Sat, 21 Oct 2000, 03:28 PM Million Dollar Race Underway in Montgomery

Courtesy of Montgomery Motorsports Park

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- So far, more than $35,000 in cash and merchandise has been won at the fifth annual B&M Million Dollar Drag Race in Montgomery, Ala., and the best is yet to come.

Last night, Jeff Rayburn of Haleyville, Ala., won the first of two $20,000 companion events at the world's richest E.T. event when he drove his dragster to a final round victory over Mark Cmar of Larwell, Ind. Running on an eighth-mile course, Rayburn drove to a 5.44, just 01-second off his target time of 5.43. Cmar, one of the sport's most successful E.T. drivers, earned $5,000 for his runner-up finish after breaking out with a 6.718 on his dial-in time of 6.72. A total of 407 drivers entered Friday's race, which serves as a warm-up for today's Million Dollar main event.

If 500 drivers post the required $2,000 entry fee for today's race, the winner will earn $1 million dollar in cash. A field of just 250 competitors will insure a record winner's payout of at least $265,000, which would break the previous record of $235,000 set by George Tamasi Sr., winner of the 1997 B&M Million Dollar Race. All weekend, racers have been able to win a spot in the main event for a $50 dollar investment thanks to a series of raffle drawings. Thus far, more than 20 racers have won their entry via the raffles.

During last night's race Tim LaBarr of Bradenton, Fla., won a new 24-foot Pace American enclosed trailer for having the best package of the race. LaBarr came within one thousandth of a second of a perfect run with a .501 reaction time and a perfect 5.320 on his 5.32 prediction. The driver who has the best package in Sunday's $20,000 event will also win a trailer, courtesy of Barker Trailer Sales in Morehead, Ky., while the driver who puts together the best package in today's Million Dollar race will ride off on a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Tamasi Sr., who won the record $235,000 payday at the 1997 edition of the B&M Million Dollar race, won a free $2,000 entry into this year's event after winning a special Race of Champions event last night. Tamasi, a sponsor of Bob Vandergriff's Top Fuel dragster, won the race, which featured the finalists of the previous four Million Dollar races. In the final round, Tamasi, of Downington, Pa., defeated Toby Barnes of Peachtree City, Ga. Barnes was runner-up at the inaugural Million Dollar event in 1996.

The weekend opened with a $50-to-enter Gambler's Race on Thursday evening. James Brown of Phenix City, Ala., survived nine grueling rounds and 383 other competitors to take the win. Brown defeated regular B&M Series competitor Rickey Jones in the final to earn the first place prize which consisted of $2,000 cash and a free $2,000 entry into today's race.

The weekend's other big winner was Ron Lane of Chattanooga, Tenn., who won the Mullis Race Cars All-star Shootout on Friday. Lane won a brand new Mullis Race Cars dragster chassis after defeating Drew Phillips of Summerville, S.C. in the final round. The Mullis Shootout was another special event that was open to the 22 drivers who have won events this year in the B&M Racer's Appreciation Series, which is run by Million Dollar Race promoter George Howard.

A number of professional NHRA racers have made an appearance in Montgomery this weekend. Pro Stock racer Danny Coffman decided to forgo the O'Reilly Fall Nationals in Dallas in order to take a shot at today's top prize. Pro Stock Bike racers Tony Mullen and Steve Johnson are also here this weekend. Mullen, an accomplished bracket racer, is serving as a crew chief for longtime friend Jim Carlton, and Johnson is here to host Drag Racing USA, his popular weekly radio show.