a great show like we always do. Make your plans for the 2027 CHAOS Supernationals at Summit Motorsports Park!”

Camaro FC Bedrock Bruiser owner Phil Landram ends with,” Big Name tracks (check), Real Funny Cars (check), Back Up Girls (Check). Amazing racing (Double Check).”

“Thanks to Chris & Tera Graves and Bill Bader Jr, we finally had it all! I for one was proud to be a part of it!”

“What other funny car series go to see the same body style yet one from an original 70s mold and one updated to today’s standards with a little “aero” kicked in? Nowhere but Chaos!”

 

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