ROCKINGHAM – Seagrove’s Michael Beard, who over the years has won dozens of bracket races in the Footbrake class, defied conventional wisdom Sunday at Rockingham Dragway where he moved up in classification, driving his venerable 1980 Plymouth Volare past a host of dragsters to win the Top Eliminator title.

Beard was a picture of consistency in outlasting a field made up primarily of full-body Top Eliminator cars with only 11 of them dragsters.  Appropriately, he beat the driver of another “door car,” Kevin Crawford of Pageland, S.C., in the Sunday final.

            Other winners included Lillington’s E.J. Womack, who took Saturday’s Top Eliminator title; Roger Rhodes of Pikeville and Steve Antinori of Sneads Ferry, who won Footbrake on Saturday and Sunday, respectively; and Zackery Pauley of Mocksville, who doubled-up in the Jr. Dragster category.

            Beard’s worst package (reaction time plus the difference between his actual time and target time) of the race was .048.  His reaction times ranged from .001 to a final round .044 that was offset by a 6.954 eighth mile time against a 6.940 target.  The victory was even sweeter insomuch as it included a fourth round win over Womack.

            Pauley used a 7.908 time on a 7.900 target to beat Austin Carden of McDonough, Ga., in the Saturday final and then edged Janna Vogler of Lewisville on Sunday in a double breakout final in which Vogler was the loser because her time was further off her target than Pauley. 

SATURDAY RESULTS

TOP ELIMINATOR

            Round 4 – Chip Johnson, Fayetteville, 1968 Chevy Camaro, .023, 6.327 on a 6.320, 106.33 mph, def. Michael Beard, Seagrove, 1980 Plymouth Volare, .017, 6.980 on a 6.960, 91.61 mph; David Lowe, Raeford, .082, 6.687 on a 6.680, 100.23 mph, def. Josh Miller, Lancaster, S.C., .041, 4.691 on a 4.620, 138.39 mph; T.J. Locklear, Shannon, .012, 4.889 on a 4.880, 139.00 mph, def. Donald Nooris, Conway, S.C., 1974 Chevy Monza, .015, 6.132 on a 6.120, 112.62 mph; E.J. Womack, Lillington, .043, 4.942 on a 4.930, 138.01 mph, def. Brian Hicks, Pageland, S.C., .010, 5.075 on a 5.020, 122.40 mph; Gilbert McColl, Clio, S.C., 1977 Chevy Vega, .033, 6.320 on a 6.310, 109.58 mph, def. Nick Womack, Lillington, .038, 5.002 on a 4.810, 125.11 mph; Jerry Martin, Aynor, S.C., .015, 6.021 on a 6.020, 113.77 mph, def. Mark Odum, Walterboro, S.C., foul; Smokey Dial, Maxton, .012, 4.899 on a 4.840, 130.59 mph, def. Michael Correy, Fayetteville, 1974 Chevy Luv truck, .051, 6.325 on a 6.280, 106.13 mph; T. J. Locklear #2, Shannon, bye.

            Round 5 – Johnson, .006, 6.447 on a 6.320, 92.33 mph, def. McColl, .037, 6.763 on a 6.310, 80.33 mph; E.J. Womack, .009, 4.957 on a 4.940, 134.12 mph, def. Martin, .014, 6.023 on a 6.000, 114.52 mph; T.J. Locklear, NA, 4.937 on a 4.880, 137.37 mph, def. T.J. Locklear #2, withdrew; Lowe, .019, 6.693 on a 6.670, 100.28 mph, def. Dial, .030, 4.862 on a 4.840, 140.47 mph.

            Semifinals – Locklear, .002, 4.989 on a 4.930, 127.84 mph, def. Johnson, .010, 6.551 on a 6.310, 95.58 mph; Womack, .019, 5.601 on a 4.940, 90.60 mph, def. Lowe, foul.

            FINAL – E.J. Womack, .002, 4.971 on a 4.940, 135.73 mph, def. T.J. Locklear, .023, 4.932 on a 4.890, 137.82 mph.

FOOTBRAKE

            Round 4 – Roger Rhodes, Pikeville, .047, 7.042 on a 7.040, 96.24 mph, def. Mark Bridgers, Brunson, S.C., .066, 7.352 breakout on a 7.360, 91.16 mph; Richard Alford Jr., Raleigh, .027, 6.661 on a 6.660, 95.09 mph, def. Steve Antinori, Sneads Ferry, foul; Mark Soles, Riegelwood, 1988 Ford Mustang, .113, 5.670 on a 5.680, 124.58 mph, def. Jeremy Cumbee, Supply, foul; Richard Alford Jr. #2, Raleigh, .042, 6.655 on a 6.600, 96.06 mph, def. Stanley Chavis, Red Springs, .117, 6.874 on a 6.870, 99.32 mph; Roger Rhodes #2, Pikeville, bye.

            Round 5 – Rhodes, .007, 6.930 on a 6.920, 97.11 mph, def. Alford, .015, 6.625 on a 6.610, 97.61 mph; Soles, .029, 5.689 on a 5.680, 124.46 mph, def. Rhodes #2, foul; Alford Jr., bye.

            Semifinals – Soles, .021, 5.684 on a 5.680, 124.59 mph, def. Alford Jr., .020, 6.590 on a 6.550, 103.09 mph; Rhodes, bye.

            FINAL – Roger Rhodes, Pikeville, .020, 6.972 on a 6.920, 97.86 mph, def. Mark Soles, Riegelwood, 1988 Ford Mustang, foul.

JR DRAGSTER

            Round 4 – Austin Carden, McDonough, Ga., .049, 8.982 on an 8.940, 71.19 mph, def. Brittney Dial, Maxton, .114, 8.962 on an 8.960, 74.10 mph; Zackery Pauley, Mocksville, .006, 7.905 on a 7.900, 83.05 mph, def. Ryan Crews, Advance, .030, 7.874 breakout on a 7.800, 82.75 mph; Landon Russell, Charlotte, .011, 7.957 on a 7.910, 83.51 mph, def. Holden Dial, Maxton, .141, 7.921 breakout on a 7.950, 85.68 mph.

            Semifinals – Carden, .060, 8.977 on an 8.960, 72.28 mph, def. Russell, foul; Pauley, bye.

            FINAL – Zackery Pauley, Mocksville, NA, 7.908 on a 7.900, 83.45 mph, def. Austin Carden, McDonough, Ga., NA, 8.999 to 8.970, 71.90 mph.

SUNDAY RESULTS

TOP ELIMINATOR

            Round 5 – Jerry Martin, Aynor, S.C., .006, 5.986 on a 5.980, 115.00 mph, def. Bobby Hardee, Mullins, S.C., 1969 Chevy Nova, .007, 6.339 breakout on a 6.350, 105.48 mph; Kevin Crawford, Pageland, S.C., 1968 Chevy Camaro, .022, 6.201 on a 6.150, 108.97 mph, def. Nick Womack, Lillington, foul; Chip Johnson, Fayetteville, 1968 Chevy Camaro, .048, 6.298 on a 6.290, 108.52 mph, def. Mickey Boone, Loris, S.C., no time; Michael Beard, Seagrove, 1980 Plymouth Volare, .001, 6.995 on a 6.940, def. Plug Morrison, Statesville, .013, 7.247 on a 7.190, 93.23 mph; Jerry Martin #2, Aynor, S.C., .027, 5.957 on a 5.960, 115.62 mph, def. Tommy Bagwell, Greenville, S.C., .017, 5.542 breakout on a 5.550, 120.42 mph.

            Round 6 – Martin #2, .011, 6.005 on a 5.980, 110.80 mph, def. Johnson, .024, 6.314 on a 6.290, 108.11 mph; Beard, bye; Crawford, .000, 6.200 on a 6.150, 108.76 mph, def. Martin, .041, 5.959 breakout on a 5.960, 114.76 mph.                                   

            Semifinals – Beard, .010, 6.967 on a 6.930, 95.27 mph, def. Martin #2, .013, 6.038 on a 5.980, 114.14 mph; Crawford, bye.

            FINAL – Michael Beard, Seagrove, 1980 Plymouth Volare, .044, 6.954 on a 6.950, 96.01 mph, def. Kevin Crawford, Pageland, S.C., 1968 Chevy Camaro, no time.

FOOTBRAKE

            Round 4 – Steve Antinori, Sneads Ferry, 1974 Chevy Nova, .040, 6.989 on a 6.970, 94.63 mph, def. Jeremy Cumbee, Supply, .102, 6.828 on a 6.840, 101.83 mph; Roger Rhodes, Pikeville, .011, 7.059 on a 7.020, 94.26 mph, def. Mark Soles, Riegelwood, 1988 Ford Mustang, .093, 5.660 breakout on a 5.670, 124.72 mph; Tim Wilson, Fayetteville, 1987 Ford Mustang, .037, 6.499 on a 6.510, 105.66 mph, def. Richard Alford Jr., Raleigh, foul; Tim Davis, Fayetteville, .010, 7.904 on a 7.910, 86.23 mph, def. Buddy Plyer, Pageland, S.C., 1971 Chevy Nova, .031, 6.506 breakout on a 6.570, 102.81 mph; Greg Schramm, Cleveland, .008, 7.208 on a 7.190, 93.58 mph, def. Tony Wallace, Ellerbe, 1967 Plymouth Valiant, .029, 6.342 breakout on a 6.370, 105.18 mph; Michael Beard, Seagrove, 1980 Plymouth Volare, .032, 6.953 on a 6.940, 94.87 mph, def. Philip “Rooster” Honaker, Lexington, 1964 Chevy II, .050, 7.568 breakout on a 7.600, 91.29 mph; Ernie Humes, Troutman, .017, 6.852 on a 6.840, 96.17 mph, def. Unknown driver #RK505, foul; Steve Antinori #2, Sneads Ferry, .022, 6.980 on a 6.970, 95.19 mph, def. Derek, Harris, McLeansville, .039, 6.697 breakout on a 6.700, 98.51 mph.

            Round 5 – Antinori, .026, 6.977 on a 6.970, 96.55 mph, def. Schramm, .019, 7.207 on a 7.190, 92.10 mph; Wilson, NA, 6.534 on a 6.500, 106.07 mph, def. Davis, NA, 7.904 breakout on a 7.910, 86.41 mph; Rhodes, .022, 7.050 on a 7.020, 94.00 mph, def. Beard, .034, 6.981 on a 6.940, 93.36 mph; Humes, .008, 6.838 on a 6.840, 98.21 mph, def. Antinori #2, foul.

            Semifinals – Antinori, .016, 6.978 on a 6.970, 97.22 mph, def. Rhodes, foul; Wilson, .011, 6.521 on a 6.500, 98.59 mph, def. Humes, .018, 6.861 on a 6.830, 97.69 mph.

            FINAL – Steve Antinori, Sneads Ferry, 1974 Chevy Nova, .022, 6.996 on a 6.970, 96.59 mph, def. Tim Wilson, Fayetteville, 1987 Ford Mustang, .039, 6.530 on a 6.490, 100.57 mph.

JR DRAGSTER

            Round 4 – Austin Carden, McDonough, Ga., .053, 8.992 on an 8.940, 71.69 mph, def. Durant Cottingham, Thomasville, .058, 8.333 on an 8.270, 74.94 mph; Janna Vogler, Lewisville, .085, 7.934 on a 7.910, 79.22 mph, def. Ryan Crews, Advance, .070, 7.889 breakout on a 7.900, 80.50 mph; Zackery Pauley, Mocksville, .042, 7.991 on a 7.900, 74.91 mph, def.  Connor Caulder, St. Pauls, .213, 10.344 on a 10.320, 60.84 mph; Landon Russell, Charlotte, .026, 7.937 on a 7.900, 81.87 mph, def. Holden Dial, Maxton, .138, 7.847 breakout on a 7.900, 81.26 mph.

            Semifinals – Pauley, .017, 7.974 on a 7.900, 77.11 mph, def. Carden, .094, 9.001 on an 8.980, 71.11 mph; Vogler, .156, 7.970 on a 7.920, 80.43 mph, def. Russell, foul.

            FINAL – Zackery Pauley, Mocksville, .046, 7.899 on a 7.900, 83.35 mph, def. Janna Vogler, Lewisville, .013, 7.947 breakout on a 7.960, 78.78 mph.