The 2017 edition of the Southwest Heritage Racing Association, presented by MalloryPrint.com and Mears Mazda-Volvo, got underway at Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Noble, Oklahoma on Saturday, April 15th. This special 5th Anniversary season marked a huge stepping stone for the series, which has quickly grown to become the largest nostalgia drag racing series in the southwest. With plenty of enthusiasm and anticipation from the SHRA racers across the six class program, the future is looking very bright for this grassroots series in their effort to showcase traditional old school drag racing in modern times. The call went out for the first of two qualifying sessions at this, the SHRA Oklahoma Spring Nostalgia Nationals presented by Mears Mazda Volvo.

                The 4.65 index AlkyDigger Nostalgia Eliminator 1 category hosted a series record seventeen cars fighting for sixteen spots in the qualified field. The top qualifying spot went to first time SHRA racer Jason Courtney of Cordell, Oklahoma in his "Plum Crazy" blown 1923 T altered with a 4.66 at 146 mph. Qualifying was tight as the top five were within .022 of a second after two sessions and included Tera Graves, Tommy Drozd, Andy Mears and Keith Zimmerer.

NE1 - Clay Cunningham and Shane Blaton

FINAL NE 1 QUALIFYING ORDER:

1. Jason Courtney - 4.66 @ 146

2. Tera Graves - 4.66 @ 147

3. Tommy Drozd - 4.66 @ 145

4. Andy Mears - 4.66 @ 148

5. Keith Zimmerer - 4.68 @ 150

6. Dave Gallegos - 4.68 @ 149

7. Shane Blanton - 4.69 @ 146

8. Chris Graves - 4.71 @ 152

9. Dustin Johnson - 4.76 @ 144

10. Clay Cunningham - 4.78 @ 146

11. Jason O'Neill - 4.81 @ 142

12. Steve Dunkin - 4.84 @ 143

13. Kent Carley - 4.90 @ 125

14. Ted McCord - 5.01 @ 139

15. Steve Spurlin - 5.51 @ 126

16. Richard Brady - 5.57 @ 88

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17. Larry Bradford - 6.46 @ 100

NE1 - Tommy Drozd

                As the rounds dwindled down to the semi-finals, four cars were left in competition as top qualifier Courtney took on Tommy Drozd of Lake Dallas, Texas. Courtney took a slight starting line advantage and he needed it as his 4.66 at 149 mph narrowly held off Drozd' quicker dead on 4.65 at 143 mph. Andy Mears was out next alongside first time SHRA racer Dave Gallegos. Mears behind the wheel of the "Dragon Slayer" 1957 Chevy Funny Car from Lubbock, Texas while Gallegos piloted a blown 1948 Fiat bodied entry from St. Mary's Kansas. Mears showed no mercy with the reaction time advantage and stout 4.66 at 148 mph to Gallegos' 4.73 at 149 mph.

NE1 Jason Courtney

                In the NE 1 final round, Courtney looked to cap off a dream weekend with a win in his debut event after qualifying number one, but Mears had other ideas in mind. Mears was off the line first and his 4.67 at 137 mph took the win to Courtney's 4.67 at 150 mph as Mears claimed the first NE 1 event victory of the SHRA season.

NE1 Winner - Andy Mears