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IHRA Spring Nationals
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The
latest results from the second stop on the 2004 IHRA Hooters Drag
Racing Series
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By Bobby Bennett |
SUNDAY - Montecalvo wins second in a row; Millican, Janis and Thomas headline professional winners in Rockingham
(4-25-2004) - When John Montecalvo made the suggestion that a Chevrolet Sunoco Pro Stocker could win if it was placed on an even keel with a Ford, he must have had a premonition. The veteran driver from Center Moriches, NY., used a combination of lightning quick reactions and a Citgo-sponsored Chevrolet Cavalier that just couldn’t be beaten to capture his second consecutive Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series national event victory. The big win came during the 34th annual IHRA US Sports Scene.com Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, NC. Joining Montecalvo in the winner’s circle was Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Mike Janis (Pro Modified) and Mark Thomas (Funny Car). Montecalvo, a five-time national event winner on the tour, stopped his longtime friend John Nobile in the final round. This marked the second consecutive event that Montecalvo and Nobile met in the finals. “Things are just going great for us,” explained Montecalvo. “We have a team that works very well together. Jeff and Cyndi Dobbins have been a great addition to my team. I can remember once the Aaron (Polburn) interviewed me and asked for a description of Jeff. The immediate thoughts that came to mind were confident and calm. He has a calming effect on the crew. “I also had to live up to the challenge of having one of the best drivers in the class as my crewchief. That was a little intimidating at first. I think we rose to the challenge today.”
Montecalvo entered eliminations as the second quickest and was brutal on the starting line with a best reaction time as quick as .006. His line of opponents included Floyd Cheek, Tony Gillig and Pete Berner before reaching the final round. For his part, Nobile qualified on top of the field and stopped such names as Carl Baker, Ron Miller and Elijah Morton before the final round with Montecalvo. Millican, of Drummonds, Tenn., drove the Werner Enterprises Top Fuel dragster to his 32nd career national event victory since 2000. For the second event in a row, Millican made a single in the final round as opponent Danny Dunn exploded a supercharger. This marked the 30th time that he’s won from the pole position. “This is not the way you want to win a race,” explained Millican. “We had made good laps all day and we wanted to lay down a good lap for the fans today even though we knew we had a single. It gets aggravating at times, but you have to do what you have to do.” Millican was in a zone all weekend by carding a low elapsed time of 4.550 and a top speed of 317.42. He used that momentum to eliminate Bobby Lagana, Jr. and took a bye run when Chris Karamesines failed to make the call for the semis.
Dunn was the second quickest entry in qualifying and stopped such notables as Rick Cooper and Bruce Litton. Janis, of Lancaster, NY, was all smiles as he drove his Eaton-sponsored 1963 Corvette to his ninth career victory. He drove his Corvette to victory from the number three spot, taking out the entire Canadian representation along the way. The final round saw him take out Al Billes. “With Eaton and Aeroquip aboard as sponsors, I couldn’t think of a better way than to reward them for their investment,” explained Janis. “I can’t forget our other sponsor Royal Purple as well. We tried to find our groove on the track. I wanted to throw more power at it, but my son Mike, Jr. (crewchief) said to keep it conservative. He was right.” Janis opened eliminations by stopping fellow New Yorker Mike Castellana before taking out the Western Canadian duo of recent San Antonio champion Glen Kerunsky and then Glen Distefano.
On the other side of the ladder, Billes, of Barrie, Ontario, got by Steve Salvadore, Billy Harper and Scotty Cannon. Thomas, of Louisville, Ohio, captured his second win of the season by taking out first-time finalist Chris Foster in the final round. He also won for the second time this season from the #2 position. He outreacted every driver he faced in eliminations. “What is funny is that guys are telling me I haven’t cut lights like this in ten years,” explained Thomas. “I knew deep down inside that I could. The LED lights are wonderful. I have no complaints about them.” Thomas stopped John Bojec, Neal Parker and Terry McMillen to reach the finals. On the other side of the ladder, Foster entered eliminations from the ninth position and stopped David Ray, Chris Sipple and Dan Roman before exploding the supercharger in the finals against Thomas. The next event on the tour is the 4th annual ACDelco Nationals in Petersburg, Va., May 28 – 30.
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| Top Dragster -- Stanley Albritton, Dragster, 7.263, 179.95 def. Bruce Holland, Dragster, 6.945, 191.59. |
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| Top Sportsman -- David Lambert, Chevy Camaro, 7.356, 155.99 def. Steven Derosa, Chevy Cavalier, 15.153, 93.32. |
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| Super Stock -- Jim Harrington, Chevy Camaro, 9.807, 135.47 def. Stephen Jennings, Camaro, 9.936, 134.23. |
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| Stock -- Jack Zimmerman, Dodge Challenger, 10.546, 123.96 def. Chip Johnson, Chevy Nova, 11.172, 111.67. |
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| Quick Rod -- Chuck Harris Jr, Dragster, 8.888, 164.61 def. Brandon Jolley, Dragster, 8.886, 145.13. |
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| Super Rod -- Glenn Ferguson, Ford Maverick, 9.905, 143.55 def. Greg Slack, Maverick, 9.917, 152.24. |
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| Hot Rod -- John Dustin, Ford Mustang, 10.897, 130.24 def. Steve Corker, Chevy Camaro, 10.876, 128.95. |
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Final round-by-round results from the 34th annual U.S. SportsScene.com Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts & Castrol at Rockingham Dragway, the second of 12 events in the 2004 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series -
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Chris Karamesines, 5.026, 245.05 def. Tim Cullinan, 6.420, 139.65; Bruce Litton, 4.774, 288.58 def. Josh Starcher, 9.167, 91.05; Danny Dunn, 4.773, 306.88 def. Rick Cooper, 5.516, 183.42; Clay Millican, 4.616, 311.34 def. Bobby Lagana Jr, 12.220, 75.77;
SEMIFINALS -- Dunn, 4.740, 304.74 def. Litton, 4.861,
298.87; Millican, 4.806, 256.45 def.
Karamesines, broke;
FINAL -- Millican, 4.636, 310.41 def. Dunn, broke.
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Rick Distefano, Chevy Corvette, 6.171, 228.38 def. Troy Critchley, Willys, 18.112, 44.32; Scotty Cannon, Studebaker, 6.408, 220.58 def. Shannon Jenkins, Chevy Camaro, 13.449, 62.64; Glen Kerunsky, Chevy Bel Air, 6.286, 224.43 def. Zach Barklage, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.433, 226.89; Al Billes, Corvette, 6.221, 227.11 def. Steve Salvadore, Bel Air, 6.294, 224.14; Fred Hahn, Corvette, 6.269, 223.95 def. Pat Moore, Bel Air, 10.229, 76.94; Mike Janis, Corvette, 6.204, 228.34 def. Mike Castellana, Camaro, 6.288, 222.11; Billy Harper, Dodge Viper, 6.329, 222.18 def. Chip King, Dodge Avenger, 18.542, 43.05; Von Smith, Ford Mustang, 6.235, 226.92 def. Rickie Smith, Corvette, 6.291, 221.34;
QUARTERFINALS -- Distefano, 6.185, 227.73 def. V. Smith, 10.317, 79.50; Billes, 6.225, 227.34 def. Harper, broke; Janis, 6.198, 229.27 def. Kerunsky, 9.232, 105.35; Cannon, 6.341, 221.82 def. Hahn, 6.556, 192.38;
SEMIFINALS -- Billes, 6.448, 220.33 def. Cannon, 8.202,
111.06; Janis, 6.320, 227.00 def.
Distefano, 6.980, 161.50;
FINAL -- Janis, 6.274, 227.69 def. Billes, 6.364, 223.88.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Chris Sipple, Chevy Camaro, 6.073, 223.58 def. Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 13.506, 58.98; Mark Thomas, Dodge Avenger, 5.866, 237.92 def. John Bojec, Avenger, 6.067, 227.69; Ronnie Midyette, Camaro, 5.935, 237.88 def. John Sullivan, Pontiac Firehawk, 5.972, 226.73; Dan Roman, Firebird, 5.889, 236.67 def. Jeff Burnett, Firebird, 5.941, 218.37; Dan Roman, Firebird, 5.889, 236.67 def. Jeff Burnett, Firebird, 5.941, 218.37; Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.956, 235.23 def. Melinda Green-King, Avenger, 6.019, 230.80; Terry McMillen, Avenger, 5.892, 235.15 def. Bunny Burkett, Avenger, 6.070, 228.00; Neal Parker, Camaro, 5.907, 233.60 def. Terry Munroe, Firebird, 5.995, 226.05; Chris Foster, Avenger, 6.056, 226.54 def. Dave Ray, Ford Mustang, foul;
QUARTERFINALS -- Thomas, 5.892, 236.51 def. Parker, 5.938, 231.79; Roman, 6.208, 194.66 def. Dobbs, 9.136, 78.48; McMillen, 5.862, 235.15 def. Midyette, 5.909, 235.68; Foster, 5.967, 232.59 def. Sipple, 11.672, 71.08;
SEMIFINALS -- Thomas, 5.956, 237.21 def. McMillen, 10.244, 75.01; Foster, 6.761, 145.80 def. Roman, broke;
FINAL -- Thomas, 6.043, 233.52 def. Foster, 7.011, 140.78.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Ron Miller, Chevy Cavalier, 6.536, 210.34 def. Frank Gugliotta, Ford Escort, 6.546, 212.23; Steve Spiess, Cavalier, 6.505, 212.23 def. Mike Bell, Ford ZX2, foul; Tony Gillig, Ford Mustang, 6.545, 211.39 def. Charlie Peppers, Mustang, 9.311, 99.13; Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.505, 211.79 def. John Konigshofer, Mercury Cougar, 6.580, 210.31; Rick Jones, Dodge Stratus, 6.528, 211.26 def. Richard Penland, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.559, 210.31; John Montecalvo, Cavalier, 6.484, 213.00 def. Floyd Cheek, Mustang, 6.634, 210.80; Pete Berner, Mustang, 6.524, 211.39 def. Larry O'Brien, Stratus, 10.482, 105.00; John Nobile, Escort, 6.496, 213.43 def. Carl Baker, Cougar, 6.643, 201.82;
QUARTERFINALS -- Morton, 6.524, 210.90 def. Jones, 11.343, 88.40; Berner, 6.549, 210.47 def. Spiess, 6.532, 212.13; Nobile, 6.510, 212.56 def. Miller, 14.188, 77.34; Montecalvo, 6.505, 213.23 def. Gillig, foul;
SEMIFINALS -- Nobile, 6.530, 212.53 def. Morton, 6.551, 211.03; Montecalvo, 6.510, 213.33 def. Berner, 10.339, 80.33;
FINAL -- Montecalvo, 6.522, 212.66 def. Nobile, 6.552, 212.23.
SUNDAY NOTES - Old Chevrolets never die, New ones win in Sunoco Pro Stock and a meeting of old friends...
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| Mike Boyles has been racing IHRA Super Stock at Rockingham every year that it has been at the facility. |
Old Age and Treachery whips youth and enthusiasm - Here's something to ponder, Chris "The Greek" Karamesines was 31 years older than his first round opponent "Turbo" Tim Cullinan. That didn't deter the 73-year old as he won his first round of competition in a long time in IHRA.
Temperature's Risin' - When the first round rolled around at 11 AM, the track temperature was in the 90-degree range. By the time the second round was on tap the temperature had soared to 118. Saturday got as hot as 133.
They loaned us a scooter (and a good one too!)- One of the absolute necessities for a racing team these days is some form of pit transportation, and the lowly golf cart is far and away the vehicle of choice, with little two wheel scooters not far behind.
In days past, the plain vanilla course cruiser was a utilitarian piece of machinery – long on practicality but short on esthetics. Those days are fast becoming a faded memory, however, as many of the golf carts seen in the pits now are flashy customized pieces, many sporting paint, wheels and appointments that match the race car they support.
Leading the way in the made-to-order golf cart revolution is Pit-Pro
Custom Carts, which has been providing their high-quality four-wheel
vehicles to the racing community for the last five years. From their
location on the grounds of Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg,
Indiana, the talented team of craftsman at Pit-Pro transforms basic
carts into rolling works of art.
Their traveling rig also appears at nine IHRA national events and
nine NHRA divisional races every season, providing direct sales
and support to the hundreds of customers they service all across
the country.
Pit-Pro also sells Prima and Beamer scooters, providing everything
the modern racer needs to get around the pits when time is of the
essence. For complete information on all Pit-Pro products and services,
log on to www.pitpro.com
Just like old times – The IHRA history book shows that Scotty Cannon and Shannon Jenkins are the two winningest drivers in Pro Modified. Between the two, they own a total of ten world championships. It was only fitting that the two were scheduled to meet in the first round of competition. Jenkins was slightly quicker at eighth in the qualifying order by .011. The two had only met once since Cannon’s comeback into Pro Modified and Jenkins won it on a holeshot in Darlington, SC. Cannon evened the score this time as he was first off of the line and Jenkins nailed the tires. Cannon was there for the picking as he won with a 6.40,220. The memories continued as the victory put him alongside Fred Hahn in the second round.
You’re a good man, Charlie Brown – Super Stock racer Mike Boyles knows a thing or two about running at Rockingham Dragway. The King, NC-based driver has been bringing his stick-shifted 1957 Wagon to the strip since it opened in 1971. Admittedly, the ride has changed very little in the decades that followed.
“The car was built in 1968 by Lyle Epperson and he asked me if I wanted to drive it,” explained Boyles. “I said yes, and I never gave it back to him. I don’t run as much as I used to back in the days, but I’m a grandfather now and things take priority.”
Boyles has run every IHRA national event hosted by Rockingham Dragway and has proven to be tough. While some might think the car is just a novelty, think again. He has won seven world championships and more national event titles than he can remember.
Putting things in order – “I thought we settled that last week,” – John Montecalvo’s response to fellow Sunoco Pro Stock racer John Nobile’s question of “Who’s your Daddy?” Montecalvo stopped Nobile in the final round at the first event in San Antonio.
Bowties First – When John Montecalvo won in Texas, it marked the first time since 2002 that a Chevrolet had won in the class. He became the first entry to go into the 6.40s over the course of the weekend with a 6.484, 213.00 in winning the first round.
The Champion Curse continues – While the defending Pro Modified and Sunoco Pro Stock champions failed to qualify, Funny Car champion Rob Atchison followed the course of bad luck in the first round opposite of Chris Sipple. Atchison went sideways at the hit and eventually lifted, allowing Sipple to score the victory. This provided a bad conclusion to a weekend of illness for Atchison which included being hooked up to an IV to fight dehydration caused by food poisoning.
Canada perfect in opening round – Of the three Canadian Pro Modified entries that qualified, all emerged victorious. In two of the first three events completed in 2004, Canada took the trophy north of the border.
icard comes to IHRA - If you think that game boy you bought your kids for Christmas is just a source of mindless diversion, think again. Thanks to an enterprising trio of guys from Georgia, the hand-held toy has been transformed into a great way to enjoy a weekend at the races.
The icard is a small wireless receiver that plugs into a color Game Boy and allows fans in the stands to receive the data feed directly from the track’s timing and scoring system. All pertinent information is displayed on the screen, and the incrementals are updated in real time as the cars make their way down the track.
A recent addition to the company’s line-up is a USB version of the icard which can be used on a PC or laptop computer. It’s expected that this piece of equipment will be a valuable aid to the media as well as to race teams desiring to monitor the performance of their computers. The data received can be downloaded onto a spreadsheet and archived for future reference.
Racers and fans can either purchase or rent the icard units and using the system is simplicity itself. Plug the card in and turn the Game Boy of PC on. The icard will then automatically reformat to receive information appropriate for the venue the fan or racer is attending. And these can be many and varied, and the icard program is already in effect in numerous drag racing, road racing, open wheel racing, sports car racing and karting, with more signing on every day.
It’s a great piece of technology, for sure, and another way
to make the drag racing experience a more memorable one. For more
information, log on to www.icardus.com.
SATURDAY - Millican No. 1 Qualifier at U.S. Sports Scene.com Spring Nationals
Visit our same day photo gallery at Rockingham Photos
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| John Nobile was the hottest Sunoco Pro Stocker during qualifying. |
(4-24-2004) - Clay Millican maintained his No. 1 Top Fuel qualifying spot Saturday during the 34th annual U.S. Sports Scene.com Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts and Castrol at Rockingham (N.C.) Dragway.
Other No. 1 qualifiers include Fred Hahn, West Seneca, N.Y., (Pro
Modified); Rob Atchison,
London, Ontario, Canada, (Funny Car); and John Nobile, Melville,
N.Y. (Sunoco Race Fuels Pro
Stock).
In the quickest Top Fuel field in IHRA history, Millican holds the No. 1 spot with his Friday qualifying time of 4.550-seconds. He is trailed by Wilkesboro, North Carolina's Danny Dunn, Bruce Litton and Tim Cullinan. Bobby Lagana, Jr. rounds off the eight-car field with a 4.875.
"Our first qualifying pass today, we were working on some test items and that didn't go quite as we hoped," said Millican after not improving his qualifying time. "But you can't move forward if we don't try things. We are always searching."
Hahn's Friday night time of 6.144, 229.12 held up for the No. 1 Pro Modified spot. Canadian Rick Distefano is second, followed by Mike Janis, Billy Harper and Al Billes. Harold Martin, runner-up at the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals last month, failed to make the field, as did reigning world champion Mitch Stott.
"So far the whole weekend has been excellent," said Hahn. "Yesterday the conditions were great, and actually the pass surprised us. We tested earlier this week and didn't run that well. Those numbers came out of this race track.
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| Clay Millican was in his own zip code in qualifying. |
"We've had a good race track, good horsepower, and a lot of good people helping us. It all came together. We're thrilled to be in the No. 1 spot. Rockingham has always been really good to us."
In Funny Car, Atchison claimed No. 1 with a 5.809-second run Friday night. He was ill Saturday and unable to make either qualifying session, yet held on to the top spot. Mark Thomas is second, Ronnie Midyette third and Dan Roman fourth.
In Sunoco Race Fuels Pro Stock, Nobile began the day No. 1 and maintained the top spot, improving with a 6.520, 213.43. Pete Berner jumped into second followed by John Montecalvo, Rick Jones and Jacksonville, N.C.-native Elijah Morton. Reigning world champion Brian Gahm failed to qualify.
"I'm hungry," said Nobile, who despite 10 final rounds, has never won an IHRA Pro Stock event. "People say you have a monkey on your back, but I have a gorilla. I'm definitely hungry for a win, but I know anything can happen."
Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m. for the U.S. Sports Scene.com Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts and Castrol at Rockingham Dragway. Final round is scheduled for 5 p.m.
First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 34th annual U.S. SportsScene.com Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts & Castrol at Rockingham Dragway, the second of 12 events in the 2004 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.
Top Fuel -- 1. Clay Millican, 4.550 seconds, 317.42
mph vs. 8. Bobby Lagana Jr, 4.875, 305.70; 2. Danny Dunn, 4.610,
310.84 vs. 7. Rick Cooper, 4.860, 278.86; 3. Bruce Litton, 4.715,
306.46 vs. 6. Josh Starcher, 4.846, 292.39; 4. Tim Cullinan, 4.754,
292.52 vs. 5. Chris
Karamesines, 4.773, 296.11.
Pro Modified -- 1. Fred Hahn, Chevy Corvette,
6.144, 229.12 vs. 16. Pat Moore, Chevy Bel Air, 6.279, 221.92; 2.
Rick Distefano, Corvette, 6.199, 222.11 vs. 15. Troy Critchley,
Willys, 6.270, 224.81; 3. Mike Janis, Corvette, 6.200, 226.54 vs.
14. Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 6.264, 223.14; 4. Billy Harper,
Dodge Viper, 6.200, 223.32 vs. 13. Chip King, Dodge Avenger, 6.250,
226.51; 5. Al Billes, Corvette, 6.205, 227.04 vs. 12. Steve Salvadore,
Bel Air, 6.249, 226.43; 6. Glen Kerunsky, Bel Air, 6.207, 224.96
vs. 11. Zach Barklage, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.242, 229.31; 7. Von Smith,
Ford Mustang, 6.208, 227.80 vs. 10. Rickie Smith, Corvette,
6.238, 222.29; 8. Shannon Jenkins, Camaro, 6.216, 225.45 vs. 9.
Scotty Cannon, Studebaker, 6.227, 224.96.
Funny Car -- 1. Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 5.809, 239.44 vs. 16. Chris Sipple, Chevy Camaro, 6.200, 223.69; 2. Mark Thomas, Dodge Avenger, 5.833, 240.47 vs. 15. John Bojec, Avenger, 6.062, 230.25; 3. Ronnie Midyette, Camaro, 5.841, 240.94 vs. 14. John Sullivan, Pontiac Firehawk, 6.044, 225.48; 4. Dan Roman, Firebird, 5.849, 239.40 vs. 13. Jeff Burnett, Firebird, 6.041, 223.21; 5. Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.908, 238.81 vs. 12. Melinda Green-King, Avenger, 6.035, 230.88; 6. Terry McMillen, Avenger, 5.930, 232.91 vs. 11. Bunny Burkett, Avenger, 6.027, 235.31; 7. Neal Parker, Camaro, 5.936, 232.79 vs. 10. Terry Munroe, Firebird, 6.017, 214.08; 8. Dave Ray, Ford Mustang, 5.944, 234.09 vs. 9. Chris Foster, Avenger, 5.993, 235.64.
Pro Stock -- 1. John Nobile, Ford Escort, 6.520, 213.43 vs. 16. Carl Baker, Mercury Cougar, 6.601, 210.70; 2. Pete Berner, Ford Mustang, 6.527, 211.76 vs. 15. Larry O'Brien, Dodge Stratus, 6.593, 209.49; 3. John Montecalvo, Chevy Cavalier, 6.532, 212.66 vs. 14. Floyd Cheek, Mustang, 6.581, 211.10; 4. Rick Jones, Stratus, 6.532, 210.67 vs. 13. Richard Penland, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.578, 210.18; 5. Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.540, 211.79 vs. 12. John Bartunek, Cavalier, 6.573, 211.99; 6. Tony Gillig, Mustang, 6.558, 211.33 vs. 11. Charlie Peppers, Mustang, 6.571, 210.24; 7. Mike Bell, Ford ZX2, 6.559, 210.80 vs. 10. Steve Spiess, Cavalier, 6.568, 211.93; 8. Ron Miller, Cavalier, 6.562, 210.87 vs. 9. Frank Gugliotta, Escort, 6.564, 212.59.
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SATURDAY - It's getting awful hot, The three run blues and standing room only crowd...
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| Harold Martin's inspirational run from Texas ended in Rockingham with a DNQ. |
Hero to Zero - Just one event after his inspirational performance in San Antonio, ACDelco-sponsored Harold Martin failed to make the Pro Modified cut. Martin was in the field momentarily with a 6.287 but was bumped out by a slightly quicker Troy Critchley, who posted a mark of 6.270 to knock Martin out.
Tough Day for them Darn Stott Boys - After watching his younger brother Mitch fail to make the field, Quain Stott's 6.33 couldn't pop the 6.279 bubble either. This has been a tough season for the Stott Brothers, Quain has yet to qualify in 2004, while Mitch has a quarterfinal to his credit in Texas.
Bartunek Crashes - Sunoco Pro Stock racer John Bartunek posted an impressive 6.55 elapsed time, but lost control of his Chevrolet Cavalier in the shutdown area. The car took a pretty bad beating, but Bartunek emerged sore but uninjured.
Summoned to the principal's office - There was a meeting with the Funny Car teams and the subject reportedly was the rash of oildowns that transpired on Friday evening. Word has it that the meeting was conducted as a means of getting the teams to better police themselves and limit the downtime incurred.
Hot, Hot, Hot – By 1:30 PM, the track temperature had soared to 133-degrees which was 11 higher than an hour earlier when the session started. The end result was a lot of tire shake and aborted runs.
They understand that terminology in Rockingham - "I worked the crew hard...they are plum tuckered out." - Top Fuel team owner Virgil Hartman when asked about his team's morale headed into Bristol next week.
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| Rockingham was tough on the World Champions as Brian Gahm (above) and Mitch Stott both missed the cut. |
Three's Company, Four's a crowd - Many of the professional teams are adjusting to the IHRA's new qualifying policy which limits the number of professional sessions to three. To ensure parity, the IHRA has instituted a run policy which madates the first two attempts are in the same lane and the third flip-flops. So far, the policy has not been well-received by the professional teams. Only one session comes during raceday conditions while two of the three come in the cooler evening conditions.
Scared Straight - "I'm too afraid to complain about about only getting three passes - Bader might cut me to two." - An unidentified professional racer in the staging lanes before the second session.
Packed house early – When the first session began, the spectator crowd had already reached standing room only status. Parking had filled up for the VIP lots and general admission, prompting officials to begin parking cars across the street at North Carolina Motor Speedway. According to Rockingham Dragway’s Steve Earwood, the facility has the potential of seating as many as 22,000 spectators.
Ain’t too proud to beg – “I’d take anything in the 6.20s, but I’d be tickled just to go ten feet.” – Mitch Stott crewchief Jimmy Rector when asked over the PA as to what he thought his team’s performance might be. Stott was unqualified headed into the final session.
Observation Award – “These things just don’t seem to accelerate too well when they are in their own oil.” – Top Fuel racer Todd Paton pointed out during an interview during a Pro Modified oildown. On Friday, Paton became the first IHRA Top Fuel dragster to put oil on the racing surface in 2004. The mishap was attributed to an oil line coming loose.
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| Hillary Sloan was destined to drag race and she does it convincingly in Stock eliminator. |
Rumors, Rumors and More Rumors – One of the largest topics of the weekend was the rumor floating around that suggested the supercharged entries might get hit for another overdrive limitation. The popular banter is that after this event, the overdrive could be reduced to 20%.
It’s all in the numbers – Did you know that seven-time IHRA World Champion Scotty Cannon qualified for his first-ever IHRA national event in Rockingham? Interestingly enough, his qualifying position was secured with a 7.77 at 177 miles per hour.
Born to run - Hillary Sloan has been around drag racing for as long as she can remember and even in time she can’t remember. If there was ever a poster child for someone who had to drag race, it was Sloan. Blame it on her Grandfathers, as they planted the proverbial racing seeds. It all started with her paternal grandfather, who owned a drag strip in Sanford, NC, and then there was her maternal grandfather who raced at the track. Then her father Tim met her mother Sheila, and the two of them ended up becoming drag racers and then later a married couple.
With her Dad making a reputed name in Modified eliminator, many would have suspected a son to follow in his footsteps shortly after. However, there was no choice in the matter. “Daddy’s Little Girl” wanted to follow in his footsteps.
“I am an only child so I guess I didn’t have much choice on the gender thing,” said Sloan, who drives a Mopar Stocker. “My mother raced and so did my Dad, so I guess it was natural that I took it up. I love drag racing and I enjoy racing at the IHRA events. I’m just glad I grew up in a family that took part in it.”
Sloan began attending the national event drag races when she was only two weeks old. She should have known that she was destined for the strip when her mother drag raced while pregnant. Ironically, she raced a Dodge Demon in Stock eliminator.
Sloan was in her late teens when she first took up running national events in the Stock eliminator division. Previously, she had competed on the bracket racing level as a teenager. Initially, she wanted to compete in the Junior Dragster ranks, but she and her Dad wanted to go another route.
“I was 15 at the time and was close to turning 16, so Dad told me just to wait and we’d get a big car,” Sloan said. “When I turned 16, I was supposed to get my Stocker, but it just didn’t work out that way. I had to wait until I was 19.”
FRIDAY - Millican Leads IHRA Qualifying at U.S. Sports Scene.com Spring Nationals
Visit our same day photo gallery at Rockingham Photos
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| Clay Millican led first day Top Fuel qualifying Friday. |
(4-23-2004) - Clay Millican led first day Top Fuel qualifying Friday at Rockingham Dragway during the U.S. Sports Scene.com Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts and Castrol. Millican, of Drummonds, Tenn., ran the quarter-mile in .550seconds at 317.42 mph.
Other No. 1 qualifiers include Fred Hahn, West Seneca, N.Y., (Pro
Modified); Rob Atchison,
London, Ontario, Canada, (Funny Car); and John Nobile, Melville,
N.Y. (Sunoco Race Fuels Pro
Stock).
Millican's No. 1 Top Fuel is the quickest pass in IHRA history. He needs a 4.595 ET to back up the run for the IHRA national record. He also reset the RockinghamDragway track records. Bruce Litton is in the second spot with Wilkesboro, North Carolina's Danny Dunn and Tim Cullinan third and fourth.
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| Fred Hahn holds the No. 1 Pro Modified position with a 6.144 ET at 229.12 mph. |
Hahn holds the No. 1 Pro odified position with a 6.144 ET at 229.12
mph. Canadian Rick
Distefano is No. 2, with defending event winner Mike Janis and Al
Billes third and fourth.
In Funny Car Atchison claimed No. 1 with a 5.809, 239.44, to hold
off current oints leader Mark
Thomas in the second spot. Defending world champion Atchison was
the top qualifier at this event in 2003, however, Thomas, a five-time
world champion, went on to win the event. Ronnie Midyette is third
followed by Dan Roman and Terry McMillen.
Nobile took the top spot in Pro Stock covering the quarter-mile in 6.529-seconds at 212.03 mph.Holding the second spot is John Montecalvo, who defeated Nobile in the final round one month ago in San Antonio. Pete Berner, 2003 No. 1 qualifier, is third, followed by 2003 event-winner Rick Jones and Ron Miller.
Qualifying resumes Saturday at 1 p.m. for the U.S. Sports Scene.com Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts and Castrol at Rockingham Dragway. The final round of qualifying is scheduled for 6 p.m., with final eliminations Sunday.
Results Friday after qualifying for the 34th annual U.S. SportsScene.com Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts & Castrol at Rockingham Dragway, second of 12 events in the 2004 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Clay Millican, 4.550 seconds, 317.42 mph; 2. Bruce Litton, 4.715, 306.46; 3. Danny Dunn, 4.734, 277.37; 4. Tim Cullinan, 4.754, 292.52; 5. Chris Karamesines, 4.773, 296.11; 6. Josh Starcher, 4.846, 292.39; 7. Rick Cooper, 4.860, 278.86; 8. John Sipple, 4.895, 297.75.
Pro Modified -- 1. Fred Hahn, Chevy Corvette, 6.144, 229.12; 2. Rick Distefano, Corvette, 6.199, 217.11; 3. Mike Janis, Corvette, 6.200, 226.54; 4. Al Billes, Corvette, 6.205, 224.36; 5. Glen Kerunsky, Chevy Bel Air, 6.207, 224.96; 6. Von Smith, Ford Mustang, 6.208, 226.62; 7. Shannon Jenkins, Chevy Camaro, 6.216, 225.45; 8. Scotty Cannon, Studebaker, 6.227, 224.96; 9. Chip King, Dodge Avenger, 6.250, 226.51; 10. Steve Salvadore, Bel Air, 6.257, 226.43; 11. Mike Castellana, Camaro, 6.264, 223.14; 12. Rickie Smith, Dodge Viper, 6.269, 220.48; 13. Troy Critchley, Willys, 6.291, 224.81; 14. Paul Athey, Corvette, 6.293, 223.28; 15. Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.296, 222.88; 16. David oemer, Camaro, 6.304, 219.86.
Funny Car -- 1. Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 5.809, 239.44; 2. Mark Thomas, Dodge Avenger, 5.833, 240.47; 3. Ronnie Midyette, Chevy Camaro, 5.841, 240.94; 4. Dan Roman, Firebird, 5.849, 239.40; 5. Terry McMillen, Avenger, 5.930, 227.84; 6. Dave Ray, Ford Mustang, 5.944, 234.09; 7. Chris Foster, Avenger, 5.993, 235.64; 8. Bunny Burkett, Avenger, 6.027, 231.99; 9. Jeff Burnett, Firebird, 6.041, 223.21; 10. John Bojec, Avenger, 6.062, 230.25; 11. Neal Parker, Camaro, 6.199, 225.75; 12. Terry Munroe, Firebird, 6.261, 212.06; 13. Chris Sipple, Camaro, 6.263, 185.74;14. Brian Harvanek, Firebird, 7.369, 208.49.
Pro Stock -- 1. John Nobile, Ford Escort, 6.529,
212.03; 2. John Montecalvo, Chevy Cavalier, 6.532, 211.79; 3. Pete
Berner, Ford Mustang, 6.555, 210.11; 4. Rick Jones, Dodge Stratus,
6.573, 210.60; 5. Ron Miller, Cavalier, 6.579, 209.26; 6. Floyd
Cheek, Mustang, 6.581,
211.10; 7. John Bartunek, Cavalier, 6.582, 210.93; 8. Mike Bell,
Ford ZX2, 6.582, 210.11; 9. Frank Gugliotta, Escort, 6.591, 211.36;
10. Larry O'Brien, Stratus, 6.605, 207.82; 11. Steve Spiess, Cavalier,
6.609, 211.30; 12. Carl Baker, Mercury Cougar, 6.617, 209.01; 13.
John
Konigshofer, Cougar, 6.632, 208.30; 14. Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.649,
209.49; 15. Michael Bruno, Cavalier, 6.658, 206.64; 16. Doug Kirk,
Mustang, 6.661, 207.59.
FRIDAY NOTES - New Sponsor, Battle for New York Wages on and an unbelievable Funny Car session...
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| One of Scotty Cannon’s stops en route to Rockingham was to do a segment on Windtunnel with Dave Despain. |
(4-23-2004) - Better late than never – Just days before the start of the 34th annual IHRA Spring Nationals, US Sports Scene.com was signed as the major sponsor. U.S. Sports Scene is a Chicago based privately held full service sports and lifestyle marketing company. It produces an online portal/interactive magazine, in-house created and managed sporting events, and direct Internet marketing and postal campaigns. U.S. Sports Scene maintains an in-house proprietary database of over 80 million consumers.
The Battle for New York wages on – It was just a month ago that John Montecalvo and John Nobile battled in San Antonio, Texas for the Sunoco Pro Stock title. The best of friends, who are on every opposite side of the ladder they can be in a racing sense (one is a Ford and the other Chevy), finished one and two in qualifying on the first day. This time Nobile was on top with Montecalvo second, but once again it was their crewmembers, the Sevier brothers, who stole the show. Tommy works for Montecalvo and Kenny works for Nobile.
No Pain with Despain – One of Scotty Cannon’s stops en route to Rockingham was to do a segment on Windtunnel with Dave Despain. Cannon did a couple of burnouts with his Oakley-sponsored Studebaker or was it Despain? The television show led one to believe it was him, but Cannon won’t fess up as to who was behind the wheel. The one thing that impressed Cannon the most is that Despain is consistent on the camera and off. As he puts it, “I really enjoyed hanging out with them. He’s a straight-up guy and I respect that. What you see is what you get on or off the camera.”
Ray Price, the Exhibitionist - The longtime Nitro Harley-Davidson racing icon Ray Price is on the grounds at Rockingham Dragway with his team. Price, a Harley-Davidson dealer, is credited as being the oldest licensed rider in the division at 67-years old. Since an untimely crash last May in Las Vegas, Wayne Pollack has been riding the bike.
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| Elijah Morton showed up in Rockingham with a new look and while our photos can't do this scheme justice, it is absolutely beautiful in person. |
Gahm's Magic - When the 2003 Spring Nationals in Rockingham, N.C., rained out, many racers were disappointed with the decision to run the rescheduled spring race along with the fall race. But for reigning Pro Stock World Champion, Brian Gahm, the disappointment turned into pure elation when the decision turned out to be the best possible scenario for the now 2-time world champion.
"We brought out our brand new Rare Breed Mustang at the beginning of last year, and we were experiencing some growing pains," Gahm explained. "For us it was a blessing in disguise, because it gave us some much needed time to get the car running. At the time, we never would have thought that the championship would come down to the rescheduled race and the final event."
The series of events that occurred at Rockingham Dragway last October can be described as nothing less than magical. Gahm faced his challenges head on; and with a runner-up as a result of the spring race and a win for the final race, he earned the right to be called the 2004 and two-time Pro Stock World Champion.
This old house on wheels - All racers have been
invited to an open house at the Bingham Motorsports pit area this
weekend at the Spring Nationals at Rockingham. Gary & Renee
Bingham are hosting the open house in their Damon LX400 motor coach.
“Racers constantly want to stay up on the latest innovations
to take their racing to the next level. The Damon LX400 is the next
level in sponsor entertainment, customer service, and family enjoyment.
It is designed to be the ultimate in meeting these needs,”
states Renee. “It has 4 slides which give you incredible room,
a 10’ sofa with a table underneath that comes up to table
height and extends to seat more people. This is in addition to the
horseshoe booth designed for dining as well. Also included is a
12 lb. icemaker, a dish washer, washer and dryer unit and this coach
carries 145 gallons of fresh water so you can use these amenities.”“The
LX400 is also the ultimate in towing,” says Gary. “It
has a freightliner chassis, a Cummings 400 diesel engine with an
Allison 6 speed transmission. It has plenty of power to pull my
double stacker trailer with no trouble. It really is the ultimate
in towing.”
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| CompetitionPlus.com publisher Bobby Bennett and our newest intern John Young watch Super Stock qualifying on Friday. This is his first drag race. |
Milli Can?- Three-timeIHRA Top Fuel Champion Clay Millican of Team Werner/Lehman Racing will attempt to become the winningest driver in any professional class in IHRA history this weekend.
"I'm not really thinking about the record right now. I just want to try tofocus on everything we have to do in order to win, and hopefully we'll be successful," said Millican.
Millican, starting his fifth season of professional competition, has amassed 31 career IHRA victories. If he is victorious in Rockingham, he will tie Rickie Smith's record of 32 wins to become the winningest IHRA driver in any professional class. The four professional classes include Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Modified, and Sunoco Pro Stock. Smith has a combined 32 wins in Pro Stock and Pro Mod.
Quote of the day - When a rookie sportsman racer couldn't seem to get his act together and inevitably had the car in reverse at the launch, an official uttered, "Ya'll better shut him off before he kills someone."
Why life as an intern rules - John Young decided he wanted to work his internship with CompetitionPlus.com. During his first assignment, he was permitted time to go workout at a local gym (former linebacker at West Virginia University) and instructed to get a cellphone battery charger and pick up lunch for CompetitionPlus.com publisher Bobby Bennett. This was given at 11 AM. Young finally made it back to the track at 5:30 PM. His excuse? He fell asleep.
Can they do that? – An overwhelmed Pro Modified
team during the oildown plagued Funny Car session wondered aloud,
“If a person starts building a Funny Car at the start of a
session and they finish it before the session is complete, can they
enter competition?”