SHRA Crowns 2016 Series Champions
October 1st - Denton, Texas
The final event of the MalloryPrint.com Southwest Heritage Racing Association season brought the tour through the gates of North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas on Saturday, October 1st. The SHRA Championship Finals, presented by Meyer Enterprises, promised to close the season in spectacular form as six series Champions were set to be crowned under the eyes of a capacity crowd at NSD. Over 100 SHRA racers packed the pits ready for action and the Dooley & Sons Nostalgia Eliminator Shootout would highlight qualifying. In this Shootout which is contested during the two qualifying rounds of the final event, the two quickest winning drivers without going under the index return for the final round for a $500 to win purse. Their times in the Shootout also count as their qualifying times for the final event. The pressure was on and it was time to hand out some Dooley & Sons cash!
Dooley & Sons NE1 Shootout
In the 4.65 Alky Digger Nostalgia Eliminator 1 class, the husband and wife duo of Chris & Tera Graves came to the line in the final round of the Dooley & Sons Shootout ready to do battle. Chris Graves made the final by running a "perfect" 4.65 to defeat Tommy Drozd in the first round and Tera Graves scored the second final round position by defeating Larry Bradford with a 4.73. In the final, the cars were off the line almost identically with Tera taking a slight advantage. Side by side they thundered through the lights and the scoreboards read 4.726's a pair with a .006 margin of victory going to Tera Graves as she scored her second straight NE 1 Shootout victory. Congratulations to Tera Graves & Darrell Walden on their Dooley & Sons NE 1 Shootout win.
(Tera Graves - NE 1 Shootout Winner)
NE 1 Shootout Results:
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Dooley & Sons NE2 Shootout
The 5.00 Alky Digger Nostalgia Eliminator 2 category welcomed Stephen Hansen and Bruce Dodson to the final round of the Dooley & Sons NE 2 Shootout. Hansen posted a 5.01 winning elapsed time over Michael Renaker in first round and Dodson's 5.03 earned him a spot in the final after defeating Jeff Allen. At the hit of the throttle, Dodson jumped the tree with a -.015 red light and Stephen Hansen took the win in the Dooley & Sons NE 2 Shootout with a 5.06 at 135 mph. Congratulations to the entire "Punisher" team on their victory.
(Stephen Hansen - NE 2 Shootout Winner)
NE 2 Shootout Results:
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Dooley & Sons NE3 Shootout
The ever so competitive 5.50 Alky Digger Nostalgia Eliminator 3 Dooley & Sons Shootout final came down to finalists Doug Morrison and Gary Mitchell. Morrison was on the hunt for his second Shootout win and made the final by defeating Shane Blanton with a 5.51 elapsed time. Mitchell wowed the crowd after eliminating points leader and friendly rival Josh Moseley with a 5.52 elapsed time in round one. In the final round, Morrison took a slight starting line advantage and both drivers broke out at the big end. Morrison's 5.49 at 123 mph took the win over Mitchell's 5.42 at 120 as Doug Morrison scored his second NE 3 Shootout victory. Thank you to Dooley & Sons Hot Rod Shop for their support of the 2016 Nostalgia Eliminator Shootout!
(Doug Morrison - NE 3 Shootout Winner)
NE 3 Shootout Results:
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Nostalgia Eliminator 1
Richard Brady and the Al Mallory tuned injected slingshot dragster entered the SHRA Championship Finals atop the points standings in the Alky Digger NE 1 category with a comfortable 43 point lead over Chris Graves. Tera Graves was just one point behind husband Chris in third as teams battled for qualifying position. Chris Graves notched his second top qualifying effort of the season with a 4.65 followed by Tommy Drozd with a 4.71 and Clay Cunningham's 4.72 rounding out the top three of the thirteen car field.
The rounds dwindled down to the semi-finals where the top two in points Richard Brady and Chris Graves met in the first pair of the final four. Brady and company had locked up the 2016 SHRA Alky Digger NE 1 Championship by this point and all that was left was bragging rights and possible third straight win for Brady. At the hit of the throttle, Graves spun the tires and Brady lit the scoreboards with a 4.78 at 145 mph to move into the last dance. In the second pair of the semis, Tommy Drozd and Ricky Marshall came to the line. Marshall was in his first NE 1 appearance of the season while Drozd hoped to cap off his year with a win at his home track. Marshall took a healthy lead off the line but quickly had problems and was forced to lift, allowing Drozd to blast by in his blown altered to take the win with a nice 4.68 at 135 mph.
The NE 1 final round brought your 2016 Class Champion Richard Brady to the stage beams up against Tommy Drozd. Drozd was ready for the challenge and blasted off the line with a big starting line advantage, leading the race all the way to the stripe with a 4.76 at 137 mph to Brady's close 4.77 at 142 mph. Brady missed the three-peat after winning the last two straight events, but locked up the Championship with three straight final rounds and two wins to close the season. Drozd scored his first win of the year to cap off the season on a high note. Congratulations to Brady and company on their Alky Digger NE 1 Championship and to Drozd on winning the SHRA Championship Finals! Chris Graves held off wife Tera for second place as Carl Johnson finished fourth and win his win, Tommy Drozd rounded out the season ending top five.
(Richard Brady - NE 1 Champion)
(Tommy Drozd - NE 1 Event Winner)
Nostalgia Eliminator 1 Results:
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Nostalgia Eliminator 2
Alky Digger 5.00 NE 2 competition welcomed seven cars to the ladder in a field led by Jason Scott who had all but mathematically clinched the 2016 NE 2 Championship by attending the SHRA Championship Finals. Scott qualified second with a 5.016 behind Stephen Hansen's 5.012 with Garry Wheeler Jr rounding out the top three with a 5.02 elapsed time.
The semi-finals welcomed top qualifier Hansen to the line against 2015 series Champion Bruce Dodson. At the flash of amber, Hansen's -.007 red light ended his day as Dodson took the win and moved into the final round with a 5.02 at 135 mph. Newly crowned Champion Jason Scott was up next alongside Steve Sicking. Sicking took a slim advantage off the line and the cars were locked side by side through the finish line. The win light lit for Scott as his 5.03 at 135 mph took the stripe over Sicking's close 5.06 at 142 mph.
In the NE 2 final round, Scott was hoping to cap off an unforgettable season with a win over the defending Champ Dodson who posted a runner up finish in the Shootout earlier in the day. Dodson was looking for his second win of the season and got it done as his 5.01 at 135 mph took out Scott's 5.05 at 134 mph. A surely deserving NE 2 Championship goes to Jason Scott who tallied two top qualifiers, four finals and three wins this year. Congratulations to Bruce Dodson on winning the SHRA Championship Finals and to Jason Scott, your 2016 Alky Digger NE 2 Champion. Bruce Dodson finished a solid second with Thomas Hixson, Ron Muncy and Jeff Allen rounding out the final top five.
(Jason Scott - NE 2 Champion)
(Bruce Dodson - NE 2 Event Winner)
Nostalgia Eliminator 2 Results:
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Nostalgia Eliminator 3
Racing was hot and heavy in the Alky Digger NE 3 5.50 index category which welcomed fourteen cars to the property including points leader Josh Moseley, who secured the 2016 Championship with his attendance at the SHRA Championship Finals. Congratulations to Moseley and company on their first SHRA NE 3 Championship as it was now time to battle it out for bragging rights in the final race of the season.
Bobby Bates scored the top qualifying spot with a "perfect" 5.500 followed by Craig Kindiger's 5.506. Bob Scoggins, Doug Morrison and Robert Springstead rounded out the top five qualifiers as the teams were paired for eliminations. Bates met number two in points Dustin Bradford in the first pair of the semi-finals where Bradford went -.017 red and could do nothing but watch Bates move into the final round with a 5.51 at 121 mph. In the other half of the semis, Doug Morrison and Robert Springstead came to the line. Morrison's winning streak continued after his win in the Shootout, as he used a 5.51 at 124 mph to defeat Springstead's red lighting 5.55 at 119 mph.
The final round was a close one with Morrison taking a huge starting line advantage with a .004 reaction time. Morrison held the lead through the stripe with a winning 5.54 at 116 mph to Bates' 5.50 at 120 mph as Morrison earned this one on the starting line and doubled up to win not only the Dooley & Sons NE 3 Shootout but the SHRA Championship Finals as well. Congratulations to Morrison and company on a perfect finish to the season and to Josh Moseley, who bowed out in round one, but held off the competition to claim his first SHRA Alky Digger NE 3 Championship! Dustin Bradford posted a respectful second place with Doug Morrison, Robert Springstead and Bobby Bates rounding out the final top five.
(Josh Moseley - NE 3 Champion)
(Doug Morrison - NE 3 Event Winner)
Nostalgia Eliminator 3 Results:
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Old School No Electronics
The SHRA Championship Finals brought 33 cars to first round and Jim Baughan with the feared blue 1937 Ford Coupe had his second straight class Championship locked up. Three wins to this point had given him the lead he needed and the mission now was to cap off the year with a fourth. In third round competition, Baughan met his match in Jay Casey as the quarter-finals were now set.
Casey drew Roy Cullison in the first pair with five cars left. Cullison had issues off the line and Casey's 6.58 on a 6.48 took the win. Dustin Bradford, also running in NE 3, posted a 5.48 on a 5.47 to take out Steve Trevatham's 7.07 on a 7.12 dial. Robert Rankin earned the bye run as three cars were left in competition. The semi-finals welcomed Rankin and Casey to the line as Rankin was dead on 7.27 to put Casey's break out 6.44 on a 6.48 dial on the trailer. Rankin was hungry for his second SHRA win after winning the 2015 Little River Dragway event. Bradford had the bye run and posted a 5.48 on a 5.47 as a great drag race was set for the final of Old School No Electronics.
Rankin stuck with his 7.27 dial in the final round and left the line with a .034 reaction time as Bradford waited to chase him down. Bradford had the better light with a .013 reaction time and at the stripe his 5.49 on a 5.48 dial took home the win at the SHRA Championship Finals, after a semi-final finish in NE 3. Congratulations to Dustin Bradford on the win and to Jim Baughan on defending his Old School No Electronics SHRA Championship! Jason Marshall finished a solid second with Michael Rhea, Timothy Lyons and Stephen Foster finishing out the top five at seasons end.
(Jim Baughan - No Electronics Champion)
(Dustin Bradford - No Electronics Event Winner)
Old School Electronics
Old School Electronics hosted a twenty eight car field with Alex Garca entering the event leading the points comfortably looking to score his second straight class Championship. In first round, Brent Lancaster ran a dead on 6.46 to take out Garca's 6.76 on a 6.70 dial but despite the loss, Garca's points lead kept him atop the pack and he was crowned 2016 Old School Electronics Class Champion!
By the semi-finals, Lancaster's winning streak was still alive as he lined up with Mike Caknupp. Caknupp was dialed 6.46 to Lancaster's 6.43 but at the starting line Lancaster's -.058 red gave Caknupp the ticket to his first final round of the season. In the final pair of the semis, Texas Raceway winner Curtis Wells met Michael Rhea. Rhea was .009 on the tree and dialed 5.95, but his 6.00 was no match for Wells' 6.76 on a 6.75 dial as Caknupp and Wells were final round bound.
In the final, Wells dialed a 6.74 and Caknupp held with his 6.46 from the previous round. Wells had the better reaction time and his 6.78 was enough to hold off Caknupp's 6.45 breakout run as Wells scored his second SHRA Old School Electronics win of the season! Ricky Marshall secured a respectable second place finish on the season with Dean Johnson, Bobby Taylor and Bobby Stevens rounding out the top five.
(Alex Garca - Electronics Champion)
(Curtis Wells - Electronics Event Winner)
Nostalgia Super Stock
Nostalgia Super Stock hosted the most heated Championship battle to the SHRA Championship Finals with just eleven points separating four drivers. Defending Champion Vic Corlett held a one point lead over David Ardoin with Doug Watkins and Tony Smith hot on their heels. Ronnie Smith scored his third top qualifying effort of the year as the cars headed into eliminations of an eleven car field.
Corlett suffered a first round lost with a -.095 red light while Ardoin, Watkins and Smith all advanced to round two. Tony Smith and Doug Watkins faced off in round two with Smith taking the win with a 7.08 on a 7.05 dial to Watkins' 6.45 on a 6.41 dial. Ardoin also won his second round pairing over top qualifier Ronnie Smith.
In the race that would prove critical in the Championship battle, Tony Smith and David Ardoin brought their machines to the line. Smith would leave first with a 7.05 dial and .028 reaction time while Ardoin's .101 reaction time had him behind early. At the stripe, Smith's 7.13 on a 7.05 took the win over Ardoin's 6.53 on a 6.41 dial and with a guaranteed final round finish, Tony Smith secured the 2016 SHRA Nostalgia Super Stock Championship. Kent Morris joined Smith in the final round with a bye run, 6.09 on a 6.08.
In the final, Morris had issues off the line while Smith took a green light and posted a 7.06 on a 7.05 dial to claim victory at the SHRA Championship Finals to cap off his dream weekend in securing the series Championship. Congratulations to Tony Smith on a big night to close out the 2016 racing season.
(Tony Smith - NSS Champion & Event Winner)
Congratulations to all the winners of the Dooley & Sons Shootouts, SHRA Championship Finals and SHRA Class Championships! The SHRA yet again set new attendance record marks for car count and set the bar as the largest and quickest growing drag racing series of the Southwest. The staff and racers at the SHRA would like to thank MalloryPrint.com, Alky Digger, Dooley & Sons, Mears Mazda Volvo, Lone Star Forklift, Equipment Sales & Service of Texas, Meyer Enterprises, Passtime GPS, Don Hardy Race Engines, Stroud Safety, Hagerty Collector Car Insurance, Bubba's Tow, Neil & Parks Racing Enterprises, Bad Behavior Racing, Lenamond Auto Supply, Gary's Muffler and Max Cackle Photos.com for their support of the 2016 racing season.
Click Here to see photos from Denton!
