St. Louis area event is run off for the most part under lights as NHRA officials attempt to dodge historical severe heat that has plagued the event in the past. Schedule is however still hampered by weather. Rain showers postpone the start of Saturday’s final rounds until 7:00 PM. Event does not declare winners until wee hours of Sunday morning. Winner’s circle photo shoot lasts until daybreak.

Sportsman racing "hitter" Edmond Richardson doubles up winning both Stock and Super Comp eliminators. Richardson has wicked .411 light in Super Comp final to beat Steve Cohen. After that he makes a b-line back to the starting line where he hops into his I/SA ‘69 Camaro to take a win over Monte Howard. It is the third time in Richardson’s racing career that he has won two eliminators at the same NHRA national event.

Tommy Johnson Jr. has good outing in only second start driving for Joe Gibbs. He qualifies Interstate Batteries/Hot Rod Magazine Firebird on the pole with track record 4.897 secs. Johnson earns his first career round win in FC class when he tops Norm Wilding in opening frame. He goes on to a semi final round finish. John Force and Tony Pedregon make up for recent lost time at Chicago and Columbus as they finish 1-2. Force’s win is his 7th in 11 events this season.

Unheralded Rob Wendland proves that his recent win at Route 66 wasn’t a fluke as he rolls to his second career title in FMD class. It come while competing in only his 6th career event and while driving Mike Troxel’s In-N-Out Burger sponsored dragster. Wendland upsets Keith Stark’s nitro injected car in final. Stark had both low ET and top speed for the breed at 5.440 secs and 260.61 mph.

Californian Bob Panella Jr. dominates Pro Stock Truck class. He qualifies on pole (7.633 secs), sets low ET (7.623 secs) and top speed (176.28 mph) to win going away. Panella’s final round opponent Mark Osborne breaks on starting line. The win is Panella’s second career victory and with it he vaults to second in Winston points behind Osborne.

Jim Yates and Allen Johnson produce titanic final round matchup in Pro Stock. Both have great lights (Yates a .413 and Johnson a .423) which is followed by matching 7.01 secs ETs. Only the electronic eye can pick a winner and it is Yates by a scant .002 secs true win margin. For Yates, the win is his first in NHRA competition since 1998 season opening Chief Auto Parts Winternationals.

Tony Schumacher nails down top speed of the meet for the 6th time this season driving Exide Batteries car. He scoots to a track record 323.81 mph. But once again team’s top end heroics fall just short of victory lane as he places runner-up to Gary Scelzi. He is now 0 for 5 in NHRA Top Fuel finals. 2-time defending Winston Champion Scelzi creeps into 4th place in Winston points with victory.