Rough-N-Ready Racing extended their lead in the California Independent Funny Car Association championship after powering their way to victory at the Funny Car Thunder Event at Medford Dragstrip, Central Point, Oregon.

The funny car drag racing syndicate, owned by Bermudian Harvey Williams Jr, secured bragging rights with Chris Bates behind the wheel of his team’s 1986 Corvette body funny car, “Happy Hour”.

Bates was matched up against fellow rookie driver Rick Alavarado, representing Little Mighty Mouse racing syndicate, in the final. Alavarado ran a faster time, but was disqualified for a foul start, handing Rough-N-Ready Racing their third win of the season.

Williams’s team now hold a 394 point advantage over nearest rival and defending champions Junior Vibes in the championship standings going into the season-ending event to be held at Sacramento Raceway Park on September 20-21.

Jacqueline Williams, the team crew member, was delighted to see her team live up to expectations in Oregon last weekend.

“Leading up to this event our team had high hopes of taking a win and continuing to be number one in points,” she said. “We knew one of the challenges would be to slow the beast (car) down so we could run a 7.50.

“We had gone testing before our first qualifying series pass and we ended up running in the 7.40s. When it came to going up for our first qualifier we ran in the 7.44 despite our efforts to slow the car down.

“We had luck on our side as we ran up for second qualifying pass we pulled a 7.56.

“This pass landed us in the finals with our twin funny car, Little Mighty Mouse, driven by Rick Alavarado.

“As it came time, both cars were staged but Rick put the pedal to the metal and fouled out due to him not leaving on green.

“It was a bittersweet moment as the rest of the teams stood in confusion. Our driver ran a 7.43 which won the race compared to Rick’s perfect 7.50.

“This just comes to show how determined both drivers were to take the win.”

Rough-N-Ready Racing are bidding for a third California Independent Funny Car Association title.

The team’s other victories came at the Good Vibrations March Meet at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield and June’s Nostalgia Nite of Fire held at Sacramento Raceway Park.