Mon, Mar 8, 07:43 AM Howard, Branch, Roberts take Federal-Mogul Titles in Houston

By Rick Green

BAYTOWN, Texas - Shelly Howard put together three consistent rounds today to win the first of six Division IV Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series events. The Tulsa, Okla. driver beat Troy Buff in the final with a 5.713-second elapsed time at 251.04 miles-per-hour, while Buff slowed to a 5.901 seconds pass at 236.65 mile-per-hour. Buff had been the quickest dragster in the previous two rounds. Number one qualifier Darrell Russell was upset in round one when he lost an engine.

Tate Branch is the only defending event champion to successfully defend his title. Branch from Artesia, N.M. beat Jackie Stidham in the final with a pass of 5.790 seconds at 249.93 miles-per-hour to the Chickasha, Okla. driver's 5.955 second at 248.82 miles-per-hour run down the quarter mile. In doing so Branch spoiled Stidham from a making a clean sweep in the Federal-Mogul Funny Car category. He was number one qualifier with low elapsed time and top speed of the event.

In Competition Eliminator Greg Williams beat Bill Kent in the final when Kent left before the green light. In the semi-finals Williams, from Carthage, Texas, beat defending event champion Ruben Celedon. In the other semi-final Kent won against Arthur Sauceda who got out of the groove right at the finish line and hit the wall. The C/D dragster then barrel rolled about five times, but Sauceda escaped the incident uninjured. Dennis Smiley was number one qualifier in his B/ED dragster and reset the record with his 7.052 pass.

Rusty Hall in his 1967 Fairlane beat Korey Mawhee in the Super Stock final. He had great 0.508 light and ran a 10.151 seconds elapsed time on a 10.06 dial in to Mawhee's 9.924 seconds elapsed time on a 9.86 dial in. The only record set in Super Stock was Tom Lundstedt from Grand Prairie, Texas in SS/I with a 10.060-second elapsed time in his 1967 Camaro.

Dale Hulquist stopped Tommy Phillips from doubling up when he took the Stock title with a 10.989-second elapsed time on a 10.97 dial in, Phillips broke out. Phillips did take the Super Comp title where he was number two in the world last year. The Mesquite, Texas driver got the win light when Jerry Mungle left the starting line .001 too soon.

Carl Cochran with his great 0.405 reaction time beat John Brinner in the Super Gas final. Don Holcomb won the Super Street Title when Jerry Virgadamo turned on the red light.

Federal-Mogul Division IV racing action will resume next week when the tour travels to State Capitol Dragway in Baton Rouge, La. for their second of six South Central Division events this year.



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