Sunday March 4 Annual Racers Appreciation Free Entry ET Bracket Shootout     ALFORD, LOWE, VOGLER CLAIM RACERS APPRECIATION BRACKET TITLES Raleigh’s Richard Alford Jr. fell just short of doubling up Sunday at the rain shortened Racers Appreciation Bracket Race and Lewisville’s Robert Vogler won a family affair final round in the Junior Dragster class to highlight the official season opener at Steve Earwood’s Rockingham Dragway. Alford drove his 1971 Chevy Chevelle to victory in the Footbrake class after just missing a shot at the Top Eliminator title when was guilty of a breakout foul in a semifinal showdown with eventual champion David Lowe of Raeford. In that crucial semifinal, both drivers rang up .005 reaction times but Lowe recorded a solid 6.568 on a 6.550 dial-in while Alford broke out by .002 of a second on his 6.370 target. In the Footbrake final, Alford turned back Troutman’s Tim Cowick. Vogler, the reigning Rockingham track champion, beat his sister, Janna, in the Junior Dragster final. Results from Racers Appreciation and Carolina Coalition bracket race at Rockingham Dragway: TOP ELIMINATOR Round 5 – David Lowe, Raeford, .018, 6.572 on a 6.550, 95.365 mph, def. William Roberts, Benson, .015, 5.827 breakout on a 5.840, 111.74 mph; Steve Hilburn, Loris, S.C., .040, 5.730 on a 5.710, 117.57 mph, def. Jimmy Albertson, Wallace, S.C., .064, 4.880 on a 4.870, 140.12 mph; Chad Brewer, Shannon, .031, 5.965 on a 5.910, 110.73 mph, def. Mickey Miller, Lancaster, S.C., 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, .057, 5.017 on a 4.970, 140.11 mph; E.J. Womack, Lillington, .026, 6.247 on a 6.240, 108.01 mph, def. Clayton Roberts, Willow Spring, 1995 Ford Thunderbird, foul; Richard Alford Jr., Raleigh, bye. Round 6 – Alford, .063, 6.342 on a 6.340, 103.51 mph, def. Hilburn, .016, 5.713 breakout on a 5.720, 118.22 mph; Womack, .004, 6.251 on a 6.240, 108.02 mph, def. Brewer, .025, 5.918 breakout on a 5.930, 112.02 mph; Lowe, bye. Semifinals – Lowe, .005, 6.568 on a 6.550, 96.20 mph, def. Alford, .005, 6.368 breakout on a 6.370, 99.66 mph; Womack, bye. FINAL – David Lowe, Raeford, .020, 6.555 on a 6.550, 96.80 mph, def. E.J. Womack, Lillington, .013, 6.249 breakout on a 6.260, 103.36 mph. FOOTBRAKE Round 5 – Timothy S. Byrd, Asheboro, .059, 6.069 on a 6.060, 106.17 mph, def. Ron Williams, Eagle Springs, .063, 6.619 breakout on a 6.620, 101.06 mph; Tim Cowick, Troutman, .029, 6.261 on a 6.260, 102.77 mph, def. Tommy Hussey, Kingston, .109, 9.107 breakout on a 9.150, 77.76 mph; Ernie Humes, Troutman, .036, 6.802 on a 6.790, 95.58 mph, def. Jonathan Wiggins, Dunn, .066, 6.534 breakout on a 6.540, 103.22 mph; Tesz Powell, Morganton, .064, 6.663 on a 6.640, 100.91 mph, def. Terry Rucker, Benson, foul; Richard Alford Jr., Raleigh, 1971 Chevy Chevelle, .012, 6.346 on a 6.370, 105.82 mph, def. Clayton Roberts, Willow Springs, foul; Daniel Leggett, Lumberton, bye. Round 6 – Alford, .057, 6.382 on a 6.370, 100.82 mph, def. Leggett, .067, 7.404 breakout on a 7.420, 91.55 mph; Byrd, .028, 6.062 on a 6.060, 106.67 mph, def. Humes, .035, 6.774 breakout on a 6.780, 98.55 mph; Cowick, .006, 6.294 on a 6.250, 101.71 mph, def. Powell, .096, 6.651 on a 6.650, 99.55 mph.\ Semifinals – Alford, .032, 6.376 on a 6.360, 101.61 mph, def. Byrd, .044, 6.057 breakout on a 6.060, 109.63 mph; Cowick, bye. FINAL – Richard Alford Jr., Raleigh, 1971 Chevy Chevelle, .038, 6.378 on a 6.360, 100.10 mph, def. Tim Cowick, Troutman, .070, 6.259 on a 6.250, 108.41 mph. JUNIOR DRAGSTER Round 4 – Robert Vogler, Lewisville, .044, 7.907 on a 7.910, 79.39 mph, def. Aaron Paxton, Hamlet, .051, 8.289 breakout on an 8.300, 79.92 mph; Janna Vogler, Lewisville, .044, 7.989 on a 8.040, 79.24 mph, def. Dawson Wiggins, Dunn, .162, 13.122 breakout on a 13.380, 48.02 mph; Morgan Tedder, NA, bye. Semifinals – J. Vogler, .060, 8.117 on a 7.980, 76.03 mph, def. Tedder, .202, 7.997 on a 7.900, 78.80 mph; R. Vogler, bye. FINAL – Robert Vogler, Lewisville, 7.963 on a 7.900, 80.51 mph, def. Janna Vogler, Lewisville, foul. - Event Online Photo Gallery