Mon, 2 Oct 2000, 11:56 AM Look out Pomona, Emmons On His Way!

Courtesy of NHRA Marketing West Point Grad Going To Pomona

ENNIS, Texas -- More than 550 racers are expected to filter through the gates at the legendary Texas Motorplex this weekend for the NHRA Summit Racing Series South-Central Division Finals. A total of 15 tracks will compete for team honors, with defending champion Thunder Valley Raceway expecting challenges from Houston Raceway Park, host Texas Motorplex, and the popular Texas "Killer Bees" Raceway.

Saturday's action will consist of time trials for most participants, but three individual event titles will be on the line: High School Eliminator, Race of Champions/Electronics, and Race of Champions/Non-Electronics. Detailed below are the drivers who will contest Saturday's competition.

High School
Kyle Bailey, Hallsville Raceway
Kyle Boswell, Texas Motorplex
Daniel Budspeth, Houston Raceway Park
David Burrow, Texas Raceway
Mario Cantu, International Racetrack
Jessica Carr, Twin City Drags
Jason Dennis, Idalou Motorsports Park
Jim Graves Jr., State Capitol Dragway
Aaron Jones, Paris Dragstrip
Ricky McNeil, Texhoma Motorplex
Tim Wilson, Thunder Valley Raceway Park

Race of Champions/Electronics
Kevin Bracey, Idalou Motorsports Park
David Callaway, Albuquerque Raceway
Armondo Garcia, International Racetrack
Ted Grimes, Twin City Drags
Wayne Henry, State Capitol Dragway
Deidra Jallo, Paris Dragstrip
Henery Keele, Alamo Raceway
Ty Lafferty, Amarillo Dragway
Daniel Martinez Jr., Houston Raceway Park
Skip Rice, Thunder Valley Raceway Park
Johnny Richmond, Texhoma Motorplex
Jimmy Smith, Memphis Motorsports Park
Lyle Vandell, Texas Motorplex
Rodger Warren, Hallsville Raceway
Ron Watson, Texas Raceway

Race of Champions/Non-Electronics
Charles Dickenson, Texas Motorplex
Danny Doyle, Hallsville Raceway
Brandon Hernandez, International Racetrack
Chris Jackson, Twin City Drags
Rick Murray, Paris Dragstrip
Jesse O'Neal, Alamo Raceway
Charles Olinde, State Capitol Dragway
Jason Patterson, Houston Raceway Park
Rodney Pope, Idalou Motorsports Park
Johnny Richmond, Texhoma Motorplex
Billy Simpson, Texas Raceway
Tim Wilson, Thunder Valley Raceway Park
Quincy Yarborough, Amarillo Dragway

When does four go into three? That was the dilemma facing the track operators Friday evening when determining how to get three drivers from the four car categories at the Motorlex to qualify for the National championship at Pomona Raceway. At the NHRA South-Central Finals, four car categories are contested: Super Pro, Pro, Non-Electronic Quick, and Non-Electronic Street. The track operators quickly determined that the winners in Super and Pro from Sunday's eliminations would automatically qualify for the National championship. In a unanimous decision, the track operators decided the individual winners from Sunday's racing in Non-Electronic Quick and Non-Electronic Street will face off in the final race of the day to determine who goes to Pomona.

Motorcycle is no less complicated in the NHRA South-Central Division. Through 2000 the motorcycle racers have been scoring points at the six NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series events held in the division. The top eight riders have been invited to the Texas Motorplex to determine who will represent the division at the national championship in Pomona in a true, winner-takes-all shootout.

Race of Champions

Two years into his racing career and young David Burrow already has a major-event title to his credit. Facing Aaron Jones in the final round, Burrows, representing Texas Raceway, claimed the High School victory.

Burrow's victory capped a busy Saturday at the Texas Motorplex and the NHRA South-Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals. With his mom and dad, Mindy and Dale, and brother, Derick, watching and the always vocal Texas Raceway cheering section shouting along, Burrow squeezed a 14.225 out of his '96 Camaro Z-28 to cover a break-out 15.632 from Jones.

Charles Dickenson gave the host track plenty to cheer about in the Race of Champions/non-electronic category, driving his 11-second '96 Chevy S-10 to the victory over Billy Simpson's '63 Nova. In a double-break-out final Simpson, representing Texas Raceway, ran a 12.19 on a 12.24 dial, handing Dickenson a deserved win with an 11.28 on an 11.30 dial.

Lyle Yandell scored the second of three victories on the day for the Texas Motorplex, defeating Memphis Motorsports Park's Jimmy Smith for the Race of Champions/electronics class. Yandell used a 7.869-second run from his dragster to stop Smith's wheelstanding Camaro in the final round.

The only question remaining after the Managers' Race was which track was winner Greg Morris representing? Morris, track manager for the Texas Motorplex, will join Hallsville Raceway at the end of this year. Both tracks claimed the victory; the only sure thing was who claimed the runner-up finish: Larry Croft of Texas Raceway. Morris' win gave the Texas Motorplex its third class victory of the day.

HIGH SCHOOL
Aaron Jones, Paris Dragstrip, '81 Camaro; Daniel Hudspeth, Houston Raceway
Park, '67 Mustang; Jessica Carr, Twin City Drags, '89 Chevrolet; Mario
Cantu, International Racetrack, '00 Nissan; Jimmy Graves Jr., State Capitol
Dragway, '81 Firebird; Rickey McNeill, Texhoma Motorplex, '84 Blazer; Tim
Wilson, Thunder Valley Raceway Park, '72 Nova; C. Kyle Boswell, Texas
Motorplex, '90 Mustang; Kyle Bailey, Hallsville Raceway, '70 Chevelle;
David Burrow, Texas Raceway, '96 Camaro; Jason Dennis, Idalou Motorsports
Park, '67 Camaro.

1st round
Ricky McNeil, 13.698 seconds, 97.65 mph def. Jimmy Graves, 14.574, 87.22
(break out)
David Burrow, 14.297, 87.71 def. Kyle Bailey, 13.167, 98.38 (break out)
Jessica Carr, 16.467, 78.34 def. Mario Cantu, 18.695, 71.54
Daniel Hudspeth, 13.258, 101.44 def. Jason Dennis, 18.682, 74.65 (foul
start)
Tim Wilson, 13.194, 90.28 def. C. Kyle Boswell, 15.531, 82.65
Aaron Jones, 15.727, 88.09 bye run

Quarterfinals
Burrow, 14.188, 95.90 def. Wilson, 12.985, 103.99
Carr, 16.365, 80.27 def. McNeill, 13.628, 98.10 (foul start)
Jones, 15.747, 85.83 def. Hudspeth, 13.355, 100.82

Semifinals
Jones, 15.723, 88.08 def. Carr, 16.300, 79.35 (break out)
Burrow, 14.313, 96.88 bye run

Final
Burrow, 14.225, 94.01 def. Jones, 15.632, 88.83 (break out)

RACE OF CHAMPIONS - Non-electronics
Charles Dickenson, Texas Motorplex, '96 Chevrolet S-10; Jessie O'Neal III,
Alamo Dragway, '85 Camaro; Johnny Richmond, Texhoma Motorplex, '64 Camaro;
Jason Patterson, Houston Raceway Park, '79 Camaro; Rick Murray, Paris
Dragstrip, '68 Camaro; Quincy Yarbrough, Amarillo Dragway, '72 Chevelle;
Charles Olinde, State Capitol Dragway, '66 Chevrolet II; Danny Doyle,
Hallsville Raceway, '76 Nova; Tim Wilson, Thunder Valley Raceway Park, '72
Nova; Rodney Pope, Idalou Motorsports Park, '79 Camaro; Brandon Hernandez,
International Racetrack, '85 Toyota Truck; Billy Simpson, Texas Raceway,
'63 Nova; Chris Jackson, Twin City Drags, '80 Camaro.

Quarterfinals
Charles Dickenson, 11.353 seconds, 108.69 mph def. Johnny Richmond, 12.993,
104.65
Chris Jackson, 13.046, 101.76 def. Jason Patterson, 12.042, 105.10 (foul
start)
Charles Olinde, 12.398, 107.83 bye run
Billy Simpson, 12.271, 101.12 def. Tim Wilson, 12.116, 109.52 (break out)

Semifinals
Dickenson, 11.324, 117.93 def. Jackson, 13.069, 101.43
Simpson, 12.318, 105.00 def. Olinde, 12.388, 108.34 (break out)

Final
Dickenson, 11.284, 118.62 def. Simpson, 12.196, 104.48 (break out)

RACE OF CHAMPIONS - Electronics
Ted Grimes, Twin City Drags, '82 Monte Carlo; Armando Garcia, International
Racetrack, '67 Camaro; Lyle Yandell, Texas Motorplex, dragster; Ty
Lafferty, Amarillo Dragway, dragster; David Callaway, Albuquerque National
Dragway, '97 Firebird; Wayne Henry, State Capitol Dragway, dragster; Deidra
Jallo, Paris Dragstrip, '98 Camaro; Henry Keele, Alamo Dragway, racecar;
Ron Watson, Texas Raceway, '80 Monza; Roger Warren, Hallsville, dragster;
E.R. Rice, Thunder Valley Raceway Park, '67 Chevrolet II; Kevin Bracey,
Idalou Motorsports Park, '71 Vega; Jimmy Smith, Memphis Motorsports Park,
'67 Camaro.

Quarterfinals
Deidra Jallo, 7.790 seconds, 173.61 mph, def. Daniel Martinez, 11.111,
121.24
Jimmy Smith, 10.955, 119.20 def. E.R. Rice, 10.611, 132.33 (break out)
Wayne Henry, 8.449, 156.35 def. Ty Lafferty, 8.778, 162.13 (break out)
Lyle Yandell, 7.898, 164.59 def. Ted Grimes, 9.191, 142.24

Semifinals
Smith, 10.989, 118.98 def. Jallo, 7.781, 173.57
Yandell, 7.933, 158.50 def. Henry, 8.493, 148.76

Final
Yandell, 7.869, 166.32 def. Smith, 10.961, 119.34 (break out)

Despite riding the slowest motorcycle of eight at the Texas Motorplex, Alan Jordan overcame three of the NHRA South-Central Division's best riders to claim the 2000 Summit Racing Series title. For his efforts, the 25-year-old West Point Graduate will travel to Pomona Raceway mid-November to contest the NHRA Summit Racing Series national championship.

"I don't know how I'm going to get there yet," enthused Jordan, who is enlisted with the U.S. Army at Fort Hood. "I'm probably going to have to get someone to drive my [racing] stuff there and I'll have to fly out." Facing Larry Eperjesi for the event title Jordan ran a tire-spinning 10.060 on his 10.01 dial, just enough to cover his opponent's 8.051 (7.98 dial) and take the win.

Unlike the six other NHRA geographic divisions, in order to qualify for the run-off at the Texas Motorplex the riders first had to contest the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series events within the division. The top eight point scorers then were invited to travel to Ennis and challenge for the division title and a place on the team traveling to Pomona Raceway. "I decided at the beginning of the year I'd concentrate on the NHRA Series and a couple of all-motorcycle races," said Jordan. "After I won [the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event] at Hallsville Raceway in August I knew I'd have a strong finish in the points."

Jordan parlayed that strong points finish into the NHRA South-Central Division Summit Racing Series title. "I'd felt good about this race all weekend," added Jordan. "There were no easy races; whenever you've got the top guys in anything at one place you know it's going to be tough. I didn't really know where to dial the bike because of the [cross] wind, but it was enough to get the win and that's what counts."

So how will Jordan's friends back at Fort Hood take the news that he's going to California to contest a national championship? "When someone asks you how you did, when you drag race there's really only two answers you can give them: you either won or you lost. Today I won and I'm hoping I can keep that going."

MOTORCYCLE
(Quarterfinalists)
Donnie Durenberger, Dayton, Minn., Suzuki; Alan Jordaon, Killeen, Texas,
Suzuki; David Baugh, Giddings, Texas, Suzuki; Shane Eperjesi, Lake Dallas,
Texas, Kawasaki; Curtis Nichols, Alvin, Texas, Kawasaki; Henry Keele, San
Antonio, Texas, Suzuki; Chris Oravecz, Arlington, Texas, Suzuki; Larry
Eperjesi, Lake Dallas, Texas.

Quarterfinals
Alan Jordan, 9.99 seconds, 130.43 mph def. Shane Eperjesi, 8.011, 161.40
(foul start)
Larry Eperjesi, 8.007, 153.53 def. Donnie Durenberger, 9.514, 135.03
David Baugh, 9.214, 137.23 def. Curtis Nichols, 8.482, 138.31 (break out)
Chris Oravecz, 9.867, 131.54 def. Henry Keele, 9.444, 134.18

Semifinals
L. Eperjesi, 7.985, 163.07 def. Baugh, 9.184, 136.98
Jordan, 10.029, 129.29 def. Oravecz, 9.854, 129.29

Final
Jordan, 10.060, 127.42 de. Eperjesi, 8.051, 161.75

When the NHRA Summit Racing Series program was announced in December 1999, it was inevitable that at least one of drag racing's recognized "hitters" would qualify for the season-ending national championship.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Houston Raceway Park's Terry Emmons. One third of the all-conquering, multi-time national-event winning Emmons clan, the other two are brothers Gary and Harvey III, 27-year-old Terry not only won his category at the Texas Motorplex but also emerged victorious from a run-off to determine who from NHRA's South-Central Division would make the trip to California's Pomona Raceway for all the marbles.

After defeating Thunder Valley Raceway Park's Mark Scott in the final round of No-Electronics Quick, Terry Emmons then faced the winner of the No-Electronics Street category to fill the open Sportsman spot for the Pomona event. State Capitol Dragway's Jim Graves Jr., 17 years old and weighing 130 pounds dripping wet, reacted 14-thousandths of a second too quick in the biggest drag race of his young career and handed Terry Emmons the win and a berth in the Pomona field.

The run-off between Emmons and Graves capped an exciting day of racing at the Texas Motorplex as the 28-racer field for the NHRA Summit Racing Series national championship was completed. (Events this weekend at U.S. 13 Dragway, Delmar, Del., Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Ga., and Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, Calif., concluded the qualifying rounds for the national title.) Racers in four competition categories, Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, and Motorcycle, will be crowned national champions November 12, 2000, at Pomona Raceway.

Joining Emmons in Pomona will be Steve Echols of the Texas Motorplex, who claimed the NHRA South-Central Division Super Pro crown over Texhoma Motorplex's Bob Cochrane. Also making the trip West will be Thunder Valley Raceway Park's Jeremy Wilson, whose Corvette ran consistently all day to down Rodney Parks of Texas Raceway in the final round.

Although disappointed he didn't win the final, Parks had the satisfaction of knowing his efforts helped Texas Raceway claim the coveted Team Championship title, the Kennedale-based track trouncing second-placed Thunder Valley Raceway Park by a whopping 12 points, 123 to 111.

NHRA Summit Racing Series
South-Central Division
2000 Team Championship, final standings

1. Texas Raceway                        123 points
2. Thunder Valley Raceway Park  111
3. Texhoma Motorplex            99
4. Paris Dragstrip                      97
5. Houston Raceway Park         88
6. State Capitol Dragway                87
7. Texas Motorplex                      86
8. Hallsville Raceway           75
8. Idalou Motorsports Park              75
10. Twin City Drags                     70
11. Alamo Dragway                       47
12. International Racetrack             44
13. Amarillo Dragway                    30
14. Memphis Motorsports Park            4
15. Albuqueque National Dragway 2

Super Pro
(Quarterfinalists)
Richard Russell, Twin City Drags, dragster; Tommy Phillips, Paris
Dragstrip, dragster; Melvin Champagne, International Racewtrack, '23-T
Ford; Todd Stephens, Paris Dragstrip, '68 Camaro; Bob Cochrane, Texhoma
Motorplex, '66 Chevrolet II; Steve Echols, Texas Motorplex, dragster.

Quarterfinals
Steve Echols, 7.980 seconds, 157.39 mph def. Todd Stephens, 10.247, 131.29
Bob Cochrane, 10.471, 126.90 def. Melvin Champagne, 7.700, 174.65
Tommy Phillips, 7.753, 174.24 def. Richard Russell, 9.103, 151.15 (break
out)

Semifinals
Cochran, 10.447, 127.55 def. Phillips, 7.775, 173.61
Echols, no time, bye run

Final
Echols, 7.971, 164.59 def. Cochran, 10.441, 126.54

Pro
(Quarterfinalists)
Gary Easter, Texas Raceway, '81 Camaro; Kevin Bracey, Idalou Motorsports
Park, '71 Vega; Jeremy Wilson, Thunder Valley Raceway Park, '80 Corvette;
Rodney Parks, Texas Raceway, '72 Chevelle; Bobby Whan, Texhoma Motorplex,
'65 Chevrolet; Brad Young, Paris Dragstrip, '67 Camaro; Charlie Robinson,
State Capitol Dragway, '69 Camaro; Jerry Hefler, Texas Raceway, '81 Camaro.

Quarterfinals
Rodney Parks, 11.423 seconds, 114.41 mph def. Kevin Bracey, 10.736, 125.29
Gary Easter, 11.272, 129.98 def. Charlie Robinson, 10.825, 130.07
Jerry Hefler, 11.258, 115.28 def. Bobby Whan, 10.872, 126.12
Jeremy Wilson, 10.836, 126.56 def. Brad Young, 10.962, 127.58

Semifinals
Wilson, 10.828, 127.47 def. Hefler, 11.208, 123.93 (break out)
Parks, 11.413, 110.68 def. Easter, 11.233, 131.21 (break out)

Final
Wilson, 10.861, 124.00 def. Parks, 11.445, 113.82

No-Electronics Quick
(Quarterfinalists)
Terry Creed, Thunder Valley Raceway Park, '72 Cutlass; Mark Scott, Thunder
Valley Raceway Park, '72 El Camino; Gary Emmons, Houston Raceway Park, '69
Chevelle; Terry Emmons, Houston Raceway Park, '69 Camaro; Chuck Jones,
Texas Raceway, '27-T Ford.

Quarterfinals
Terry Emmons, 12.151 seconds, 107.73 mph def. Chuck Jones, 8.950, 145.65
(break out)
Mark Scott, 11.801, 112.69 def. Gary Emmons, 11.494, 109.35 (break out)
Terry Creed, 10.961, 120.91 bye run

Semifinals
Terry Emmons, 21.460, 48.95 bye run
Mark Scott, 11.780, 111.49 def. Terry Creed, 10.930, 121.81 (break out)

Final
Emmons, 12.182, 106.68 def. Mark Scott, 11.788, 113.16 (break out)

No-Electronics Street
(Quarterfinalists)
Mindy Burrow, Texas Raceway, '99 Trans Am; Jeff Bates, Texhoma Motorplex,
'84 Chevrolet S-10; Jim Graves Jr., State Capitol Dragway, '81 Firebird;
Jeff Riedel, Texas Raceway, '75 Mustang; Kevin Hosea, Twin City Drags, '71
Mustang.

Quarterfinals
Jeff Riedel, 13.836 seconds, 72.28 def. Kevin Hosea, 17.670, 58.73
Jim Graves Jr., 14.528, 83.44 def. Mindy Burrow, 13.247, 105.36 (break out)
Jeff Bates, 13.664, 98.09 bye run

Semifinals
Riedel, 13.603, 87.08 bye run
Graves, 14.580, 85.00 def. Bates, 13.783, 94.23

Final
Graves, 14.406, 94.21 def. Riedel, 13.464, 94.56 (break out)

No-Electronics Quick/Street run off
Terry Emmons, 12.142, 108.82 def. Jim Graves Jr., 14.397, 94.39 (foul
start)