MARTIN, JENKINS CLAIM TITLES BEFORE 25,000 AT ROCKINGHAM DRAGWAY



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ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – A decorated former champion and a budding champion-to-be
shared the winners' circle Saturday in Dragstock III at Rockingham Dragway, an
American Drag Racing League event that featured the increasingly popular Outlaw Pro Modifieds.

A crowd estimated at more than 25,000, the largest one-day crowd to attend a race at the track since Steve Earwood purchased it in 1992, watched Shannon "the Iceman" Jenkins of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joey Martin of Milton, Fla., take home the biggest shares of the $40,000 purse.

Martin, driving a 1967 Ford Mustang replica, qualified No. 1 on the way to winning the Pro Extreme championship and $11,000.  The victory made the Florida driver the season's first two-time winner.  He won an ADRL race earlier this year at Houston, Texas and also has won twice this year in the NHRA series (at Englishtown, N.J., and Memphis, Tenn.).

Jenkins, a three-time former IHRA Pro Modified Champion (1997, 1999, 2002) as well as the first champion in the NHRA's Pro Modified division (2002), drove his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro replica to the Pro Nitrous championship and a $5,000 payday.

Martin gained four positions with his Saturday victory, moving all the way up to third place behind new leader Jason Scruggs of Saltillo, Miss.

Although he lost to Martin in the semifinals, Scruggs set ADRL records for eighth, mile time (3.813 seconds) and speed (198.44 miles per hour) to move around Mike Neal of Pace, Fla., and into the points lead.  Neal was not a factor at The Rock, qualifying just seventh and suffering mechanical problems that prevented his participation in eliminations. Scruggs broke the 3.872 second and 194.63 mph records he set earlier this year at Madison, Ill., in his 1963 Chevrolet Corvette replica.

After dispatching Scruggs, Martin beat Herman Sheppard of Ehrhardt, S.C., in the final, 3.925 to 3.980 seconds.

Although he qualified fifth, Jenkins was untouchable during eliminations.  The veteran posted the quickest time in every round of racing with almost monotonous consistency, putting up times of 4.031 seconds, 4.013, 4.016 and, finally, 4.018.

His only real test came against six-time former IHRA Pro Stock champion Rickie Smith of King, N.C., whom he beat in the semifinals by just .009 of a second.  In the final, Jenkins bested James Hancock III of Opelika, Ala.

More than 60 drivers, those who didn't qualify for the 16-car field in either class, went home empty-handed.  Among them were Pro Nitrous championship contenders Burton Auxier Jr. of Dixie, West Va., Terry Housley of Lenoir City, Tenn., and Jenkins' teammate, Mike Castellana of Westbury, N.Y., along with Memphis, Tenn., Pro Extreme winner Bill Clanton of Rome Ga., who fell from second to fifth as a result.

Among the others on the sidelines for eliminations were former IHRA Pro Stock and Pro Modified champion Tommy Mauney of Spartanburg, S.C.; distaff driver Annette Summer of Aiken, S.C., who never was able to get traction with her twin-turbo 1957 Chevy Bel Air; and Bill Kuhlman of Perry, Mo., the first Pro Modified driver to exceed 200 miles per hour on the quarter mile.

In a race dominated by Georgia drivers, Steve Kirk Jr. of Monroe beat Marcus Birt of Gray for the Outlaw 10.5 title.  Kirk drove his 2000 Chevrolet Camaro to the No. 1 qualifying postion at 4.430 seconds and was never challenged. His was the only car to break the 4.50 second barrier which it did in two of three rounds including the final.

PRO EXTREME WINNER : JOEY MARTIN

PRO EXTREME RUNNER-UP : HERMAN SHEPPARD

PRO EXTREME RECORD : JASON SCRUGGS

PRO NITROUS WINNER : SHANNON JENKINS

PRO NITROUS RUNNER-UP : JAMES HANCOCK III

PRO 10.5 WINNER : STEVE KIRK JR. KIRK NEW OUTLAW RECORD HOLDER : 4.430

PRO 10.5 RUNNER-UP : MARCUS BIRT

Results from Sunday's Eastern Race Fuels Dragstock III Outlaw Pro Modified race at Rockingham Dragway:

PRO EXTREME
 
Qualifying –
1. Joey Martin, Milton, Fla., 1967 Ford Mustang, 3.931, 188.96 mph
2. Herman Sheppard, Ehrhardt, S.C., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.967, 185.36 mph
3. Frankie Taylor, Dickinson, Texas, 1958 Chevrolet Corvette, 3.971, 195.62 mph
4. Travis Swearingen, Grain Valley, Mo., 1941 Willys, 3.981, 186.25 mph
5. Jason Scruggs, Saltillo, Miss., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 3.983, 193.18 mph
6. Dwayne Watkins, Rosemark, Tenn., 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, 3.993, 177.21 mph
7. Mike Neal, Pace, Fla., 1953 Studebaker, 4.000, 185.21 mph
8. Bryan Dyar, Hillsboro, Ala., 1953 Studebaker, 4.000, 180.62 mph
9. Bennie McDonald Jr., Locust Grove, Ga., 4.001, 190.83 mph
10. Mike Bell, Asheboro, N.C., 1968 Ford Mustang, 4.001, 184.22 mph
11. Bubba Stanton, Potts Camp, Miss., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.006, 184.09 mph
12. Todd Tutterow, Yadkinville, N.C., 1941 Willys, 4.012, 185.89 mph
13. Troy Critchley, Wylie, Texas, 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, 4.013, 187.00 mph
14. John Lynam, Beaufort, S.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.017, 192.17 mph
15. Eddie Ware, Marietta, Ga., 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.020, 188.49 mph
16. Joshua Hernandez, Conroe, Texas, 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.020, 186.95 mph

Alternates –
Quain Stott, Columbus, S.C., 4.028, 180.16 mph
Brian Daniels, Jackson, Ohio, 4.053, 180.19 mph

Round one –
McDonald, .087 reaction time, 4.030 seconds, 184.09 mph, def.
Dyar, .105, 4.030, 178.57 mph; Daniels, .053, 4.035, 180.65 mph, def. Bell,
.090, 4.030, 179.42 mph; Scruggs, .089, 3.813, 198.44 mph, def. Tutterow, .115,
4.222, 180.77 mph; Taylor, .049, 4.022, 182.80 mph, def. Lynam, .067, 4.016,
179.88 mph; Swearingen, .040, 3.989, 185.43 mph, def. Critchley, .091, 4.068,
178.68 mph; Sheppard, .088, 3.995, 184.90 mph, def. Ware, .100, 5.074, 101.51
mph; Stanton, .074, 4.005, 184.55 mph, def. Watkins, .161, 4.254, 155.40 mph;
Martin, .089, 3.908, 190.22 mph, def. Hernandez, 4.091, 179.40 mph.
 

Round two –
Scruggs, .081, 3.823, 198.06 mph, def. Swearingen, .138, 3.974,
185.97 mph; Taylor, .024, 3.947, 185.97 mph, def. Stanton, .073, 3.989, 184.55
mph; Sheppard, .064, 3.968, 186.02 mph, def. Daniels, .066, 4.676, 115.42
mph; Martin, .079, 3.931, 190.19 mph, def. McDonald, .072, 4.412, 143.73 mph.
 

Semifinals –
Sheppard, .005, 4.142, 183.54 mph, def. Taylor, .171, 16.052,
23.87 mph; Martin, .093, 3.909, 189.28 mph, def. Scruggs, .046, 4.003, 195.42
mph.
 

FINAL –
Joey Martin, Milton, Fla., 1967 Ford Mustang, .075, 3.925, 189.68
mph, def. Herman Sheppard, Ehrhardt, S.C., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, .057, 3.980,
183.72 mph.


PRO NITROUS
 
Qualifying –
1. Doug Riesterer, Victoria, Texas, 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.007, 181.81 mph
2. Randy Weatherford, Providence, N.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.010, 188.62 mph
3. Pat Stoken, Eureka, Mont., 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.019, 183.47 mph
4. Dennis Radford, Baker City, Ore., 2000 Dodge Viper, 4.044, 181.08 mph
5. Shannon Jenkins, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.051, 184.30 mph
6. Greg Godwin, Walterboro, S.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.052, 180.72 mph
7. Dave Roemer, Brook Park, Ohio, 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.056, 188.81 mph
8. Rickie Smith, King, N.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.065, 189.26 mph
9. Rod Houck, Winston-Salem, N.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.068, 188.70 mph
10. Steve Vick, Mocksville, N.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.069, 181.35 mph
11. James Hancock III, Opelika, Ala., 1998 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.069, 179.73 mph
12. Rick Moore, High Point, N.C., 2001 Pontiac Grand Am, 4.073, 182.75 mph
13. Johnny Pilcher, Chancellor, Ala., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.073, 183.79 mph
14. Charles Carpenter, Harrisburg, N.C., 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, 4.084, 187.31 mph
15. Keith Baker, Dothan, Ala., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.092, 182.80 mph
16. Dale Brinsfield, Oak Ridge, N.C., 1998 Ford Probe, 4.098, 186.36 mph

Alternates – Buzz Varner, Graham, N.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.107, 178.47 mph
Burton Auxier, Dixie, West Va., 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.111, 180.38 mph

Round one –
Smith, .084, 4.058, 181.01 mph, def. Houck, .107, 4.098, 181.35
mph; Roemer, .045, 4.076, 188.17 mph, def. Vick, .118, 6.377, 86.13 mph;
Hancock, .046, 4.112, 180.09 mph, def. Godwin, .044, 7.806, 57.82 mph; Jenkins,
.055, 4.031, 183.84 mph, def. Moore, .059, 4.073, 181.47 mph; Radford, .037,
4.091, 177.58 mph, def. Pilcher, .077, 4.078, 181.35 mph; Stoken, .098, 4.032,
184.40 mph, def. Carpenter, .115, 4.086, 182.01 mph; Weatherford, .084, 4.044,
179.95 mph, def. Baker, .063, 5.534, 87.89 mph; Riesterer, .070, 4.053, 177.11
mph, def. Brinsfield, .084, 4.113, 179.16 mph.
 
Round two –
Jenkins, .068, 4.013, 183.97 mph, def. Radford, .052, 4.817,
108.53 mph; Roemer, 4.044, 181.74 mph, def. Weatherford, foul; Smith, .102,
4.034, 182.16 mph, def. Riesterer, foul; Hancock, .098, 4.072, 179.30 mph, def.
Stoken, .142, 6.206, 87.73 mph.
 
Semifinals –
Hancock, .063, 4.068, 179.18 mph, def. Roemer, foul; Jenkins,
.061, 4.016, 140.59 mph, def. Smith, .060, 4.026, 183.59 mph.
 
FINAL –
Shannon Jenkins, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, .012,
4.018, 184.02 mph, def. James Hancock III, Opelika, Ala., 1998 Chevrolet Corvette,
.066, 4.056, 178.47 mph.

PRO 10.5 OUTLAW

Qualifying –
1. Steve Kirk Jr., Monroe, Ga., 2000 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.430,
174.62 mph;
2. Marcus Birt, Gray, Ga., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.551, 163.04
mph;
3. Mike Hill, Washington, Ga., 2006 Ford Mustang GT, 4.563, 163.06 mph;
4. Jack Barfield, Pembroke, Ga., 2002 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.575, 166.05 mph;
5. Michael Robinson, Dallas, Ga., 2002 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.625, 160.77 mph;
6. Stacy McIntyre, Lawndale, N.C., 1993 Ford Mustang, 4.673, 158.78 mph;
7. Scott Hartley, Lenoir, N.C., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.705, 157.03 mph;
8. Tracy Cockman, Coats, N.C., 1993 Ford Mustang, 4.720, 155.90 mph

Round one –
Birt, .067, 4.655, 148.41 mph, def. Hartley, .042, 4.698, 153.32
mph; Barfield, .073, 4.543, 162.24 mph, def. Robinson, .074, 4.592, 161.11
mph; Hill, .099, 4.853, 127.53 mph, def. McIntyre, .993, 4.695, 159.19 mph;
Kirk, .136, 4.525, 165.84 mph, def. Cockman, .056, 8.462, 73.11 mph.
 
Semifinals –
Birt, .084, 4.535, 163.33 mph, def. Hill, .027, 4.616, 160.16
mph; Kirk, .144, 4.475, 166.74 mph, def. Barfield, broke.
 
FINAL –
Steve Kirk Jr., Monroe, Ga., 2000 Chevrolet Camaro, .063, 4.463,
166.21 mph, def. Marcus Birt, Gray, Ga., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, .066, 4.495,
163.59 mph.

Unofficial updated point standings following Saturday's Eastern Race Fuels Dragstock III Outlaw Pro Modified race at Rockingham Dragway:

Pro Extreme – 1. Jason Scruggs, Saltillo, Miss., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette,
1,882; 2. Mike Neal, Pace, Fla., 1953 Studebaker, 1,674; 3. Joey Martin, Milton,
Fla., 1967 Ford Mustang, 1,567; 4. John Lynam, Beaufort, S.C., 1963 Chevrolet
Corvette, 1,538; 5. Bill Clanton, Rome, Ga., 1953 Studebaker, 1,473; 6.
Joshua Hernandez, Conroe, Texas, 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 1,255; 7. Quain Stott,
Columbus, S.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 1,244; 8. Todd Tutterow, Lewisville,
N.C., 2002 Ford Mustang, 840.

Pro Nitrous – 1. Keith Baker, Dothan, Ala., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 1,660;
2. Terry Housley, Lenoir, Tenn., 1941 Willys, 1,437; 3. Burton Auxier Jr.,
Dixie, West Va., 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, 1,362; 4. Johnny Pilcher, Chancellor,
Ala., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 1,362; 5. Shannon Jenkins, Tuscaloosa, Ala.,
1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 1,353; 6. James Hancock III, Opelika, Ala., 1998 Chevrolet
Corvette, 1,249; 7. Rex Kelley, Hueytown, Ala., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 851;
8. Todd Tutterow, Lewisville, N.C., 2002 Ford Mustang, 836.