MASSEY CLINCHES NHRA D-4 TAD TITLE
Tue, 2006-09-26 18:04
NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster rookie Spencer Massey scored a runner-up finish and
clinched the Division 4 Championship at this past weekend's O'Reilly Fall
Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec at the Texas Motorplex just south of
Dallas. Not only did Massey runner-up the main event, but scored a runner-up
from last weekend's rained-out Houston Raceway Park divisional, which put the
championship out of reach for his closest rival, Lee Callaway.
Massey, 24, of nearby Ft. Worth, Texas, qualified
his A/Fuel Dragster sixth in the field with a 5.443 second elapsed time at
265.64 mph. In Friday's second qualifying session, Massey took on Dave Heitzman
in the rain-delayed Houston final. Massey took the starting line advantage, but
slowed in the heat to a 5.603 at 261.22 mph that was not enough to hold off
Heitzman's 5.552 at 247.88 mph. Despite not getting the win from that event,
the final round appearance clinched the Division 4 Championship for
Massey.
Massey and his Vernon Wilde lead crew didn't miss a
beat in eliminations. In round one, he took out Randy Meyer with a 5.365 at
266.53 mph, then dispatched Ashley Force in round two with a 5.294 at 268.71
mph. In the semifinals, Massey squared off with moonlighting Top Fuel driver
Morgan Lucas. Massey's quick reaction proved to be the difference, as he used a
.013 to .075 starting line advantage to hang on with a 5.336 at 266.48 mph to
Lucas' quicker-but-later 5.333 at 265.95 mph.
Massey's final round opponent would be Duane
Shields. Massey once again gained the jump off the line with a .016 to .032
advantage, but had a fuel leak slow him to a 5.460 at 260.97 mph to Shields'
5.388 at 262.85 mph.
"We had one of the small allen head screws back out
of the fuel pump," said Massey. "It sprayed fuel on the left rear tire and made
it dart over towards the center line. It also didn't let the motor get all the
fuel it needed to run fast, so it hurt us good. You hate to lose on a ten cent
part, but that's drag racing."
The strong showing moved Massey to fourth in
national standings.
"Going into the season we wanted to finish in the
top five, and right now we have a real shot at finishing as high as third,"
stated Massey. "We'll go to Noble in a few weeks and try to pick up some more
points, then on to Pomona to finish out the year."
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