2018 CatSpot NHRA Northwest Nationals Super Street Results

KENT, Wash. – Francesca Giroux defeated a field of 44 Super Street competitors at the 2018 NHRA Northwest Nationals to earn her first NHRA national event Wally.  Giroux, of Slave Lake, AB, drove her beautiful ’85 Camaro to the winner’s circle after defeating two-time finalist Steve Beggerly in the final round.  Giroux combined good reactions, .018 R.T. average, with a hot racecar setup to earn the Super Street crown.  Giroux was typically setup about .05 quicker than the index.

Giroux began eliminations with first round bye where she ran dead-on the 10.90 index with a10.907.  In the second round, Giroux’s .014 light trailed the .005 laid down by Gary Ermish.  Ermish failed to capitalize on the top end as he braked to a 10.944 (he was on a 10.91 pass) to allow Giroux to take .015 at the stripe for the win.  Giroux killed some E.T. herself as she was setup around a 10.86 and dropped to near perfect 10.901.

Giroux’s round three encounter with Todd Simms looked eerily similar to her round two race.  Simms took the lead at the tree, .017 to .028, but misjudged the finish line and lost the stripe by .004.  Simms was on a 10.91 pass but braked to a 10.946 while Giroux, who was setup around a 10.85, also dropped at the finish, killing 16 mph, to take the .004 win with her 10.931.  Giroux scrubbed .08 and took .004, pretty impressive driving for sure.

Giroux won another super close race in round four when she tangled with Bill Gee.  After her .010 light gave her a .017 advantage over Gee, Giroux would take .017 at the finish line to win a double-breakout race by less than .001 when her 10.866 defeated Gee’s 10.866. Both driver’s scrubbed some E.T. at the stripe as Giroux looked to have dropped .03 while Gee killed a couple in the loss.

After two ultra-close wins, Giroux paired against D7 super-class hitter Ryan Herem in the semifinals.  After a .013 to .021 advantage off the line for Giroux, neither driver seemed as though they wanted to take the stripe.  Both looked to be on 10.91 passes and both dropped .07 to go .08 above.  Giroux once again took the stripe by a just .004 to take the close win and move into her first national event final.

Waiting to meet Giroux in the final was Seattle native, Steve Beggerly driving his classic ’68 Firebird.  Beggerly, No. 2 in D6 last year, included several easy rounds as he had one racer break against him, two racers redlight, and he also received the semifinal bye.  In round four, Beggerly laid down .024 total to win a 10.90 to 10.90 race against Tony Brothers.

Beggerly left first in the final round taking a .014 to .024 holeshot over Giroux.  At the stripe, Giroux once again worked her magic as she fed Beggerly .031 stripe to win the double-breakout encounter.  Beggerly ran an all-out 10.870 as Giroux killed .04 to go 10.891 for the win.

Giroux proved that she has “mad skills” on the top end as she successfully handled a number of close races at the stripe.  Definitely a  well-earned first win for Giroux.  Congratulations to Francesca and her team!