<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/1/adrl-bftb.gif"align ="left"borders="0"/>
KENNEDALE, Texas (Oct, 13, 2006) - They might have taken different routes to get there, but Bubba Stanton and Keith Baker both ended up right where they wanted to be Friday night: in the Texas Raceway winner's circle, celebrating their 2006 FLOWMASTER American Drag racing League world championships after winning their respective Battle for the Belts eliminators.
Stanton (Pro Extreme) and Baker (Pro Nitrous) each turned away seven other would-be champions to win their first ADRL titles and put the final touches on the 2006 ADRL season. The GetWorkComp.com World Finals continue Saturday with two rounds of qualifying and 16-car eliminators in both Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous, with any points earned during the day counting toward the 2007 ADRL standings.
Stanton was the last man entered into the Pro Extreme field, filling in the No. 8 qualifying spot as the competition's second alternate. He used the opportunity to put together by far his best-ever showing in ADRL competition, opening with a stunning 3.897 to oust points leader Jason Scruggs, following up with a 3.921 to hold off 2005 Pro Extreme champion John Lynam (3.964) in a good semifinals race, then posting a 3.914 to turn back Joshua Hernandez (3.954) in the final.
Stanton's best previous result in ADRL competition was a semifinal finish at this year's Huntsville, Ala., event. His 3.897 in the first round made him just the second driver in ADRL history to dip below 3.9 seconds; the driver in the other lane, Scruggs, did so four weeks ago in Rockingham, N.C.
In contrast to Stanton's alternate-to-champion path, Baker simply picked up where he left off from the seven points-scoring events of the 2006 season. He entered the Battle for the Belts eliminator as the No. 1 qualifier, having scored 1,660 points to outdistance second-place Terry Housley by roughly one and one-half rounds. Friday night, he opened with a 4.10 and an easy win over Harold Martin, ran a 4.11 to beat a red-lighting Shannon Jenkins in the semifinals, then posted a 4.129 to outrun Burton Auxier's off-pace 4.75 in the Pro Nitrous final.
The Belts win was the second ADRL title at Texas Raceway for Baker, who won last year's Saturday eliminator at the season-ending event. He'll get the chance to defend that title Saturday when the top 16 qualifiers determine the 2006 GetWorkComp.com World Finals event winner.
Battle for the Belts eliminations results
(winners on top)
PRO EXTREME
First round
Bubba Stanton 3.897
Jason Scruggs 4.343
John Lynam 4.051
Bil Clanton 4.106
Joshua Hernandez 4.034
Joey Martin 4.062
Mike Neal 4.161
Troy Critchley 6.808
Semifinals
Bubba Stanton 3.921
John Lynam 3.964
Joshua Hernandez 3.942
Mike Neal 6.175
Final
Bubba Stanton 3.914
Joshua Hernandez 3.954
PRO NITROUS
First round
Keith Baker 4.103
Harold Martin 4.743
Shannon Jenkins 4.069
Johnny Pilcher 8.402
Burton Auxier 4.137
James Hancock III 4.479
Rex Kelley 4.103
Terry Housley Centerline
Semifinals
Keith Baker 4.111
Shannon Jenkins Red-light
Burton Auxier 4.645
Rex Kelley Red-light
Final
Keith Baker 4.129
Burton Auxier 4.755
STANTON, BAKER CLAIM 2006 ADRL CHAMPIONSHIPS
KENNEDALE, Texas (Oct, 13, 2006) - They might have taken different routes to get there, but Bubba Stanton and Keith Baker both ended up right where they wanted to be Friday night: in the Texas Raceway winner's circle, celebrating their 2006 FLOWMASTER American Drag racing League world championships after winning their respective Battle for the Belts eliminators.
Stanton (Pro Extreme) and Baker (Pro Nitrous) each turned away seven other would-be champions to win their first ADRL titles and put the final touches on the 2006 ADRL season. The GetWorkComp.com World Finals continue Saturday with two rounds of qualifying and 16-car eliminators in both Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous, with any points earned during the day counting toward the 2007 ADRL standings.
Stanton was the last man entered into the Pro Extreme field, filling in the No. 8 qualifying spot as the competition's second alternate. He used the opportunity to put together by far his best-ever showing in ADRL competition, opening with a stunning 3.897 to oust points leader Jason Scruggs, following up with a 3.921 to hold off 2005 Pro Extreme champion John Lynam (3.964) in a good semifinals race, then posting a 3.914 to turn back Joshua Hernandez (3.954) in the final.
Stanton's best previous result in ADRL competition was a semifinal finish at this year's Huntsville, Ala., event. His 3.897 in the first round made him just the second driver in ADRL history to dip below 3.9 seconds; the driver in the other lane, Scruggs, did so four weeks ago in Rockingham, N.C.
In contrast to Stanton's alternate-to-champion path, Baker simply picked up where he left off from the seven points-scoring events of the 2006 season. He entered the Battle for the Belts eliminator as the No. 1 qualifier, having scored 1,660 points to outdistance second-place Terry Housley by roughly one and one-half rounds. Friday night, he opened with a 4.10 and an easy win over Harold Martin, ran a 4.11 to beat a red-lighting Shannon Jenkins in the semifinals, then posted a 4.129 to outrun Burton Auxier's off-pace 4.75 in the Pro Nitrous final.
The Belts win was the second ADRL title at Texas Raceway for Baker, who won last year's Saturday eliminator at the season-ending event. He'll get the chance to defend that title Saturday when the top 16 qualifiers determine the 2006 GetWorkComp.com World Finals event winner.
Battle for the Belts eliminations results
(winners on top)
PRO EXTREME
First round
Bubba Stanton 3.897
Jason Scruggs 4.343
John Lynam 4.051
Bil Clanton 4.106
Joshua Hernandez 4.034
Joey Martin 4.062
Mike Neal 4.161
Troy Critchley 6.808
Semifinals
Bubba Stanton 3.921
John Lynam 3.964
Joshua Hernandez 3.942
Mike Neal 6.175
Final
Bubba Stanton 3.914
Joshua Hernandez 3.954
PRO NITROUS
First round
Keith Baker 4.103
Harold Martin 4.743
Shannon Jenkins 4.069
Johnny Pilcher 8.402
Burton Auxier 4.137
James Hancock III 4.479
Rex Kelley 4.103
Terry Housley Centerline
Semifinals
Keith Baker 4.111
Shannon Jenkins Red-light
Burton Auxier 4.645
Rex Kelley Red-light
Final
Keith Baker 4.129
Burton Auxier 4.755
