The NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion is one of the two largest "nostalgia" events of the year. The other being the California Hot Rod Reunion held in October. The inaugural Bowling Green event was in 2003 and proved to be an instant home run. This year twice as many racers and fans packed the facility (over 30,000) and by all accounts had a great weekend of hot rods 'n racing. To win the premier class, Top Fuel, is quite an accomplishment - especially with a new car!

Top Fuel champion Sean Bellemeur and the Plaza Hotel & Casino - MasterCam (High Speed Motorsports) crew brought a brand new car to this event. 3000 miles is a long way to travel with a Top Fuel dragster that was finished the night before they left California and had never set its paws on a drag strip. But like Bellemeur said, "It proves the heart this team has."

Backing up to Friday, Bellemeur had to make an obligatory (mandated) check out run in the new car. Basically he had to run it to half track (or a bit further) to be sure it behaved like it was suppose to.

 

Sean clicked it off at 800' and ran a 6.50 @ 152. This told the Plaza Hotel team the car was ready to race.

With the car deemed good to go, Bellemeur heats up the tires in preparation for their first qualifying attempt.

As he always does, co-owner and ex-driver Walt Stevens backs Sean up after his burnout.

The crew make final adjustments to the car prior to staging including activating the on board data computer.

With basically the same tune up as their check out pass, Bellemeur left good and laid down a perfect base line tune up pass which also qualified them # 1.

The Bowling Green facility is one of the oldest surviving drag strips in the country. It still has its 1960s "feel" with all the safety upgrades necessary for 2004 racing.

The second and last qualifying session came Saturday evening. With solid data to work with, the crew tuned the car to what they thought the track could handle. They guessed right laying down a stout 6.17 @ 223 (shut off early). This locked the #1 qualifying spot.

First round of racing pitted the Plaza Hotel - MasterCam fueler against the Indiana based car of Kevin Lemmon.

Walt Stevens backs Sean up after his burnout. The other part of the teams back up procedure is Roger McMartin eying the engine for any leaks or abnormalities.

Clean the tires, adjust the idle - let's race.

Bellemeur left first and never looked back.

As Lemmon hikes the front end, the Plaza Hotel car was off to Low ET and Top Speed of the event - 6.125 @ 241.97.

As low qualifier and first round winner, Bellemeur received a by-run in the semi finals.

To save parts for the final, Sean just made an easy 7.14 @ 134 half pass.

Prior to the final the crew was first into the staging lanes and obviously relaxed.

Wiley vet Roger "Radar" Lechtenberg and Sean "The Kid" Bellemeur pose before the final round. The two met last year at this race in the semis when Bellemeur was in the MasterCam car of Frank Hedge. Radar came out on top that time and went on to win the event. Sean owes him one.

The last race of the event paired up the two big dogs on the porch. Bellemeur would face the winner of Top Fuel at the 2003 NHRR, Roger Lechtenberg in the Iowa based "Orange Crate" of Dale and Kat Shur.

Both cars made crowd pleasing burnouts and backed up together.

Prelims over, Sean and Radar move into the the staging beams.

Once again Bellemeur leaves first leaving Lechtenberg to play catch up.

Any chance the orange car had of catching the Plaza Hotel entry went up in smoke - literally. Bellemeur headed down the groove to a 6.25 @ 239 win. Roger never gave up but his 6.54 @ 223 fell way short.

The crews reaction says it all. How cool is it to win your first race, with a new car, for a new sponsor.

Once in a while ya just need a bigger tow vehicle! The crew heads down to the other end to pick up the car - oh yea, and Sean.

The Plaza Hotel win was very popular with the fans.

Bellemeur is all smiles as he accepts the 6' trophy (not to mention the check) from Sam Jackson who is the Executive Director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.

Sean Bellemeur, Camarillo, Calif., 6.255 seconds, 239.74 mph, def. Roger Lechtenberg, Cedar Falls, IA, 6.546, 223.06. Low E.T. of the meet: Bellemeur, 6.125 seconds. Top speed of the meet: Bellemeur, 241.97 mph.

Congratulation to the Plaza Hotel & Casino, MasterCam and High Speed Steel Heat Treating for backing a winner!