Nevertheless, the national
record-holder found himself in the unusual position of having to
surrender the choice of lanes in the money round to unheralded Danny
Dunn of North Wilkesboro.
That's because while
Millican was posting a quarter mile time of 4.861 seconds on a bye run
in one semifinal, Dunn was turning in a 4.740 while disposing of
perennial IHRA runner-up Bruce Litton of Indianapolis in the other.
Unfortunately, Dunn's
unsponsored dragster never was able to fire a shot in the final,
suffering a clutch and transmission failure on the burnout that handed
Milllican an IHRA record-tying 29th career victory.
In winning his second
race of the current season and his 29th in 33 races, Millican pushed
the Werner Enterprises entry to a final round time of 4.636 seconds at
310.41 miles per hour. Dunn was relegated to runner-up status for the
second time in his caeer. He lost the 1996 IHRA World Finals at
Darlington, S.C., to Doug Herbert of Cherryville, N.C.
Other pro winners
included John Montecalvo of Center Moriches, N.Y., who won in Pro
Stock for the second time in as many 2004 events; Mike Janis, who
repeated as Spring Nationals champion in Pro Modified; and Mark Thomas
of Louisville, Ohio, who padded his advantage in Funny Car by winning
for the second time in 2004.
Other than Dunn, the
Carolina contenders fell early.
Former IHRA Pro Stock
champion Mike Bell of Asheboro was upset in round one by No. 10
qualifier Steve Spiess of Manhattan, Ill. He deserved better.
Quicker at the start by .054 of second, his Ford Escort succumbed to a
Spiess-driven Chevrolet that bettered its qualifying number .063 of a
second. The margin at the finish line was .002 of a second.
That and Gastonia's
Richard Penland's first round loss to Rick Jones left state
representation to Jacksonville's Elijah Morton who drove his way to
the semifinals before losing to No. 1 qualifier John Nobile.
In Pro Modified, where
reigning IHRA Champ Mitch Stott of Mill Spring failed to make the
starting field, six-time former champ Scotty Cannon of Lyman, S.C., at
one point seemed poised to win his first race at Rockingham.
Unfortunately, the former
NHRA Funny Car driver suffered mechanical problems in the semifinals
that not only ended his bid for a first career win at Rockingham but
also cost him 20 penalty points because of the resultant cleanup.
The only other
Carolinians to survive pro qualifying – Rickie Smith of King, the
six-time former IHRA Pro Stock champion, and Chip King of Roxboro –
were ousted in the initial round.
Carolina winners in the
pro-am categories included David Lambert of Kannapolis in Top
Sportsman; Chuck Harris of Denton in Quick Rod; Glenn Ferguson of
Archdale in Super Rod; and Jack Zimmerman of Clemmons in Stock.
* * * *
Final round results from
Sunday's 37th annual IHRA Springnationals presented by Advance Auto
Parts at Rockingham Dragway:
TOP FUEL – Clay
Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., 4.636, 310.41 mph, def. Danny Dunn, North
Wilkesboro, N.C., broke.
PRO MODIFIED – Mike Janis, Lancaster, N.Y., 1963 Chevrolet
Corvette, 6.274, 227.69 mph, def. Al Billes, Barrie, Ontario, Canada,
1953 Chevrolet Corvette, 6.364, 223.88 mph.
PRO STOCK – John Montecalvo, Center Moriches, N.Y., 2002 Chevrolet
Cavalier, 6.522, 212.68 mph, def. John Nobile, Melville, N.Y., 2003
Ford Escort, 6.552, 212.23 mph.
FUNNY CAR – Mark Thomas, Louisville, Ohio, Dodge Avenger, 6.043,
233.52 mph, def. Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, Dodge Avenger, 7.011,
140.78 mph.
TOP SPORTSMAN – David Lambert, Kannapolis, N.C., 1968 Chevrolet
Camaro, def. Steve Derosa, Londonderry, N.H., 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier.
TOP DRAGSTER – Stanley Albritton, Bradenton, Fla., dragster, def.
Bruce Holland, Lexington, S.C., dragster.
QUICK ROD – Chuck Harris, Denton, N.C., dragster, 8.888, 164.61
mph, def. Brandon Jolley, Orangeburg, S.C., dragster, 8.886, 145.13
mph.
SUPER ROD – Glenn Ferguson, Archdale, N.C., 1970 Ford Maverick,
9.905, 147.55 mph, def. Greg Slack, Albemarle, N.C., 1970 Ford
Maverick, 9.917, 152.24 mph.
HOT ROD – John Dustin, Rockville, Md., 1969 Ford Mustang, 10.897,
130.24 mph, def. Steve Corker, Clayton, N.C., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro,
10.876, 129.95 mph.
SUPER STOCK – Jim Harrington, Old Bridge, N.J., 1987 Chevrolet
Camaro, def. Stephen Jennings, Landrum, S.C., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro.
STOCK – Jack Zimmerman, Clemmons, N.C., 1971 Dodge Challenger,
def. Chip Johnson, Fayetteville, N.C., 1970 Chevrolet Nova.
* * * *
Unofficial pro point standings following Sunday's 37th annual IHRA
Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway, second of 12 races in the 2004
IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL – 1. Clay
Millican, 262; 2. Bruce Litton, 188; 3. Tim Cullinan, 136; 4. Rick
Cooper, 124; 5. Grant Flowers, 120; 6. Chris Karamesines, 112; 7. Todd
Paton, 102; 8. Danny Dunn, 90; 9. Bobby Lagana Jr., 89; 10. Mark
Kinsella, 75.
PRO MODIFIED – 1.
Glen Kerunsky, 162; 2. Rick DiStefano, 159; 3. Mike Janis, 154; 4. Al
Billes, 135; 5. Tie, Scotty Cannon and Harold Martin, 95 each; 7. Von
Smith, 89; 8. Shannon Jenkins, 87; 9. Steve Vick, 84; 10. Michael
Castellana, 79.
FUNNY CAR – 1. Mark
Thomas, 240; 2. Ronnie Midyette, 138; 3. Rob Atchison, 137; 4. Terry
McMillen, 133; 5. Chris Foster, 93; 6. John Sullivan, 83; 7. Dan
Roman, 78; 8. Neal Parker, 55; 9. Raymond Drew, 51; 10. Chris Sipple,
46.
PRO STOCK – 1. John
Montecalvo, 240; 2. John Nobile, 200; 3. Elijah Morton, 157; 4. Pete
Berner, 136; 5. Rick Jones, 116; 6. Tony Gillig, 111; 7. Brian Gahm,
92; 8. Frank Gugliotta, 87; 9. Steve Spiess, 83; 10. Mike Bell, 65.
* * * *
Round-by-round results
from Sunday's 37th annual IHRA Spring Nationals presented by Advance
Auto Parts and Castrol at Rockingham Dragway:
TOP FUEL
First round – 1. Clay
Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., 4.616, 311.34 mph, def. 8. Bobby Lagana,
Scarsdale, N.Y., 12.220, 75.77 mph; 2. Danny Dunn, Wilkesboro, N.C.,
4.773, 306.88 mph, def. 7. Rick Cooper, Boise, Idaho, 5.516, 183.42
mph; 3. Bruce Litton, Indianapolis, Ind., 4.774, 288.58 mph, def. 6.
Josh Starcher, Fairmont, West. Va., 9.167, 91.05 mph; 5. Chris
Karamesines, Chicago, Ill., 5.025, 245.05 mph, def. 4. Tim Cullinan,
Des Plaines, Ill., 6.420, 239.65 mph.
Semifinals – Millican, 4.806, 256.49 mph, def. Karamesines, broke;
Dunn, 4.740, 304.74 mph, def. Litton, 4.861, 298.87 mph.
FINAL – Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., 4.636, 310.41 mph, def.
Danny Dunn, North Wilkesboro, N.C., broke.
PRO MODIFIED
First round – 1. Fred
Hahn, West Seneca, N.Y., 2001 Chevrolet Corvette, 6.269, 223.95 mph,
def. 16. Pat Moore, Kinsman, Ohio, 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 10.229,
76.94 mph; 2. Rick DiStefano, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1953 Chevrolet
Corvette, 6.171, 228.38 mph, def. 15. Troy Critchley, Wylie, Texas,
1941 Willys, 18.112, 44.32 mph; 3. Mike Janis, Lancaster, N.Y., 1963
Corvette, 6.204, 228.34 mph, def. 14. Mike Castellana, Westbury, N.Y.,
1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 6.288, 222.11 mph; 4. Billy Harper, Paducah,
Ky., 2000 Dodge Viper, 6.329, 222.18 mph, def. 13. Chip King, Roxboro,
N.C., 2001 Dodge Avenger, 18.542, 43.05 mph; 5. Al Billes, Barrie,
Ontario, Canada, 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, 6.221, 227.11 mph, def. 12.
Steve Salvadore, Barre, Mass., 1957 Chevy Bell Air, 6.294, 224.14 mph;
6. Glen Kerunsky, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air,
6.286, 224.43 mph, def. 11. Rickie Smith, King, N.C., 1963 Chevrolet
Corvette, 6.291, 221.34 mph; 7. Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 2004 Ford
Mustang, 6.235, 226.92 mph, def. 10. Zach Barklage, Lake Ozark, Mo.,
2004 Pontiac Grand Am, 6.433, 226.89 mph; 9. Scotty Cannon, Lyman,
S.C., 1953 Studebaker, 6.408, 220.58 mph, def. 8. Shannon Jenkins,
Tuscaloosa, Ala., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 13.449, 62.64 mph.
Second round – Cannon, 6.341, 221.82 mph, def. Hahn, 6.556, 192.38
mph; Billes, 6.225, 227.34 mph, def. Harper, 18.936, 40.65 mph;
DiStefano, 6.185, 227.73 mph, def. V. Smith, 10.317, 79.58 mph; Janis,
6.198, 229.21 mph, def. Kerunsky, 9.232, 105.35 mph.
Semifinals – Billes, 6.448, 220.33 mph, def. Cannon, 8.202, 111.06
mph; Janis, 6.320, 227.00 mph, def. DiStefano, 6.900, 161.50 mph.
FINAL – Mike Janis, Lancaster, N.Y., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette,
6.274, 227.69 mph, def. Al Billes, Barrie, Ontario, Canada, 1953
Chevrolet Corvette, 6.364, 223.88 mph.
PRO STOCK
First round – 1.
John Nobile, Melville, N.Y., 2003 Ford Escort, 6.496, 213.43 mph, def.
16. Carl Baker, N. Ridgeville, Ohio, 2002 Mercury Cougar, 6.643,
201.82 mph; 2. Pete Berner, Crete, Ill., 2003 Ford Mustang, 6.524,
211.39 mph, def. 15. Larry O'Brien, Lakeshore, Ohio, 2004 Dodge
Stratus, 10.482, 105.00 mph; 3. John Montecalvo, Center Moriches,
N.Y., 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier, 6.484, 213.00 mph, def. 14. Floyd
Cheek, Lake Site, Tenn., 2004 Ford Escort, 6.634, 210.80 mph; 4. Rick
Jones, Galesburg, Ill., 2004 Dodge Stratus, 6.528, 211.26 mph, def.
13. Richard Penland, Gastonia, N.C., 2004 Ford Mustang, 6.559, 210.31
mph; 5. Elijah Morton, Jacksonville, N.C., 2004 Ford Mustang, 6.505,
211.79 mph, def. John Konigshofer, Otterville, Ontario, Canada, 2002
Mercury Cougar (in as alternate for 12. John Bartunek, Pearl River,
N.Y., 2003 Pontiac Grand Am); 6. Tony Gillig, Lake Bluff, Ill., 2004
Ford Mustang, 6.545, 211.39 mph, def. 11. Charlie Peppers, Auburn,
Ga., 2002 Ford Mustang, 9.311, 99.13 mph; 8. Ron Miller, Lebanon,
Ohio, 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier, 6.536, 210.34 mph, def. 9. Frank
Gugliotta, Mt. Airy, Md., 2004 Ford Escort, 6.546, 212.23 mph; 10.
Steve Spiess, Manhattan, Ill., 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier, 6.505, 212.23
mph, def. 7. Mike Bell, Asheboro, N.C., 2004 Ford Escort, 6.561,
210.47 mph.
Second round – Nobile, 6.510, 212.56 mph, def. Milller, 14.188,
77.34 mph; Morton, 6.524, 210.90 mph, def. Jones, 11.343, 88.40 mph;
Berner, 6.549, 210.47 mph, def. Spiess, 6.532, 212.13 mph; Montecalvo,
6.505, 213.234 mph, def Gillig, foul.
Semifinals – Nobile, 6.530, 212.53 mph, def. Morton, 6.551, 211.03
mph; Montecalvo, 6.510, 213.33 mph, def. Berner, 10.339, 80.37 mph.
FINAL – John Montecalvo, Center Moriches, N.Y., 2002 Chevrolet
Cavalier, 6.522, 212.68 mph, def. John Nobile, Melville, N.Y., 2003
Ford Escort, 6.552, 212.23 mph.
FUNNY CAR
First round – 16.
Chris Sipple, Berea, Ky., Chevrolet Camaro, 6.073, 223.58 mph, def. 1.
Rob Atchison, London, Ontario, Canada, Pontiac Firebird, 13.506, 58.98
mph; 2. Mark Thomas, Louisville, Ohio, Dodge Avenger, 5.866, 237.92
mph, def. 15. John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, Dodge Avenger, 6.067, 227.69
mph; 3. Ronnie Midyette, Virginia Beach, Va., Chevrolet Camaro, 5.935,
237.88 mph, def. 14. John Sullivan, Montgomery, Ala., Pontiac Firehawk,
5.972, 226.73 mph; 4. Dan Roman, Walcott, Conn., Pontiac Firebird,
5.889, 236.67 mph, def. 13. Jeff Burnett, Brownsburg, Ind., Pontiac
Firebird, 5.941, 218.37 mph; 5. Larry Dobbs, Welland, Ontario, Canada,
Chevrolet Corvette, 5.956, 235.23 mph, def. 12. Melinda Green-King,
Norfolk, Va., Dodge Avenger, 6.019, 230.80 mph; 6. Terry McMillen,
Elkhart, Ind., Dodge Avenger, 5.892, 235.15 mph, def. 11. Bunny
Burkett, Spotsylvania, Va., Dodge Avenger, 6.070, 228.00 mph; 7. Neal
Parker, Millville, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 5.907, 233.60 mph, def. 10.
Terry Munroe, Beaver, Pa., Pontiac Firebird, 5.995, 226.05 mph; 9.
Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, Dodge Avenger, 6.056, 226.54 mph, def.
8. David Ray, Plaistow, N.H., Ford Mustang, 8.719, 98.99 mph.
Second round – Foster, 5.967, 232.59 mph, def. Sipple, 11.672,
71.08 mph; Roman, 6.208, 194.66 mph, def. Dobbs, 9.136, 98.48 mph;
Thomas, 5.892, 236.51 mph, def Parker, 5.938, 231.79 mph; McMillen,
5.862, 235.15 mph, def. Midyette, 5.909, 235.68 mph.
Semifinals – Thomas, 5.956, 237.21 mph, def. McMillan, 10.244,
75.01 mph; Foster, 6.761, 145.80 mph, def. Roman, broke.
FINAL – Mark Thomas, Louisville, Ohio, Dodge Avenger, 6.043,
233.52 mph, def. Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, Dodge Avenger, 7.011,
140.78 mph.
