Semi-finalists gather for the final rounds in Pro Nitrous. (Ian Tocher photo)

DragStock III / Saturday – Final Results

In front of one of the most incredibly behaved and record setting crowds ever to witness a drag racing event in the Carolinas, the ADRL Series brought their special brand of Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous and Pro 10.5 racers to Rockingham Dragway Friday and Saturday. The Saturday attendance was estimated at over 15,000, and saw some record-setting performances.

Florida racer Joey Martin defeated South Carolinian Herman “The Hermanator” Sheppard in the first all-three-second Pro Extreme final round in the sanctioning body’s history.

The two racers qualified first and second respectively out of the 37 cars who attempted to qualify for the 16 car field. The final round saw Martin drive his supercharged ‘67 Mustang to a 3.925 ET at 189.68 mph to Sheppard’s 3.980/183.70 in a 1968 Camaro.

Despite Sheppard leaving with a slight starting-line advantage, Martin said he wasn’t worried and quickly passed Sheppard for the $10,000 win. “I wasn’t going to throw it away by trying to cut a light,” he said. “I had him covered, so I didn’t want to do anything stupid.”

ADRL series regular Jason Scruggs reset both ends of Pro Extreme speed and ET record at 3.813/198.44. That performance also was good for both ends of the Rockingham track record.

The Pro Nitrous final was an all-Alabama affair between Shannon Jenkins and
James Hancock III. Neither Jenkins nor Hancock was in the top three in qualifying, but steadily improved their performances as the race progressed. In the final round it was all Jenkins’ race as the Tuscaloosa, AL-based driver left the starting line first and steadily drove his ‘68 Camaro away from Hancock’s ‘98 Corvette for the victory.

“James and those guys ran good all day and he can cut a light, so it definitely was no easy run,” Jenkins said. “But our car was flawless, absolutely flawless all day.”

The Pro 10.5 class was dominated by Georgia racer Steve Kirk Jr. who would set Low ET and Top Speed of the meet; set the ADRL National record for elapsed time at 4.430; and then went on to defeat number-two qualifier Marcus Birt in the final round with a 4.463/166.21 to Birt’s 4.495/163.51. It was the quickest side-by-side pass in Pro 10.5 history.

“This was a great race, the biggest race we’ve ever been to,” Kirk said. “We had zero problems. The track was superb, the atmosphere was superb, my crew was superb, and I think the car speaks for itself.”

Pro Extreme Final Round
Winner Joey Martin, Milton Fl. Mustang 3.925/189.68 RU Herman Sheppard Earhardt SC Camaro 3.98/183.72

Pro Nitrous Final Round
Winner Shannon Jenkins, Tuscaloosa, AL Camaro 4.018/184.02 RU James Hancock III Opehal, AL Corvette 4.056/178.47

Pro 10.5
Winner Steve Kirk Jr. Monroe LA Camaro 4.463/166.21 RU Marcus Birt Gray GA Camaro 4.495/163.59

Jason Scruggs has set a new ADRL Pro Extreme national record at DragStock III. This is the first pass at 3.813/198.44, which he backed up with a later 3.823/198.06. (Ian Tocher photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

Number 5 Pro Extreme qualifier Jason Scruggs may be the first racer in that class breaking 200 mph later tonight when the air cools, if his first round of Eliminations run is any indication. He punched up a 3.813/198.44 to defeat Todd Tutterow’s 4.222/180.77 in the late afternoon.

Scruggs time breakdown:

R/T = .089
60ft = .969
330ft = 2.562
1/8th = 3.813
MPH = 198.44

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

Scruggs has just backed up his earlier monster run at about 8:00 p.m. Saturday night in Second Round of Eliminations with a 3.823/198.06 crushing run from the left lane to set the new ADRL record!

Immediately in the next pairing Frankie Taylor laid down another 3 second pass when he defeated Bubbu Stanton with a 3.947/189.73 whipping.

Who knows what kind of runs we’re going to see as it gets even cooler. Stay tuned.—Glen Grissom

Frankie Taylor had a great 3.971 run in his Dickinson, TX-based '58 Corvette to qualify third in Pro Extreme. (Ian Tocher photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

Pro Extreme Qualifying Final Session

Driver ET/Top MPH

1) Joey Martin 3.931/188.96
2) Herman Sheppard 3.967/185.36
3) Frankie Taylor 3.971/195.62
4) Travis Swearingen 3.981/186.25
5) Jason Scruggs 3.983/193.18
6) Dwayne Watkins 3.993/177.21
7) Mike Neal 4.000/185.21
8) Bryan Dyar 4.000/180.62
9) Bennie McDonald Jr. 4.001/190.83
10) Mike Bell 4.001/184.22
11) Bubba Stanton 4.006/184.09
12) Todd Tutterow 4.012/185.89
13) Troy Critchley 4.013/187.00
14) John Lynam 4.017/192.17
15) Eddie Ware 4.020/188.49
16) Joshua Hernandez 4.020/186.95

Low ET = 3.931 / Joey Martin

Top Speed = 195.62 / Frankie Taylor

Tracy Cockman, of Coats, NC, rounded out the eight-car Pro 10.5 field at Dragstock III. (Ian Tocher photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

Pro 10.5 Final Order

Driver ET/Top MPH

1) Steve Kirk Jr 4.430/174.62
2) Marcus Birt 4.551/163.04
3) Mike Hill 4.563/163.04
4) Jack Barfield 4.575/166.05
5) Michael Robinson 4.625/160.77
6) Stacy McIntyre 4.673/158.78
7) Scott Hartley 4.705/157.03
8) Tracy Cockman 4.720/155.90

Low ET = 4.430 / Steve Kirk Jr.

Top Speed = 174.62 / Steve Kirk Jr.

Texas racer Doug Riesterer took the Pro Nitrous regulars by surprise when he qualified on top of the Dragstock III list. (Ian Tocher photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

Pro Nitrous Final Session

Driver ET/Top MPH

1) Doug Riesterer 4.007/181.81
2) Randy Weahterford 4.010/188.62
3) Pat Stoken 4.019/183.47
4) Dennis Radford 4.044/181.08
5) Shannon Jenkins 4.051/184.30
6) Greg Godwin 4.052.1680.72
7) Dave Roemer 4.056/188.81
8) Rickie Smith 4.065/189.26
9) Rod Houck 4.068/188.70
10) Steve Vick 4.069/181.35
11) James Hancock III 4.069/179.73
12) Rick Moore 4.073/182.75
13) Johnny Pilcher 4.073/183.79
14) Charles Carpenter 4.084/187.31
15) Keith Baker 4.092/182.80
16) Dale Brinsfield 4.098/186.36

Low ET = 4.007 / Doug Riesterer

Top Speed = 189.26 MPH / Rickie Smith

The crowd for DragStock III just after Round 2 of Qualifying -- not much room left, and it filled up even more later. (Jeff Burk photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

The entrance gate at DragStock III at Rockingham Dragway had to be closed around 3:00 p.m on Saturday afternoon because the dragstrip was filled to capacity. Spectators had to be turned around at the gate. The official count is at 16,000 attendees—one of the largest crowds ever at the facility. Probably the first time a drag race has been closed because of being sold out.

Update: The word now is that the capacity of the Rockingham Dragway is 21,000 and that has been matched by this crowd—the largest in NC drag racing history—according to the announcers.

Travis Swearingen ran a career-best 3.981 in the second round of Pro Extreme qualifying in his family-owned '41 Willys. (Ian Tocher photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

Pro Extreme Qualifying Round 2

Driver ET / Top MPH

1) Joey Martin 3.931/186.48
2) Herman Sheppard 3.967/184.85
3) Frankie Taylor 3.971/195.62
4) Travis Swearingen 3.981/186.25
5) Jason Scruggs 3.991/193.18
6) Mike Neal 4.000/185.21
7) Bryan Dyar 4.000/180.62
8) Bennie McDonald Jr 4.001/190.83
9) Mike Bell 4.001/184.22
10) Troy Critchley 4.013/187.00
11) John Lynam 4.023/192.17
12) Quain Stott 4.028/180.16
13) Bubba Stanton 4.050/181.11
14) Eddie Ware 4.052/188.49
15) Brian Daniels 4.053/180.09
16) Dwayne Watkins 4.085/173.01

Low ET = 3.931 / Joey Martin

Top Speed = 195.62 / Frankie Taylor

What a crowd on Friday night for Round 1 of Qualifying. There are even more here today -- 16,000! (Bret Kepner photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

Pro 10.5 Qualifying Round 2

Driver ET / Top MPH

1) Steve Kirk Jr.  4.30/174.62
2) Marcus Birt 4.551/162.20
3) Mike Hill 4.563/ 163.06
4) Jack Barfield 4.575/166.05
5) Michael Robinson 4.625/160.77
6) Stacy McIntyre 4.673/158.78
7) Tracy Cockman 4.720/155.90
8) Rob Hale 4.745/156.23
9) Scott Hartley 4.754/151.97
10) Danny Cook 4.756/149.85
11) Mike Donnahue 4.846/158.73
12) Jared Brunner 4.937/156.12
13) Keith Jackson 5.108/137.51
14) Elliot Thompson 8.813/65.01

Low ET = 4.430 / Steve Kirk

Top Speed = 174.62 / Steve Kirk

Rickie Smith lights 'em up in Friday night's first Pro Nitrous qualifying session. (Ian Tocher photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

Pro Nitrous Qualifying—Round 2

Driver ET/Top MPH

1) Doug Riesterer 4.007/181.81
2) Randy Weatherford 4.010/188.62
3) Pat Stoken 4.019/182.48
4) Dennis Radford 4.044/181.08
5) Shannon Jenkins 4.051/184.30
6) Dave Roemer 4.056/188.81
7) Greg Godwin 4.057/180.57
8) Rickie Smith (shown) 4.065/189.26
9) Rod Houck 4.068/188.62
10) James Hancock III 4.069/179.73
11) Johnny Pilcher 4.076/183.79
12) Charles Carpenter 4.084/187.31
13) Keith Baker 4.092/182.80
14) Dale Brinsfield 4.098/186.36
15) Buzz Varner 4.107/177.98
16) Burton Auxier 4.111/180.38

Low ET = 4.007 / Doug Riesterer

Top Speed = 189.26 / Rickie Smith

Charles Carpenter made a career best lap of 4.084/187.07 in his cool looking shoebox. He moved a lot of air out of the way to make that kind of lap. (Jeff Burk photo)

DragStock III / Saturday

Pro Nitrous Notes From Dragstock III

After just one qualifying lap the ADRL Pro Nitrous class with a 4.140 bump is already one of if not the quickest 16 car field in ADRL history—with ADRL veteran Sonny Tindal on the bump. The surprise of the event so far has to be the 4.007 qualifying lap by Texas Outlaw Pro Mod racer Doug “who is that guy” Riesterer.

I did a little checking around and it turns out Riesterer has won a couple of Texas races recently and he built his ‘67 Camaro himself in his own shop. His engine is one of the smallest in the field at just 706 cubic inhes and is built by Eagle race engines.

The other lap of note came from Oregonian Dennis Radford and his primered Chrysler Viper. Radford is part of the Billy Harper two-car team. The car is the one that Harper crashed this year and was repaired. The 4.044 lap is one of the best in Radford’s ADRL career.

Charles Carpenter also made a career best lap in his “Shoebox” ‘55 Chevy Belair at 4.084/187.07 which put him into the 10th spot. Burton Auxier also made a comeback lap of sorts recording a 4.111 after a serious nitorus explosion at the IHRA National event at New England Dragway last week.— Jeff Burk

Randy Weatherford (Ian Tocher photo)

Pro Nitrous First Round Qualifying Order

Driver ET MPH

1) Doug Reisterer 4.007 181.81
2) Randy Weatherford 4.010 182.01
3) Pat Stoken 4.019 184.49
4) Dennis Radford 4.044 181.08
5) Dave Roemer 4.056 188.81
6) Greg Godwin 4.057 179.71
7) Rickie Smith 4.065 189.26
8) Rod Houck 4.068 188.62
9) Jamie Hancock 4.069 179.73
10) Charles Carpenter 4.084 187.31
11) Keith Baker 4.092 179.90
12) Buzz Barner 4.107 177.98
13) Burton Auxier 4.111 180.38
14) Terry Housley 4.111 176.40
15) Brian Williams 4.129 177.93
16) Sonny Tindal 4.140 184.07

Joey Martin leads the Pro Extreme Qualifying after Round 1 (Ian Tocher photo)

Dragstock III Pro Extreme Qualifying – Round 1

Driver ET MPH

1) Joey Martin 3.931 186.48
2) Herman Sheppard 3.967 184.85
3) Mike Neal 4.000 185.21
4) Bryan Dyar 4.000 180.62
5) Mike Bell 4.001 184.22
6) Troy Critchley 4.013 187.00
7) Quain Stott 4.028 180.16
8) Bubba Stanton 4.050 181.11
9) Brian Daniels 4.053 180.09
10) Bennie McDonald Jr. 4.057 181.25
11) Frankie Taylor 4.071 182.48
12) Eddie Ware 4.085 188.49
13) Dwayne Watkins 4.085 173.01
14) Todd Tutterow 4.113 181.32
15) Kelly Martin 4.131 185.51
16) Travis Swearingen 4.143 186.25

Steve Kirk set the unofficial ADRL Pro 10.5 records at 4.435 seconds and 174.62 mph in his first qualifying attempt at Dragstock III. (Ian Tocher)

1. Steve Kirk 4.435/174.62
2. Mike Hill 4.563/161.42
3. Jack Barfield 4.575/161.32
4. Michael Robinson 4.625/160.77
5. Stacy McIntyre 4.673/158.78
6. Tracy Cockman 4.720/155.90
7. Rob Hale 4.745/156.23
8. Danny Cook 4.756/149.85
9. Mike Donahue 4.846/157.15
10. Keith Jackson 5.108/137.51
11. Marcus Birt 5.316/147.13
12. Elliott Thompson 8.813/65.01

Pro Mod driver Herman Sheppard (left) and crewmember Clint Goethe flank Pro Stock driver Kenny Benso shortly after helping Benso escape his car after a fiery top-end crash at Rockingham Dragway. (Ian Tocher photo)

Describing it as “just a little scary,” Kenny Benso recalled his top-end crash at Rockingham Dragway after running 4.27 at more than 160 mph during open testing for Dragstock III.

“I don’t know what happened. I went through the eighth and was ready to pull the chutes when it just turned right,” Benso said of his Jerry Haas-built 2006 Chevy Cobalt Pro Stocker. After starting from the left lane, Benso’s car crashed nearly head-on into the right-side wall, then rolled over a couple of times before striking the left guardwall and coming to a stop in the right shutdown lane. “I don’t know how many times, but I knew it went over,” he said.

Pro Mod driver Herman Sheppard and his crewmember Clint Goethe were on the return road as Benso crashed and were the first to reach his car, which was engulfed in flames when it stopped. Goethe rushed to help Benso from the wreck while Sheppard, still in his fire-proof driving suit, reached in to turn off the fuel and hit the fire bottles.

“I knew he was in trouble, so I just told Herman we had to go,” Goethe said. “That car was hot, man!”

It was Benso’s first accident of his racing career and came after just 17 runs on his car. He profusely thanked Goethe and Sheppard, as well as Haas for building a strong car.

“I don’t know how much we can salvage, but we’ll be back,” he said. “I feel very fortunate.”

Pro Nitrous racer Mike Castellana (R) and his crewchief/engine builder Shannon Jenkins hard at work in their pits at DragStockIII. They've just put their car in an exclusive club -- first nitrous car to exceed 190 in the 1/8th mile. (Ian Tocher photo)

DragStock III / Friday—We were looking for some big times at this year’s DragStock III, but we didn’t expect them to happen so soon. During testing at 3:11pm, Mike Castellana blasted off a 4.059/191.05 run in his Pro Nitrous ‘69 Camaro. This is the first nitrous car to exceed 190 mph in the 1/8th mile, according to DRO staffer Brett Kepner. We may see some more records as the track cools off later tonight.—Glen Grissom

Castellana’s Timesheet

1.019 - 60 ft
2.709 - 330 ft
4.059 - 1/8th

191.05 mph

Kenny Benso's IHRA Pro Stocker lost control at the top end after the lights on a practice run. Originally in the left lane, veered hard into the right-side wall, then barrel-rolled a couple of times, caught fire, and bounced off the left wall before finally came to rest in the middle of the track. Benso is fine and back in his pits. (Ian Tocher photos)

DragStock III, Friday—The practice runs, and test and tune sessions this afternoon were stopped for about 30 minutes after a vicious crash at the top end which is sure to make a 2006 highlight reel.

Visting IHRA Stock racer Kenny Benso was on a single run in the left lane and posting up a 4.27/160+ run, when just after the lights—his car barrelrolled, caught fire, veered hard into the right-lane wall, shot back across the lanes to hit the left-lane wall, and finally came to rest in the middle of the track. Benso wasn’t getting out of the car very quickly.

Fortunately, Pro Extreme racer Herman Sheppard was getting ready to go down the return lane after his previous run and was in the right place at the right time to come to the aid of Benso. With no hesitation, he and crewmember Clint Goethe went up to the burning car to help the stricken driver get out. The safety crew were on the scene moments later and got the fire under control and attended to Benso. He was reported to be very groggy, but able to move under his own power. The latest report is that he is fine and back in his pits. The front clip on the car is a write-off.

A major tip of the DRO hat to young Sheppard and Goethe for coming to the aid of a fellow racer.—Glen Grissom

Spare change? We're trying to buy this engine in the pits at DragStock III, but don't have cash. Send money to DRO and help us out! (Ian Tocher photo)

The DRO journolista clan is in full force here at DragStockIII at Rockingham Dragway. We’ve got jefe supremo Jeff Burk, photo mad dog Ian Tocher, and me chained to the laptop. The ADRL group has got some strong Pro Mod cars here to blast some fire and brimstone into the night and we’ll be here posting live updates from the track and pits today and Saturday. So, check back regularly for more photos and info.--Glen Grissom

There have been no repeat winners in either Pro Extreme or Pro Nitrous so far this year, though current points leader Mike Neal (shown) and defending champ John Lynam have been to two Pro Extreme finals each, with Neal winning at the season opener in south Georgia. (Ian Tocher photo)

Here’s a quick rundown of final-round results from 2006 American Drag Racing League events contested prior to Dragstock III at Rockingham Dragway:

Valdosta, GA, Feb. 15-17:
Pro Extreme – Mike Neal, Cantonment, Fla., 1953 Studebaker, def. Thomas Patterson, Houston, Texas 1941 Willys.
Pro Nitrous – Harold Martin, West Bloomfield, Mich., 2006 Pontiac Grand Am, def. Rickie Smith, King, N.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette.

Houston, TX, March 3-4:
Pro Extreme – Joey Martin, Milton, Fla., 1967 Ford Mustang, def. Joshua Hernandez, Conroe, Texas, 1967 Chevrolet Camaro.
Pro Nitrous – Mike Castellana, Westbury, N.Y., 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier, def. Johnny Pilcher, NA.

St. Louis (Madison, IL), April 14-15:
Pro Extreme – Quain Stott, Columbus, S.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, def. Johnny Lynam, Beaufort, S.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette.
Pro Nitrous – Burton Auxier Jr., Dixie, West Va., 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, def. Todd Tutterow, Lewisville, N.C., 2002 Ford Mustang.

Memphis, TN, May 19-20:
Pro Extreme – Bill Clanton, Rome, Ga., 1953 Studebaker, def. Johnny Lynam, Beaufort, S.C., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette.
Pro Nitrous – Steve Vick, Knoxville, Tenn., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, def. Billy Harper, Paducah, Ky., 2000 Dodge Viper.

Huntsville, AL, June 9-10:
Pro Extreme – Brian Daniels, Jackson, Ohio, 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, def. Mike Neal, Cantonment, Fla., 1953 Studebaker.
Pro Nitrous – Terry Housley, Lenoir, Tenn., 1941 Willys, def. Keith Baker, Dothan, Ala., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette.

John Lynam (Ian Tocher Photo)

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - The deepest field in Pro Extreme history is gathering at Rockingham Dragway, ready to begin fighting on Friday for both an Eastern Race Fuels DRAGSTOCK III title and a coveted spot in the FLOWMASTER American Drag Racing League championship eliminators next month.

Every member of the top 20 in the current ADRL Pro Extreme points standings has pre-entered for DRAGSTOCK III, which begins Friday with open testing and a single qualifying run in the evening. As of Monday, the ADRL offices had accepted a full 60 entries for the class, which will qualify 16 cars for Saturday’s eliminations.

The Pro Extreme competition at DRAGSTOCK is the ADRL’s oldest single event, dating back to 2004.

“An eight-car eliminator at the first DRAGSTOCK is where the FLOWMASTER ADRL really got started, so I feel as if we’ll reach another milestone this weekend,” said ADRL President Kenny Nowling. “The competition this year, though, should be like nothing ever seen before. We have a huge field of nothing but hitters, and there’s only 16 spots out there for Saturday night. Speaking as a race fan, I can’t wait.”

With every member of the current top 20 entered, there are certainly no weak spots at the top of the Pro Extreme field. Mike Neal enters DRAGSTOCK III with the Pro Extreme points lead, having scored 1,564 points over the last six ADRL events. He is closely followed by Bil Clanton and 2005 ADRL world champion John Lynam, who are both in the 1,400s, and record-setting Jason Scruggs, who sits in fourth place at 1,370 points.

All four of those drivers have already clinched spots in next month’s ADRL Battle for the Belts world championship eliminators. The top eight drivers in the Pro Extreme points standings at the conclusion of DRAGSTOCK III will qualify to run in the Battle for the Belts, a three-round eliminator that will determine the 2006 ADRL Pro Extreme world champion.

Behind Scruggs, a logjam of drivers from the fifth spot on down will be looking to go as many rounds as possible in Rockingham and hoping that the gods of mathematics rule in their favor. That group contains a number of the class’ heavy hitters, including fifth-place Quain Stott, Houston winner Joey Martin (seventh place), veterans Troy Critchley and Thomas Patterson (ninth and 10th, respectively) and Huntsville winner Brian Daniels, whose late-season scoring surge has him in 15th place with a mathematical shot at reaching the top eight.

Following Friday’s one qualifying run, drivers in Pro Extreme will get two more chances to qualify on Saturday. The quickest 16 survivors of what looks to be a brutal qualifying battle will then advance to eliminations later that day.

Stott is the defending event champion. He outlasted a large field before eventually edging Lynam in the final on a holeshot, 4.000 to 3.976.

Pro Extreme entry list

ADRL Battle for the Belts points standings
(through 6 of 7 events; top 8 qualify; qualified drivers denoted with *)

PRO EXTREME
*1 Mike Neal 1,564
*2 Bil Clanton 1,473
*3 John Lynam 1,436
*4 Jason Scruggs 1,370
5 Quain Stott 1,244
6 Joshua Hernandez 1,154
7 Joey Martin 1,051 -513
8 Todd Tutterow 735
9 Thomas Patterson 719
10 Troy Critchley 718
11 Todd Bauknecht 620
12 Toney Russell 619
13 Chip King 524
14 Bubba Stanton 516
15 Brian Daniels 507

Shannon Jenkins (Ian Tocher Photo)

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Every round will be crucial - even every qualifying point will matter - when a large Pro Nitrous field begins racing for real on Friday at the FLOWMASTER American Drag Racing League’s Eastern Race Fuels DRAGSTOCK III event at Rockingham Dragway.

In addition to competing for an event title at the ADRL’s oldest and largest event, a number of Pro Nitrous drivers will have their calculators at the ready to keep track of their chances of qualifying for next month’s ADRL Battle for the Belts world championship eliminator. Only the top eight Pro Nitrous points-earners at the conclusion of DRAGSTOCK III eliminations will qualify for the Battle for the Belts competition, which will determine the 2006 ADRL world champion.

As of Monday, 48 Pro Nitrous entry requests for DRAGSTOCK III had been received by the ADRL offices, including entries from nine of the drivers in the current top 10 of the points standings. That list includes the top four drivers in the Pro Nitrous points standings - points leader Keith Baker, Huntsville winner Terry Housley, Burton Auxier, and series veteran Johnny Pilcher - all of whom have clinched places in the Battle for the Belts.

The struggle for the final four positions, though, looks to a dogfight between a number of drivers. The fifth- through seventh-place drivers (Rex Kelley, James Hancock, and Shannon Jenkins) are separated by a mere 10 points, and further back lurk drivers such as Mike Castellana and Harold Martin, who are about one round-win away from the number-eight spot. The competition for places in the Belts run-off looks to be close enough that qualifying points at DRAGSTOCK III - 16 for No. 1, down to 1 for No. 16 - could make the difference for many drivers.

The Pro Nitrous contingent will have a single qualifying session Friday night, followed by two more qualifying attempts on Saturday.  The quickest 16 cars will then take a short break before beginning eliminations later that day.

Jenkins won last year’s event in the first DRAGSTOCK appearance for the Pro Nitrous class.

Pro Nitrous entry list

ADRL Battle for the Belts points standings
(through 6 of 7 events; top 8 qualify; qualified drivers denoted with *)

PRO NITROUS
1. *Keith Baker 1,558
2. *Terry Housley 1,437
3. *Burton Auxier 1,362
4. *Johnny Pilcher 1,258
5. Rex Kelley 851
6. James Hancock 843
7. Shannon Jenkins 841
8. Todd Tutterow 836
9. Mike Castellana 736
10. Harold Martin 728
11. Ken Thomas 715
12. R. Weatherford 542
13. Steve Vick 515
14. Aaron Hodges 427
15. Dan Parker 425

Robert Patrick's mountain-motored Pro Stock Mustang Cobra (Jeff Burk Photo)

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - The biggest event in Outlaw Pro Mod racing just keeps getting bigger, with this weekend’s American Drag Racing League Eastern Race Fuels DRAGSTOCK III event expected to outshine its two predecessors in terms of both car count and attendance.

More than 140 pre-entries in three classes have been approved for DRAGSTOCK III, according to ADRL President Kenny Nowling. The event, the sixth of seven on the 2006 ADRL schedule, will feature points-earning competitions in both the Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous classes, as well as a Pro 10.5 competition that will showcase a class due to become a full ADRL eliminator in 2007.

“The Eastern Race Fuels DRAGSTOCK event has always been the premier Pro Mod event of the year, but the enthusiasm I have seen from race teams and fans for DRAGSTOCK III has been nothing short of phenomenal,” Nowling said. “Everyone in the ADRL family is looking forward to huge fields and crowded grandstands at Rockingham Dragway.”

The event begins Friday with open testing sessions throughout most of the day and the first round of qualifying for both the Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous classes at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. As always at ADRL events, Saturday is a full day, with Sportsman time trials and eliminations beginning at 9:30 a.m. and Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous qualifying resuming at noon. Eliminations in the two Outlaw Pro Mod classes are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. DRAGSTOCK III will also feature an eight-car mountain-motor Pro Stock competition.

In addition to competing for event titles at DRAGSTOCK III, a number of ADRL drivers will also be looking to clinch spots in next month’s Battle for the Belts ADRL world championship eliminators in Kennedale, Texas. DRAGSTOCK III is the final event in which drivers can earn points in the 2006 ADRL standings, and only the top eight points-earners in each Outlaw Pro Mod class are guaranteed positions in the Battle for the Belts eliminators.

Entering this weekend’s event, Mike Neal (1,564 points), Bil Clanton (1,473), John Lynam (1,436), and Jason Scruggs (1,370) have clinched spots in the Pro Extreme half of the Belts competition, while Keith Baker (1,558), Terry Housley (1,437), Burton Auxier (1,362), and Johnny Pilcher (1,258) are already qualified for the Pro Nitrous competition. In both classes, a number of drivers in lower positions could claim spots in the Belts competition by racing well in Rockingham, but the exact order of the Belts qualifiers will likely not be determined until the final pairs go down the track.