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STORMS DISAPPOINT LARGE
FIELD AT RACEWORKS.COM SPRING BLAST |
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ROCKINGHAM,
N.C. –
Saturday
storms
prevented
the
crowning
of Pro
Stock and
Pro
Modified
champions
at the
inaugural
Raceworks.com
Spring
Blast at
Rockingham
Dragway,
but track
owner
Steve
Earwood
was
nevertheless
pleased
with the
overall
response
to the
pre-season
event.
The
Saturday
rain
disappointed
not only
Earwood
and the
more than
400 racers
assembled
at the
Carolina
track, but
also a
crowd
estimated
at 3,500.
While the
event will
not be
re-scheduled,
those who
bought
tickets
can use
them, in
conjunction
with the
accompanying
armband,
for
admission
to any
other 2006
race at
The Rock
with the
exception
of the two
IHRA
national
events –
the Spring
Nationals,
April
21-23, and
the World
Finals,
Oct.
20-22.
The Spring
Blast, a
major
pre-season
test for
IHRA
racers in
Pro Stock
and Pro
Modified,
also
featured
the
jet-powered
Funny Cars
of Glenn
Burkhart
(“Twister
Air”) and
Chris
Gould
(“Firepower”).
Nevertheless,
the bulk
of the
Saturday
field was
composed
of bracket
racers
enticed by
free entry
to the
first big
event of
the year,
one in
which
drivers
could have
earned
points
applying
toward
Rockingham
Dragway
track
championships
in Top
Eliminator,
Footbrake
and Jr.
Dragster
classes.
“We had
maybe 30
cars
testing on
Thursday
and Friday
and 400
packed
into the
pits on
Saturday,”
Earwood
said.
“While it
was
frustrating
for us not
to be able
to race,
it was
encouraging
to see
that kind
of
turnout.
It tells
me that
everybody
is itching
to go
racing.”
IHRA
national
Pro Stock
record-holder
Robert
Patrick
was easily
the star
of the
show. The
veteran
from
Fredericksburg,
Va., drove
his Purvis
Ford
Mustang to
the
quickest
quarter
mile times
on each of
the three
days
including
a 6.413 at
215.93
miles per
hour
before the
rains came
on
Saturday.
The only
other Pro
Stock
driver
with a
representative
time in
the only
qualifying
session
completed
Saturday
was former
record
holder
Frank
Gugliotta
of Mt.
Airy, Md.,
whose Ford
stopped
the timers
in 6.555
seconds,
207.11
mph.
The two
drivers in
Pro Stock
and the
two
drivers in
Pro
Modified
who posted
the
quickest
time in
the
completed
first
session
and a
scheduled
second
qualifying
session
were to
have come
back to
run for
the Spring
Blast
championship
in a
modified
“Chicago-style”
format.
Unfortunately,
the
weather
intervened.
Patrick
had the
quickest
overall
time for
the Pro
Stocks at
6.380
seconds,
just off
te 6.360
national
record he
set at
Rockingham
last
fall. He
also had a
6.394 and
217.32
mph.
Quickest
in Pro
Modified
over the
three days
was Scotty
Cannon Jr.
of Lyman,
S.C., who
was
clocked in
6.239
seconds at
229.47
mph, but
the
biggest
surprise
was the
fact that
veteran
Roy Hill
was in the
cockpit of
the
supercharged
Blue Max
Ford, the
car in
which Mike
Bell set
the
national
record at
6.046
seconds at
the 2005
World
Finals.
Hill,
winner of
multiple
events in
Pro Stock
and owner
of the car
in which
Bell won
the IHRA
Pro Stock
Championship
in 1995,
had a best
of 7.500
on a
planned
shut off
run. |
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SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25th
NOTES & REPORT |
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QUICK NEWS : FULL
ARTICLE & PHOTOS TO COME
No winners declared due to rain out. Light rains set in around 4pm
forcing officials to cancel the race.
Over 400 race cars were here for the Saturday show.
We went from around 20 cars here on Friday to over 400 on Saturday
thanks to the huge participation of Free Entry ET Sportsman racers.
Roughly 3,400 spectators came through the gates.
Everyone who purchased a ticket into this race can use that ticket and
arm band towards any other 2006 Rockingham race excluding the two IHRA
National events.
(Basically when you return to use that ticket you would have seen the
"Spring Blast" for free.)
Only one round of qualifying and a few test passes took place for Pro
Stock and Pro Mod due to rain.
PRO STOCK
RESULTS (after one round of qualifying only)
Robert Patrick : 6.413 @ 215.93 mph
Frank Gugliotta (P/S) : 6.555 @ 207.11 mph
Dwayne Rice : (backed out early)
Jeff Dobbins : (backed out early)
Elijah Morton : good leave, 60 ft. was 1.00 then parachutes came out
Richard Penland : (backed out early)
Art Hodges : (backed out early)
PRO MOD RESULTS
(after one round of qualifying only)
Scotty Cannon Jr. : 6.239 @ 229.47 mph
Roy Hill : 7.500 @ 146 mph (backed out early)
Shane Hunt : (backed out early)
Vinny Demieri : (backed out early)
Paul Rocco : (backed out early)
Steve Vick : (backed out early)
TEST RUNS
Dewayne Silance (T/S) : 6.994 @ 192.80 mph
Art Hodges (P/S) : 6.551 @ 209.72 mph
Robert Patrick (P/S) : 6.431 @ 216.08 mph
Dwayne Rice (P/S) : (backed out early)
Bob Harris (T/S) : 6.11 @ 119 mph (backed out early)
Frank Gugliotta (P/S) : (backed out early)
Paul Rocco (P/M) : (backed out early)
Pat Watford (T/S) : (backed out early)
Elijah Morton (P/S) : (backed out early) (backed up, then .991 60 ft.
then out of it)
Matt Giangrande (T/S) : (backed out early)
Chris Gould (Jet FC) : 6.380 @ 213 mph
Glenn Burkhart (Jet FC) : Backed out at half track, on a great pass |
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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24th
NOTES & REPORT |
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PRO STOCK
Robert Patrick
runs the run of the day in his Purvis Ford Mustang posting a 6.380 @
over 217 mph, just under his own National Record of 6.36 which he set
here during last season's World Finals. Last pass at 6pm, 6.394 @
217.32 mph!
Jeff Dobbins - Best of .989 to the 60 ft. all day. Smooth passes
backing out early.
Frank Gugliotta - Best of 1.00 to the 60 ft.
Elijah Morton - Best of 1.00 to the 60ft., breaking the differential
on his last pass.
Art Hodges - One pass with tire shake.
Dwayne Rice - No good passes all day.
Richard Penland - One pass with a .994 60 ft. Last pass 1.00 60 ft. -
4.18 to the 1/8th, was on a good pass and let out of it.
PRO MOD
Scotty Cannon Jr.
ran a very stout 3.99 to the 1/8th mile with a 1.00 60 ft. on that
pass. 2nd pass he made he clocked a 9.90 60 ft.
Roy Hill - Yes! Roy drove the blown Blue Max Mustang, one pass with no
good results.
Robert Tyree (New Black Camaro with flames) - Nice launch then let out
of it.
Ed Burnley - The Red Predator Corvette - Nitrous explosion. Blew the
entire scoop in the air with various damage to the top of the engine.
Jeff Mullins (Twin Turbo on Alcohol '41 Willys) - Hit the wall after
the 1/4 mile clocks sliding at least 300 ft. up again the wall. Driver
is fine. First pass was a 7.68 @ 175.
Steve Vick - No good passes all day. First run was a 1.04 60 ft. with
the front end carried very high in the air.
Paul Rocco from Long Island, NY (New 1951 Black Chevy) First pass,
6.55 to the 1/4 and a 6.54 to the 1/4 mile on the last hit.
Vinny Demieri - P/M Saturn - Best of 6.74 @ 208 mph. Last pass he ran
6.84 at 209
TOP SPORTSMAN / PRO STREET
David Hornaday -
Opal - 4.76 to the 1/8th mile
Matt Giangrande (Glenn Redmon's Superman Vette) - 4.66 best
Pat Watford - No good passes
Gary Bingham - No good passes - Best of 1.09 60 ft. on last pass
Jeff Tyson driving David Rode's Red Firebird, several good laps with
the best of a 4.48 to the 1/8th mile
David Banks (Morton's old Rising Storm Pro Stock Mustang) - hurt the
engine after first burnout. New motor going in tonight, will re-run on
Saturday.
OUTLAW 10.5
Terry Robbins -
Impressive 4.50 following a previously posted 4.51
Mark Swanson (Limited Street) - No good passes
Chris Gould's Jet Car - 6.44 @ 207 mph to end the day's show |
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd
NOTES & REPORT |
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ROCKINGHAM, NC -
The
inaugural RaceWorks.com Spring Blast featuring Pro Stock and Pro
Modified is off to a great start heading into Friday's testing
sessions. Various drivers made testing runs on Thursday after a
rather large rain delay early in the morning. More professional
teams are expected to show for the Friday and Saturday show with a
great weather forecast expected for both days. |
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Not many runs were made
on Thursday due to the huge set back previously mentioned from the
morning rain delay. |
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Art Hodges made the
best hit of the afternoon in his Pro Stock Dodge Avenger clocking
an impressive 1.002 60 ft. time.
All other drivers were not very successful posting any 1/8th mile
or 1/4 mile times. |
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Robert Pickeral
crashed his ET Sportsman roadster on his second pass in the right
lane near half track when the car took a sudden turn for the wall.
The car suffered minimal damage including the front wheel bending
in. The driver was fine with the exception of knowing his weekend
was over very early. |
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Glenn Burkhart's
"Twister Air" Jet Funny Car took out one of the center cones on
his second pass after launching harder than any other Jet car we
have ever seen!
Friday is looking to be bigger and better with the wonderful
weather forecast for all teams (Pro and Sportsman) that wish to
test at Rockingham Dragway. |
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