Omlin does it his way on the dragstrip

Gary Omlin hopes to have given himself a nice birthday present.

The Quincy, Wash. full-time farmer, part-time caregiver, and once-in-a-while Top Fuel drag racer is back on the track for the first time in three years and hopes to qualify his gun metal gray dragster for today’s eight-car field at the AHRA World Finals at Spokane Raceway Park.

Omlin is one of the few remaining “privateers” who race when they can without corporate support. Or rather when their wallet is fat enough afford the thousands of dollars it takes to make just one 5-second run down the quarter mile.

Omlin cuts costs by making a lot of his parts in his machine shop. He gets help from his largely volunteer crew.

“I’m not well-moneyed, but I have a lot of desire,” said Omlin who turned 58 yesterday. Omlin acknowledges he “may not have the reaction times,” he had when he began racing here in 1974, but he boasts “he knows more than a 28 year-old,” and has “gotten to the other end (of the track) safely all the time.”

In days gone by, Omlin was a regular in periodic Top Fuel match races that race promoters would put on. Escalating costs made those a thing of the past years ago.

Splitting time between his farm and caring for his dad who is stricken with Parkinson’s Disease, Omlin last drove three years ago. But that was his best ever on the drag strip as he turned an elapsed time of 5.63 seconds.

Aside from dusting off the cobwebs, Omlin said there are any number of other variables he must contend with for him to make the race and advance past the second round for the first time here in Spokane. “The track is real speculative,” Omlin said. “We don’t know how much horsepower it will hold.”

If he’s fortunate to be successful at SRP, Omlin said he might parlay his payday into traveling to Phoenix in February to play with the NHRA big boys

More success in Voght’s sights

The Saskatchewan, Canda, vanity license plate with “PROMOD” emblazoned on it pretty much says it all for Tim Voght.

When the snow melts in his hometown of Regina, Voght takes to the road when he can and races his Pro Modified at tracks across the Northwest.

Voght is here in Spokane for the World Finals where he hopes to continue a string of pretty good success. In his 10th year here, the 45 year-old auto repair shop owner, has had some real success at SRP, winning three times and finishing second twice. That success is “above-average,” Voght said.

Last year was a bit uncharacteristic for Voght who lost in the second round.

The Regina auto repair shop owner likes his visits here. “The atmosphere is great,” and unlike at Billings, Mont. where the track is 20 miles outside town – SRP is nice, Voght said. In case they forget something, “like a bag of ice,” it’s close to town when we need things.

Voght has been drag racing for 20 years and is partial to the Pro Mods because as a “door car,” it’s similar to “what you raced on the street,” he said. Voght has raced super Comp and Super Gas, before he “stepped up in the ranks,” to a car capable of running 6.60 seconds in the quarter-mile.

With the race shortened by a day because of Friday’s rainout, there’s a little more pressure on Voght to find the right combination early. By qualifying number one, Voght would be assured lane choice.

While no lane is seen as better than another in Voght’s estimation, he prefers the right side of the track because being a bit short in stature, Voght can see the starting line lights better when he doesn’t have to peer over his towering air scoop.

The Sitko switch

Nathan Sitko from Edmonton, Alberta broke a long-standing family tradition this year, abandoned the alcohol dragster and now runs a funny car.

Sitko was last year’s runner-up in alcohol dragster, but switched to a funny car for financial reasons. “We get a lot more bookings,” Sitko said. “And it’s easier to attract more sponsors,” to the Western RV car.

Also, with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) now sanctioning his home track in Edmonton, that organization does not run alcohol dragsters in its programs.

It’s been “a smooth, but steep transition,” said Sitko who’s had 25 passes in the car so far. “We haven’t figured the tune-up even thought it’s the same motor that was in our dragster.” Sitko’s best pass so far has been a 6.27 at 222 mph. “We hope for the mid to low teens here,” he added.

Sitko’s dad, Ken was the 1983 and 1985 champ at Spokane in years past driving a dragster.

Notes

One defending nitro champ returns with Stephen Neese driving a funny car. His final-round opponent, Vinny Arcadi is also back and hoping to make good on a wish he made in 2002 to win the race. … Ageless Chris Karamnseines (estimates have his age anywhere between 75 and up) is back to compete in Top Fuel dragster. “The Greek,” as he’s referred to was last year’s runner-up. … Gates open at 8 a.m. today with pro eliminations set to start at 1 p.m.