In a display of perfect poker etiquette, the Don Plemmons Quick-8 Association’s newest member, Jim Halsey unloaded some final round thunder when he needed it. His timing was perfect when he called veteran Rickie Smith in the final round of the Farmington, NC event on Saturday evening. 

"As I was coming down the return road someone told me that I was a pretty good poker player,” said Halsey.

Mired in the three second zone for much of special Friday test session preceding the event and qualifying, Smith was considered the favorite headed into eliminations.

In a display of perfect poker etiquette, the Don Plemmons Quick-8 Association’s newest member, Jim Halsey unloaded some final round thunder when he needed it. His timing was perfect when he called veteran Rickie Smith in the final round of the Farmington, NC event on Saturday evening. 

"As I was coming down the return road someone told me that I was a pretty good poker player,” said Halsey.

Mired in the three second zone for much of special Friday test session preceding the event and qualifying, Smith was considered the favorite headed into eliminations.

Halsey also dipped in the three-second range on one pass on Saturday night, right when it counted. 

"We knew the car had it, we simply didn't need to run 3.90's until that run,” added Halsey.

Halsey’s winning lap, a 3.95, 188 was enough to outrun the 3.97, 186 belted out by Smith in the final round.

Halsey is no stranger to Farmington Dragway, having tested at the eighth-mile facility once before, but the weekend was a debut one for the Plemmons Quick Eight program.

"The racers in this series was extremely receptive and gave us a really nice welcome", said Halsey, adding that he truly had a blast racing in the Quick-8.

Halsey, second quickest in qualifying with a 4.05 elapsed time, stopped Randy Weatherford and Thomas Dunford to reach the final round. 

In the finals, Smith was quicker out of the gate (.039 - .049) but Halsey closed the gap almost instantly courtesy of a quick 60-foot time of .958, followed by a 2.63 at the 330-foot mark.

Halsey's thundered through the finish line at a 3.95 to take the win.