▁Blue ▁Max ▁prompt ly ▁won ▁at ▁Seattle , ▁Bo ise , ▁and ▁Kansas ▁City . ▁Qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁N att ion als , ▁the ▁team ▁recorded ▁their ▁first ▁five - second ▁pass , ▁a ▁ 5 . 9 8 , ▁making ▁B ead le ▁just ▁the ▁second ▁driver ▁in ▁the ▁f ives . ▁They ▁closed ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁by ▁defe ating ▁Tom ▁" M ong oo $ e " ▁Mc E wen ▁at ▁the ▁World ▁Final s . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁prec ursor ▁to ▁winning ▁N H RA ' s ▁Fun ny ▁Car ▁championship ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁seasons ▁in ▁a ▁row . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁Em ery ▁tun ed ▁Blue ▁Max ▁to ▁final ▁round ▁finish es ▁at ▁the ▁Win tern ational s , ▁Spring n ational s , ▁and ▁ ▁M ile - High ▁National s , ▁and ▁wins ▁at ▁the ▁Sum m ern ational s ▁and ▁Fall n ational s , ▁just ▁ed ging ▁out ▁Don ▁Pr ud homme . ▁ ▁Blue ▁Max ▁took ▁three ▁event ▁wins ▁and ▁two ▁final - round ▁finish es ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁easily ▁be ating ▁Billy ▁Meyer , ▁and ▁c apped ▁a ▁vict orious ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁win ▁at ▁N H RA ' s ▁most ▁pr estig ious ▁event , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁N ats . ▁ ▁B ead le ' s ▁increasing ▁attention ▁on ▁NAS C AR ▁left ▁the ▁Blue ▁Max ▁suffering