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Volume XI, Issue 8 August 12, 2009W o r d s b y J e f f B u r k P h o t o s b y J e f f B u r k , D o n E c k e r t a n d c o u r t e s y o f t h e A D R LIn over 30 years of covering National Event drag racing at Gateway InternationalRaceway last weekends ADRL event was the only one I have ever seen wherethe grandstands were truly and absolutely full. It was also the first ever NationalEvent held at that track in more than 40 years of operations that drew hugecrowds just to watch cars that didn’t burn nitromethane! And it was the firstcrowd I have ever seen at the track that applauded every run and stayed untilthe last car had went down the track Saturday nightThe race marked the triumphant return of the ADRL to Gateway InternationalRaceway and solidified the ADRL as the premier doorslammer sanctioning bodyin drag racing. The race was a huge success for everyone involved -- unless youwere one of the fans who came late in the day on either Friday or Saturday,waited a couple of hours in line only to have an Illinois State trooper tell you thetrack was FULL and you wouldn’t be allowed to enter. That was the scenariofaced by DRO staffers and fans on both days when GIR was literally filled tocapacity and beyond with drag racing fans.The most impressive performance came from Extreme Ten-Five racer ChuckUlsch, who put his name in the drag racing record and history books becomingthe first racer using to run an eighth of a mile in under four seconds and over197 mph. His supercharged, Hemi-powered Camaro ran the record setting3.986/197.88 in a semifinal thrashing of Jeff Naiser.ADRL returns to St. Louis - Page 1 of 8 - DragRacingOnline.com