Mel Bush Returns to See D'Aprile Take Quarter Final Finish
MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Team owner Mel Bush returned to the track this weekend after health problems forced him to miss eliminations at the Hardee's Georgia Drags. Heading into this event Bush had yet to see his famous 62' Bel Air take a round win; driver Tommy D'Aprile and crew were determined to make that change. After struggling early on they came through for their owner, but not without some excitement along the way.
After the team's aborted first qualifier the crew was towing back to the pits when "Big Money" Bil Clanton crashed and was on his side on fire. Without thinking the Mel Bush crew and driver jumped the barrier and opened the door. With the car was laying on it's driver side, D'Aprile, in his fire suit sans helmet and gloves, reached in to pull out a struggling Clanton while Jake Fahy untangled his legs. (Fahy was only wearing a crew shirt and shorts when he reached into the flames.)
"You just act. You see a guys in trouble and you don't think you just do what it takes to help him," said Jake Fahy. "I'm glad he's OK."
While the team struggled early in qualifying they where able to put it to the pavement when it counted, posting a 3.87 at 192 on their last attempt, good enough for twelfth on the ADRL Quarter-Max qualifying sheet.
"We lost the blower belt just before the finish line," said D'Aprile. "We lost some speed and elapsed time but I'm pleased with the run. I'm sure Kevin (Crew Chief Kevin Peters) will have her ready for first round."
Peters and crew did have her ready for round one when D'Aprile squared off with recent PX event winner, Jason Hamstra. In what many considered an upset, D'Aprile took a big win for team owner Mel Bush. D'Aprile led from start to finish with a .050 reaction time to Hamstra's .077. The margin of victory was four hundredths of a second, with D'Aprile's quicker 3.803 at 197 taking the light. The 3.803 is a personal best for D'Aprile.
In round two D'Aprile was again paired with a 2009 event champion, Todd Tutterow, winner of the ADRL Saftey-Kleen Drags in Houston. It was over at the hit with Tutterow taking the starting line advantage and D'Aprile being forced to peddle with traction problems. Tutterow posted a 3.877 at 200 miles per hour to D'Aprile's slower 4.426 at 181.84.
"We had a great time this weekend. The car is coming around and I know we'll be even better next race. The crew has really gelled and we're having a lot of fun together. The practical jokes have already started. (See attached photo) Just ask our crew member Michael Bush," said D'Aprile.
Photo by: Denise "RacerChick" Ramsey and Mel Bush Motorsports
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