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THARPE
REPEATS AS TOP FUEL CHAMP IN NITRO WORLD FINALS
White, Doyle, Pendergrast Among Other Winners in 30th Jim
McClure Memorial Race
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. Flashing the form that powered him to NHRA
series championships in 2018 and 2019, Pfafftowns Tii Tharpe
repeated as winner of the featured Ray Price Top Fuel
Challenge in Sundays 30th annual Jim McClure Memorial AMRA
Nitro World Finals at Rockingham Dragway.
Although he qualified behind teammate and multiple time
McClure champion Jay Bulldog Turner of Julian and newly
crowned NHRA champion Ryan Peery of Milford, Ohio, Tharpe
dominated eliminations, taking out Turner in the semifinals
with quick time (6.30 seconds) and top speed of the event
before stopping Peery in the final round for the second
straight year.
The result not only denied Peery his first Ray Price trophy,
it also kept him from doubling up at The Rock after earlier
winning the tracks AHDRA Top Fuel title. In the final, Tharpe
stopped the timers in 6.350 seconds at 220.04 mph. Peery
trailed in 6.471 seconds at 216 mph.
The Tharpe-Turner semifinal easily was the best of the day.
Tharpe coupled low ET and top speed to a .062 reaction time
while Turner, the 2016 and 2017 NHRA champion and NHRA winner
earlier this year at Charlotte, was .066 on the Tree with a
time of 6.346 seconds at 216.03 mph after running 6.314,
second quickest of the race, in the previous round.
Other winners included Sam White of Chapin, S.C., who returned
to the winners circle as Pro Fuel champion for the first time
since 2018 by beating reigning series champ Jim Martin of
Palestine, Ill., in the final; Jim Doyle of Chicopee, Mass.,
who scored in Nitro Funny Bike after Armon Furr, the former
McClure Top Fuel champ (2017) from Orangeburg, S.C., upset
series champ and defending event champ Chris Smith of
Murfreesboro, Tenn., in the semis.
Another Murfreesboro standout, Shane Pendergrast, extended his
domination of Pro Modified, and Bill Doherty of Lake Charles,
La., the McClure Pro Mod winner in both 2017 and 2020, won
this time in Pro Gas from the No. 1 qualifying position.
Overall, the event winners represented 10 different states.
The only rider able to double-up on the weekend was Casey
Smith of Musella, Ga., who, after winning Pro Eliminator, also
scored in Dial-In Eliminator in which he beat Kirby Shearin of
Roanoke Rapids in the final.
Reigning series champ Gary Douglass of Staunton, Va., won
Modified; David Doremus of Loveland, Ohio scored in Top
Eliminator; John Terry of White House, Tenn., got the Super
Gas title; David Dennick of Eighty-Four, Pa., was the last man
standing in Pro Dresser, many-time series champ and Pro Gas
runner-up Donnie Huffman of Lakeland, Fla., claimed Street
Eliminator; and a pair of Carolinians, Bob Maier of Cleveland
and Rich Stamey of Wilmington, prevailed in Super Pro and
Street Dresser, respectively.
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. Results from the 30th annual AMRA Jim
McClure Memorial Nitro World Finals at Rockingham Dragway.
Hometowns are North Carolina unless otherwise indicated.
Results include reaction time, track time, target time (where
applicable) and finish line speed:
TOP FUEL (for the Ray Price Trophy)
Qualifying 1. Ryan Peery, Milford, Ohio, 6.425, 213.57 mph;
2. Jay Turner, Julian, 6.445, 214.42 mph; 3. Tii Tharpe,
Pfafftown, 6.464, 203.52 mph; 4. Tim Kerrigan, Novato, Calif.,
6.534, 204.32 mph; 5. Jake Stordeur, Goshen, Ohio, 6.587,
200.20 mph; 6. Rich Vreeland, Danville, Pa., 6.627, 200.17
mph; 7. Frank Capone, Wakefield, Mass., 6.808, 188.20 mph; 8.
Tracy Kile, Ashville, 6.835, 174.93 mph. Did Not Qualify: John
J.T. Toth, Charleroi, Pa.; Mark Conner, Robertsville, Mo.;
Curtis Heisler, Phoenix, Ariz.; Robert Stewart, Gloucester,
Va.; Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass.; Jimmy McMillan, Deland, Fla.
Round 1 Jake Stordeur, Goshen, Ohio, .027, 9.944, 83.01 mph,
def. Tim Kerrigan, Novato, Calif., foul; Jay Turner, Julian,
.080, 6.311, 215.20 mph, def. Frank Capone, Wakefield, Mass.,
.169, 8.441, 179.09 mph; Tii Tharpe, Pfafftown, .093, 6.351,
215.37 mph, def. Rich Vreeland, Danville, Pa., .094, 6.732,
181.89 mph; Ryan Peery, Milford, Ohio, .088, 6.514, 214.79
mph, def. Tracy Kyle, Ashville, .080, 6.560, 211.69 mph.
Semifinals Tharpe, .062, 6.300, 221.16 mph, def.
Turner,.066, 6.346, 216.03 mph; Peery, .119, 6.393, 216.79
mph, def. Stordeur, no time.
FINAL Tii Tharpe, Pfafftown, .073, 6.350, 220.04 mph, def.
Ryan Peery, Milford, Ohio .099, 6.471, 216.34 mph.
PRO FUEL
Qualifying 1. Sam White, Chapin, S.C., 7.311, 172.70 mph; 2.
Jim Martin, Palestine, Ill., 7.358, 165.60 mph; 3. Rocky
Jackson, Youngsville, La., 7.461, 165.72 mph; 4. Paul
Anderson, Clarkston, Mich., 7.518, 168.56 mph.
Round 1 Sam White, Chapin, S.C., .174, 7.386, 171.55 mph,
def. Phil Lower, Vicksburg, Mich., .134, 7.778, 158.91 mph;
Jim Martin, Palestine, Ill., .177, 7.724, 141.08 mph, def. Jay
Beasley, Winston-Salem, .135, 8.038, 150.03 mph; Walter
Halonski, High Springs, Fla., .218, 7.655, 168.07 mph, def.
Rocky Jackson, Youngsville, La., .200, 8.639, 157.87 mph; Paul
Anderson, Clarkston, Mich., .262, 7.608, 166.39 mph, def. John
McConnell, Darlington, S.C., .161, 28.755, 34.978 mph.
Semifinals White, .190, 7.345, 170.88 mph, def. Anderson,
.151, 7.694, 166.74 mph; Martin, .133, 7.403, 166.13 mph, def.
Halonski, .156, 7.981, 153.26 mph.
FINAL Sam White, Chapin, S.C., .071, 7.359, 169.34 mph, def.
Jim Martin, Palestine, Ill., .098, 7.504, 163.97 mph.
NITRO FUNNY BIKE
Qualifying 1. Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass., 6.955, 184.09 mph;
2. Chris Smith Murfreesboro, Tenn., 7.075, 180.24 mph; 3.
Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., 7.229, 177.60 mph.
Semifinals Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C, .119, 7.181, 187.60
mph, def. Chris Smith, Murfreesboro, Tenn., no time; Jim
Doyle, Chicopee, Mass., bye.
FINAL Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass., .127, 6.930, 194.07 mph,
def. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., .061, 7.275, 187.68 mph.
PRO MOD
Qualifying 1. Shane Pendergrast, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 8.434,
155.31 mph; 2. John Price, Emmitsburg, Md., 8.636, 151.58 mph;
3. Loreto Pesce, Newark, Del., 8.734, 149.81 mph; 4. Gary
Douglass, Staunton, Va., 8.923, 150.65 mph.
Round 1 John Price, Emmitsburg, Va., .315, 8.623, 150.83
mph, def. Robert Dumas, Ayer, Mass., no time; Gary Douglass,
Staunton, Va., .086, 8.716, 153.30 mph, def. Richmond Boone,
Mint Hill, .020, 9.365, 141.91 mph; Loreto Pesce, Newark,
Del., .081, 8.789, 146.02 mph, def. Billy Doherty, Lake
Charles, La., .114, 9.844, 139.04 mph; Shane Pendergrast,
Murfreesboro, Tenn., bye.
Semifinals Pendergrast, .067, 8.496, 155.06 mph, def.
Douglass, .032, 8.647, 154.30 mph; Price, .074, 8.597, 152.16
mph, def. Pesce, .066, 8.745, 150.87 mph.
FINAL Shane Pendergrast, Murfreesboro, Tenn., .074, 8.623,
152.81 mph, def. John Price, Emmitsburg, Md., .058, 8.976,
152.33 mph.
PRO GAS
Qualifying 1. Billy Doherty, Lake Charles, La., .8.875,
150.40 mph; 2. Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., 9.016, 145.77
mph; 3. Keith Carper, Laurel, Md., 9.580, 142.63 mph; 4. Kevin
Campbell, Southern Pines, 11.120, 116.93 mph.
Semifinals Bily Doherty, Lake Charles, La., .099, 9.042,
149.71 mph, def. Kevin Campbell, Southern Pines, foul; Donnie
Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .043, 8.870, 146.88 mph, def. Keith
Carper, Laurel, Md., .032, 10.903, 121.44 mph.
FINAL Billy Doherty, Lake Charles, La., .065, 8.651, 151.15
mph, def. Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .016, 8.904, 144.27
mph.
MODIFIED
Round 1 Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., .123, 9.440, 142.07
mph, def. Heather Van Fleet, Toledo, Ohio, .193, 10.132,
127.38 mph; Gary DeGrange, Babson Park, Fla., .060, 9.443,
138.51 mph, def. Troy Young, Wirtz, Va., .121, 9.493, 137.39
mph; Kimberly DeShields, Murfreesboro, Tenn., bye.
Semifinals DeGrange, .001, 9.521, 138.27 mph, def. DeShields,
.192, 9.650, 139.80 mph; Douglass, bye.
FINAL Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., .294, 9.460, 139.67 mph,
def. Gary DeGrange, Babson Park, Fla., no time.
TOP ELIMINATOR (9.30 target)
Round 2 David Doremus, Loveland, Ohio, .062, 9.663, 120.80
mph, def. Scott Schenkel, Palmerton, Pa., .059, 9.772, 133.08
mph; Chris Hoppe, Pennington, N.J., .106, 10.599, 103.79 mph,
def. Gregory Hawes, Nakina, .116, 11.263, 114.88 mph; Freddie
Frazier, Sanford, bye.
Semifinals Doremus, .052, 9.935, 125.96 mph, def. Frazier,
.102, 9.991, 119.55 mph; Hoppe, bye.
FINAL David Doremus, Loveland, Ohio, .102, 9.431, 127.47
mph, def. Chris Hoppe, Pennington, N.J., .037, 9.594, 139.27
mph.
SUPER GAS (9.90 target)
Round 2 John Terry, White House, Tenn., .171, 10.956, 82.12
mph, def. David Minton, Granite Falls, no time; Scott Schenkel,
Palmerton, Pa., .032, 10.020, 119.63 mph, def. Heather Van
Fleet, Toledo, Ohio, .083, 10.056, 125.34 mph; Raylen Mason,
.104, 9.900, 135.31 mph, def. Vance Houdyshell, Vero Beach,
Fla., foul; Steve Matthews, Chicago Heights, Ill., bye.
Semifinals Terry, .062, 9.863, 132.48 mph, def. Schenkel,
.084, 9.834 breakout, 127.87 mph; Mason, .051, 9.949, 136.86
mph, def. Matthews, .002, 10.147, 104.63 mph.
FINAL John Terry, White House, Tenn., .064, 10.066, 112.85
mph, def. Raylen Mason, .262, 10.122, 135.97 mph.
SUPER PRO (10.30 target)
Round 2 David Doremus, Loveland, Ohio, .068, 10.362, 126.35
mph, def. Brian Conelly Jr., Country Club Hills, Ill., .190,
10.208 breakout, 124.10 mph; Gray DeGrange, Ewing, N.J., .246,
10.911, 111.84 mph, def. John Wayne Stephens, Charleroi, Pa.,
.193, 11.065, 121.77 mph; Bob Maier, Cleveland, .025, 10.300,
117.21 mph, def. Rick Medford, Cherokee, .044, 10.528, 126.12
mph.
Semifinals Maier, .045, 10.253, 126.70 mph, def. Doremus,
.069, 10.235 breakout, 127.37 mph; DeGrange, bye.
FINAL Bob Maier, Cleveland, .074, 10.221, 128.13 mph, def.
Gray DeGrange, Ewing, N.J., .105, 10.182 breakout, 124.76 mph.
PRO ELIMINATOR (10.90 target)
Round 2 Rick Medford, Cherokee, .050, 11.193, 102.37 mph,
def. Ted Farley, Michigan City, Ind., .316, 11.145, 116.43
mph; Scott Barkley, Bradford, Tenn., .027, 10.824, 111.22 mph,
def. Cody Hayworth, Concord, .060, 10.765 breakout, 113.04
mph; Troy Fittro, Milan, Iowa, .094, 10.967, 108.63 mph, def.
Crosby Blain, Georgetown, Tenn., .063, 11.108, 100.14 mph;
Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .231, 10.993, 116.83 mph, def.
Loren Potter, McDonald, Tenn., .040, 11.191, 116.73 mph.
Semifinals Medford, .068, 10.947, 117.84 mph, def. Barkley,
.063, 10.877 breakout, 110.61 mph; Smith, .078, 10.929, 117.40
mph, def. Fittro, .164, 10.901, 102.98 mph.
FINAL Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .024, 11.066, 111.82 mph,
def. Rick Medford, Cherokee, .115, 11.055, 116.32 mph.
STREET ELIMINATOR (11.50 target)
Round 3 Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .106, 11.509, 104.28
mph, def. Dalton Lund, Greenville, Tenn., .019, 11.620, 105.47
mph; Terry Mason, Springhill, Tenn., .033, 11.535, 82.28 mph,
def. Gary DeGrange, Babson Park, Fla., .100, 11.351 breakout,
90.48 mph; Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .207, 11.482, 109.86
mph, def. Unknown #515OZ, .301, 11.354 breakout, 110.33 mph.
Semifinals Huffman, .050, 11.514, 103.67 mph, def. Smith,
058, 11.491 breakout, 96.46 mph; Mason, bye.
FINAL Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .065, 11.613, no speed
recorded, def. Terry Mason, Springhill, Tenn., foul.
DIAL-IN ELIMINATOR
Round 4 Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .007, 11.705 on an
11.600, 99.14 mph, def. Billy Buell, Center Point, Ind., .528,
12.868 on a 12.650, 100.37 mph; Kirby Shearin, Roanoke Rapids,
.152, 12.981 on a 13.000, 103.79 mph, def. Russell Smith, no
time; Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .020, 12.323 on a 12.260,
103.14 mph, def. Randy Hammons, Hermitage, Tenn., .020, 11.680
on an 11.450, 115.20 mph.
Semifinals Smith, .097, 12.227 on a 12.260, 105.05 mph, def.
Huffman, foul; Shearin, bye.
FINAL Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .092, 12.235 on a 12.200,
105.12 mph, def. Kirby Shearin, Roanoke Rapids, .279, 12.780
breakout on a 12.880, 103.40 mph.
PRO DRESSER
Round 2 Rylan Mason, Carolina Beach, .271, 10.024, 133.74
mph, def. Bert Baker, Haslett, Mich., .053, 12.212, 109.41
mph; David Dennick, Eighty-Four, Pa., .128, 9.550, 139.39 mph,
def. Greg Quinn, .044, 9.696, 144.67 mph; Seth Locklear,
Wilmington, bye.
Semifinals Dennick, .051, 9.511, 140.34 mph, def. Locklear,
.226, 9.354, 142.51 mph; Mason, bye.
FINAL David Dennick, Eighty-Four, Pa., .203, 9.520, 141.03
mph, def. Ryland Mason, Carolina Beach, .192, 10.865, 101.15
mph.
STREET DRESSER
Semifinals Jim Kennedy, Matoon, Ill., .272, 11.273, 118.70
mph, def. Don White, Markham, Ill., .198, 19.438, 58.99 mph;
Rich Stamey, Wilmington, .220, 11.714, 112.90 mph, def. Terry
Wright, Portland, Ky., .212, 12.217, 105.55 mph.
FINAL Rich Stamey, Wilmington, .238, 11.743, 111.99 mph,
def. Jim Kennedy, Matoon, Ill., .230, 11.807, 111.90 mph. |
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