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A YEAR
LATER, PEERY FINALLY WINS TOP FUEL AT THE ROCK
Ohio Rider Dominates as Series Champions Struggle in Nitro
Summer Nationals
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – For the second straight year, Milford,
Ohio’s Ryan Peery dominated Top Fuel racing in the AHDRA
Nitro Summer Nationals at Rockingham Dragway. This time,
though, he left with the trophy.
The No. 1 qualifier, Peery was quickest in every round of
competition Sunday and beat Jimmy McMillon of Deland,
Fla., in the final after McMillon had upset two-time
former IHRA and NHRA World Champion Jay Turner of Julian
in round one and his teammate, two-time former NHRA Nitro
Harley champ Tii Tharpe of East Bend, in the semifinals.
A year ago, Peery followed a similar script, qualifying
No. 1 and posting quick time in each of the first two
rounds before running afoul of Turner, whose final round
6.614 was just good enough to get the win against Peery’s
6.639.
This year, though, Peery left no doubt and after two
upsets, McMillon had no answer for him in the final. Peery
won with a time of 6.509 seconds at a finish line speed of
214.49 miles per hour. Although that was only his third
quickest run of the weekend, it easily covered McMillon’s
7.771.
Peery qualified No. 1 at 6.394 and ran a best-of-the-event
6.365 at 218 mph in the first round. He was the only Top
Fuel rider able to break the 6.60 barrier and he did it on
every run to finally put last year’s loss to Turner in the
rearview mirror.
Tharpe, who uncharacteristically failed to qualify for
last year’s AHDRA race, snuck into this year’s field in
the No. 7 spot before upsetting No. 2 qualifier and
reigning series champion Rich Vreeland of Bloomsburg, Pa.,
in the opening round. Nevertheless, he slowed to 8.665
against McMillon and watched the final from the sidelines.
Chris Smith of Murfreesboro, Tenn., went wire-to-wire to
win Nitro Funny Bike, many time series champion Preston
Bartlett of Palatka, Fla., beat Rockingham regular Sam
White of Chapin, S.C., in the semis of Pro Fuel before
taking down No. 1 qualifier Jim Martin of Palatine, Ill.,
to claim the biggest share of the purse.
Veteran Gary Douglass of Staunton, Va., a standout in the
old MIRock Superbike Series, used a starting line
advantage to upset No. 1 qualifier Shane Pendergrast in
the final round of Pro Modified.
Other winners included Kevin Campbell of Southern Pines in
Pro Open, Ken Strauss of Terrell in Top Eliminator, John
Hendrzak of Delta, Pa., who won Saturday’s Dial-In
Eliminator and was one of the last three standing in the
same class when weather forced officials to suspend
competition Sunday. Those still in contention when racing
was halted split the remaining purse money in their
respective brackets.
Had racing been completed, Hendrzak and Douglass might
have won multiple titles since both still were in
contention, Douglass as one of the last two in Modified
and Hendrzak as one of the last two in Dial-In Eliminator
and last three in Street Eliminator.
Instead, double-up honors fell to Joe Gladden of Kings
Mountain, who was able to win the Bagger class on both
days, and Jeremiah Cullen of Ayden, who followed his
Saturday Trophy Class win with another on Sunday.
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – Results from the All-Harley Drag Racing
Association Nitro Summer Nationals at Rockingham Dragway.
Hometowns are North Carolina unless otherwise indicated.
Results include reaction time, track time, target time
when applicable and finish line speed.
TOP FUEL
Qualifying – 1. Ryan Peery, Milford, Ohio, 6.394, 217.91
mph; 2. Rich Vreeland, Bloomsburg, Pa., 6.653, 208.55 mph;
3. Jay Turner, Julian, 6.806, 176.05 mph; 4. Tim Kerrigan,
Novato, Calif., 6.993, 195.45 mph; 5. Tyler Wilson, Walnut
Cove, 7.019, 161.87 mph; 6. Jimmy McMillon, Deland, Fla.,
7.165, 197.62 mph; 7. Tii Tharpe, East Bend, 7.663, 200.14
mph; 8. Tracy Kile, Ashville, 8.195, 197.77 mph.
Round 1 – Tim Kerrigan, Novato, Calif., .110, 6.868,
205.54 mph, def. Mark Conner, Robertsville, Mo., no time;
Jimmy McMillon, Deland, Fla., .103, 7.801, 183.19 mph,
def. Jay Turner, Julian, .086, 9.205, 105.96 mph; Tii
Tharpe, East Bend, .112, 6.592, 210.70 mph, def. Rich
Vreeland, Bloomsburg, Pa., .135, 12.195, 76.00 mph; Ryan
Peery, Milford, Ohio, .174, 6.365, 218.62 mph, def. Tracy
Kile, Ashville, no time.
Semifinals –McMillon, .079, 7.622, 187.99 mph, def. Tharpe,
.120, 8.665, 113.78 mph; Peery, .271, 6.615, 215.10 mph,
def. Kerrigan, .083, 6.887, 204.05 mph.
FINAL – Ryan Peery, Milford, Ohio, .127, 6.509, 214.45
mph, def. Jimmy McMillon, Deland, Fla., .118, 7.771,
167.07 mph.
NITRO FUNNY BIKE
Qualifying – 1. Chris Smith, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 6.595,
207.43 mph; 2. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., 6.822, 202.03
mph; 3. Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass., 7.029, 189.36 mph; 4.
Michael Balch, 7.065, 180.45 mph.
Round 1 – Rocky Jackson, Arnaudville, La., .167, 9.183,
142.73 mph, def. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., .092,
9.548, 170.04 mph; Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass., .210,
6.954, 199.61 mph, def. Michael Balch, .317, 7.205, 179.02
mph; Chris Smith, Murfreesboro, Tenn., .214, 6.619, 204.26
mph, def. Sam White, Chapin, S.C., no time.
Semifinals – Smith, bye; Doyle, .128, 7.224, 179.61 mph,
def. Jackson, .198, 8.248, 165.54 mph.
FINAL – Chris Smith, Murfreesboro, Tenn., .099, 6.650,
205.26 mph, def. Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass, .134, 11.661,
74.52 mph.
PRO FUEL
Qualifying – 1. Jim Martin, Palatine, Ill., 7.485, 166.01
mph; 2. Preston Bartlett, Palatka, Fla., 7.585, 168.39
mph; 3. Sam White, Chapin, S.C., 7.679, 164.63 mph; 4.
Rocky Jackson, Arnaudville, La., 7.67, 168.72 mph.
Round 1 – Sam White, Chapin, S.C., .192, 7.568, 164.01
mph, def. Jay Beasley, Winston-Salem, .170, 8.036, 153.2
mph; Preston Bartlett, Palatka, Fla., NA, 7.381, 172.08
mph, def. Keith Kelley, Mocksville, no time; Jim Martin,
Palatine, Ill., bye; Rocky Jackson, Arnaudville, La.,
.237, 7.630, 168.37 mph, def. Pete Stimeling, Roanoke,
Va., .169, 8.845, 135.85 mph.
Semifinals – Bartlett, .146, 7.417, 173.05 mph, def.
White, .133, 7.552, 169.02 mph; Martin, .323, 7.576,
164.85 mph, def. Jackson, no time.
FINAL – Preston Bartlett, Palatka, Fla., .130, 7.467,
168.62 mph, def. Jim Martin, Palatine, Ill., .137, 7.689,
161.13 mph.
PRO MOD
Qualifying – 1. Shane Pendergrast, Murfreesboro, Tenn.,
8.581, 151.46 mph; 2. Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., 8.700,
153.25 mph; 3. Richmond Boone, 9.359, 143.72 mph; 4. John
Price, Emmitsburg, Md., 10.283, 128.27 mph.
Round 1 – John Price, Emmitsburg, Md., .125, 10.395,
124.73 mph, def. Richmond Boone, foul (-.004); Gary
Douglass, Staunton, Va., .091, 8.902, 148.71 mph, def.
George Futch, Simpsonville, S.C., .096, 10.287, 122.03
mph; Shane Pendergrast, Murfreesboro, Tenn., bye.
Semifinals – Douglass, bye; Pendergrast, .229, 8.628,
151.97 mph, def. Price, .095, 10.302, 127.67 mph.
FINAL – Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., .083, 8.665, 152.85
mph, def. Shane Pendergrast, Murfreesboro, Tenn., .167,
8.640, 151.32 mph.
OUTLAW FUEL
Semifinals – Mark Conner, Robertsville, Mo., .166, 10.085,
93.89 mph, def. Unknown #216; Mike Beland, Mooresville,
bye.
FINAL – Suspended by weather, Mark Conner, Robertsville,
Mo., and Mike Beland, Mooresville, split winner and
runner-up money.
PRO OPEN
Semifinals – Andy Simon, Salisbury, bye; Kevin Campbell,
Southern Pines, .560. 11.496, 120.38 mph, def. Mike Moto,
Richlands, .113, 12.033, 86.05 mph.
FINAL – Kevin Campbell, Southern Pines, .656, 11.164,
120.38 mph, def. Andy Simon, Salisbury, no time.
PRO ELIMINATOR (10.90 target)
Semifinals – Brad Reiss Jr., Bethlehem, Pa., .106, 10.940,
114.65 mph, def. Bill Grove, Dallas, Ga., .132, 10.858
breakout, 111.94 mph; Loren Potter, McDonald, Tenn., bye.
FINAL – Suspended by weather, Brad Reiss Jr., Bethlehem,
Pa., and Loren Potter, McDonald, Tenn., split winner and
runner-up money.
MODIFIED ELIMINATOR
Semifinals – Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., .195, 9.158,
142.97 mph, def. Justin Collier, Orlando, Fla., .125,
9.399, 140.78 mph; Kimberly Deshields, Murfreesbobo,
Tenn., bye.
FINAL – Suspended by weather, Gary Douglass, Staunton,
Va., and Kimberly Deshields, Murfreesboro, Tenn., split
winner and runner-up money.
TOP ELIMINAATOR (9.30 target)
Semifinals – Freddy Frazier, Sanford, .013, 9.524, 107.15
mph, def. Scott Schenkel, Palmerton, Pa., .075, 9.721,
137.98 mph; Ken Strauss, Terrell, bye.
FINAL – Ken Strauss, Terrell, .016, 9.368, 140.12 mph,
def. Freddy Frazier, Sanford, .099, 9.278 breakout foul,
117.60 mph.
SUPER GAS (9.90 target)
Semifinals – Robert Willis, Bellmawr, N.J., .081, 9.876,
128.52 mph, def. Elijah Agnor, Lynchburg, Va., foul;
Keith, Carper, Laurel, Md., bye.
FINAL – Suspended by weather, Keith Carper, Laurel, Md.,
and Robert Willis, Bellmawr, N.J., split winner and
runner-up money.
SUPER PRO (10.30 target)
Semifinals – Brad Reiss Jr., Bethlehem, Pa., .109, 10.408,
112.35 mph, def. Loren Potter, McDonald, Tenn., .143,
10.380, 121.75 mph; Nate Carahan, .087, 10.353, 115.20
mph, def. Greg Quinn, .021, 10.738, 127.19 mph.
FINAL – Nate Carahan, .099, 10.342, 119.90 mph, def. Brad
Reiss Jr., Bethlehem, Pa., .074, 10.402, 119.08 mph.
STREET ELIMINATOR (11.50 target)
Semifinals – Kevin Winters, Richmond, Ill., .045, 11.607,
93.13 mph, def. Richard Stamey, Wilmington, .240, 11.585,
115.23 mph; John Hendrzak, Delta, Pa., bye.
FINAL – Suspended by weather, Kevin Winters, Richmond,
Ill., and John Hendrzak, Delta, Pa., split winner and
runner-up money.
DRAGGIN’ BAGGER
Semifinals – Seth Locklear, Wilmington, .266, 9.555,
135.18 mph, def. Crosby Blair, Georgetown, Tenn., .193,
10.361, 131.27 mph; Justin Demery, bye.
FINAL – Suspended by weather, Seth Locklear, Wilmington,
and Justin Demery split winner and runner-up money
SUNDAY DIAL-IN ELIMINATOR
Round 3 – Robert Willis, Bellmawr, N.J., .055, 9.705 on a
9.580, 123.41 mph, def. Kevin Laughman, Spring Grove, Pa.,
.048, 11.931 on an 11.700, 113.46 mph; Junebug Ledford,
Cherokee, bye; John Hendrzak, Delta, Pa., .085, 11.339 on
an 11.350, 115.94 mph, def. Julius Demanss II, Havre de
Grace, Md., no time.
Semifinals – Suspended by weather, Robert Willis,
Bellmawr, N.J., Junebug Ledford, Cherokee, John Hendrzak,
Delta, Pa., split the money posted for the final two
rounds.
SATURDAY DIAL IN ELIMINATOR
Semifinals – John Hendrzak, Delta, Pa., .051, 11.362 on an
11.300, 116.12 mph, def. Loren Potter, McDonald, Tenn.,
foul; Junebug Ledford, Cherokee, bye.
FINAL – John Hendrzak, Delta, Pa., .001, 11.529 on an
11.320, 98.11 mph, def. Junebug Ledford, Cherokee, .000,
13.717 on a 13.400, 97.97 mph.
SUNDAY BAGGER ELIMINATOR
Semifinals – Brent Carlisle, .118, 11.543 on an 11.400,
101.29 mph, def. John Sanage, Raleigh, .109, 13.148 on a
12.000, 107.56 mph; Joe Gladden, Kings Mountain, .033,
13.625 on a 13.500, 95.22 mph, def. Russell Smith, Rose
Hill, foul.
FINAL – Joe Gladden, Kings Mountain, .147, 13.558 on a
13.500, 96.21 mph, def. Brent Carlisle, .37, 11.557 on an
11.400, 114.57 mph.
SATURDAY BAGGER ELIMINATOR
Semifinals – Joe Gladden, Kings Mountain, .158, 13.714 on
a 13.500, 90.80 mph, def. John Sanage, Raleigh, .613,
12.238 on an 11.950, 111.47 mph; Russell Smith, Rose Hill,
.191, 12.017 on an 11.700, 108.23 mph def. Unknown #72X,
.335, 11.581 on an 11.400, 101.53 mph.
FINAL – Joe Gladden, Kings Mountain, .229, 13.551 on a
13.500, 96.91 mph, def. Russell Smith, Rose Hill, .076,
12.087 on an 11.700, 113.70 mph.
SUNDAY TROPHY
FINAL – Jeremiah Cullen, Ayden, .860, 16.466 on an 11.600,
72.89 mph, def. Unknown #198, foul.
SATURDAY TROPHY
FINAL – Jeremiah Cullen, Ayden, .537, 12.359 on an 11.550,
96.46 mph, def. John Savage, Raleigh, no time. |
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