ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Jack Wyatt won the battle, but Dale Creasy Jr. won the war.

Wyatt defeated Creasy in the final round to claim the Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car Ironman at the Universal Technical Institute World Finals in Rockingham, but by advancing to the final

Creasy had already put the ’06 world championship away. Almost. All Creasy had to do was not oil the track in the final and the championship was his. In the final he lit the red-light and idled down the track while Wyatt blasted to his second national event win of the season at Rockingham Dragway.
 

“This was a great way to end the season,” Wyatt said. “Dale Creasy and the Creasy Family Racing Team deserve this championship and they are going to be great representatives for IHRA. We did everything we could this weekend, but with Dale on the other side of the ladder we had to win the race and get some help. We did what we had to do, but so did Dale.”

Wyatt knocked off Bob Gilbertson (Charlotte, N.C.) in the first round before defeating Paul Lee in the final. Creasy knocked off Tim Wilkerson in the first round before dispatching Andy Kelly in the semifinals to clinch the championship…as long as he could keep the track dry in the final.

“That was the first time I was relieved when I red-lit because I knew we could shut it off,” Creasy said. “We were taking a shot at the track because we knew if the car hooked up we would be okay, but we red-lit and shot it down. Then it was official.”

Clay Millican (Drummonds, Tenn.) won his 50^th career Top Fuel Ironman three weeks after clinching his sixth consecutive Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top Fuel world championship in Budds Creek, Md.

Millican won his 10^th career Ironman at Rockingham when he defeated Rick Cooper in the final round. He defeated T.J. Zizzo in the first round of eliminations before Jim Cavaleri was a no-show against him in the semifinal. He then won a tight final round against Cooper. Millican had a .057 reaction time and posted a 4.642 in the final round against Cooper while Cooper registered a .117 reaction time and a 4.655.

“There is just something special about this place, it fits me like a glove,” Millican said. “When we were coming up the return road Mike Kloeber and I were trying to figure out how much money we’ve won at this place. I have no idea how much it is, but it’s a lot.”

Mark Thomas (Louisville, Ohio) put the finishing touch on his championship weekend when he defeated Paul Noakes to claim the Alcohol Funny Car Ironman Monday. Thomas clinched his sixth career world championship in the class earlier during the event when Rob Atchison, his closest competition in the points chase, fell to Fred Tigges in the first round of eliminations.

Rockingham has been a hot and cold track for Thomas during his career. He won his first career national event at “The Rock,” but let a world championship slip through his fingers there in 2004.

“This is great,” Thomas said. “I love this place. I won my first event here and have a lot of history in Rockingham. It was tough here in ’04, but I still love this track.”

Despite clinching the world championship after the first round, Thomas wanted to close the ’06 season in the Winner’s Circle.

“This is the way to end the season,” he said. “Even though we knew we had the title wrapped up we really wanted to win this race. That was what we were focusing on. Round-by-round…that’s how we always approach things and that’s how we won this championship.”

Scott Cannon Jr. (Lyman, S.C.) ended the season on a positive note when he claimed the Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Modified Ironman in Rockingham. Cannon has had one of the quickest and most consistent Pro Mod cars on the IHRA circuit this season, but small things always prevented him from taking home the trophy. That changed at the World Finals.

“I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to win one of these,” Cannon said while holding the Ironman. “We’ve had a great car all year, but little things always did us in. This is a great way to end the season.”

Cannon defeated Tommy D’Aprile in the first round, Danny Rowe in the quarterfinals and Josh Hernandez, who set the Pro Mod world record with a 5.990 earlier during the event, in the semifinals. He then took the win when Ray Commisso lit the red-light against him in the final round.

John Montecalvo (Center Moriches, N.Y.) won for the first time since winning the Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway during the 2004 season. He took home the ’06 World Finals Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock Ironman when he knocked off Rob Mansfield in the final.

“It’s been awhile, but this feels great,” Montecalvo said. “Rob has such a strong car and Jeff is one of the best drivers in the business. I did not have a tough road, that’s for sure.”

Montecalvo won with a 6.370 in the final round against a tire-shaking Mansfield.

The Universal Technical Institute World Finals, the last event on the 2006 IHRA eMax Drag Racing Series, airs on SPEED Monday, October 30, at 5 p.m. and Saturday, December 2 at 6 p.m.

Monday's final results from the Universal Technical Institute World Finals at Rockingham Dragway. The race is the final of 11 in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Clay Millican, 4.642 seconds, 312.13 mph  def. Rick Cooper, 4.655 seconds, 315.64 mph.

Nitro Funny Car -- Jack Wyatt, Pontiac Firebird, 5.849, 167.16  def. Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, foul.

Pro Modified -- Scott Cannon, Pontiac GTO, 6.051, 226.16  def. Raymond Commisso, Chevy Camaro, foul.

Alcohol Funny Car -- Mark Thomas, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.833, 244.07  def. Paul Noakes, Ford Mustang, 6.010, 238.81.

Pro Stock -- John Montecalvo, Chevy Cobalt, 6.370, 218.83  def. Rob Mansfield, Cobalt, 15.096, 54.98.

Summit SuperSeries No Box -- John Coyle, Chevy Nova, 11.918, 111.23  def. Craig Austin, Chevy Chevelle, 9.798, 135.48.

Summit SuperSeries Box -- Joe Gary, Chevy Camaro, 8.677, 153.20  def. David Bills, Dragster, 7.575, 169.96.

Top Dragster -- Nick Folk, Dragster, 7.015, 177.86  def. Scott Duggins, Dragster, 6.761, 196.85.

Top Sportsman -- Dewayne Silance, Chevy Camaro, 7.004, 190.24  def. Don Rudd, Chevy Cavalier, 7.362, 185.21.

Quick Rod -- Troy Williams Jr., Dragster, 19.436, 66.84  def. Patrick Forster, Dragster, 15.580, 68.32.

Super Rod -- Steve Furr, Chevy Camaro, 9.925, 151.89  def. Greg Slack, Ford Maverick, 9.896, 147.37.

Hot Rod -- Kenneth Jozwiak, Chevy Nova, 18.281, 59.86  def. Glenn Ferguson, Ford Fairlane, 10.936, 129.42.

Super Stock -- Robbie Hudlow, Oldsmobile Achieva, 9.489, 126.77  def. Billy Leber, Chevy S-10, 12.415, 73.39.

Stock -- Robbie Hudlow, Chevy Camaro, 10.450, 124.19  def. Gale Pinkston, Camaro, 11.231, 115.26.

ACCEL Survivor Top Dragster -- Steve Furr, Dragster, 6.738, 181.32  def. Nick Folk, Dragster, 6.836, 178.07.

ACCEL Survivor Top Sportsman -- Bob Harris, Chevy Cavalier, 6.935, 197.68  def. Ronnie Proctor, Ford Mustang, 6.873, 197.19.

ACCEL Survivor Quick Rod -- Troy Williams Jr., Dragster, 8.908, 166.85  def. Slate Cummings, Dragster, 8.929, 175.96.

ACCEL Survivor Super Rod -- Todd Comer, Ford Ranger, 9.901, 150.28  def. Brian Folk, Chevy Cavalier, 9.889, 152.95.

ACCEL Survivor Hot Rod -- Michael Harris, Chevy Camaro, 10.901, 137.05  def. Travis Harvey, Camaro, 10.884, 135.73.

ACCEL Survivor Super Stock -- Slate Cummings, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.574, 117.87  def. Bob Marshall, Dodge Coronet, 9.735, 141.25.

ACCEL Survivor Stock -- Anthony Bertozzi, Chevy Camaro, 10.579, 123.17  def. Wes McCracken, Camaro, 10.605, 119.36.

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. -- Final round-by-round results from the Universal Technical Institute World Finals at Rockingham Dragway, the 11th of 11 events in the  2006 eMax Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Jim Cavalieri, 4.735, 299.00 def. Bruce Litton, 4.716, 302.21; Rick Cooper, 4.634, 318.02 def. Scott Weis, 7.601, 111.74; Clay Millican, 4.657, 312.21 def. T.J. Zizzo, 4.784, 314.83; Bobby Lagana Jr., 5.052, 262.33 def. Andrew Cowin, 7.031, 139.16;

SEMIFINALS -- Millican, 13.730, 65.92 def. Cavalieri, broke; Cooper, 4.680, 310.63 def. Lagana Jr., 4.704, 312.21;

FINAL -- Millican, 4.642, 312.13 def. Cooper, 4.655, 315.64.

NITRO FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Andy Kelley, Pontiac Firebird, 5.146, 292.14 def. Terry Haddock, Dodge Stratus, 5.212, 248.57; Jack Wyatt, Firebird, 5.081, 289.07 def. Bob Gilbertson, Stratus, 6.037, 210.37; Paul Lee, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.036, 298.01 def. Todd Simpson, Chevy Camaro, 6.913, 123.76; Dale Creasy Jr., Monte Carlo, 5.009, 298.87 def. Tim Wilkerson, Monte Carlo, 4.972, 304.19;

SEMIFINALS -- Wyatt, 5.030, 295.59 def. Lee, 5.304, 276.97; Creasy Jr., 5.020, 292.01 def. Kelley, 12.700, 86.62;

FINAL -- Wyatt, 5.849, 167.16 def. Creasy Jr., foul.

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE -- Danny Rowe, Chevy Corvette, 6.070, 231.99 def. Ed Hoover, Corvette, 6.119, 230.06; Raymond Commisso, Chevy Camaro, 6.140, 224.62 def. Mike Janis, Chevy Cobalt, 6.345, 217.77; Tony Pontieri, Chevy Bel Air, 6.037, 234.94 def. Mike Stawicki, Camaro, 9.287, 98.06; Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.158, 230.10 def. Troy Critchley, Plymouth Barracuda, 6.172, 234.74; Scott Cannon, Pontiac GTO, 6.109, 225.75 def. Tommy D'Aprile, Corvette, 6.139, 231.00; Eddie Ware, Camaro, 6.129, 231.75 def. Carl Spiering, Camaro, 6.218, 230.53; Josh Hernandez, Camaro, 6.022, 236.38 def. Steve Bareman, Dodge Stratus, 14.774, 43.37; John Russo, Camaro, 6.073, 232.51 def. Alan Pittman, Bel Air, 6.583, 194.44;

QUARTERFINALS -- Hernandez, 5.990, 236.80 def. Pontieri, 6.048, 234.49; Cannon, 6.055, 231.00 def. Rowe, 6.041, 231.28; Commisso, 6.108, 232.23 def. Ware, 6.145, 229.08; Russo, 6.115, 231.48 def. Stott, 6.120, 231.40;

SEMIFINALS -- Commisso, 7.805, 145.11 def. Russo, 15.575, 51.49; Cannon, 6.537, 207.85 def. Hernandez, 7.619, 161.75;

FINAL -- Cannon, 6.051, 226.16 def. Commisso, foul.

ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.847, 238.17 def. Thomas Carter, Chevy Camaro, 5.909, 234.90; Frederick Tigges, Dodge Avenger, 6.005, 233.92 def. Rob Atchison, Chevy Monte Carlo, 6.075, 233.24; Paul Noakes, Ford Mustang, 5.914, 237.92 def. Terry Munroe, Monte Carlo, 5.998, 234.29; Mark Thomas, Monte Carlo, 5.951, 237.25 def. Neal Parker, Monte Carlo, foul;

SEMIFINAL -- Noakes, 5.944, 238.47 def. Dobbs, 5.953, 234.25; Thomas, 5.888, 241.58 def. Tigges, foul;

FINAL -- Thomas, 5.833, 244.07 def. Noakes, 6.010, 238.81.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Jeff Dobbins, Ford Escort, 6.405, 215.79 def. Bert Jackson, Chevy Cavalier, 6.562, 211.59; Dan Sweeney, Pontiac GTO, 6.430, 215.55 def. John Nobile, Escort, 9.382, 95.43; Daniel Seamon, Ford Mustang, 6.470, 215.20 def. Rickie Smith, Chevy Cobalt, 6.399, 216.00; Rob Mansfield, Cobalt, 6.387, 217.28 def. Cary Goforth, Cobalt, 6.575, 214.76; Frank Gugliotta, Escort, 6.432, 216.27 def. Steve Spiess, Cobalt, 6.405, 215.20; Pete Berner, GTO, 6.404, 215.86 def. Mike Corvo Jr, Cobalt, 6.438, 215.65; John Montecalvo, Cobalt, 6.357, 217.77 def. Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.461, 216.13; Robert Patrick, Shelby GT 500, 6.347, 216.55 def. Tony Gillig, Ford Cobra, 6.391, 214.52;

QUARTERFINALS -- Dobbins, 6.397, 216.17 def. Gugliotta, foul; Berner, 6.398, 215.75 def. Sweeney, foul; Montecalvo, 6.388, 217.18 def. Seamon, 6.448, 215.65; Mansfield, 6.370, 217.67 def. Patrick, 6.352, 215.48;

SEMIFINALS -- Montecalvo, 7.686, 195.53 def. Dobbins, 8.942, 118.74; Mansfield, 6.804, 169.81 def. Berner, 20.903, 36.79;

FINAL -- Montecalvo, 6.370, 218.83 def. Mansfield, 15.096, 54.98.

Point standings (top 10) for IHRA professional categories following the Universal Technical Institute World Finals at Rockingham Dragway, the 11th of 11 events in the  2006 eMax Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1.  Clay Millican, 1,000; 2.  Rick Cooper, 814; 3.  Bobby Lagana Jr., 759; 4.  Doug Foley, 722; 5.  Bruce Litton, 565; 6.  T.J. Zizzo, 377; 7.  Chris Karamesines, 366; 8.  Andrew Cowin, 337; 9.  Louie Allison, 258; 10.  Mitch King, 167.

Nitro Funny Car

1.  Dale Creasy Jr., 909; 2.  Jack Wyatt, 904; 3.  Bob Gilbertson, 736; 4.  Vincent Arcadi, 669; 5.  Terry Haddock, 625; 6.  Paul Lee, 596; 7.  Gary Densham, 401; 8.  Andy Kelley, 246; 9.  Gary Cooper, 223; 10.  Jeff Diehl, 155.

Pro Modified

1.  Quain Stott, 681; 2.  Danny Rowe, 645; 3.  (tie) Mike Janis, 637; Glen Kerunsky, 637; 5.  Tommy D{Aprile, 605; 6.  Scott Cannon, 597; 7.  Carl Spiering, 568; 8.  Jim Halsey, 506; 9.  Steve Bareman, 455; 10.  Kenny Lang, 433.

Alcohol Funny Car

1.  Mark Thomas, 961; 2.  Rob Atchison, 855; 3.  Thomas Carter, 822; 4.  Terry Munroe, 582; 5.  Larry Dobbs, 566; 6.  Terry McMillen, 554; 7.  Frederick Tigges, 547; 8.  Paul Noakes, 510; 9.  Neal Parker, 365; 10.  Trevor Lebsack, 325.

Pro Stock

1.  Pete Berner, 873; 2.  Tony Gillig, 858; 3.  Frank Gugliotta, 796; 4.  Robert Patrick, 759; 5.  Rob Mansfield, 705; 6.  John Nobile, 681; 7.  Jeff Dobbins, 655; 8.  Steve Spiess, 616; 9.  John Montecalvo, 577; 10.  Brian Gahm, 406.