DOSS, HARRIS, SEARS WIN ‘IRONMAN’ TROPHIES AT ROCKINGHAM CLASSIC     Charles Doss of Statesville, Derek Harris of McLeansville, David Sears of Holly Springs and Noah Johnson of Fayetteville were the IHRA Ironman trophy winners at the 15th annual Memorial Weekend Ironman Classic at Steve Earwood’s Rockingham Dragway. The four-day event, which drew 457 entrants from throughout the Southeast, honored the memory of former Rockingham track employees “Big John” Leviner, Bo Manship and Billy Manship. According to Earwood, the car count was the highest for the annual event since 2008. That, he said, is indicative of a resurgence in grass roots bracket racing after several negative seasons that reflected the economic downturn. “Bracket racers are very resilient,” Earwood said, “always have been. They’ll do whatever they have to do to get to the racetrack every week. For them, it’s like going golfing or bowling. It’s what they do. We know that it can be a hardship because times are still tough, but as long as these guys and gals want to race, we’re committed to giving them the best possible circumstances here at The Rock.” That means more events like the Ironman Classic, a unique event that provides racers who might not be able to follow the national event circuit a chance to compete for one of the IHRA’s distinctive “national winner” trophies. At the end of each race day – Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the Top Eliminator and Footbrake champions squared off in a one-run duel for an IHRA “Ironman” identical to those awarded in the IHRA national series. In addition, in a two-round runoff on Monday, Johnson won the Ironman in the Jr. Dragster division. Sears and Harris both bucked tradition to claim their Ironman trophies as Footbrake winners. Sears waded through a field of 140 to win the Sunday’s Footbrake championship in his 1989 Ford Mustang. He then forced Top Eliminator champ Gabe Taylor into a breakout foul in the runoff for the trophy. Fortunately, Taylor could take consolation in the fact that he earned the biggest single prize of the weekend ($7,500) for throwing a .012 package at Nick Womack of Lillington in Sunday’s Top Eliminator final. As for Harris, he won the Footbrake title on Saturday, beating Troutman’s Ernie Humes on a double breakout. He then used a .013 package to beat Benson’s William Roberts, the Top Eliminator winner, for the Ironman. In addition to Johnson, who won the Jr. Dragster title on Sunday, the other two Jr. Dragster winners were Chase Wagner of Willow Springs and Zach Pennington of Lexington, S.C. * * * * ROCKINGHAM – Results from the 17th annual Memorial Weekend Ironman Classic at Rockingham Dragway: Saturday Ironman Runoff – Derek Harris, McLeansville, .006, 6.527 on a 6.520, 98.70 mph, def. William Roberts, Benson, .006, 5.816 on a 5.800, 116.83 mph. Saturday Top Eliminator Round 6 – Gabe Taylor, Elizabethtown, .024, 4.926 on a 4.910, 139.92 mph, def. Johnathan, King, Angier, foul; David Lowe, Raeford, 1969 Chevy Camaro, .030, 6.622 on a 6.610, 100.81 mph, def. Stewart Newton, Bennettsville, S.C., .058, 4.689 breakout on a 4.710, 148.07 mph; Wendell Kinard, Goose Creek, S.C., .044, 4.683 on a 4.670, 146.16 mph, def. David Dean, Waxhaw, .024, 4.534 on a 4.480, 142.70 mph; William Roberts, Benson, .010, 5.809 on a 5.810, 118.77 mph, def. Robert Vogler, Lewisville, foul; Buddy Dial, Rowland, .018, 4.727 on a 4.720, 141.43 mph, def. Todd Stowe, NA, .017, 6.568 breakout on a 6.580, 103.02 mph; Lee Desist, Fayetteville, 1967 Chevy Camro, .013, 6.127 on a 6.120, 111.15 mph, def. Scott Cannon, Lymon, S.C., .018, 4.725 breakout on a 4.730, 145.77 mph. Round 7 – Desist, .041, 6.128 on a 6.120, 110.74 mph, def. Lowe, .042, 6.625 on a 6.610, 102.03 mph; Dial, .005, 4.733 on a 4.710, 144.66 mph, def. Taylor, foul; William Roberts, .008, 5.829 on a 5.800, 112.61 mph, def. Kinard, .026, 11.648 on a 4.680, 47.63 mph. Semifinals – William Roberts, .002, 5.801 on a 5.800, 118.85 mph, def. Desist, .016, 6.122 on a 6.120, 111.01 mph; Dial, bye. FINAL – William Roberts, Benson, .008, 5.815 on a 5.790, 114.67 mph, def. Buddy Dial, Rowland, .004, 4.758 on a 4.720, 140.23 mph. Saturday Footbrake Round 6 – Eric Aman, Mt. Olive, 1971 Chevy Vega, .003, 6.547 on a 6.550, 101.05 mph, def. Derek Harris, McLeansville, .020, 6.518 breakout on a 6.530, 101.86 mph; Ernie Humes, Troutman, .024, 6.747 on a 6.740, 99.31 mph, def. Ronnie Blake, Rockingham, .039, 6.466 on a 6.450, 106.18 mph; Wesley Roberts, Benson, .001, 6.041 on a 6.020, 114.37 mph, def. Kelly Stevens, Hudson, .007, 6.466 on a 6.450, 106.18 mph; Derek Harris #2, McLeansville, .007, 6.546 on a 6.520, 99.80 mph, def. William Roberts, Benson, .062, 5.947 on a 5.930, 114.94 mph; James Lockhart, Charlotte, bye. Round 7 – Harris #2, .114, 6.517 on a 6.520, 102.52 mph, def. Lockhart, foul; Humes, .007, 6.748 on a 6.740, 96.11 mph, def. Aman, .044, 6.529 breakout on a 6.540, 102.36 mph; Wesley Roberts, bye. Semifinals – Harris #2, .009, 6.512 on a 6.520, 102.14 mph, def. Wesley Roberts, foul; Humes, bye. FINAL – Derek Harris, McLeansville, .008, 6.515 on a 6.520, 100.91 mph, def. Ernie Humes, Troutman, .031, 6.723 breakout on a 6.740, 98.09 mph. Saturday Jr. Dragster Round 4 – Brittany Clark, Aldie, Va., .051, 7.894 on a 7.900, 82.79 mph, def. Samantha Holingsworth, Greenwood, S.C., .032, 7.878 breakout on a 7.900, 80.87 mph; Nicholas Rabon, Florence, SC., .030, 7.901 on a 7.900, 81.84 mph, def. Kristen Byrd, Benson, .000, 8.049 on a 7.980, 73.53 mph; Noah Strickland, Concord, .027, 7.833 on a 7.900, 82.33 mph, def. Luke Eggers, Crumpler, foul; Skylar Stowe, Concord, .090, 9.181 on a 9.200, 70.96 mph, def. Rayce Blackmon, Whiteville, foul; Chase Wagner, Willow Springs, bye. Round 5 – Wagner, .035, 8.630 on an 8.610, 74.26 ph, def. Clark, .043, 7.926 on a 7.900, 79.70 mph; Stowe, .039, 9.192 on a 9.170, 68.56 mph, def. Strickland, .048, 7.883 breakout on a 7.900, 81.29 mph; Rabon, bye. Semifinals – Wagner, .085, 8.643 on an 8.630, 74.34 mph, def. Rabon, foul; Stowe, bye. FINAL – Chase Wagner, Willow Springs, .026, 8.677 on an 8.640, 72.14 mph, def. Skylar Stowe, Concord, .165, 9.136 breakout on a 9.170, 68.91 mph. * * * * Sunday Ironman Runoff – David Sears, Holly Springs, 1989 Ford Mustang, .093, 5.997 on a 5.980, 114.88 mph, def. Gabe Taylor, Elizabethtwon, .041, 4.855 breakout on a 4.860, 138.17 mph. Sunday Top Eliminator Round 6 – Gabe Taylor, Elizabethtown, .009, 4.856 on a 4.840, 142.57 mph, def. Tim Thomas, Lumberton, .015, 5.581 on a 5.560, 122.41 mph; Sammy Hollingsworth, Greenwood, S.C., .037, 4.912 on a 4.910, 139.59 mph, def. Larry Baker, Four Oaks, 1971 Chevy Nova, .006, 5.968 breakout on a 5.970, 115.28 mph; Skip Briggs, Lexington, .022, 5.941 on a 5.930, 114.98 mph, def. Jerry Brewer, Lumberton, .112, 4.696 breakout on a 4.710, 145.25 mph; Thomas Cain, Lumberton, .012, 4.988 on a 4.980, 138.13 mph, def. Joe Gary, Greenwood, S.C., 1968 Chevy Camaro, .014, 5.452 on a 5.440, 125.86 mph; Nick Womack, Lillington, .021, 5.789 on a 5.790, 117.80 mph, def. Tyler Brayton, Charlotte, .017, 6.624 breakout on a 6.630, 94.45 mph. Round 7 – Womack, .016, 5.811 on a 5.790, 115.55 mph, def. Briggs, .014, 5.955 on a 5.940, 115.75 mph; Hollingsworth, .023, 4.954 on a 4.920, 134.07 mph, def. Cain, .021, 5.039 on a 4.980, 137.44 mph; Taylor, bye. Semifinals – Taylor, .006, 4.870 on a 4.850, 140.36 mph, def. Hollingsworth, .0238, 4.905 breakout on a 4.920, 140.59 mph; Womack, bye. FINAL – Gabe Taylor, Elizabethtown, .003, 4.859 on a 4.850, 140.69 mph, def. Nick Womack, Lillington, .015, 5.827 on a 5.790, 117.02 mph. Sunday Footbrake Round 6 – David Sears, Holly Springs, 1989 Ford Mustang, .042, 6.059 on a 5.960, 117.04 mph, def. Ernie Humes, Troutman, .027, 6.672 breakout on a 6.690, 98.56 mph; Richard Synger, Dudley, 1972 Chevy Nova, .041, 6.414 on a 6.410, 107.54 mph, def. Steve Alford, Angier, .044, 6.622 on a 6.570, 96.85 mph; David Stebner, Mooresville, 1972 Plymouth Duster, .043, 7.289 on a 7.300, 92.82 mph, def. Jonathan Surrat, Charlotte, .041, 6.445 breakout on a 6.470, 103.71 mph; Scott Yates, Gold Hill, 1965 Ford Mustang, .070, 7.137 on a 7.140, 96.80 mph, def. Doug Walton, Maysville, foul; Bobby Merritt, Wilmington, 1967 Chevy Nova, .014, 5.803 on a 5.780, 117.81 mph, def. Ernie Humes #2, Troutman, .067, 6.644 breakout on a 6.670, 101.07 mph; Bill Clardy, Loris, S.C., bye. Round 7 – Stebner, .023, 7.267 on a 7.300, 93.67 mph, def. Merritt, foul; Sears, .004, 6.010 on a 5.970, 108.74 mph, def. Synger, .046, 6.437 on a 6.400, 107.40 mph; Clardy, .070, 6.696 on a 6.740, 102.64 mph, def. Yates, foul. Semifinals – Clardy, .019, 6.796 on a 6.710, 88.10 mph, def. Stebner, .070, 7.360 on a 7.280, 93.25 mph; Sears, bye. FINAL – David Sears, Holly Springs, 1989 Ford Mustang, .069, 7.535 on a 5.980, 91.01 mph, def. Bill Clardy, Loris, S.C., foul. Sunday Jr. Dragster Round 4 – Chase Wagner, Willow Springs, .037, 8.733 on an 8.640, 74.67 mph, def. Brittany Clark, Aldie, Va., foul; Noah Johnson, Fayetteville, .050, 7.875 on a 7.900, 83.01 mph, def. Rayce Blackmon, Whiteville, foul; Zach Pennington, Lexington, S.C., .116, 7.944 on a 7.900, 75.02 mph, def. Janna Vogler, Lewisville, no time; Jacob Baker, Yorktown, Va., .082, 8.074 on a 7.900, 79.02 mph, def. Breanne Wall, Kenly, .018, 7.905 breakout on a 7.920, 83.74 mph; Samantha Hollingsworth, Greenwood, S.C. bye. Round 5 – Hollingsworth, .033, 7.913 on a 7.900, 82.50 mph, def. Baker, foul; Johnson, .043, 7.911 on a 7.900, 79.23 mph, def. Pennington, .149, 7.886 breakout on a 7.900, 81.20 mph; Wagner, bye. Semifinals – Wagner, .050, 8.679 on an 8.660, 74.60 mph, def. Hollingsworth, .043, 7.923 on a 7.900, 79.90 mph; Johnson, bye. FINAL – Noah Johnson, Fayetteville, .064, 7.963 on a 7.900, 81.19 mph, def. Chase Wagner, Willow Springs, .088, 8.735 on an 8.680, 74.41 mph. * * * * Monday Ironman Runoff – Charles Doss, Statesville, Top Eliminator winner, .000, 4.893 on a 4.880, 139.93 mph, def. Tommy Greer, Advance, foul. Monday Top Eliminator Round 6 – Buddy Dial, Rowland, .015, 4.724 on a 4.720, 143.52 mph, def. Steve Hilburn, Loris, S.C., .027, 5.842 on a 5.840, 116.50 mph; Terry Locklear, Shannon, .017, 4.721 on a 4.730, 143.49 mph, def. Tommy Strickland, Raeford, foul; Will Scarborough, Bishopville, S.C., .021, 5.819 on a 5.810, 117.87 mph, def. Mark Horton, Callahan, Fla., foul; Wesley Roberts, Benson, 1972 Chevy Camaro, .011, 6.400 on a 6.360, 105.09 mph, def. Stephen Hammonds, Laurinburg, .097, 6.012 on a 6.010, 112.48 mph; David Lowe, Raeford, 1969 Chevy Camaro, .041, 6.649 on a 6.640, 101.76 mph, def. Eric Aman, Mt. Olive, .017, 4.577 breakout on a 4.580, 146.69 mph; Charles Doss, Statesville, bye. Round 7 – Doss, .019, 4.903 on a 4.890, 139.78 mph, def. Scarborough, foul; Lowe, .015, 6.659 on a 6.650, 100.18 mph, def. Roberts, .008, 6.364 breakout on a 6.370, 108.37 mph; Locklear, .030, 4.739 on a 4.720, 142.96 mph, def. Dial, foul. Semifinals – Locklear, bye; Doss, .001, 4.894 on a 4.900, 139.98 mph, def. Lowe, foul. FINAL – Charles Doss, Statesville, .014, 4.893 on a 4.890, 137.78 mph, def. Terry Locklear, Shannon, .028, 4.762 on a 4.730, 141.86 mph. Monday Footbrake Round 5 – Jay Glaze, Winston-Salem, .074, 7.670 on a 7.670, 89.70 mph, def. Josh Greene, Greensboro, .100, 6.720 breakout on a 6.760, 98.28 mph; Tommy Greer, Advance, .017, 6.604 on a 6.600, 102.77 mph, def. Chad Robertson, Mocksville, .042, 6.822 breakout on a 6.860, 98.13 mph; William Roberts, Benson, .043, 6.577 on a 6.570, 100.96 mph, def. Chris Gibson, Lexington, .085, 11.770 on an 11.750, 68.77 mph; Tommy Duff, Holly Ridge, 1970 Chevy Nova, .026, 7.124 on a 7.150, 92.65 mph, def. Richard Robertson, Mocksville, foul; Stanley Chavis, Red Springs, 1980 Ford Mustang, .070, 6.885 on a 6.900, 98.79 mph, def. Terry Rucker, Benson, foul; Wesley Roberts, NA, .028, 6.054 on a 6.040, 113.17 mph, def. Tyler Brayton, Charlotte, .038, 6.636 on a 6.630, 98.54 mph; Tyler Brayton #2, Charlotte, .036, 6.634 on a 6.650, 95.34 mph, def. Derek Harris, McLeansville, foul. Round 6 – Chavis, .045, 6.894 on a 6.880, 98.64 mph, def. Wesley Roberts, foul; Duff, .040, 7.161 on a 7.140, 87.85 mph, def. Glaze, .053, 7.651 breakout on a 7.670, 90.01 mph, Brayton #2, .015, 6.654 on a 6.630, 101.74 mph, def. William Roberts, .034, 6.564 on a 6.550, 101.87 mph; Greer, bye. Semifinals – Greer, .004, 6.608 on a 6.600, 101.04 mph, def. Duff, .014, 7.172 on a 7.150, 88.12 mph; Chavis, .073, 6.879 on a 6.880, 98.77 mph, def. Brayton #2, .084, 6.639 breakout on a 6.650, 100.84 mph. FINAL – Tommy Greer, Advance, .018, 6.606 on a 6.600, 101.75 mph, def. Stanley Chavis, Red Springs, 1980 Ford Mustang, .034, 6.854 breakout on a 6.870, 99.33 mph. Monday Jr. Dragster Round 4 – Jessica Winkler, China Grove, .093, 9.017 on an 8.430, 55.61 mph, def. Harrison Cox, Conway, .071, 9.939 on a 9.270, 59.94 mph; Jacob Baker, Yorktown, Va., .035, 7.918 on a 7.900, 80.81 mph, def. Paul Charette, Evans, Ga., .049, 7.937 on a 7.900, 82.01 mph; Noah Johnson, Fayettville, .070, 7.925 on a 7.900, 82.05 mph, def. Unknown #1030, .099, 7.901 on a 7.900, 81.48 mph; Breanne Wall, Kenly, .097, 7.961 on a 7.900, 83.11 mph, def. Ashelynn Russo, Elgin, S.C., .114, 8.041 on a 7.960, 80.78 mph; Zach Pennington, Lexington, S.C., .070, 7.899 on a 7.900, 80.00 mph, def. Dawson Wiggins, Dunn., .078, 9.004 breakout on a 9.030, 71.73 mph; Ashleigh Stafford, Kernersville, .028, 7.936 on a 7.940, 81.19 mph, def. Samantha Hollingsworth, Greenwood, S.C., foul. Round 5 – Baker, .058, 7.903 on a 7.900, 81.12 mph, def. Winkler, .046, 8.444 breakout on an 8.450, 75.51 mph; Pennington, .034, 7.900 on a 7.900, 78.58 mph, def. Johnson, .065, 7.907 on a 7.900, 82.41 mph; Stafford, .087, 7.958 on a 7.940, 80.93 mph, def. Wall, foul. Semifinals – Stafford, .032, 7.945 on a 7.960, 81.19 mph, def. Baker, .061, 7.865 breakout on a 7.900, 81.77 mph; Pennington, bye. FINAL – Zach Pennington, Lexington, S.C., .071, 7.907 on a 7.900, 81.55 mph, def. Ashleigh Stafford, Kernersville, foul (.003) Jr. Dragster Ironman Runoffs Semifinals – Noah Johnson, Fayetteville, .028, 7.936 on a 7.900, 80.70 mph, def. Zach Pennington, Lexington, S.C., .101, 7.909 on a 7.900, 81.40 mph; Chase Wagner, Willow Springs, .114, 8.607 on an 8.650, 74.57 mph, def. Ashleigh Stafford, Kernersville, foul. FINAL – Noah Johnson, Fayetteville, .087, 7.912 on a 7.900, 82.29 mph, def. Chase Wagner, Willow Springs, .084, 8.612 breakout on an 8.630, 74.33 mph. - - VIEW EVENT PHOTO GALLERY ONLINE by RaceWorks.com