Schumacher, Johnson, Stevens and Ellis Top Qualifiers at the NHRA POWERade CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals
Record fields were set during rain shortened qualifying at Chicago. The Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Bike fields are all the quickest in history and these records were set with only three sessions!
Tony Schumacher is #1 in Top Fuel with the quickest pass of the year (4.447), Tommy Johnson, Jr. leads Funny Car with his 4.672, Richie Stevens, Jr. is first in Pro Stock (6.635) and Chip Ellis breaks into the sixes with his #1 Pro Stock Bike run (6.988).
Greg Anderson defeated Jason Line with the quickest-ever Pro Stock run (6.620) in the final of the King Demon Crown (The final did not count for qualifying in Pro Stock).
Bob Vandergriff qualified 7th in Top Fuel (4.528 @ 327.19), Whit Bazemore is #2 in Funny Car (4.674 @ 330.88) and Kurt Johnson is #6 (6.664 @ 207.43) and Warren Johnson is #12 (6.685 @ 206.23) Pro Stock. Barry Grant missed the cut in Pro Stock with his 22nd best 6.759 @ 204.88. Chip Ellis' 6.988 makes him the 2nd member of the NHRA Mickey Thompson 6-Second Pro Stock Bike Club.
NHRA Recap
Hot Rod Power Tour visits South Georgia Motorsports Park
by Marvin T. Smith
On Monday, June 5, the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour made a scheduled lunch stop at South Georgia Motorsports Park as it headed north on Interstate 75. Hundreds of hot rods, muscle cars, and exhibition vehicles poured into the track. Tour participants were treated to a hot dog lunch by track owner Shad Dean. For a nominal fee, cars could test their performance on the all-concrete quarter mile at SGMP. Many cars were in the 12 to 14 second elapsed time range—pretty impressive for street driven vehicles! The tour continued on to the Georgia State Fair Grounds in Perry, Georgia on their way to their ultimate destination, Englishtown, New Jersey for the NHRA K&N Filters Supernationals.
Vandergriff ready for Windy City
2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 10 of 23
CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA NATIONALS
ROUTE 66 RACEWAY, Joliet, IL.
Race Date: June 8-11, 2006
JOLIET, IL., (June 5, 2006)- Bob Vandergriff Jr. and his UPS Top Fuel team are looking forward to leaving their mark on the very fast Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL., at this weekend's Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals.
"We are very excited about racing in Joliet," Vandergriff said. "We now have a car that is going down the track consistently and quickly. Jim (Dupuy, crew chief) has made some changes recently that have been very promising, and we are excited about the potential of our racecar."
The UPS team was recently awarded the "Full Throttle" award for consistency in qualifying and also ran a career-best e.t. of 4.513 seconds in Columbus.
"My crew has been working very hard to get to this point," Vandergriff shared proudly. "I am very happy that they are finally seeing the benefits of their labor."
RACE SCHEDULE:
Friday, June 9, professional qualifying sessions are at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 10, pro qualifying sessions continue at 12:10 p.m. and 3:05 p.m.
Sunday, June 11, pre-race ceremonies are at 10:30 a.m., final eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION SCHEDULE:
Saturday, June 10, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 5 p.m. (ET).
Sunday June 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of eliminations at 5 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, June 9, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) Å] SBS 6, Transponder 15K (Downlink frequency, 12072 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, June 10, 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) Å] SBS 6, Transponder 15K (Downlink frequency, 12072 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, June 11, 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) Å] SBS 6, Transponder 15K (Downlink frequency, 12072 MHz, horizontal)
Ken Sklute
Vandergriff Motorsports Public Relations
WWW.VANDERGRIFFMOTORSPORTS.comwww.RacersEdgePhotography.com
BAZEMORE EAGER TO SHOWCASE IMPROVEMENT AT FAST ROUTE 66
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus
JOLIET, Ill. (June 6, 2006) - Whit Bazemore is eager to get back to Route 66 Raceway for this weekend's CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, now that the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car is running strong.
Following his first final-round appearance of the season in round 8 of the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series in Columbus, Ohio, a solid showing in round 9 in Topeka, Kans., and a jump into seventh in points, the car's improved performance is expected to be showcased this weekend on what's considered the fastest track on the NHRA circuit.
Route 66 Raceway is famous for the records that have been set here, including Bazemore's quickest elapsed time of 4.713 seconds and career fastest speed of 333.25 mph, both established here in 2004 in what was at the time the quickest and fastest speed in Funny Car history.
Bazemore was the runner-up finisher that year in the first event, winner in 2003 (first event), winner of the second event in 2001, and the victor in the track's inaugural NHRA event in 1998.
"Chicago is a great track," he says. "It's probably the fastest track on the schedule now. So, naturally, we really love coming here because this is still what drag racing is all about, in spite of the all the rules that have been imposed on us.
"When you go to Chicago, the conditions allow you to let it all hang out the best you can, so you still have a chance to run quicker than you've ever run before. That's one reason we are drag racers. It's always exciting to come here.
"As I said many times, the Matco Tools team has already made a lot of progress this year. We still haven't reached our potential in terms of performance, but maybe in Chicago we can, and that's going to be our No. 1 goal, for sure, depending on the conditions, of course. But if it's anything but scorching hot, I think we'll have an opportunity to run our career best."
WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS:
* Seventh in 2006 Funny Car point standings after nine events (315 out of lead), with one runner-up and two semifinal finishes
* Two-time U.S. Nationals champion, 1997 and 2001
* Ninth in final 2005 Funny Car point standings
* Won two events in 2005 (Gainesville, Las Vegas), No. 1 qualifier once (Columbus)
* DNQ'd at 2005 CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals
* Is three-time winner at Route 66 Raceway (1998, 2001 2, 2003 1), runner-up in 2004 1
* First Funny Car driver to break 325-mph barrier (U.S. Nationals 2001)
* Career quickest ET is 4.713 seconds, career fastest speed is 333.25 mph, both set at Route 66 Raceway in 2004 in what was at the time the quickest and fastest speed in Funny Car history
* Has 19 career Funny Car event wins in 43 final rounds in 326 races
* Took the 2003 championship chase to penultimate race in Las Vegas in an exciting final round against eventual champion Tony Pedregon
* Was second twice in the Funny Car championship in 2001 and 2003, third in 1997 and '99 and has finished in the top five six times and 13 times in the top 10 since 1992
* Age 43, born in New York City, an avid cyclist, lives in Indianapolis with wife Michelle, a competitive amateur cyclist, and son Dashiell Aidan, born March 12, 2005 (same as Bazemore's birthday)
* 2006 is his sixth season with Don Schumacher Racing
SCHEDULE:
Friday, June 9, professional qualifying sessions are at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 10, pro qualifying sessions continue at 12:10 p.m. and 3:05 p.m. King Demon Crown elimination rounds are at noon, 3, and 4:25 p.m.
Sunday, June 11, pre-race ceremonies are at 10:30 a.m., final eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, June 10, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 5 p.m. (ET).
Sunday June 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of eliminations at 5 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, June 9, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) SBS 6, Transponder 15K (Downlink frequency, 12072 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, June 10, 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) SBS 6, Transponder 15K (Downlink frequency, 12072 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, June 11, 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) SBS 6, Transponder 15K (Downlink frequency, 12072 MHz, horizontal)
SANDMAN SANDBAGS FIELD AT ATLANTA SUPER CHEVY SHOW
Hank SchmittAutoStar Productions
Tony Williams of Millington, Tennessee goes by "Sandman." On race day, he was the class of the Nitro Coupe field at the O"Reilly Auto Parts Super Chevy Show held June 2-4 at Atlanta Dragway.
Williams drove his '69 Camaro to a win over New Jersey racer Chris Russo in the Nitro Coupe finals. Williams and Russo had qualified 3rd and 4th on Saturday, with former world Champ Randy Adler taking the Trim Parts Low Qualifier honors with a 6.478 at 220.96 miles per hour in his brand new 2006 Pontiac GTO Nitro Coupe.
On race day, though, it was the Sandman's turn. In the finals, he turned in a 6.741 at 199.97 miles per hour; Russo had his '63 Corvette Nitro Coupe humming in earlier rounds, but lost traction and couldn't make a race of it.
In the Super Chevy Bracket racing program, great reaction times everywhere. Bracket Two (Footbrake) winner Toby Barnes of Palmetto, Georgia is no stranger to big bucks racing, but the four thousandths package he threw at Jacob Rutledge of Braselton, GA in the finals probably surprised even Toby. Barnes, a former runner-up in the Million Dollar Drag Race, was .002 on the tree and ran a 7.532 at 91.18 miles per hour on his 7.53 dial-in. Junior Dragster winner Morgan Wood of Hoschton, Georgia continued the great tree times as she logged an .006 bulb in her championship run. (Complete bracket race results follow)
In the Super Chevy jet wars, 25 year old Jessie Harris could have bracket raced her "Queen of Diamonds" jet dragster with four passes over two days within a few hundredths of each other to take a clean sweep of Lou Pereira and "The Terminator."
The Super Chevy Show's 26th Annual Tour travels to Virginia Motorsports Park this weekend (June 9-11) and then takes a couple of weeks off before invading Thunder Valley at Bristol Dragway June 23-25.
Nitro Coupe Qualifying - Saturday 6/3
Qualifying Position Driver/Hometown Car ET MPH
1 Randy Adler, Tinley Park, IL '06 GTO 6.478 220.96
2 Tommy Howes, Laytonsville, MD '69 Camaro 6.626 210.67
3 Tony "Sandman" Williams, Millington, TN '69 Camaro
6.629 215.56
4 Chris Russo, Cedar Grove, NJ '63 Corvette 6.677 212.61
5 Cathy Belcher, Rantoul, IL .90 Chevy 6.760 205.05
6 Jeff Merritt, Merrillville, IN '00 Trans AM 6.853 200.07
7 Joe Yarini, Tucker, GA '37 Chevy 7.685 145.84
8 Wayne Torkelson, Belpre, OH '59 Corvette 8.265 136.13
Nitro Coupe Eliminations - Sunday 6/4
Round One R/T ET MPH
Chris Russo def. .115 6.648 215.10
Cathy Belcher Foul 7.425 133.98
Tony Williams def. .120 6.579 210.92
Jeff Merritt .164 6.746 207.70
Tommy Howes def. .267 6.619 209.79
Joe Yarini .050 7.148 182.29
Wayne Torkelson def. .094 6.430 220.91
Randy Adler .094 7.501 145.79
Semi - Finals R/T ET MPH
Tony Williams def. 1.026 6.677 202.06
Tommy Howes FOUL Broke
Chris Russo def. .089 6.669 210.32
Wayne Torkelson .106 6.850 166.45
Finals R/T ET MPH
Tony Williams def. .115 6.741 199.77
Chris Russo .072 15.617 51.66
Low E.T. for season---------- 6.249 Randy Adler (Pomona)
Top M.P.H. for season------ 225.56 mph - Trevor Lowe (Pomona)
Trim Parts Low Qualifier - Sat 6/3
Driver ET MPH
Nitro Coupes Randy Adler 6.478 220.26
Bracket Racing Series Eliminations Sunday 6/4
Mr. Gasket Bracket One Pro Eliminator
Driver R/T Dial-in ET MPH
Winner
Dan Higgs, Acworth, GA, 'RED .007 5.48 5.508 122.76
Runner-up
Mark Earwood, Rome, GA, '67 Chevy II .011 6.76 6.790 98.95
Semis Gary Dunn, Flowery Branch, GA
Bracket Two Eliminator
Winner
Toby Barnes, Palmetto, GA .002 7.53 7.532 91.18
Runner-up
Jacob Rutledge, Braselton, GA .048 7.54 7.532 90.25
Semis Len King, Langley, SC
Eric Whitten, Hiram, GA
DOT
Winner Justin Buckner, Rincon, GA, '02 Camaro .127 13.74 13.802 97.45
Runner-up Kent Long, Douglasville, GA, '74 Vega .214 14.53 14.584 91.66
Semis Houston Kneece
Harold Wilson, Winder, GA
Jr. Dragster
Winner Morgan Wood, Hoschton, GA .006 7.96 7.973 79.89
Runner-up Ashton Shubert, Commerce, GA .075 8.94 8.924 72.56
Semis Danielle Krause, Peachtree City, GA
TREMEC TRANSMISSION BONUS RACE (Sat. 6/3)
Winner Lloyd Kaylor, Winder, GA, 'RED .006 5.69 5.715 114.53
Runner-up Michael Bruce, Covington, GA, 'RED .035 5.79 5.812 119.30
Semis Lance Cauthern, Buford, GA
Ashley Dumas, Commerce, GA
The Professor Steps Back to Move Forward in Chicago
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Consistency becomes GM Performance Parts Pontiac crew’s top priority
Sugar Hill, Ga., June 5, 2006 - Throughout his stellar career, GM Performance Parts GTO racer Warren Johnson has been known for his countless innovations in furthering the development of drag racing's Pro Stock category. From the inclusion of Funny Car-style roll cages and improved braking systems to the GM Drag Racing Competition Engine (DRCE), virtually every vehicle in competition today reflects the results of "The Professor's" forward thinking.
Therefore, it is somewhat ironic that as Johnson and his crew prepare for this weekend's Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals in Joliet, IL, they will be adjusting their competitive strategy. In lieu of the pursuit of an ever-elusive perfect run, they will instead be giving top priority to finding the combination to deliver a consistent performance every time down the track.
"Sometimes you have to give up a hundredth in order to make runs that are consistently good" detailed Johnson. "So far this season we've been going after the ultimate performance package, which contains components that you know will eventually be quicker. However, as we have found, it also offers a smaller window to operate in.
"Therefore, we have gotten ourselves settled into the mode of not worrying about making that one ultimate run. Instead, we will back things up and focus on making four good runs in qualifying that we can tune from on race day. We started in that direction in Topeka, and it was pretty evident that it was beginning to come around, because our GM Performance Parts GTO was as good as anybody in the first round, and we were fortunate enough to get the win light. We got a little too aggressive in the second round and it bit us, but going into Chicago, we know where we need to be."
Route 66 Raceway, site of this weekend's race, has been a part of the NHRA national event circuit since 1998. Featuring a unique stadium-inspired design, it is considered one of the premier facilities in the POWERade Drag Racing Series, and one both racers and fans look forward to. Having scored two wins on the Chicagoland quarter-mile in 1999 and 2001, Johnson is well-versed on what it takes to succeed in Joliet.
"Early on, the track at Route 66 Raceway was a little rough, which played into my hands," recalled Johnson. "I've always liked it when there are a few moguls or chicanes out there to challenge the driver. However, we did have a few people go on their lids due to inexperience, so the management rightfully attended to it, making it one of the better racetracks in the series. As a result, we can still run fast on it, but so can everyone else, which, I guess, is only fair, so we'll just have to settle down and win the old-fashioned way, doing our job better than everyone else."
As if the challenge of normal Pro Stock competition were not enough, this weekend eight members of the Pro Stock community, including Johnson, will have a chance for an additional payday as part of the King Demon Crown. This annual all-star race pits the top eight drivers in qualifying points from the last year in a three-round, single-elimination competition where the winner takes home $50,000 and bragging rights for an entire season. With three wins in seven final rounds in his twenty previous appearances in the Demon, The Professor is more than ready to carry the cash back to Georgia, but through it all remains firmly focused on the big picture.
"Since we will be in the King Demon Crown on Saturday, we will be in race mode all weekend," explained Johnson. "By that, I mean you can't experiment as much to make a better run as you would in normal qualifying. You have to be content in making a good solid run instead of gambling on one that could potentially be a few thousandths quicker, because you're looking to win rounds as well as getting a top qualifying position.
"The entire GM Performance Parts GTO crew is certainly pleased to have once again qualified for the King Demon Crown, and thank Barry Grant for putting up the money. We're going to do our best to win that $50,000, but our primary focus remains on race day. The way we see it, the King Demon is the icing on the cake, but we have to make sure to get the cake taken care of first, and that means winning on Sunday."
Quick Notes on Warren Johnson & the GM Performance Parts GTO team entering The 18th annual Carquest Auto Parts Nationals:
WJ has been a champion in Chicagoland: This will be Warren's 12th career NHRA national event at Route 66 Raceway. In his previous 10 starts in Joliet, he has two wins (in 1999 and 2001) in three final rounds, and an 18-9 elimination round record for a .667 win percentage.
Warren is a Top Qualifier in Joliet: In 10 Route 66 Raceway starts, WJ has two No. 1 qualifying performances, nine starts in the top half of the field and a 5.45 average starting position.
One Year Ago: Warren captured the 135th No. 1 qualifying position of his career with a 6.762-second elapsed time with a top speed of 204.08 mph, but was upset in the first round.
WJ's Record in the King Demon Crown: This will be Warren's 21st appearance in King Demon Crown competition (the most by any competitor in Pro Stock), where he has three wins (1993, 1995 and 2002) in seven final round appearances.
Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.679 seconds, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05
Career best top speed: 207.50 mph, Englishtown, NJ, 6/19/05
KJ is Ready to Steady his Rollercoaster Ride in Joliet
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
ACDelco Cobalt crew aims to duplicate 2003 Carquest Auto Parts Nationals win
Sugar Hill, Ga., June 5, 2006 - As a 14-year veteran of the NHRA's Pro Stock division, Kurt Johnson is used to rocketing down the quarter-mile in just over six seconds at speeds topping 206 mph. It is a high-speed thrill ride requiring tremendous skill and mechanical aptitude, as this Real Car Guy must adjust his car to match its tremendous performance to the race track.
However, as Johnson and his ACDelco Cobalt Racing team head to Joliet, IL for this weekend's Carquest Auto Parts Nationals, the second-generation racer is looking to get off the rollercoaster ride that has been his season to date and regain control of his chase of the 2006 POWERade championship. Having zeroed in on the problem area, KJ is confident of delivering a consistent and competitive performance in the Land of Lincoln.
"We've had some inconsistencies so far this season, which we have finally tracked down to the clutch," detailed Johnson. "It's an important discovery, because we had made extensive changes to other areas of the car throughout the year trying to make it run better. This made it harder to adjust to the conditions at the different tracks.
"However, having found the problem, we know we can leave everything else alone and concentrate on getting the clutch straightened out. We've made a lot of progress in the last few weeks, and, as a result, we believe our ACDelco Cobalt will be a much more consistent performer from here on out."
Johnson comes into this event with a prior record of success at Route 66 Raceway, having charged from the fifteenth starting position to the winner’s circle in the spring of 2003. Armed with that knowledge, and coming off a tremendous runner-up performance at the last race in Topeka, KS both Kurt and his crew are cautiously optimistic about their chances of duplicating that result in this year's edition
"In looking at our notes from the last few races at Route 66 Raceway, I can see that it's one of the smoothest tracks we run on," said Johnson. "The entire facility is tremendous, and we certainly look forward to racing there. We've had some success there in the past, winning this race in 2003, a performance we're hoping to repeat this weekend. You always look to improve upon your last race, and we were the runner-up in Topeka, so we're aiming for the winner's circle in Joliet."
An added feature in this weekend's competition is Pro Stock's annual all-star race, the King Demon Crown. With the top eight qualified drivers from the last year squaring off in a three-round dash for cash, teams must adjust their strategy to allow for the added competitive rounds. In his 12 previous appearances in this special event, Johnson has been able to adapt extremely well to its demands, and enters this year's edition as one of only four drivers to have won it three times.
"The best part about racing in the King Demon Crown is that you can race without the added pressure of competing for the championship," detailed Johnson. "It's not that we take it lightly. It means a lot to this ACDelco crew to have earned one of the eight spots, and we're going to do whatever we can to win - after all, we can certainly use the $50,000. However, it[s over and done with in one day, so we[ll just drop the clutch and go, getting some practice for Sunday and hopefully a little extra cash."
Quick Notes on Kurt Johnson & the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team entering The Carquest Auto Parts Nationals:
KJ's Record in Joliet: This will be KJ's 12th career appearance at Route 66 Raceway, where he has one win in 2003, and a 14-10 elimination round record for a .583 win percentage.
KJ's Qualifying Stats in Joliet: In his 10 previous career starts at Route 66 Raceway, Kurt has two No. 1 qualifying performance (in 1999 & 2001), six starts in the top half of the field, and an average starting position of 8.18
One year ago: Kurt qualified second with an elapsed time of 6.769 seconds and a top speed of 204.08 mph, and advanced to the second round.
KJ's Among the Elite in the King Demon Crown: This will be Kurt's 13th appearance in the King Demon Crown, where his three wins tie veterans Warren Johnson, Bob Glidden and Larry Morgan for the most by any competitor in the 22-year history of the Pro Stock all-star race.
Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.663 sec., Dallas, TX, 10/7/05
Career best top speed: 207.72 mph, Pomona, CA, 2/12/06
Event Schedule:
Friday, June 9: Two qualifying sessions at 3:00 & 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 10: King Demon eliminations begin at 12 noon, followed by a qualifying session for those not in the all-star race. The second round of the King Demon race will be at 3:00 p.m.,
followed by the final qualifying session. The King Demon championship race will be held at 4:25 p.m.
Sunday, June 11: Pre-race ceremonies starting at 10:30 a.m.
First Round of Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
Television Coverage:
Qualifying:
Saturday, June 10: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Eliminations:
Sunday, June 11: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
NHRA2Day:
Sunday, June 11: 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
(All times Eastern. Please check your local listings for exact broadcast times in your area.)
# # #
Hugh West wins King of Track at South Georgia Motorsports Park
by Marvin T. Smith
June 3, 2006
It was another big weekend for bracket racing at South Georgia Motorsports Park as the racers turned out for a chance to win a Wally trophy at the annual King of the Track event. After competition in Pro and Super Pro divisions, the two winners would face off for the coveted Wally.
After two rounds of time trials, the racers lined up for the Dial In for Dollars event. Carey "The Crow" Locke took home the Super Pro money when he ran a perfect 4.730 on his 4.73 dial in. In Pro, Jeff Adkinson took home the money.
A large field of Junior Dragsters boiled down to A. J. Williams and Beau Gay. Williams ran a 13.291 on his 13.19 dial to win when Gay broke his clutch midway down track and slowed to an 8.997 on his 8.71 dial.
In Pro competition semi finals, Hugh West beat Jeff Adkinson's Camaro and Brandon Wood beat last year's Wally winner Frankie Bishop. In the final, Hugh West ran a 6.850 on his 6.84 dial (rt .046) to beat a much better leaving Brandon Wood (rt .007) when Wood couldn't run his number. Wood hit a 7.096 on his 7.04 dial. This was West's first win, and he was very excited. He dedicated the win to his late wife who died of cancer.
In Super Pro semifinals, a determined Jeff Adkinson ran a fine 4.830 on is 4.82 dial in his dragster to beat Shannon Newell's Chevy Two. In the other semi, Neal Bennett ran a 5.620 on his 5.61 dial to beat Mark Padgett's good 4.905 on his 4.89 dial. In the finals, Adkinson ran 4.823 on is 4.81 dial with a reaction time of .006 only to lose to Neal Bennett's Perfect Run. That's right! Bennett had a reaction time of .000 and ran 5.610 on his 5.61 dial for the perfect run and the win.
After the perfect run, the only thing left was the race for the Wally between Pro winner West and Super Pro winner Bennett. West won the Wally with a 6.862 on his 6.84 dial when Bennett was late but still ran a fine 5.602 on his 5.60 dial. It was all in the reaction time as West had a .034 to Bennett's .621. West got his first ever win, the Wally, and Bennett got his first ever perfect run and the Super Pro win. It was quite a night.
