SCRUGGS, HANCOCK, GORMAN, AND VOSE CLAIM ADRL TITLES
Hancock is youngest
drag racing champion ever; Scruggs' win caps dominant season
The Flowmaster American Drag Racing League's 2007 season came to a close Friday
night at Texas Motorplex, with Jason Scruggs, Jamie Hancock, Steve Gorman, and
Bill Vose claiming ADRL world championships by winning their respective classes
in the AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts eliminators.
Scruggs capped a
sensational season by beating Joe Baker for the Pro Extreme title, 3.850 to a
troubled 7.79. During the 2007 season, Scruggs won his first career national
event title (Huntsville), continually lowered the ADRL's Pro Extreme performance
records (which now stand at 3.703 and 205.22 mph), and finished third in the
AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts points standings. He was dominant during
Friday's three-round competition, posting runs of 3.781/203.80 and 3.768/203.65
to win his two preliminary rounds before the final.
Hancock, 17, won the
Pro Nitrous title from the eighth and final qualifying position, beating
top-seeded Johnny Pilcher and Terry Housley to reach the final. He had his best
run of the event in that race, posting a 4.029 to turn back 2006 ADRL world
champion Keith Baker's 5-second run and deny Baker consecutive ADRL
championships. With the Belts title, Hancock became the youngest-ever winner of
a major drag racing championship. Ironically, Hancock came dangerously close to
not qualifying for the Belts field at all, needing a semifinal finish at
Dragstock IV in Rockingham to finally clinch his spot.