<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/Pilcher.jpg" alt="Pilcher" align="right"borders="0"/>
VALDOSTA, Ga. (May 5, 2007) - It took more than two years, but Johnny Pilcher can finally say that he is back on top of the Pro Nitrous ranks.
In a rematch of the first Pro Nitrous final round in Flowmaster American Drag Racing history, Pilcher edged Rickie Smith, 4.029 to 4.045, Saturday night in the final of the Camp Motorsport ADRL Georgia Drags to claim his first ADRL event title since he beat Smith in February of 2005 for the Pro Nitrous title in Hattiesburg, Miss. The Georgia Drags win also vaulted Pilcher to the top spot of the AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts points standings.
Joining Pilcher in the South Georgia Motorsports Park winner's circle Saturday evening were first-time ADRL event winners Joe Baker (Pro Extreme), Mike Hill (Extreme 10.5), and Steve Drake (Pro Extreme Motorcycle).
Pilcher, the only Pro Nitrous or Pro Extreme driver to qualify for every eliminations field in the ADRL's history, qualified No. 6 with a 4.076 best in a tight Pro Nitrous field before breaking loose in eliminations. His event almost ended in the first round, where he needed a slight starting-line advantage to edge Rod Houck by .001-second, 4.120 to 4.111. From that point, Pilcher got quicker in every round, running a 4.08 to beat four-time ADRL event winner
Shannon Jenkins in the quarterfinals, improving to a 4.04 to oust 2006 ADRL world champion Keith Baker in the semi's, and capping the night off with his 4.02 - low e.t. of the event - to win the final against Smith.
In Pro Extreme, Baker ran a 3.981 best during qualifying to just miss reaching the top half of the field. He opened eliminations with two clutch holeshot wins to reach the semifinals, edging Smith (3.997 to 3.991) and No. 1 qualifier Jason Scruggs (3.977 to 3.974) in two heart-stopping races - and giving Smith the distinction of losing to both the eventual Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous event-winners.
Like Pilcher, Baker kept getting quicker with every round. He ran a 3.96 to get past Tommy D'Aprile in the semi's, then capped off a career-defining outing with a 3.95 to 3.98 win over fellow first-time ADRL finalist Travis Swearingen.
The ADRL's second Extreme 10.5 event ended with an extremely consistent Hill scoring a holeshot win over Todd Tutterow, 4.386 to 4.368. It was Hill's third straight 4.38 in the three eliminations rounds, which included consecutive 4.384s in his first- and second-round wins over Bill Jewett and Houston winner Rodney Rosenstiel, respectively. Hill's '63 Corvette was also bracket-like in terms of speed: his three mph marks in eliminations were 170.39, 170.02, and 170.49.
After getting rained out in its scheduled debut in Montgomery, the ADRL's new Pro Extreme Motorcycle class finally completed its first event (which also made the Georgia Drags the ADRL's first-ever four-class event). Drake picked up an easier-than-expected win when final-round opponent Coodee Thomas went red, but his 4.37 at 165 mph would have been tough to beat under any circumstances.
Along with Pilcher, the ADRL established new points leaders in two of its other professional classes. Joshua Hernandez moved to the top of the AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts standings in Pro Extreme, and Drake became the ADRL's first-ever points leader in Pro Extreme Motorcycle. Rosenstiel, a semifinals loser at SGMP, retained his lead in the Extreme 10.5 class.
2006 ADRL World Finals
The Camp Motorsport Georgia Drags also served as the final stop of a seven-month odyssey for the 2006 GetWorkComp.com ADRL World Finals, which ended up being contested at three different facilities before its winners were finally determined.
Hernandez (Pro Extreme) and Terry Housley (Pro Nitrous) each won a single race Saturday afternoon to emerge as the event's long-delayed winners. Hernandez, with a 3.92, outran a tire-smoking Dwayne Watkins to win his first ADRL event title, while Housley beat Harold Martin, 4.15 to 4.20, to score his second career Pro Nitrous win.
The World Finals were originally rained out during the second round of eliminations last October at Kennedale, Texas. The first attempt at a make-up date, last February in Montgomery, was also weathered out (as was the entire event) when the SpeedTech Winter Drags were called off. Last month, a second attempt to complete the race in Montgomery resulted in the World Finals semifinals being completed before the Shelor.com Spring Drags were halted by rain.
In addition to determining the event's winners, the completion of the ADRL World Finals enabled all of the Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous drivers who reached eliminations to receive their points in the AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts competition. The results from the 2006 World Finals will be added to the 2007 Battle for the Belts standings.
Eliminations results
Pro Extreme
(winner on top; sorted by quickest e.t.)
First round
Quain Stott 3.854
Joshua Hernandez 5.007
Herman Sheppard 3.995
John Lynam 4.040
Travis Swearingen 3.996
Michael Neal 4.020
Joe Baker 3.997
Rickie Smith 3.991
Tommy D'Aprile 4.017
Frankie Taylor broke
Bryan Dyar 4.035
Chip King 4.626
Mike Bell 4.063
Bil Clanton 4.386
Jason Scruggs 4.214
Mel Eaves 7.949
Quarterfinals
Joe Baker 3.977
Jason Scruggs 3.974
Tommy D'Aprile 3.981
Herman Sheppard 4.281
Travis Swearingen 3.995
Bryan Dyar 4.010
Mike Bell 4.052
Quain Stott 4.249
Semifinals
Joe Baker 3.963
Tommy D'Aprile 4.052
Travis Swearingen 3.991
Mike Bell 4.035
Final
Joe Baker 3.951
Travis Swearingen 3.982
Pro Nitrous
(winner on top; sorted by quickest e.t.)
First round
Shannon Jenkins 4.047
Burton Auxier 4.565
Rickie Smith 4.090
Greg Godwin 4.108
Mike Lockwood 4.098
Charles Carpenter 5.913
Keith Baker 4.102
Terry Housley 4.158
Randy Weatherford 4.111
Jamie Hancock 4.128
Thomas Myers 4.115
Mike Castellana 5.545
Johnny Pilcher 4.120
Rod Houck 4.111
Dennis Radford 4.134
Stan Allen 5.655
Quarterfinals
Rickie Smith 4.066
Thomas Myers 4.116
Johnny Pilcher 4.084
Shannon Jenkins 5.233
Dennis Radford 4.113
Mike Lockwood 4.104
Keith Baker 4.188
Randy Weatherford 4.082
Semifinals
Johnny Pilcher 4.049
Keith Baker 4.090
Rickie Smith 4.072
Dennis Radford 5.509
Final
Johnny Pilcher 4.029
Rickie Smith 4.045
Extreme 10.5
(winner on top; sorted by quickest e.t.)
First round
Mike Hill 4.384
Bill Jewett 4.451
Rodney Rosenstiel 4.401
Steve Gorman 4.508
Todd Tutterow 4.405
Taylor Lastor 4.662
Joey Martin 4.482
Kenny Kneece 4.500
Semifinals
Todd Tutterow 4.380
Joey Martin 4.574
Mike Hill 4.384
Rodney Rosenstiel 4.883
Final
Mike Hill 4.386
Todd Tutterow 4.368
AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts points standings
(through 3 of 8 events; all points pending ADRL approval)
Pro Extreme
1. Joshua Hernandez 992
2. Mike Bell 868
3. John Lynam 788
4. Joe Baker 663
5. Travis Swearingen 574
6. Bubba Stanton 573
7. Jason Scruggs 481
8. Bobby Booth 473
9. Dwayne Watkins 463
10. Brandon Pesz 435
11. Bil Clanton 383
12. Herman Sheppard 356
13. Tommy D'Aprile 338
14. Todd Tutterow 266
15. Frankie Taylor 263
Pro Nitrous
1. Johnny Pilcher 981
2. Terry Housley 869
3. Shannon Jenkins 782
4. Thomas Myers 764
5. Keith Baker 678
6. Dennis Radford 676
7. Charles Carpenter 671
8. Burton Auxier 585
9. Rickie Smith 573
10. Harold Martin 565
11. Stan Allen 478
12. Randy Weatherford 359
13. Billy Harper 344
14. Mike Castellana 282
15. Rod Houck 261
Extreme 10.5
1. Rodney Rosenstiel 663
2. Mike Hill 431
3. Bill Jewett 354
4. Todd Tutterow 333
5. Marcus Birt 329
6. Mary Baltzell 232
7. Joey Martin 229
8. Steve Kirk Jr. 158
9. Kenny Kneece 130
Michelle Wilson 130
About the FLOWMASTER ADRL
Based in O'Fallon, Mo., the American Drag Racing League is the
nation's premier sanctioning body for the sport of eighth-mile drag
racing. The professional categories featured in the ADRL are Pro
Extreme Motorcycle Extreme 10.5, Pro Nitrous, and the quickest
doorslammer class in all of drag racing: Pro Extreme. The 2007
Flowmaster ADRL series will consist of eight events run throughout the
United States. For more information on the ADRL, visit [ American Drag Racing League ].
For more information on Flowmaster, visit Flowmaster, Inc..
Photo courtesy CompetioionPlus.com
Pilcher Back on Top in Pro Nitrous; Baker, Hill, and Drake Score First Wins
VALDOSTA, Ga. (May 5, 2007) - It took more than two years, but Johnny Pilcher can finally say that he is back on top of the Pro Nitrous ranks.
In a rematch of the first Pro Nitrous final round in Flowmaster American Drag Racing history, Pilcher edged Rickie Smith, 4.029 to 4.045, Saturday night in the final of the Camp Motorsport ADRL Georgia Drags to claim his first ADRL event title since he beat Smith in February of 2005 for the Pro Nitrous title in Hattiesburg, Miss. The Georgia Drags win also vaulted Pilcher to the top spot of the AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts points standings.
Joining Pilcher in the South Georgia Motorsports Park winner's circle Saturday evening were first-time ADRL event winners Joe Baker (Pro Extreme), Mike Hill (Extreme 10.5), and Steve Drake (Pro Extreme Motorcycle).
Pilcher, the only Pro Nitrous or Pro Extreme driver to qualify for every eliminations field in the ADRL's history, qualified No. 6 with a 4.076 best in a tight Pro Nitrous field before breaking loose in eliminations. His event almost ended in the first round, where he needed a slight starting-line advantage to edge Rod Houck by .001-second, 4.120 to 4.111. From that point, Pilcher got quicker in every round, running a 4.08 to beat four-time ADRL event winner
Shannon Jenkins in the quarterfinals, improving to a 4.04 to oust 2006 ADRL world champion Keith Baker in the semi's, and capping the night off with his 4.02 - low e.t. of the event - to win the final against Smith.
In Pro Extreme, Baker ran a 3.981 best during qualifying to just miss reaching the top half of the field. He opened eliminations with two clutch holeshot wins to reach the semifinals, edging Smith (3.997 to 3.991) and No. 1 qualifier Jason Scruggs (3.977 to 3.974) in two heart-stopping races - and giving Smith the distinction of losing to both the eventual Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous event-winners.
Like Pilcher, Baker kept getting quicker with every round. He ran a 3.96 to get past Tommy D'Aprile in the semi's, then capped off a career-defining outing with a 3.95 to 3.98 win over fellow first-time ADRL finalist Travis Swearingen.
The ADRL's second Extreme 10.5 event ended with an extremely consistent Hill scoring a holeshot win over Todd Tutterow, 4.386 to 4.368. It was Hill's third straight 4.38 in the three eliminations rounds, which included consecutive 4.384s in his first- and second-round wins over Bill Jewett and Houston winner Rodney Rosenstiel, respectively. Hill's '63 Corvette was also bracket-like in terms of speed: his three mph marks in eliminations were 170.39, 170.02, and 170.49.
After getting rained out in its scheduled debut in Montgomery, the ADRL's new Pro Extreme Motorcycle class finally completed its first event (which also made the Georgia Drags the ADRL's first-ever four-class event). Drake picked up an easier-than-expected win when final-round opponent Coodee Thomas went red, but his 4.37 at 165 mph would have been tough to beat under any circumstances.
Along with Pilcher, the ADRL established new points leaders in two of its other professional classes. Joshua Hernandez moved to the top of the AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts standings in Pro Extreme, and Drake became the ADRL's first-ever points leader in Pro Extreme Motorcycle. Rosenstiel, a semifinals loser at SGMP, retained his lead in the Extreme 10.5 class.
2006 ADRL World Finals
The Camp Motorsport Georgia Drags also served as the final stop of a seven-month odyssey for the 2006 GetWorkComp.com ADRL World Finals, which ended up being contested at three different facilities before its winners were finally determined.
Hernandez (Pro Extreme) and Terry Housley (Pro Nitrous) each won a single race Saturday afternoon to emerge as the event's long-delayed winners. Hernandez, with a 3.92, outran a tire-smoking Dwayne Watkins to win his first ADRL event title, while Housley beat Harold Martin, 4.15 to 4.20, to score his second career Pro Nitrous win.
The World Finals were originally rained out during the second round of eliminations last October at Kennedale, Texas. The first attempt at a make-up date, last February in Montgomery, was also weathered out (as was the entire event) when the SpeedTech Winter Drags were called off. Last month, a second attempt to complete the race in Montgomery resulted in the World Finals semifinals being completed before the Shelor.com Spring Drags were halted by rain.
In addition to determining the event's winners, the completion of the ADRL World Finals enabled all of the Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous drivers who reached eliminations to receive their points in the AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts competition. The results from the 2006 World Finals will be added to the 2007 Battle for the Belts standings.
Eliminations results
Pro Extreme
(winner on top; sorted by quickest e.t.)
First round
Quain Stott 3.854
Joshua Hernandez 5.007
Herman Sheppard 3.995
John Lynam 4.040
Travis Swearingen 3.996
Michael Neal 4.020
Joe Baker 3.997
Rickie Smith 3.991
Tommy D'Aprile 4.017
Frankie Taylor broke
Bryan Dyar 4.035
Chip King 4.626
Mike Bell 4.063
Bil Clanton 4.386
Jason Scruggs 4.214
Mel Eaves 7.949
Quarterfinals
Joe Baker 3.977
Jason Scruggs 3.974
Tommy D'Aprile 3.981
Herman Sheppard 4.281
Travis Swearingen 3.995
Bryan Dyar 4.010
Mike Bell 4.052
Quain Stott 4.249
Semifinals
Joe Baker 3.963
Tommy D'Aprile 4.052
Travis Swearingen 3.991
Mike Bell 4.035
Final
Joe Baker 3.951
Travis Swearingen 3.982
Pro Nitrous
(winner on top; sorted by quickest e.t.)
First round
Shannon Jenkins 4.047
Burton Auxier 4.565
Rickie Smith 4.090
Greg Godwin 4.108
Mike Lockwood 4.098
Charles Carpenter 5.913
Keith Baker 4.102
Terry Housley 4.158
Randy Weatherford 4.111
Jamie Hancock 4.128
Thomas Myers 4.115
Mike Castellana 5.545
Johnny Pilcher 4.120
Rod Houck 4.111
Dennis Radford 4.134
Stan Allen 5.655
Quarterfinals
Rickie Smith 4.066
Thomas Myers 4.116
Johnny Pilcher 4.084
Shannon Jenkins 5.233
Dennis Radford 4.113
Mike Lockwood 4.104
Keith Baker 4.188
Randy Weatherford 4.082
Semifinals
Johnny Pilcher 4.049
Keith Baker 4.090
Rickie Smith 4.072
Dennis Radford 5.509
Final
Johnny Pilcher 4.029
Rickie Smith 4.045
Extreme 10.5
(winner on top; sorted by quickest e.t.)
First round
Mike Hill 4.384
Bill Jewett 4.451
Rodney Rosenstiel 4.401
Steve Gorman 4.508
Todd Tutterow 4.405
Taylor Lastor 4.662
Joey Martin 4.482
Kenny Kneece 4.500
Semifinals
Todd Tutterow 4.380
Joey Martin 4.574
Mike Hill 4.384
Rodney Rosenstiel 4.883
Final
Mike Hill 4.386
Todd Tutterow 4.368
AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts points standings
(through 3 of 8 events; all points pending ADRL approval)
Pro Extreme
1. Joshua Hernandez 992
2. Mike Bell 868
3. John Lynam 788
4. Joe Baker 663
5. Travis Swearingen 574
6. Bubba Stanton 573
7. Jason Scruggs 481
8. Bobby Booth 473
9. Dwayne Watkins 463
10. Brandon Pesz 435
11. Bil Clanton 383
12. Herman Sheppard 356
13. Tommy D'Aprile 338
14. Todd Tutterow 266
15. Frankie Taylor 263
Pro Nitrous
1. Johnny Pilcher 981
2. Terry Housley 869
3. Shannon Jenkins 782
4. Thomas Myers 764
5. Keith Baker 678
6. Dennis Radford 676
7. Charles Carpenter 671
8. Burton Auxier 585
9. Rickie Smith 573
10. Harold Martin 565
11. Stan Allen 478
12. Randy Weatherford 359
13. Billy Harper 344
14. Mike Castellana 282
15. Rod Houck 261
Extreme 10.5
1. Rodney Rosenstiel 663
2. Mike Hill 431
3. Bill Jewett 354
4. Todd Tutterow 333
5. Marcus Birt 329
6. Mary Baltzell 232
7. Joey Martin 229
8. Steve Kirk Jr. 158
9. Kenny Kneece 130
Michelle Wilson 130
About the FLOWMASTER ADRL
Based in O'Fallon, Mo., the American Drag Racing League is the
nation's premier sanctioning body for the sport of eighth-mile drag
racing. The professional categories featured in the ADRL are Pro
Extreme Motorcycle Extreme 10.5, Pro Nitrous, and the quickest
doorslammer class in all of drag racing: Pro Extreme. The 2007
Flowmaster ADRL series will consist of eight events run throughout the
United States. For more information on the ADRL, visit [ American Drag Racing League ].
For more information on Flowmaster, visit Flowmaster, Inc..
Photo courtesy CompetioionPlus.com
