2006 NHRA JEG'S SPORTSNATIONALS - SAME DAY COVERAGE
“It’s taken me a little while to get comfortable in this new car but this weekend, I was very relaxed and focused,” said Coughlin. “Our crew also did a great job of preparing the car, and making sure that it stayed consistent all weekend. Winning any race is great, but winning a race at your home track, with all of your family and friends with you, is the ultimate.”
Other winners from the sportsman only event were Bo Butner (Comp), Chuck Gallagher (Super Stock), Donnie Beeler (Stock), David Tatum III (Super Comp), Sherman Adcock Jr. (Super Gas) and Rex Davis (Super Street).
Columbus, Ohio
FINAL - Coughlin wins first Top Sportsman title in Columbus
(7-30-2006) – Team JEG'S driver Mike Coughlin was
among the seven champions crowned today at the second annual JEG'S NHRA Northern
SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Columbus. In just his third
competitive outing with his new Chevy Cobalt, Coughlin claimed the Top Sportsman
title with a final round victory over Tommy Turner. Coughlin ran a 7.41-second
elapsed time in the final round to earn his 10th career NHRA national event
victory and his third at National Trail Raceway.
“It’s taken me a
little while to get comfortable in this new car but this weekend, I was very
relaxed and focused,” said Coughlin. “Our crew also did a great job of preparing
the car, and making sure that it stayed consistent all weekend. Winning any race
is great, but winning a race at your home track, with all of your family and
friends with you, is the ultimate.”
Other winners from the sportsman only event were Bo Butner (Comp),
Chuck Gallagher (Super Stock), Donnie Beeler (Stock), David Tatum III (Super
Comp), Sherman Adcock Jr. (Super Gas) and Rex Davis (Super Street).
Butner, of Floyds Knobs, Ind., drove his supercharged Chevy Cavalier past the dragster of Brian Browell in the final after Browell red-lighted.
Gallagher and Beeler claimed their first NHRA victories since the 1990 season with their wins in Super Stock and Stock, respectively. Gallagher, of Holly, Mich., last won the U.S. Nationals title in 1990. He defeated Jimbo Fields of Gallatin, Tenn., in today’s final.
Beeler, who resides in Elizabethtown, Ky., last won the Springnationals at National Trail Raceway 16 years ago. He ended his long dry spell by topping Johnny Fisher of Raleigh, N.C. in the final.
Tatum and Adcock travel together and are both members of the Valvoline Team. In Columbus, Tatum, of Palmetto, Ga., beat Mike Fuqua in the Super Comp final with a perfect 8.900 elapsed time.
Adcock, of Columbus, Ga., drove his Chevy Corvette past the Oldsmobile of David Bishir to win the Super Gas title.
Super Street winner Davis, a local Columbus, Ohio racer won his final round match up against Steve Dillman of Indianapolis, Ind., with a 10.91 elapsed time.Coughlin wins first Top Sportsman title in Columbus
FRIDAY - Pancake wins Hemi Challenge in Columbus
(7-28-2006) – The highlight of Friday’s racing at
the second annual JEG'S NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals was the Mopar Performance
Super Stock Hemi Challenge, which was won by Delaware, Ohio racer Jim Pancake.
Pancake collected the $5,000 first place prize after driving his ’68 Barracuda
to a win over Joey Wilkes of Zanesville, Ohio in the final round. Pancake won
with an 8.86 elapsed time after Wilkes left the starting line too soon and
red-lighted.
Other winners were decided today in the Super Shootout, a
special race for the top eight qualifiers in the Super Comp, Super Gas, and
Super Street categories. Rock Haas claimed the win in Super Comp, Leo Zynda was
the champion in Super Gas, and Marty Goodman emerged as the winner in Super
Street.
The qualifying leaders heading into Saturday’s final
eliminations include Tommy Turner (Top Sportsman), Bo Butner (Comp), Ray
Vierheller (Super Stock), and Robert Schroeder (Stock).
Friday’s busy
scheduled also included class eliminations for competitors in Comp, Super Stock,
and Stock eliminator.
Team Jeg’s drivers John, Mike, and Jeg Coughlin
are all solidly qualified in their respective eliminators. Mike is qualified
fifth in Top Sportsman with his Jeg’s Mail Order Chevy Cobalt and John is seeded
in the 10th spot in the 118-car Super Stock field with his yellow and black
Jeg’s Cavalier. Jeg and John Coughlin are also racing in the Super Comp class
with their matching Team Jeg’s dragsters.
Final eliminations for
the JEG'S NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals are scheduled to get underway on
Saturday at 9 a.m.
The following are Friday's final qualifying and final round results for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Jeg's Northern Sportsnationals at National Trail Raceway:
COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Bo Butner, Clarksville, Ind., '05
Cavalier, AA/SM, 7.180 seconds, -0.720 (under index)
2) Bruno Massel,
Addison, Ill., '07 Cobalt, DD/AT, 7.637, -0.663
3) Lee Zane, Perry Hall, Md.,
'32 Bantam, L/AA, 9.134, -0.576
4) Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23
roadster, J/AA, 7.881, -0.559
5) Vinny Barone, Dix Hills, N.Y., '34 Roadster,
A/SR, 7.930, -0.550
6) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, 7.296,
-0.524
7) Greg Kamplain, Brownsburg, Ind., dragster, C/ED, 7.438,
-0.492
8) David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.428, -0.482
9)
Terry Smith, Williamstown, W.V., '32 Bantam, D/EA, 8.514, -0.466
10) John
Frech, Warren, Ohio, dragster, F/D, 8.267, -0.453
SUPER STOCK
1) Ray Vierheller, Barberton, Ohio, '92
Camaro, SS/BX, 9.639 seconds, -1.211 (under index)
2) Ronnie Terrell, Hebron,
Ky., '85 Camaro, SS/JA, 10.177, -1.123
3) Dave Layer, Dayton, Ohio, '87
Camaro, GT/IA, 10.395, -1.105
4) Ken Shawver, Bryan, Ohio, '78 Firebird,
SS/KA, 10.455, -1.095
5) Charlie Westcott, Parma, Mich., '98 Grand Am, GT/E,
9.706, -1.094
6) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '02 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.471,
-1.079
7) Roger Keeling, Scott Depot, W.V., '02 Firebird, GT/CA, 9.643,
-1.057
8) Steve Smith, Homer, N.Y., '91 Trans Am, GT/FA, 10.050, -1.050
9)
Don Carpenter II, Conway, Pa., '79 Cadillac, SS/PA, 11.923, -1.027
10) John
Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '04 Cavalier, SS/CM, 8.925, -1.025
STOCK
1) Bob Schroeder, Peconic, N.Y., '69 Camaro, B/SA,
10.387 seconds, -1.163 (under index)
2) Rick Winchester, Cincinnati, '73
Camaro, I/SA, 11.470, -1.130
3) Jerry Bennett, Hickory, Ky., '79 Aspen, G/SA,
11.193, -1.107
4) Gary Richard, Bay Shore, N.Y., '69 Camaro, C/SA, 10.612,
-1.088
5) Bruce Witherspoon, Lansing, Mich., '90 Corvette, D/FIA, 11.219,
-1.081
6) Chuck Beach, Delaware, Ohio, '68 Barracuda, G/SA, 11.225,
-1.075
7) Jim Marshall, Scottsville, N.Y., '80 Corvette, F/SA, 11.075,
-1.075
8) John Shaul, Fultonham, N.Y., '64 Fury, A/SA, 10.233, -1.067
9)
Johnny Fisher, Raleigh, N.C., '80 Mirada, K/SA, 11.887, -1.063
10) Ben Wenzel
Sr., Freeland, Mich., '67 Camaro, D/S, 10.758, -1.042
TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Tommy Turner, Naples, Fla.,
'04 Cavalier, 7.029 seconds, 198.64 mph
2) Frank Tamez, Yakima, Wash., '04
Grand Am, 7.098, 195.76
3) Robert Sellers, Daytona Beach, Fla., '06 Avenger,
7.138, 190.97
4) Bill Yates Sr., Johnstown, Ohio, '01 Cavalier, 7.215,
191.24
5) Mike Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '06 Cobalt, 7.368, 188.46
6)
Charlie Edelen, Kettering, Ohio, '02 Camaro, 7.401, 186.25
7) Jim Carlton,
Bradenton, Fla., '04 Corvette, 7.405, 165.97
8) Mitch Smith, Anderson, Ind.,
'06 GTO, 7.421, 185.13
9) Ed Stuart, Pensacola, Fla., '04 Cavalier, 7.766,
180.14
10) Mark Parente, Englishtown, N.J., '05 Grand Am, 7.780, 175.94
Hemi Super Stock Challenge
1) Bucky Hess,
Bunker Hill, W.V., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.818 seconds, -0.982 (under
index)
2) Charlie Westcott Jr., Parma, Mich., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.834,
-0.966
3) Jim Pancake, Delaware, Ohio, '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.869,
-0.931
4) Joey Wilkes, Zanesville, Ohio, '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.931,
-0.869
5) Fred Henson, Madisonville, Texas, '68 Dart, SS/AH, 8.947,
-0.853
6) Joe Teuton Jr, Gray, La., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.986, -0.814
7)
Randy Warford, Nashville, Tenn., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 9.053, -0.747
8) Matt
Hensley, Knoxville, Tenn., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 9.056, -0.744
9) James
Keyes, Durand, Mich., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 9.062, -0.738
10) Mark Howes,
Rothesay, N.B., '68 Dart, SS/AH, 9.101, -0.699
SUPER STREET SHOOTOUT
Jeff Goodman,
Hendersonville, Tenn., '67 Nova, 10.887, 128.20 def.
Mitch Sowers, Columbus,
Ohio, '67 Camaro, foul.
SUPER GAS SHOOTOUT
Leo Zynda, Clinton Township, Mich.,
'90 Cavalier, 9.912, 155.36 def.
David Bishir II, Fort Wayne, Ind., '80
Starfire, 9.899, 132.61.
SUPER COMP SHOOTOUT
Rock Haas, White Lake, Mich.,
dragster, 8.908, 172.25 def.
Gary Kamplain, Brownsburg, Ind., dragster,
foul.
THURSDAY QUALIFYING - Rain, Rain...go away
(7-27-2006) - After a rain delay of nearly four hours, qualifying finally got underway today at the second annual Jeg’s NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio. Due to the rain, competitors in each of the seven NHRA sportsman eliminators got just one qualifying run.
COMP - #1 Qualifier - Bruno Massell
Bruno Massel of Addison, Ill., is currently the No. 1 qualifier in Comp Eliminator with a run of 7.63-seconds in his turbocharged ’06 Chevy Cobalt. Massel is followed by former NHRA national champions Vinny Barone and David Rampy.
SUPER STOCK - #1 Qualifier - Ray Vierheller
In Super Stock, Ohio resident Ray Vierheller sits atop the qualifying list after driving his 92 Camaro to a run of 9.63 seconds. There are nearly 100 drivers racing in Super Stock including Jeg’s driver John Coughlin, who currently sits fifth with his yellow and black Chevy Cavalier. John is also racing his Jeg’s Mail Order Dragster in Super Comp, and is the No. 4 qualifier after one session.
STOCK - #1 Qualifier - Johnny Fisher
The early qualifying leader in Stock Eliminator is Johnny Fisher of Raleigh, N.C., who drove his ’80 Dodge Mirada to an 11.88 elapsed time.
HEMI Challenge - #1 Qualifier - Jim Pancake
Jim Pancake, of Delaware, Ohio, drove his 1968 Barracuda to an 8.869 to lead Thursday's SS/AA Hemi Challenge field.
TOP SPORTSMAN = #1 Qualifier - Frank Tamaz
Frank Tamaz made the long trip from Yakima, Washington and qualified #1 with a 7.103, 195.68.
Qualifying for the Jeg’s NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals will resume Friday at 10 a.m. Tomorrow’s scheduled will also include the Mopar Performance Super Stock Hemi Challenge, which features a 12-car field of Hemi-powered Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Dart factory race cars. Final eliminations will take place on Saturday, July 29.
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