Tue, 16 Sep 2008, 09:06 AM Inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals Special Awards

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

CONCORD, N.C. -- Special awards from the Inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals.

K&N Filters Horsepower Challenge award ($3,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock) - Kurt Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., ACDelco Chevy Cobalt, 6.680 seconds, 206.42 mph.

Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle award ($1,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock Motorcycle) - Matt Smith, King, N.C., Nitro Fish Wear Buell, 6.952 seconds, 192.08 mph.

Strange Engineering "Perfectly Strange" performance award ($250 bonus to the first racer in Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street who wins an elimination round by running dead-on their dial-in or index) - Super Stock: Larry Miller Jr., Gettysburg, Pa.; Stock Eliminator: Not contested; Super Comp: Not contested; Super Gas: John Eyer, Cocoa Fla.; Super Street: Not contested.

Hedman Hedders Best Engineered Vehicle ($1,000 to the best engineered vehicle) - KGB Motorsports Top Alcohol Funny Car.

NHRA Best Appearing Car - Racing Against MS Super Stock entry. Driver: Robert Burgin, Cuthbert, Ga.

NHRA Best Appearing Crew - Compact Auto Works Inc. Comp entry. Driver: Lonnie Johnson, Ettrick, Va.

Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship ($3,000 each to Top Fuel and Funny Car's top crew, $1,500 to Pro Stock's top crew, and $750 to Pro Stock Motorcycle's top crew) Driver/crew chief:
Top Fuel: Larry Dixon/Donnie Bender, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco dragster crew
Funny Car: Ashley Force/Dean Antonelli, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang crew
Pro Stock: Kurt Johnson/Kurt Johnson, ACDelco Chevy Cobalt crew
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Eddie Krawiec/Matt Hines, Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson crew