Jim Halsey understands what it’s like to be on the cusp of drag racing history. The veteran Pro Nitrous racer from Havre De Grace, Md., was the first to drive a nitrous doorslammer into the five-second zone during the 2008 season.

Halsey is on the verge of another doorslammer milestone and if all goes well this weekend, he could become the first to drive a nitrous car over 200 miles per hour in 660-feet.

His first shot in qualifying, yielded a 196.76 mile per hour blast, which coupled with a 3.895 elapsed time put him atop the provisional field at the ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags in Valdosta, Ga.

Jim Halsey understands what it’s like to be on the cusp of drag racing history. The veteran Pro Nitrous racer from Havre De Grace, Md., was the first to drive a nitrous doorslammer into the five-second zone during the 2008 season.

Halsey is on the verge of another doorslammer milestone and if all goes well this weekend, he could become the first to drive a nitrous car over 200 miles per hour in 660-feet.

His first shot in qualifying, yielded a 196.76 mile per hour blast, which coupled with a 3.895 elapsed time put him atop the provisional field at the ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags in Valdosta, Ga.

“We’re just concentrating on getting down the race track and if it happens, it happens,” said Halsey, whose Friday first session speed eclipsed the existing 196.42 record.

Halsey established a new speed record last month at the ADRL Dragpalooza in Houston, Tex., with a 198.99 run and backed it up. However, since the race is on rain-delay, the record is not official until the event is completed in July. He will receive his points then.

“We had really good air to work with in Houston,” Halsey said. “The air isn’t nearly as good here this weekend. I think really our best chance is going to come during Saturday morning’s final session.”

Halsey, though running the first 200 isn’t a priority, understands the value to achieving the historical tidbit.

“It would be nice to get it, and to be honest, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if [teammate Pat] Stoken got it,” Halsey explained. “It would be good in my book but first and foremost, I am out here to win a race. That’s pretty good resume stuff and it will happen this year, maybe here, or in the next two races … certainly by the end of the season.”