ELDER STATESMEN SOW THEIR OATS IN CHARLOTTE SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING
A couple of drag racing’s elder statesmen were sowing their oats during the first day of sportsman qualifying at the NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Nationals at zMax Dragway.
Roy Hill [almost 65] and Roy Johnson [almost 69] both came out of retirement this year to race special edition, factory-built race cars in the Super Stock and Stock divisions, respectively.
A couple of drag racing’s elder statesmen were sowing their oats during first day sportsman qualifying at the NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Nationals at zMax
Roy Hill [almost 65] and Roy Johnson [almost 69] both came out of retirement this year to race special edition, factory-built race cars in the Super Stock and Stock divisions, respectively.
“I have had the NHRA guys telling me I was reliving my glory days,” said Hill. “It’s more fun than I had back in the day. I think us old timers can help bring these classes back to being fun again.”
Hill, the longtime Pro Stock driver who operates a successful drag racing school, drove NASCAR team owner James Finch’s Super Stock/B Automatic 2010 Cobra Jet Mustang to a 8.624, -1.276 second run under the index. His car runs a 331-cubic inch Ford engine.
Johnson, driving a 2009 Dodge Challenger given to him by his son Allen Johnson as a Christmas present, was -1.389 [10.161] under the D/Stock Automatic index. In his day, Johnson was a competitor in NHRA’s Competition eliminator and IHRA Super Stock before retiring to build engines for his son.
Following Hill in the qualifying order were Buggs Dennis [GT/MA, -1.153, ’90 Calais], Bo Butner [SS/CM, -1.043, ’09 Cobalt], Bobby Dennis [GT/MA, -1.015, ’95 Achieva] and Bo Kenny [GT/BA, -.959, ’09 Cobalt].
The balance of the Stock top five were Douglass Duell [A/SA, -1.039, ’09 Challenger], James Beattie Jr. [A/SA, -1.036, ’09 Challenger], Brooks Lee [-1.030, A/SA, ’09 Challenger] and Don Fezell [-1.012, AA/S, ’08 Mustang]
{source}
<div style="float:left; padding:5px;">
<script type="text/javascript">
sr_adspace_id = 2000000613807;
sr_adspace_width = 300;
sr_adspace_height = 250;
sr_ad_new_window = true;
sr_adspace_type = "graphic";
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.afy11.net/srad.js?azId=2000000613807">
</script></div>
<div style="padding:5px;"><script type="text/javascript">
google_ad_client = "pub-8044869477733334";
/* 300x250, created 4/3/09 */
google_ad_slot = "2028912167";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
</script>
<script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
</div>{/source}