In the wake of last weekend’s ManCup Fall Nationals at Rockingham Dragway, track owner Steve Earwood admitted that he was both amused and confused by suggestions that his track “was back” after Niki “Niki Zak” Zakrzewski, Rodney Williford and Larry “Spiderman” McBride set the motorcycle world abuzz with record-shattering performances that included a 255.20 mile-an-hour top end speed from McBride’s Top Fuel bike.    
 
“I didn’t know we’d gone anywhere,” Earwood laughed.  “The Rock has been a destination track for anyone looking for maximum performance since it opened and that’s been a source of great pride for me and my entire team.
    
“There’s nothing magic about it,” Earwood said.  “I just takes money, passion and commitment from a whole lot of people.  You don’t just sweep it off every week, throw down some traction compound and hope for the best.  

“Everyone talks about track prep but it doesn’t make any difference who’s doing the prep if the track surface isn’t up to specs.

“That’s why we’ve repaved the track with a special blend of asphalt four times,” Earwood said.  “We’ve torn out the old concrete and poured new, we’ve ground down bumps and filled in dips and we’ve consulted with companies that specialize in competitive surfaces and followed their suggestions.”

The payoff for all that expense and effort is a weekend like the one just passed in which Zakrzewski became the first woman to break 200 miles per hour on a drag racing motorcycle, and in which McBride recorded the fastest bike speed ever.

“You enjoy the moment,” Earwood said, “but then you have to go back to work.  We have the Original Super Chevy Show coming to town this weekend and those guys deserve a consistent, high-traction surface as much as the motorcycle guys, the ADRL Pro Mods or even the NHRA Pro Stock racers who test with us on a regular basis.”

“You can teach track prep,” he said, “but you have to start with something worth ‘prepping.’”

Top performances at the ManCup Fall Nationals at Rockingham Dragway: (1) Fastest speed on two wheels, 255.20 miles per hour by Larry McBride, Newport News, Va.; (2) fastest woman on two wheels, 205.82 mph by Niki Zakrzewski, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; (3) quickest Pro Street elapsed time record, 6.667 seconds by Rodney Williford, Rougemont, N.C.; (4)  quickest Real Street ET record, 7.652 seconds by Dave “Super Dave” Stewart, Mooresville, N.C.; and (5) first side-by-side 5-second run in open competition when McBride defeated Chris Hand of Navou Ala. in the first round, 5.957, 248.66 mph to Hands 5.885, 222.95 mph.

Results of Sunday’s ManCup Fall Nationals presented by Vance and Hines at Rockingham Dragway (all hometowns are North Carolina unless otherwise indicated):

TOP FUEL
    Qualifying – 1. Sam Wills, Edmond, Okla. 5.902, 234.00 mph; 2. Larry “Spiderman” McBride, Newport News, Va., 6.114, 228.92 mph; 3. Dave Vantine, Hamilton, N.Y., 6.167, 226.54 mph; 4. Ian King, Litlington, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, 6.258 217.67 mph; 5. Chris Hand, Navou, Ala., 6.567, 158.33 mph; 6. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., 7.822, 157.19 mph.
    Round 1 – Dave Vantine, Hamilton, N.Y., 5.994, 227.31 mph, def. Ian King, Litlington, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, 6.204, 207.94 mph; Larry “Spiderman” McBride, Newport News, Va., 5.957, 248.66 mph, def. Chris Hand, Navou, Ala., 5.885, 222.95 mph; Sam Wills, Edmond, Okla., 5.902, 231.00 mph, def. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., 6.782, 199.88 mph.
    Semifinals – Wills, bye; McBride, 5.833, 255.29 mph, def. Vantine, foul.
    FINAL – Larry “Spiderman” McBride, Newport News, Va., 5.828, 246.48 mph, def. Sam Wills, Edmond, Okla., 6.235, 230.80 mph.

PRO OPEN
    Qualifying – 1. Niki “Niki Zak” Zakrzewski, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 6.450, 205.82 mph; 2. Richard Brunson, Davenport, Iowa, 6.453, 202.21 mph; 3. Mike Rendeluk, Oklahoma City, Okla., 6.489, 204.05 mph; 4. Rob Garcia, Pottstown, Pa., 6.773, 193.40 mph; 5. Keith Browne, Semora, 6.972, 196.44 mph; 6. Robert Giard, Gainesboro, Tenn., 8.218. 189.58 mph.
    Round 1 – Mark Rendeluk, Oklahoma City, Okla., 6.549, 202.24 mph, def. Rob Garcia, Pottstown, Pa. 6.892, 188.64 mph; Richard Brunson, Davenport, Iowa, 6.528, 198.67 mph, def. Keith Browne, Semora, 6.960, 192.55 mph; Niki “Niki Zak” Zakrzewski, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 6.487, 202.85 mph, def. Roget Giard, Gainesboro, Tenn., no time.
    Semifinals – Rendeluk, 6.512, 202.64 mph, def. Brunson, 6.559, 198.70 mph; Zak, bye.
    FINAL – Niki “Niki Zak” Zakrzewski, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 6.487, 204.85 mph, def. Mark Rendeluk, Oklahoma City, Okla., 6.679, 196.90 mph.

PRO STREET
    Qualifying – 1. Rodney Williford, Rougemont, 6.705, 220.73 mph; 2. Terrence Angela, Aruba, 6.813, 216.55 mph; 3.  Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 6.819, 213.20 mph; 4. Ehren Litten, Louisburg, 6.867, 218.90 mph; 5. Chris Connelly, Brighton, Mich., 6.912, 208.26 mph; 6. Mark Gargulo, Granville, Mass., 6.943, 205.76 mph; 7. Chris Edwards, Bessemer City, 7.125, 201.97 mph; 8. Jorden Haase, Irwin, Pa., 7.134, 203.43 mph.
    Round 1 – Ehren Litten, Louisburg, 6.742, 222.00 mph, def. Chris Connelly, Brighton, Mich., 6.964, 205.88 mph; Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 6.884, 210.08 mph, def. Mark Gargulo, Granville, Mass., 6.984, 200.47 mph; Terrence Angela, Aruba, 7.083, 174.48 mph, def. Chris Edwards, Bessemer City, 9.810, 90.27 mph; Rodney Williford, Rougemont, 6.667, 225.67 mph, def. Jorden Haase, Irwin, Pa., no time.
    Semifinals – Litten, 6.744, 223.21 mph, def. Williford, 7.871, 165.99 mph; Angela, 6.833, 215.27 mph, def. Teasley, 6.871, 185.54 mph.
    FINAL – Ehren Litten, Louisburg, 6.786, 215.62 mph, def. Terrence Angela, Aruba, 6.897, 192.41 mph.

PRO FUEL
    Semifinals – Michael Ray, New Braunfels, Texas, 8.237, 159.95 mph, def.  Tyler Wilson, Walnut Cove, 8.303, 161.63 mph; Preston Bartlett, St. Augustine, Fla., no time, def. Jay Beasley, Winston-Salem, no time.
    FINAL – Michael Ray, New Braunfels, Texas, 7.354, 166.76 mph, def. Preston Bartlett, St. Augustine, Fla., 7.364, 171.34 mph.

REAL STREET
    Round 1 – “Super Dave” Stewart, Mooresville, bye; John Dobrin, Sarasota, Fla., 7.859, 188.99 mph, def. Jason Fernando, Tampa, Fla., 8.299, 176.84 mph; Marcus Hylton, Eden, 7.935, 171.93 mph, def. Anibal Merced, Concord, 8.048, 182.28 mph.
    Semifinals – Stewart, 7.652, 190.89 mph, def. Hylton, 7.942, 170.45 mph; Dobrin, bye.
    FINAL – “Super Dave” Stewart, Mooresville, 7.749, 193.10 mph, def. John Dobrin, Sarasota, Fla., 7.790, 191.40 mph.

PRO MOD
    Semifinals – Travis Davis, Douglas, Ga., 4.094, 174.28 mph, def. Brad McCoy, Cleveland, 4.082, 174.14 mph; Ronnie Smith, Pasadena, Md., bye.
    FINAL – Ronnie Smith, Pasadena, Md., 4.086m 172.45 mph, def. Travis Davis, Douglas, Ga., 4.129, 171.42 mph.

4.60 INDEX
    Round 3 – Tony Mullen, Bradenton, Fla., 4.616, 150.56 mph, def. Mike Chonglis, Eastlake, Ohio, 4.639, 148.44 mph; “Long Island Mike” Ostrowski, Bay Shore, N.Y., 4.642, 139.99 mph, def. Ronnie Procopio, Wake Forest, 4.659, 157.52 mph; Broderick Jackson, Atlanta, Ga., bye.
    Semifinals – Jackson, 4.635, 153.49 mph, def. Ostrowski, 4.620, 142.22 mph; Mullen, bye.
    FINAL – Broderick Jackson, Atlanta, Ga., 4.601, 155.44 mph, def. Tony Mullen, Bradenton, Fla., 4.595 breakout, 153.21 mph.

TOP GAS (8.20 target)
    Round 2 – Pete Chongris, Mentor, Ohio, 8.191, 153.09 mph, def. Dustin Lee, Morristown, Tenn., 8.168 breakout, 163.29 mph; Jim Chongris, Mentor, Ohio, 8.286, 153.04 mph, def. Frank Loney, Dalzell, S.C., 8.099 breakout, 141.85 mph; Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 8.224, 164.21 mph, def. Jeff House, Keller, Texas, 8.184 breakout, 157i.30 mph; Alan Fields, Climax, 8.183, 161.40 mph, def. Ben Knight, Elkton, Va., 8.180 breakout, 160.10 mph.
    Semifinals – Fields, 8.271, 150.82 mph, def. J. Chongris, 8.364, 149.63 mph; P. Chongris, 8.250, 154.09 mph, def. Teasley, foul.
    FINAL – Pete Chongris, Mentor, Ohio, 9.486, 114.40 mph, def. Alan Fields, Climax, 20.952, no speed.

CRAZY 8S (8.880 target)
    Round 3 – Dusty Brazel, Norman Park, Ga., 8.891, 150.92 mph, def. Wade Smith, Dublin, Ga., foul; Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., 8.910, 144.10 mph, def. Keith Browne, Semora, 8.943, 143.78 mph; Eric Griffith, Riner, Va., bye.
    Semifinals – Brazel, 8.942, 147.60 mph, def. Griffith, 8.898, 150.90 mph; Arnold, bye.
    FINAL – Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., 8.914, 142.24 mph, def. Dusty Brazel, Norman Park, Ga., 8.964, 149.85 mph.

SUPER COMP (8.90 target)
    Round 3 – Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., 8.847, 154.37 mph, def. Freddy Frazier, Sanford, foul; Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 8.948, 149.76 mph, def. Travis Bordeaux, Harrisburg, 8.904, 138.07 mph; Randall Cross, Stone Mountain, Ga., 10.875, 107.96 mph, def.  “Long Island Mike” Ostrowski, Bay Shore, N.Y., foul; Shawn Welch, Waynesboro, Ga., bye.
    Semifinals – Teasley, 8.916, 149.90 mph, def. Cross, 8.913, 148.61 mph; Welch, 8.917, 142.42 mph, def. Arnold, 8.893 breakout, 142.45 mph.
    FINAL – Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 8.961, 149.30 mph, def. Shawn Welch, Waynesboro, Ga., 8.018, 128.64 mph.

SUNDAY PRO ET
    Round 4 – Ben Knight, Elkton, Va., .014, 8.199 on an 8.180, 155.78 mph, def. Robin Procopio, Wake Forest, .025, 8.218 on an 8.200, 158.06 mph; Eric Griffith, Riner, Va., .035, 8.933 on an 8.880, 146.24 mph, def. Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, Tenn., .089, 9.007 on an 8.970, 141.58 mph; Ted Harvey, Mentor, Ohio, .031, 8.088 on an 8.090, 158.54 mph, def. Shawn Welch, Waynesboro, Ga., foul.
    Semifinals – Harvey, .025, 8.186 on an 8.090, 153.02 mph, def. Knight, .019, 8.275 on an 8.170, 154.69 mph; Griffith, bye.
    FINAL – Ted Harvey, Mentor, Ohio, .009, 8.125 on an 8.110, 144.94 mph, def. Eric Griffith, Riner, Va., .053, 8.906 on an 8.880, 151.20 mph.

SATURDAY PRO ET
    Round 4 – Stephen Knight, Durham, .056, 9.042 on a 9.040, 148.36 mph, ddef. Dustin Lee, Morristown, Tenn., .059, 9.188 breakout on a 9.190, 147.17 mph; John Markham, Bowling Green, KY., .020, 8.831 on an 8.720, 138.27 mph, def. Calvin Mason, Mobile, Ala., .149, 9.191 breakout on a 9.200, 141.13 mph; Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, Tenn., .055, 8.975 on an 8.980, 148.05 mph, def. Harvey Hubbard, Sedley, Va., foul.
    Semifinals – Markham, bye; Knight, .048, 9.039 on a 9.040, 141.73 mph, def. Claycomb, .088, 8.941 breakout on an 8.950, 150.35 mph.
    FINAL – Stephen Knight, Durham, .011, 9.054 on a 9.020, 144.42 mph, def. John Markham, Bowling Green, Ky., .022, 8.736 on an 8.700, 147.04 mph.

SUNDAY STREET ET
    Round 5 – Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., .055, 9.392 on a 9.380, 144.41 mph, def. Elmer Cromer, Nokomis, Fla., .097, 9.287 breakout on a 9.350, 147.68 mph; Roy Johnson, Keystone Heights, Fla., .022, 9.405 on a 9.390, 140.96 mph, def. Stanley Russell, Stanley, Ga., .048, 9.735 on a 9.720, 138.34 mph; John Fernandez, Tampa, Fla., bye.
    Semifinals – Fernandez, .045, 8.426 on an 8.360, 155.79 mph, def. Johnson, .073, 9.467 on a 9.390,144.35 mph; Arnold, bye.
    FINAL – John Fernandez, Tampa, Fla., NA, 8.364 on an 8.360, 162.51 mph, def. Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., foul.

SATURDAY STREET ET
    Round 5 – Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, Tenn., .042, 9.261 on an 8.950, 155.65 mph, def. Bob Burt, Columbus, Ohio .048, 10.537 breakout on a 10.550, 121.30 mph; Brian Dale, Dalton, Ga., .048, 9.143 on an 8.950, 135.74 mph, def. Vance Houdyshell, Vero Beach, Fla., .024, 10.257 on a 9.900, 135.81 mph; C.J. Fair, Lexington, S.C., bye.
    Semifinals – Dale, .059, 8.930 on an 8.970, 152.18 mph, def. Fair, foul; Claycomb, bye.
    FINAL – Brian Dale, Dalton, Ga., .043, 8.930 on an 8.930, 148.09 mph, def. Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, Tenn., .084, 8.920 on an 8.920, 151.53 mph.

SUNDAY V-TWIN FINAL – Vance Houdyshell, Vero Beach, Fla., .143, 10.101 on a 10.000, 137.95 mph, def. Barry Pryer Sr., Chesapeake, Va., .176, 12.453 breakout on a 12.550, 105.22 mph.

SATURDAY V-TWIN FINAL – Barry Pryer Sr., Chesapeake, Va., .058, 12.887 on a 12.550, 89.71 mph, def. Manny Carrasquillo, Clearwater, Fla., .051, 14.740 on a 14.000, 83.96 mph.

STREET FIGHTER FINAL (9.50 target) – Jason Herron, West Columbia, S.C., 9.545, 140.23 mph, def. Pablo Gonzalez, Carolina, Puerto Rico, 9.529, 141.91 mph.