EVENT RESULTS EVENT NOTEBOOK ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS			FRIDAY GALLERY SATURDAY GALLERY SUNDAY GALLERY LIVE VIDEO

 SUNDAY - EVENT NO. 1 IS IN THE BOOKS WITH AN INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR

                    
Sweden’s Adam Flamholc won the first all-international final round in American drag racing history Sunday, beating Puerto Rico’s Raymond Matos to win the Pro Modified championship at Rockingham Dragway’s Dragpalooza IX, the first race in the 2013 American Drag Racing League series.  

Driving a replica 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, Flamholc covered the eighth-mile distance in 3.962 seconds at 189.10 miles per hour to best Matos who, in the semifinals, drove his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda replica to an upset victory over pre-race favorite Rickie Smith, the six-time former IHRA Pro Stock Champion from King, N.C.  

The veteran Flamholc easily was the top performer of the NHRA rules Pro Modified field, qualifying No. 1 and running the quick time of all four competitive rounds including a race day best of 3.871 seconds.  

It was Flamholc’s sixth ADRL final since he shipped his car from Malmo, Sweden in 2011, but his first win.  It likely won’t be his last but it will be his most emotional.

 “My biggest fan was my grandmother,” Flamholc said.  “She passed away two weeks ago and I wand to dedicate this win to her.”  

In addition to Flamholc-Matos, the Pro Nitrous final also had an international flavor insomuch as it involved a pair of cars funded by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, whose drag racing support extends from the Pro Modified classes to Top Alcohol Funny Car and Top Fuel dragster.

No. 1 qualifier Steve Jackson was the winner of the Al-Anabi Racing final, his early model Chevrolet Camaro getting the best of veteran Mike Castellana’s late model.  

 “We’ve dreamed of running against guys Mike (Castellana) and Shannon (Jenkins).  It was an honor just to be in the final,” Jackson said.  “Me and my guys thrive off of pressure and it was just our day.  We had two Al-Anabi cars in the final so even if we had lost, we would have still won.  It was great.”

Other winners were Joey Martin of Milton, Fla., whose 1955 Chevy Nomad replica prevailed in Pro Extreme, John DeFlorian of Arnold, Mo., who benefitted from a final round red light in Extreme Pro Stock; and reigning champion Eric McKinney of Homerville, Ohio, who denied Canadian Terry Schweigert in Extreme Pro Stock Motorcycle.
    
“I’m absolutely thrilled,” DeFlorian said.  “To win the first new ADRL race.  I want to dedicate the win to (the late) Bert Jackson.  We loved him and we miss him.  But, I’ll tell you, I was sick because I thought I screwed up in the final.  I didn’t know (about John Pluchino’s final round red light) until I got to the finish.  I felt so bad for John.  They ran unbelievable all weekend.  But we’ll take the win.  We love it.  We’re glad to be back.”

Martin, whose “Lomad” was the most distinctive vehicle in the field outside of, perhaps,  the Chevy S-10 school bus qualified by Steve George, wore out the field in Pro Extreme, especially 1963 Corvettes.

He beat the ‘63 of former ADRL champion Jason Scruggs of Saltillo, Miss., in round one; the ‘Vette of No. 1 qualifier Von Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn., in the second; the 1969 Camaro of Richard Holt of Giddings, Texas, in the semis; and the ‘63 Corvette of reigning series champion Mick Snyder of Demotte, Ind., for the $7,000 top prize.

Round-by-round results from Sunday’s Dragpalooza IX American Drag Racing League event at Steve Earwood’s Rockingham Dragway:

TOP JR. DRAGSTER – Caleb Russell, Ardmore, Ala., def. Tucker Brown, Blountville, Tenn.

SATURDAY - QUALIFYING IS IN THE BOOKS AT ADRL SEASON OPENER

 Von Smith, driving one of the many cars funded by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, secured the No. 1 qualifying position in the featured Pro Extreme class Saturday in the highlight of the preliminary phase of Dragpalooza IX which continues Sunday at Steve Earwood’s Rockingham Dragway.

Smith, a former NHRA Pro Modified Champion from Oak Ridge, Tenn., stopped the eighth-mile timers in 3.598 seconds at 212.09 miles per hour in his Al-Anabi 1969 Chevy Camaro. Smith’s time was just a tick off the American Drag Racing League records of 3.581 and 212.09 mph.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t such a good day for Smith’s Al-Anabi teammate, Shannon Jenkins, who was uninjured in a spectacular crash on his final qualifying attempt. As a result, the veteran from Tuscaloosa, Ala., will be a spectator Sunday when Smith goes after the first championship of the new ADRL season.

Sunday’s eliminations will begin with Top Dragster and Top Sportsman first rounds at 10 a.m. with the first round of pros at 12:30 p.m. The most unique aspect of the ADRL Series is that general admission tickets are free. Fans pay only for parking, which is $20.

Other No. 1 qualifiers Saturday were Steve Jackson of Martinez, Ga., in Pro Nitrous; Adam Flamholc of Malmo, Sweden, in Pro Modified; John Deflorian of Arnold, Mo., in Extreme Pro Stock; Eric McKinney of Homersville, Ohio, in Extreme Pro Stock Motorcycle; and Chuck Mohn of Fountainville, Pa., in Top Sportsman.

Jenkins wasn’t the only driver to flirt with disaster Saturday. In an earlier accident, Monte Grace of Muscatine, Mo., was uninjured when his Camaro hit the left wall leaving the starting line, careened across the track where it slammed head-on into the rightside guardwall.

Notable among the Top Sportsman qualifiers was 22-year-old Lizzy Musi of Mooresville, N.C., who put her Camaro, a rebuilt version of the one she crashed last year at Bristol, Tenn., in the No. 2 position.

Behind Smith in the Pro Extreme qualifying order was a virtual Who’s Who of Extreme racing including Alex Hossley of Canton, Ill., No. 2 at 3.603 seconds; Tommy D’aprile of Port Charlotte, Fla., No. 3 at 3.614 seconds; and former ADRL champ Bubba Stanton of Potts Camp, Miss., No. 4 at 3.622 seconds.

First round pairings for Sunday’s Dragpalooza IX at Steve Earwood’s Rockingham Dragway, first race in the 2012 American Drag Racing League Series:

PRO EXTREME – 1. Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.598, 212.09 mph, bye; 2. Alex Hossler, Canton, Ill., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.603, 211.33 mph, vs. 15. Mick Snider, Demotte, Ind., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 5.096, 95.66 mph; 3. Tommy D’aprile, Port Charlotte, Fla., 2012 Chevrolet Corvette, 3.614, 208.55 mph, vs. 14. Steve George, Arnold, Mo., 2012 school bus, 5.060, 117.39 mph; 4. Bubba Stanton, Potts Camp, Miss., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.622, 211.56 mph, vs.
13. Stefan Holmberg, Billes Holm, Sweden, 1970 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.643, 149.08 mph; 5. Brandon Snider, Atmore, Ala., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 3.657, 209.62 mph, vs. 12. Richard Holt, Giddings, Texas, 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.910, 189.79 mph; 6. Tim Tindle, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., 2005 Chevrolet Corvette, 3.681, 207.24 mph, vs. 11. Terry Leggett, Pinetown, N.C., 2009 Ford Mustang, 3.878, 196.83 mph; 7. John Stanley, Hagertown, Md., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.691, 209.04 mph, vs. 10. Todd Tutterow, Yadkinville, N.C., 1967 Ford Mustang, 3.727, 204.22 mph; 8. Joey Martin, Milton, Fla., 1955 Chevy Nomad, 3.693, 203.31 mph, vs. 9. Jason Scruggs, Saltillo, Miss., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 3.726, 208.81 mph.

PRO NITROUS – 1. Steve Jackson, Martinez, Ga., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.782, 196.04 mph, vs. 8. John Hall, Coral Springs, Fla., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.934, 192.44 mph; 2. Jim Laurita, Morgantown, West Va., 1970 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.860, 195.73 mph, vs. 7. Mike Castellana, Muttontown, N.Y., 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.933, 192.14 mph; 3. Jason Harris, Pittsboro, N.C., 1968 Pontiac Firebird, 3.877, 192.63 mph, vs. 6. Randy Weatherford, Panville, Va., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.930, 193.35 mph; 4. Pat Stoken, Eureka, Mont., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.905, 193.49 mph, vs. 5. John Decerbo, Canfield, Ohio, 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.926, 186.92 mph.

NHRA PRO MODIFIED – 1. Adam Flamholc, Malmo, Sweden, 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.864, 193.46 mph, bye; 2. Rickie Smith, King, N.C., 2013 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.926, 193.82 mph, vs. 15. Clint Satterfield, Albuquerque, N.M., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 5.098, 101.93 mph; 3. Peter Farber, Baldwinville, N.Y., 1969 Dodge Daytona, 3.929, 193.82 mph, vs. 14. David Hance, Lawrence, N.Y., 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, 4.596, 137.79 mph; 4. Todd Howard, Mocksville, N.C., 2008 Ford Mustang, 3.929, 190.78 mph, vs. 13. Rod Houck, Winston-Salem, N.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.380, 184.47 mph; 5. T.J. Tindle, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., 1967 Shelby Mustang, 3.950, 190.32 mph, vs. 12. Kenny Lang, Grande Pointe, Manitoba, Canada, 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.236, 197.08 mph; 6. Kevin Rivenbark, Wallace, N.C., 2005 Pontiac Firebird, 3.964, 176.01 mph, vs. 11. Doug Winters, Kernersville, N.C., 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air; 4.192, 146.75 mph; 7. Raymond J. Matos, Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, 4.036, 186.30 mph, vs. 10. Larry Higginbotham, Warren, Ohio, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, 4.158, 177.51 mph; 8. Shannon Jenkins, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.061, 187.96 mph, vs. 9. James Linton Jr., Goose Creek, S.C., 1970 Plymouth Duster, 4.128, 185.23 mph.

EXTREME PRO STOCK – 1. John DeFlorian, Arnold, Mo., 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.025, 180.26 mph, bye; 2. John Pluchino, Commack, N.Y., 2006 Ford Escort, 4.034 179.23 mph, vs. 13. Lester Cooper, Laurinburg, N.C., 2009 Ford Mustang, 5.449, 116.16 mph; 3. Cary Goforth, Holdenville, Okla., 2010 Pontiac GXP, 4.038, 180.14 mph, vs. 12. Brian Gahm, Lucasville, Ohio, 2013 Ford Mustang, 4.178, 153.70 mph; 4. Richard Penland, Gastonia, N.C., 2010 Ford Mustang, 4.048, 180.02 mph, vs. 11. John Montecalvo, Center Moriches, N.Y., 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt, 4.161, 175.94 mph; 5. Scott Hintz, Odessa, Texas, 2013 Ford Mustang, 4.066, 179.09 mph, vs. 10. Doug Kirk, Lenore, West Va., 2012 Ford Mustang, 4.125, 177.60 mph; 6. Dean Goforth, Holdenville, Okla., 2010 Pontiac GXP, 4.089, 177.63 mph, vs. 9. Trevor Eman, Pos Chiquito, Aruba, 2011 Ford Mustang, 4.103, 173.90 mph; 7 . Pete Berner, Crete, Ill., 2013 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.066, 177.25 mph, vs. 8. Elijah Morton, Jacksonville, N.C., 2012 Ford Mustang, 4.101, 177.51 mph.

PRO EXTREME MOTORCYCLE (all Suzukis unless otherwise indicated) – 1. Eric McKinney, Homersville, Ohio, 4.071, 177.50 mph, vs. 16. Lamond Payne, Winston-Salem, 4.399, 160.16 mph; 2. Terry Schweigert, Abbotsford, B.C., Canada, 4.129, 172.10 mph, vs. 14. Jack Young, Decatur, Ala., 4.281, 164.35 mph; 3. Ashley Owens, Decatur, Ala., 4.085, 173.01 mph, vs. 14. Monte Campbell, Venice, Fla., 4.271, 163,45 mph; 4. Dave Norris, Bryans Road, Md., 4.093, 171.04 mph, vs. 13. Jay Fisher, Calhoun, Ga., 4.233, 167.80 mph; 5. Richard Gadson, Philadelphia, Pa., 4.133, 171.08 mph, vs. 12. Tyler Wilson, Walnut Cove, N.C., Buell, 4.227, 169.27 mph; 6. Ronald Procopio, Raleigh, N.C., 4.117, 173.05 mph, vs. 11. John Collins, Rocky Mount, N.C., 4.280, 164.79 mph; 7. Scott Gray, Ocala, Fla., 4.129, 175.00 mph, vs. 10. Ryan Schnitz, Decatur, Ind., 4.246, 172.47 mph; 8. Travis Davis, Douglas, Ga., 4.153, 172.52 mph, vs. 9. Kim Morrell, Palm Beach, Fla., 4.166, 168.66 mph.

TOP SPORTSMAN – 1. Chuck Mohn, Fountainville, Pa., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.019, 181.15 mph, vs. 8. Ronnie Proctor, Harpers Ferry, West Va., 2009 Ford Mustang, 4.352, 162.39 mph; 2. Lizzy Musi, Mooresville, N.C., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.103, 176.77 mph, vs. 9. Cheyenne Stanley, Cynthiana, Ky., 2007 Ford Mustang, 4.376, 161.11 mph; 3. John Lassiter, Graham, N.C., 2006 Pontiac GTO, 4.164, 174.98 mph, vs. 10. Dylan Stott, Columbus, N.C., 1967 Ford Mustang, 4.380, 1 mph; 462.49. William Brown III, Chesapeake, Va., 2003 Pontiac Grand Am, 4.217, 170.58 mph, vs. 11. Robert Jones, LaPlata, Md., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 4.392, 163.38 mph; 5. Mark Malcuit, Strasburg, Ohio, 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.233, 172.89 mph, vs. 12. Keith Jackson, Bennettsville, S.C., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.493, 163.59 mph; 6. Jay Cox, Smithfield, N.C., 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, 4.271, 167.09 mph, vs.
13. Jonathan Helms, Bennettsville, S.C., 1990 Ford Mustang, 5.390, 130.35 mph; 7. Brett Nesbitt, Burlington, N.C., 2009 Pontiac GXP, 4.319, 166.97 mph, vs. 14. John Strickland, Harrells, N.C., 1968 Pontiac Firebird, 7.109, 122.32 mph.

FINAL SESSION

SECOND SESSION

SESSION ONE