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ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Sept. 16, 2006) - Every round will be crucial - even every qualifying point will matter - when a large Pro Nitrous field begins racing for real on Friday at the FLOWMASTER American Drag Racing League's Eastern Race Fuels DRAGSTOCK III event at Rockingham Raceway.
In addition to competing for an event title at the ADRL's oldest and largest event, a number of Pro Nitrous drivers will have their calculators at the ready to keep track of their chances of qualifying for next month's ADRL Battle for the Belts world championship eliminator. Only the top eight Pro Nitrous points-earners at the conclusion of DRAGSTOCK III eliminations will qualify for the Battle for the Belts competition, which will determine the 2006 ADRL world champion.
As of Monday, 48 Pro Nitrous entry requests for DRAGSTOCK III had been received by the ADRL offices, including entries from nine of the drivers in the current top 10 of the points standings. That list includes the top four drivers in the Pro Nitrous points standings - points leader Keith Baker, Huntsville winner Terry Housley, Burton Auxier, and series veteran Johnny Pilcher - all of whom have clinched places in the Battle for the Belts.
The struggle for the final four positions, though, looks to a dogfight between a number of drivers. The fifth- through seventh- place drivers (Rex Kelley, James Hancock, and Shannon Jenkins) are separated by a mere 10 points, and further back lurk drivers such as Mike Castellana and Harold Martin, who are about one round-win away from the number-eight spot. The competition for places in the Belts run-off looks to be close enough that qualifying points at DRAGSTOCK III - 16 for No. 1, down to 1 for No. 16 - could make the difference for many drivers.
The Pro Nitrous contingent will have a single qualifying session Friday night, followed by two more qualifying attempts on Saturday. The quickest 16 cars will then take a short break before beginning eliminations later that day.
Jenkins won last year's event in the first DRAGSTOCK appearance for the Pro Nitrous class.
ADRL Battle for the Belts points standings
(through 6 of 7 events; top 8 qualify; qualified drivers denoted with *)
PRO EXTREME
1. *Mike Neal 1,564
2. *Bil Clanton 1,473
3. *John Lynam 1,436
4. *Jason Scruggs 1,370
5. Quain Stott 1,244
6. Josh Hernandez 1,154
7. Joey Martin 1,051
8. Todd Tutterow 735
9. Thomas Patterson 719
10. Troy Critchley 718
11. Todd Bauknecht 620
12. Toney Russell 619
13. Chip King 524
14. Bubba Stanton 516
15. Brian Daniels 507
PRO NITROUS
1. *Keith Baker 1,558
2. *Terry Housley 1,437
3. *Burton Auxier 1,362
4. *Johnny Pilcher 1,258
5. Rex Kelley 851
6. James Hancock 843
7. Shannon Jenkins 841
8. Todd Tutterow 836
9. Mike Castellana 736
10. Harold Martin 728
11. Ken Thomas 715
12. R. Weatherford 542
13. Steve Vick 515
14. Aaron Hodges 427
15. Dan Parker 425
Eastern Race Fuels DRAGSTOCK III Pro Nitrous entry list
Stan Allen
Burton Auxier
Keith Baker
Johnny Barb
Jerry Bridgeforth
Dale Brinsfield
Charles Carpenter
Mike Castellana
Steve Cossis
Thomas Dunford
Pererik Fors
Greg Godwin
James Hancock III
Jamie Hancock
Billy Harper
Ronnie Hood
Rod Houck
Terry Housley
Shannon Jenkins
Mike Johnson
Rex Kelly
Kenny Kneece
Ben Ledford
Thomas Lee
Candyce Marsh
Jay Marshall
Harold Martin
Rick Moore
Johnny Murray
Thomas Myers
Chuck Nuytten
Dan Parker
Doug Patton
Johnny Pilcher
Dennis Radford
Doug Riesterer
Harold Robinson
David Roemer
Jeff Simpkins
Rickie Smith
Teddy Smith
Bubba Stanton
Pat Stoken
Annette Summer
Sonny Tindal
Buzz Varner
Steve Vick
Randy Weatherford
Fierce Points Battles Loom for Many Pro Nitrous Drivers
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Sept. 16, 2006) - Every round will be crucial - even every qualifying point will matter - when a large Pro Nitrous field begins racing for real on Friday at the FLOWMASTER American Drag Racing League's Eastern Race Fuels DRAGSTOCK III event at Rockingham Raceway.
In addition to competing for an event title at the ADRL's oldest and largest event, a number of Pro Nitrous drivers will have their calculators at the ready to keep track of their chances of qualifying for next month's ADRL Battle for the Belts world championship eliminator. Only the top eight Pro Nitrous points-earners at the conclusion of DRAGSTOCK III eliminations will qualify for the Battle for the Belts competition, which will determine the 2006 ADRL world champion.
As of Monday, 48 Pro Nitrous entry requests for DRAGSTOCK III had been received by the ADRL offices, including entries from nine of the drivers in the current top 10 of the points standings. That list includes the top four drivers in the Pro Nitrous points standings - points leader Keith Baker, Huntsville winner Terry Housley, Burton Auxier, and series veteran Johnny Pilcher - all of whom have clinched places in the Battle for the Belts.
The struggle for the final four positions, though, looks to a dogfight between a number of drivers. The fifth- through seventh- place drivers (Rex Kelley, James Hancock, and Shannon Jenkins) are separated by a mere 10 points, and further back lurk drivers such as Mike Castellana and Harold Martin, who are about one round-win away from the number-eight spot. The competition for places in the Belts run-off looks to be close enough that qualifying points at DRAGSTOCK III - 16 for No. 1, down to 1 for No. 16 - could make the difference for many drivers.
The Pro Nitrous contingent will have a single qualifying session Friday night, followed by two more qualifying attempts on Saturday. The quickest 16 cars will then take a short break before beginning eliminations later that day.
Jenkins won last year's event in the first DRAGSTOCK appearance for the Pro Nitrous class.
ADRL Battle for the Belts points standings
(through 6 of 7 events; top 8 qualify; qualified drivers denoted with *)
PRO EXTREME
1. *Mike Neal 1,564
2. *Bil Clanton 1,473
3. *John Lynam 1,436
4. *Jason Scruggs 1,370
5. Quain Stott 1,244
6. Josh Hernandez 1,154
7. Joey Martin 1,051
8. Todd Tutterow 735
9. Thomas Patterson 719
10. Troy Critchley 718
11. Todd Bauknecht 620
12. Toney Russell 619
13. Chip King 524
14. Bubba Stanton 516
15. Brian Daniels 507
PRO NITROUS
1. *Keith Baker 1,558
2. *Terry Housley 1,437
3. *Burton Auxier 1,362
4. *Johnny Pilcher 1,258
5. Rex Kelley 851
6. James Hancock 843
7. Shannon Jenkins 841
8. Todd Tutterow 836
9. Mike Castellana 736
10. Harold Martin 728
11. Ken Thomas 715
12. R. Weatherford 542
13. Steve Vick 515
14. Aaron Hodges 427
15. Dan Parker 425
Eastern Race Fuels DRAGSTOCK III Pro Nitrous entry list
Stan Allen
Burton Auxier
Keith Baker
Johnny Barb
Jerry Bridgeforth
Dale Brinsfield
Charles Carpenter
Mike Castellana
Steve Cossis
Thomas Dunford
Pererik Fors
Greg Godwin
James Hancock III
Jamie Hancock
Billy Harper
Ronnie Hood
Rod Houck
Terry Housley
Shannon Jenkins
Mike Johnson
Rex Kelly
Kenny Kneece
Ben Ledford
Thomas Lee
Candyce Marsh
Jay Marshall
Harold Martin
Rick Moore
Johnny Murray
Thomas Myers
Chuck Nuytten
Dan Parker
Doug Patton
Johnny Pilcher
Dennis Radford
Doug Riesterer
Harold Robinson
David Roemer
Jeff Simpkins
Rickie Smith
Teddy Smith
Bubba Stanton
Pat Stoken
Annette Summer
Sonny Tindal
Buzz Varner
Steve Vick
Randy Weatherford
