The IHRA Nitro Jam tour rumbled into the famed Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina this weekend, one of the most popular and anticipated sites on the annual calendar. In addition to the headlining Professional classes – top Fuel, Pro Fuel, and Prostalgia Funny Car, this weekends event was the rescheduled date for the IHRA Tournament of Champions, which would crown the 2009 sportsman category World Champions.
Friday
On Friday, the Tournament of Champions took center stage in Rockingham as racers vied for the 2009 World Championships in their respective categories after waiting the entire winter for their shot at carrying the number one. The IHRA altered the sportsman format in 2009, and competitors waited with high anticipation all season, only to see rain in October force the postponement of the race until 2010.
Seven drivers were left standing when the dust settled and were crowned champions following the inaugural winner-take-all Tournament of Champions. Donny Urban (Top Dragster), Mike Koontz (Top Sportsman), Slate Cummings (Super Stock), Michael Beard (Stock), Bo Upton (Quick Rod), Tommy Maedgen (Super Rod), and Keith Mayers (Hot Rod).
Friday’s Tournament of Champions recap at IHRA.com.
Saturday
Bruce Litton and Peter Gallen continued right where they left off at the last IHRA Nitro Jam event in Baton Rouge, LA with wins on Saturday evening in Rockingham. In the Top Fuel final, Litton laid down a seasons-best 4.699 at 310.91 MPH to top second-time finalist Spencer Massey’s 4.828.
Prostalgia Funny Car again wow’ed the crowd on hand, as Gallen took his second straight win and made it 2-for-2 in final rounds, defeating Greg Jacobsmeyer with a stout 5.820 /240.64 to the slower 6.136.
In Pro Fuel, Michael Manners ran down Rich McPhillips after an .058 to .110 holeshot, running a 5.370/267.69 to a game 5.435/253.71.
Full Saturday Recap at IHRA.com.
Sunday
Litton and Gallen didn’t let up on their opposotion on Sunday, nor did Michael Manners in Pro Fuel, as all three swept their respective categories at “The Rock.”
Litton came out ahead in a rather ugly Top Fuel final. Opponent bobby Lagana lost traction around half track, and Litton proceeded to toss the blower belt at the 1,000 foot marker, coasting across the line with a 5.56 at 181 MPH to Lagana’s 8.038 at 92 MPH.
Gallen once again marched through the Prostalgia Funny Car field handily, running 5.905 in the initial bout and a 5.897 at 236.26 MPH to take down Steve Nichols’ 6.221 214.38 in the final.
Pro Fuel saw Manners and McPhillips again face off for all the marbles, with Manners having to chase down McPhillips for the second time, but the .029 to .081 holeshot wasn’t enough to stop the “The Shredders” charge as the 5.393 264.18 easily handled the losing 5.598 236.22.
Full Sunday recap at IHRA.com.
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