Vaughn took the measure of Ronnie Davis in the NOS Top Sportsman final, a grand feat considering Davis' Winnebago-backed '63 Corvette wears the number 4 from last season world championship points chase. Vaughn pegged his dial-in dead-on at the wheel of his '69 Camaro to hold off the hard-charging Davis.

A new name graced the Southern Dragway winner's circle in Annihilator Top Dragster competition. With only a 404 cid powered dragster, Kole Pritchett was able to knock on the four-second door with some very low 5-second passes. He didn't need his killer .509 light in the finals, however, as he eased off the throttle to take the win against the misfortune of breakage encountered by Jason Lynch. Lynch kicked off his run with an equally great .510 reaction time, but that was about as far as the hired gun for Mark Horton's Summit dragster was able to roll. He'll be back, as will semi-finalist Edmond Richardson, who was doing double duty this weekend in Top Dragster and Quick Rod.

The Hooker Modified field must look on with grim determination when faced with the top-notch operation of Don Eberly. No stranger to the ways of winning, Eberly appeared dominating in the finals, wheeling his C/EA '96 Cutlass to an easy .501-initiated 5.44 on a 5.38 for the win light. Eberly took advantage of the slowing C/ED dragster driven by Tony Stephenson, the winner of the 2000 Holley All-Star Shootout.

Former Stock World Champion Monty Bogan, Jr. refocused his attention to Lunati Super Stock at the Holley Sportsman season opener, and came out the winner with his SS/PDA-1 '86 Camaro. Bogan used a large starting line advantage to put away the '67 Camaro of Jerry Jennings.

Earl's Stock was a bit more of a surprise, as Gale Pinkston played the waiting game with her G/SA '67 Camaro as Allen Lambert picked up the large handicap start at the wheel of his GF/SA '79 Omni. Pinkston saw the win light as he ran close to his dial-in, forcing the front-wheel drive car to run under after an even start.

IHRA welcomed an already shining star, as the 2000 NHRA Stock World Champion Edmond Richardson burst onto the Holley Sportsman scene with a convincing victory in Dominator Quick Rod. No stranger to heads-up Index racing, Richardson used a slightly better reaction time to oust final round challenger Chad Hedgecock. Watch closely (and be warned!); you may see much more of Richardson on the IHRA tour.

Holley Team G Super Rod came down to a starting line battle as well, with both Clint Lindsey's '64 Corvette and Johnny Labbous, Sr.'s '85 Laser running dead-on the 6.40 class index. Lindsey, who finished No. 4 in the the Division 2 Heat Wave last season took the win to get off to a great headstart for the 2001 title chase.

A pair of Chevy Novas matchup up for the Weiand Hot Rod title. Altough Scott Sanders was able to run slightly closer to the 7.00 index in his '62 Chevy II, Donald Webb was able to get his '70 Nova off the starting line quicker and took the stripe by half a car length.

Driver Hometown R/T Dial E.T. MPH

NOS Top Sportsman
Win Billy Vaughn Knoxville, TN   .522 5.19 5.191 134.83
R/U Ronnie Davis Lilburn, GA     .540 5.05 5.069 139.79

Annihilator Top Dragster
Win Kole Pritchett Grimsley, TN       .509 5.04 5.378 102.41
R/U Jason Lynch     Chapmansboro, TN  .510 broke

Hooker Modified
Win Don Eberly  Brunswick, GA            .501 5.38 5.442 118.70
R/U Tony Stephenson  Willow Spring, NC   .547 4.90 8.483 58.67

Lunati Super Stock
Win Monty Bogan, Jr. Jonesville, SC  .550 6.07 6.141 102.09
R/U Jerry Jennings Tandrum, SC       .653 6.15 6.238 109.82

Earl's Stock
Win Gale Pinkston Shelbyville, TN   .555 7.14 7.167 93.36
R/U Allen Lambert Johns Island, SC  .556 10.57 10.512 66.04

Dominator Quick Rod
Win Edmond Richardson Greenbriar, TN   .419 5.70 5.722 131.81
R/U Chad Hedgecock Louden, TN          .427 5.70 5.729 133.23

Holley Team G Super Rod
Win Clint Lindsey Montgomery, AL             .418 6.40 6.403 116.09
R/U Johnny Labbous, Sr. Goodlettsville, TN   .431 6.40 6.402 113.55

Weiand Hot Rod
Win Donald C Webb Four Oaks, NC   .512 7.00 7.046 93.92
R/U Scott Sanders Dade City, FL.  .597 7.00 7.020 106.60

Pro Modified
Win Jason Scruggs Saltillo, MS  .475  4.031 179.10
R/U Hugh Scott  Alabama         .502  6.381 75.42

Best Appearing Car
Mark Roberts Reddick, FL '63 Corvette Roadster

Saturday E.T. Brackets rained out