Mother Nature plays absolute havoc with the 20th version of the Schuck’s Auto Supply Northwest Nationals as fans and racers have to deal with rain during each and every day of the event. The Pro classes are set based on one qualifying round (held Saturday) + that current “top 10” points seeding formula. Some Sportsman classes are forced directly into eliminations without any time trials and are in fact not concluded until late Monday evening.

“Fast Jack” Beckman won in Funny Car eliminator for the 2nd consecutive week when he drove the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger to victory again. Beckman spotted his final round opponent John Force a temporary lead but when Force’s Castrol High-Mileage Mustang exploded a motor and bursts into flames he roared by to take the victory at 4.829 secs at 320.97 mph.

Force, who had recorded low ET of the meet in the previous semi-final round at 4.783 secs, rode out the blazing machine and got out safely.

John’s final round fire wasn’t the only Force family incident at the event – his daughter Ashley had an even more spectacular situation in round 2. After she peddled her car a couple of times the throttle appeared to jam which sent her almost head-on into the guardwall. Ashley’s machine then ejected the Mustang body and spun some circles within its own flames liquids before she got the car shut off. Thankfully too Ashley was not injured however her car received severe damage.

Tony Schumacher used a final round holeshot to win score a dramatic Top Fuel victory over Brandon Bernstein. Schumacher’s .047 RT combined with a tricky deep stage made his 4.607 secs at 307.79 mph a winner over Bernstein’s much quicker and faster 4.558 secs at 328.86 mph.

The win was Schumacher’s 3rd of the 2007 season driving the U.S. Army dragster and it included both low ET (4.518 secs) and top speed (333.25 mph) – which he delivered while winning in round two over Whit Bazemore.

Top Fuel class racing also featured strong “final four” finishes by J.R. Todd and overall POWERade points leader “Hot Rod” Fuller.

Ohio’s David Connolly won the abbreviated Pro Stock eliminator from the pole driving his Torco-sponsored Chevy Colbalt. Connolly overcame a quicker .019 RT by recent Mopar Mile-High Nationals winner and Dodge Stratus pilot Allen Johnson to take the title; 6.649 secs 206.20 mph to 6.682 secs 206.23 mph.

Connolly’s 2nd win of the season featured nothing but round wins over Mopar cars as he earlier had beaten Erica Enders, V. Gaines and Bob Panella.

Connolly qualified #1 at 6.664 secs but his final round winning time was in fact low ET of the event.

Top Alcohol class racing at Seattle also had their fields set based on a single qualifying run.

Fast-rising circuit driver Thomas Bayer scored his first career NHRA national event title when he drove Steve Federline’s Toyo-tires sponsored car past Mike Austin in the TAD final.

Transplanted Australian Kate Harker set both low ET and top speed in TAD at 5.265 secs and 272.06 mph driving her injected nitro car.

Rookie driver Shawn Cowie provided a solid Canadian highlight by qualifying superbly in TAD with his supercharged machine during his first ever NHRA national event appearance in the class. Cowie, who is from Richmond BC, went 5.389 secs at 266.00 to qualify 2nd and he then advanced to the semi-final round recording two more 5.3s before losing out to Mike Austin.

Oregon’s Clint Thompson scored in TAFC driving his Chevy Monte Carlo past Dennis Taylor in that final round. Thompson’s final round 5.659 secs at 253.23 mph earned him his 3rd career national event title.

California’s Jay Payne drove his new Valvoline-sponsored Ford Mustang to both low ET and top speed in the TAFC class hitting 5.579 secs at 259.36 mph before bowing out in the semi-final round when he left before the tree was activated.

Alabama’s David Rampy highlighted Monday’s conclusion to Sportsman racing winning his third consecutive NHRA national event in Competition eliminator. Rampy defeated a red-lighting Clint Sallee in the final round.