ADRL BATTLE FOR THE BELTS - Kennedale, Texas
SATURDAY -RAIN DELAYS KENNEDALE EVENT UNTIL 2007
FRIDAY - STANTON, BAKER CLAIM 2006 ADRL CHAMPIONSHIPS
They might have taken different routes to get there, but Bubba
Stanton and Keith Baker both ended up right where they wanted to be Friday
night: in the Texas Raceway winner's circle, celebrating their 2006
FLOWMASTER American Drag Racing League world championships after winning
their respective Battle for the Belts eliminators.Stanton (Pro
Extreme) and Baker (Pro Nitrous) each turned away seven other would-be
champions to win their first ADRL titles and put the final touches on the
2006 ADRL season. The GetWorkComp.com World Finals continue Saturday with
two rounds of qualifying and 16-car
eliminators in both Pro Extreme and Pro
Nitrous, with any points earned during the day counting toward the 2007
ADRL standings.
Stanton was the last man entered into the Pro Extreme
field, filling in the No. 8 qualifying spot as the competition's second
alternate. He used the opportunity to put together by far his best-ever
showing in ADRL competition, opening with a stunning 3.897 to oust points
leader Jason Scruggs, following up with a 3.921 to hold off 2005 Pro
Extreme champion John Lynam (3.964) in a good semifinals race, then
posting a 3.914 to turn back Joshua Hernandez (3.954) in the
final.
Stanton's best previous result in ADRL competition was a
semifinal finish at this year's Huntsville, Ala., event. His 3.897 in the
first round made him just the second driver in ADRL history to dip below
3.9 seconds; the driver in the other lane, Scruggs, did so four weeks
ago in Rockingham, N.C.
In contrast to Stanton's
alternate-to-champion path, Baker simply picked up where he left off from
the seven points-scoring events of the 2006 season. He entered the Battle
for the Belts eliminator as the No. 1 qualifier, having scored 1,660 points
to outdistance second- place Terry Housley by roughly one and one-half
rounds. Friday night, he opened with a 4.10 and an easy win over Harold
Martin, ran a 4.11 to beat a red-lighting Shannon Jenkins in the
semifinals, then posted a 4.129 to outrun Burton Auxier's off-pace 4.75 in
the Pro Nitrous final.
The Belts win was the second ADRL title at
Texas Raceway for Baker, who won last year's Saturday eliminator at the
season-ending event. He'll get the chance to defend that title Saturday
when the top 16 qualifiers determine the 2006 GetWorkComp.com World Finals
event winner. Battle for the Belts eliminations results(winners on
top)
PRO EXTREME
First round
Bubba Stanton 3.897
Jason
Scruggs 4.343
John Lynam 4.051
Bil Clanton
4.106
Joshua Hernandez 4.034
Joey Martin 4.062
Mike Neal
4.161
Troy Critchley 6.808
Semifinals
Bubba Stanton
3.921
John Lynam 3.964
Joshua Hernandez 3.942
Mike Neal
6.175
Final
Bubba Stanton 3.914
Joshua Hernandez
3.954
PRO NITROUS
First round
Keith Baker 4.103
Harold
Martin 4.743
Shannon Jenkins 4.069
Johnny Pilcher
8.402
Burton Auxier 4.137
James Hancock III 4.479
Rex
Kelley 4.103
Terry Housley Centerline
Semifinals
Keith Baker
4.111
Shannon Jenkins Red-light
Burton Auxier 4.645
Rex
Kelley Red-light
Final
Keith Baker 4.129
Burton Auxier
4.755
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FRIDAY -
Pro Nitrous Round #1
Keith Baker – 4.103 et – 179.59 mph **(Winner)**
Harold Martin – 4.743 et – 115.51 mph
Keith Baker with a .015 light & a great run to take the win…
Johnny Pilcher – 8.402 et – 51.92 mph
Shannon Jenkins – 4.069 et – 181.18 mph **(Winner)**
Pilcher nearly takes out the tree going hard left & Jenkins makes a clean run to take the win…
Terry Housley – 4.109 et – 168.70 mph
Rex Kelley – 4.103 et – 165.74 mph **(Winner)**
This was a crazy race, Housley with a .042 light, Kelley with a .059
light, both cars went hard right, Housley got the holeshot win light,
but he crossed the centerline & took out the timing blocks, So Rex
Kelley gets the win…
Burton Auxier – 4.137 et – 174.14 mph **(Winner)**
James Hancock III – 4.679 et – 117.47 mph
Hancock had a .014 light but had problems around half track & Burton takes the win…
Pro Nitrous Round #2
Keith Baker – 4.111 et – 178.38 mph **(Winner)**
Shannon Jenkins – 5.965 et – 79.80 mph
Shannon goes -.018 red & clicks it off. Baker makes a nice run & goes to the final…
Rex Kelley – no time
Burton Auxier – 4.645 et – 115.40 mph **(Winner)**
Rex Kelley rolled the beams & got the red light & no time, then
both guys crossed the centerline, but Auxier gets the win & goes to
the final…
Pro Nitrous Final
Keith Baker – 4.129 et – 178.02 mph **(Winner)**
Burton Auxier – 4.755 et – 136.23 mph
Burton had a .008 light but ran into problems again & Keith
Baker makes another great run & he is you 2006 ADRL Pro Nitrous
Champion!!!!!
Pro Extreme Round #1
Jason Scruggs – 4.343 et – 123.52 mph
Bubba Stanton – 3.897 et – 186.95 mph**(Winner)**
Bubba Stanton cuts an .021 light & becomes the second man to run in the .80’s!!!!!! And that is with a WEDGE!!!
John Lynam – 4.051 et – 183.87 mph**(Winner)**
Bil Clanton – 4.106 et – 171.95 mph
Clanton had a .001 light and a .986 60’, but Lynam drove around
him for the win. Hats off to Ralph, Bil & the whole family for
getting that car back together & it has been straight as a string…
Mike Neal – 4.161 et – 156.05 mph**(Winner)**
Troy Critchley – 6.808 et – 76.43 mph
Critchley has problems & Mike Neal advances in the kids Lumina…
Joey Martin – 4.062 et – 162.57 mph
Josh Hernandez – 4.034 et – 180.57 mph**(Winner)**
Joey Martin rode the centerline & never lifted, but Josh takes the win…
Pro Extreme Round #2
Bubba Stanton – 3.921 et – 185.89 mph**(Winner)**
John Lynam – 3.964 et – 185.97 mph
Lynam had a good light & was kicking up grass, but he could not keep up with Bubba Stanton!!!!
Mike Neal – 6.175 et – 67.32 mph
Josh Hernandez – 3.942 et – 184.98 mph**(Winner)**
Neal had a good holeshot but had problems, while Hernandez made a great run to get to the final…
Pro Extreme Final
Bubba Stanton – 3.914 et – 186.79 mph **(Winner)**
Josh Hernandez – 3.954 et – 187.08 mph
They left dead even & Bubba Stanton absolutely DOMINATED this race…
These guys have worked their tales off & BIG congrats on taking the
win!!!!
FRIDAY NOTEBOOK -
It's My Party - One of the unique things about the way the ADRL
awards the world champion belt is the fact that is given to the team on
the starting line as the winning car crosses the finish line as opposed
to giving the prize to the driver at the top end out of sight of the
spectators. This year the teams of both Nitrous and Extreme held their
own impromptu celebration in the middle of the track well past the
Christmas tree oblivious of the jet funny car behind them preparing to
make the final run of the night.
Big Fun - The ADRL series continued its phenomenal growth trend
in Kennedale with another unofficial track record in attendance. The
Stands were overflowing and fans were lined along the fence several
deep the entire length of the track.
Cease and Desist - ADRL president, Kenny Nowling announced to
the drivers during their pre race meeting the receipt of a letter from
the NHRA by the Kennedale track owners cease and desist any event
promoted by the ADRL. The event obviously continued as scheduled with
legal minds working behind the scenes to determine exact the purpose of
the letter and formulate a response if they determine that a response
is in fact necessary.
Reher Present - Pro Stock icon Dave Reher was in attendance at
the event. The Reher-Morrison group is preparing to move into the
nitrous Pro Modified engine business.
Grabbing the Bull - Shannon Jenkins was in the driver’s seat of
the Castellana Cobalt to compete in the Nitrous Battle of the Belts.
Jenkins’ previous ride was sold to the Bankston Brothers Racing team
and driven by Stan Allen. It was previously thought that Jenkins would
still drive the Bankston’s car while competing in the Battle.
Wounded Motor Blues - Mike Neal wounded the engine in the
popular Promodifieds.US Studebaker on the very first test pass and it
was feared that the team would not be able to compete in the Battle of
the Belts. However, Neal and his son, Michael, decided that the elder
Neal would slip into the seat of Michaels Lumina for the Battle. Neal
took his son’s ride into the finals before dropping the decision to
Bubba Stanton.
Bubba's Night - Bubba Stanton had a career night. Setting
personal bests in speed and ET, Stanton captured his first win and the
title of World Champion. The car Stanton drove, however, is no stranger
to the winners circle. Mike Janis piloted the same car to the IHRA
Promodified World Title in 2004.
Stanton, who did not qualify for the top eight in the Battle of the
Belts, was the second alternate replacing Todd Tutterow. That is making
the very best out of a fortunate situation.
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ADRL World Finals Closes One Season, Begins Another
Two days of eighth-mile Pro Modified racing action at Texas Raceway will both bring an end to the FLOWMASTER American Drag Racing League's 2006 season and serve as the beginning of the 2007 campaign.
The GetWorkComp.com World Finals kicks off Friday with the ADRL's second annual Battle for the Belts competition, two eight-car eliminators that will determine the 2006 ADRL Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous world champions. The fields for those two events has already been determined, and when the final pair of cars in the Belts competition goes down the track Friday night, the ADRL's 2006 season will have concluded.
But a clean slate will greet all the drivers in attendance on Saturday, when two rounds of qualifying will finalize the 16-car fields for the "regular" World Finals eliminators. All points earned in Saturday's competition will count toward the 2007 ADRL points standings.Last year, drivers such as Pro Nitrous winner Keith Baker and Pro Extreme runner-up John Lynam used their second-day performances in Kennedale as a springboard toward the top of this season's points standings.
Overall, seven of the 17 drivers who scored points at the
2005 Kennedale race went on to qualify for the 2006 Battle for the
Belts championship eliminators.
The GetWorkComp.com World Finals
begins with open testing on Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. The first round of
the Belts competition is scheduled for 8:30 p.m., with qualifying for
Saturday's fields kicking in at 9:30 p.m.
ADRL Battle for the Belts First-round matchups
PRO EXTREME
1. Jason Scruggs vs.
8.
Bubba Stanton
4. John Lynam vs.
5. Bil Clanton
3. Joey Martin
vs.
6. Joshua Hernandez
2. Mike Neal vs.
7. Troy
Critchley
PRO NITROUS
1. Keith Baker vs.
8. Harold Martin
4.
Johnny Pilcher vs.
5. Shannon Jenkins
3. Burton Auxier vs.
6. James
Hancock III
2. Terry Housley vs.
7. Rex Kelley
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2005 Belts Finalists Meet in Pro Extreme First Round
The Pro Extreme half of the 2006 FLOWMASTER American Drag
Racing League Battle for the Belts competition will get serious from the
opening bell Friday night at the GetWorkComp.com World Finals when ADRL
veterans John Lynam and Bil Clanton meet in the first round.
Lynam
and Clanton met in the final round of last year's inaugural Battle for the
Belts competition, with Lynam emerging as the 2005 ADRL Pro Extreme world
champion following a 3.959 to 4.014 win. Between them, the two drivers have
won five ADRL event titles and have appeared in a combined 10 final
rounds.
Other drivers qualified to compete in the three-round,
single-elimination battle for the ADRL Pro Extreme title Friday at
Texas Raceway include top points-earner and Pro Extreme record-holder
Jason Scruggs, two-time finalist Mike Neal, and Joey Martin, the only
driver in either ADRL class to win two events in 2006. The competition
begins at 8:30 p.m. local time.Following is a look at each driver in
the Pro Extreme field, in order of placement in the final 2006 ADRL
points standings (2006 records include 2005 Kennedale event):
NO. 1 JASON
SCRUGGS (1,882 POINTS)
Best result: Semifinals, four events
2006 record:
8-5
Career record: 10-7
Notable: Led points despite not winning an event.
... Scored 400
bonus points for twice setting both ends of the Pro Extreme
record. ... Records currently stand at 3.813 and 198.44 mph.
NO. 2
MIKE NEAL (1,674 POINTS)
Best result: Winner, Valdosta
2006 record:
9-5
Career record: 15-11
Notable: Reached two final rounds in 2006. ...
Had qualified for
every ADRL Pro Extreme eliminator before missing the
field at
DRAGSTOCK III.
NO. 3 JOEY MARTIN (1,567 POINTS)
Best
result: Winner, Houston and Rockingham
2006 record: 9-4
Career record:
same
Notable: Only two-time winner this season in either ADRL championship
class.
NO. 4 JOHN LYNAM (1,539 POINTS)
Best result: Runner-up,
three events
2006 record: 9-6
Career record: 21-10
Notable: 2005 ADRL
Pro Extreme world champion. ... A seven-time ADRL
finalist, but loser of
his last five final rounds. ... Winner of the
first ADRL event ever held
(DRAGSTOCK I).
NO. 5 BIL CLANTON (1,473 POINTS)
Best result: Winner,
Memphis
2006 record: 8-5
Career record: 15-8
Notable: Three career wins
is tied for most in Pro Extreme. ... 2005
Battle for the Belts
runner-up.
NO. 6 JOSHUA HERNANDEZ (1,255 POINTS)
Best result:
Runner-up, Houston
2006 record: 6-5
Career record: 8-7
Notable: Only
driver other than Scruggs to hold at least one end of
the Pro Extreme
record in 2006.
NO. 7 TROY CRITCHLEY (822 POINTS)
Best result:
Semifinals, Memphis
2006 record: 3-5
Career record: 5-6
Notable: In
field as first alternate, replacing Quain Stott. ...
Runner-up in ADRL
debut (Hattiesburg, 2005).
NO. 8 BUBBA STANTON (722 POINTS)
Best
result: Semifinals, Huntsville
2006 record: 3-4
Career record:
3-5
Notable: Second alternate, replacing Todd Tutterow.
First-round
matchups
1. Jason Scruggs vs.
8. Bubba Stanton
4. John Lynam
vs.
5. Bil Clanton
3. Joey Martin vs.
6. Joshua Hernandez
2.
Mike Neal vs.
7. Troy Critchley
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Jason
Scruggs 1,882
2. Mike Neal 1,674
3. Joey Martin
1,567
4. John Lynam 1,539
5. Bil Clanton 1,473
6. Josh
Hernandez 1,255
7. Quain Stott 1,244
8. Todd Tutterow
840
9. Troy Critchley 822
10. Bubba Stanton 722
11.
Herman Sheppard 721
12. Thomas Patterson 719
13. Todd
Bauknecht 620
14. Toney Russell 619
15. Brian Daniels
607
16. Frankie Taylor 533
17. Chip King 524
18. Eddie
Ware 523
19. Bennie McDonald 427
20. Tommy Mauney
417
21. Phil Osborne 226
22. Mike Bell 215
23. Travis
Swearingen 213
24. Dwayne Watkins 212
25. Brian Dyar
211
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Battle for the Belts Will Determine New ADRL Pro Nitrous Champion
Only one thing will be certain when the FLOWMASTER American Drag Racing League's Battle for the Belts championship eliminators get under way Friday night at the GetWorkComp.com World Finals: a new ADRL Pro Nitrous world champion will be crowned.
With 2005 ADRL Pro Nitrous champion Dan Parker not qualifying for the Battle for the Belts competition, a first-time winner is guaranteed to come from the field of eight qualified drivers. That group includes 2006 points leader Keith Baker, 2005 Battle for the Belts runner-up Rex Kelley, former IHRA Pro Modified champion Shannon Jenkins, and fuel-injection wizard Harold Martin. The three-round, single-elimination battle for the ADRL Pro Nitrous title begins at 8:30 p.m. local time Friday at Texas Raceway.
Following is a look at each driver in the Pro Nitrous field, in order of placement in the final 2006 ADRL Pro Nitrous points standings (2006 records include 2005 Kennedale event):
NO. 1 KEITH BAKER (1,660 POINTS)
Best result: Winner, Kennedale (2005)
2006 record: 9-6
Career record: 14-9
Notable: Won the regular Pro Nitrous eliminator at last year's
Kennedale event, which counted toward 2006 points standings. .... Has
qualified for seven straight eliminators; overall, has participated
in 10 of the 12 Pro Nitrous eliminators in ADRL history.
NO. 2 TERRY HOUSLEY (1,437 POINTS)
Best result: Winner, Huntsville
2006 record: 10-3
Career record: 10-4
Notable: Defeated Baker at Huntsville in his first ADRL final-round
appearance. ... Opened the 2006 season with three straight semifinal
finishes.
NO. 3 BURTON AUXIER (1,362 POINTS)
Best result: Winner, Madison
2006 record: 8-4
Career record: same
Notable: Won at least one eliminations round in first four events of
2006.
NO. 4 JOHNNY PILCHER (1,362 POINTS)
Best result: Runner-up, Houston
2006 record: 5-6
Career record: 13-11
Notable: Only driver to qualify for all 12 ADRL Pro Nitrous
eliminators held to date. ... Had five consecutive semifinal results
during the 2005 season.
NO. 5 SHANNON JENKINS (1,353 POINTS)
Best result: Winner, Rockingham
2006 record: 7-3
Career record: 18-5
Notable: Four event wins and 18 round-wins are most of any Pro
Nitrous driver. ... ADRL record-holder for elapsed time (3.992 seconds).
NO. 6 JAMES HANCOCK III (1,249 POINTS)
Best result: runner-up, Rockingham
2006 record: 6-6
Career record: 8-10
Notable: Qualified for all six events held in 2006.
NO. 7 REX KELLEY (851 POINTS)
Best result: Semifinals, Huntsville
2006 record: 2-5
Career record: 2-7
Notable: Lost to Dan Parker in 2005 Battle for the Belts final round.
NO. 8 HAROLD MARTIN (728 POINTS)
Best result: Winner, Valdosta
2006 record: 4-2
Career record: same
Notable: An event-winner in his ADRL career debut ... Qualified as
alternate for the 2006 Belts eliminator, replacing Todd Tutterow.
FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
1. Keith Baker vs.
8. Harold Martin
4. Johnny Pilcher vs.
5. Shannon Jenkins
3. Burton Auxier vs.
6. James Hancock III
2. Terry Housley vs.
7. Rex Kelley
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Keith Baker 1,660
2. Terry Housley 1,437
3. Burton Auxier 1,362
Johnny Pilcher 1,362
5. Shannon Jenkins 1,353
6. James Hancock 1,249
7. Rex Kelley 851
8. Todd Tutterow 836
9. Rickie Smith 818
10. R. Weatherford 757
11. Mike Castellana 736
12. Harold Martin 728
13. Ken Thomas 715
14. Steve Vick 622
15. Pat Stoken 436
16. Aaron Hodges 427
17. Dan Parker 425
18. Dennis Radford 424
19. Stan Allen 415
20. Billy Harper 404
21. C. Carpenter 317
22. Dave Roemer 310
John Deflorian 310
Thomas Meyers 310
25. Sonny Tindal 303
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