‘Tricky Rickie’ wins Pro Modified championship

ROCKINGHAM — Reigning NHRA World Champion Rickie Smith drove his nitrous oxide-boosted 2013 Chevy Camaro past the 1968 Camaro of No. 1 qualifier Matt Suite in the final round Sunday to win the Pro Modified championship at the Dieffenbach Super Chevy Show at Rockingham Dragway.

A Rockingham Dragway photo

A Rockingham Dragway photo

Smith, the veteran from King, N.C., who won two IHRA Super Modified titles and five Pro Stock titles before making the switch to Pro Mod, saved his best for last Sunday, covering the eighth mile course in 3.937 seconds at 194.24 miles per hour to turn back his rival from Hughesville, Md.

In addition to celebrating all things General Motors, the three-day event also featured Danny O’Day and the “world’s fastest wheelstander,” Rockingham resident Terry Rosberg and “American Thunder,” the word’s only jet-powered 1941 Willys coupe, and the Gear Jammers circuit.

Lee Desist and Art Laselle, both of Fayetteville, swept the bracket titles Sundayafter cold weather forced track owner Steve Earwood to suspend racing Saturday night and split the money between those still in competition.

Desist drove his 1967 Camaro past the Chevy Luv truck of Eddie Key of Red Springs to claim Top Eliminator Sunday and Laselle turned back Clayton Roberts of Willow Springs to win Footbrake.

The girls ruled in Jr. Dragster with Kimberly Dawn Messer of Four Oaks winningSunday after Lauren Edwards of Maysville prevailed on Saturday.  Justin West of Dunn beat Samantha Thomas of Fairmont to win the D.O.T. title and Tim Mortin of Fort Mill, S.C., was unopposed in the Gen 5 class.

* * *

Results from the annual Dieffenbach Super Chevy Show Saturday and Sunday at Rockingham Dragway:

PRO MOD

Qualifying – 1. Matt Suite, Hughesville, Md., 1968 Chevy Camaro, 3.914, 180.07 mph; 2. Rickie Smith, King, N.C., 2013 Chevy Camaro, 3.977, 188.91 mph; 3. Jeff Blasi, Clayton, N.C., 1963 Chevy Corvette, 4.061, 188.91 mph; 4. Brian Tachmen, Virginia Beach, Va., 1957 Chevy, 4.203, 173.43 mph; 5. Danny Perry, Sims, N.C., 4.487, 123.23 mph.

Round 1 – Jeff Blasi, Clayton, N.C., 1963 Chevy Corvette, 4.060, 187.42 miles per hour, def. Brian Teachman, Virginia Beach, Va., 1957 Chevy Bel Air, 11.491, 56.41 mph; Rickie Smith, King, N.C., 2013 Chevy Camaro, 3.924, 195.31 mph, def. Danny Perry, Sims, N.C., 2013 Chevy Camaro, 4.694, 127.57 mph; Matt Suite, Hughesville, Md., 1968 Chevy Camaro, 4.023, 188.54 mph, def. Brian Teachman #2, Virginia Beach, Va., NA, 4.070, 177.14 mph.

Semifinals – Smith, 3.994, 193.24 mph, def. Blazi, no time; Suite, bye.

FINAL – Rickie Smith, King, N.C., 2013 Chevy Camaro, 3.937, 194.24 mph, def

Matt Suite, Hughesville, Md., 1968 Chevy Camaro, no time, no speed.

SUNDAY TOP ELIMINATOR

Round 6 – Eddie Key, Red Springs, 1976 Chevy Luv truck, 5.885 on a 5.890, 114.77 mph, def. Eric Thomas, Fairmont, 1967 Camaro, foul; Lee Desist, Fayetteville, 1967 Camaro, 6.171 on a 6.170, 110.38 mph, def. Michael Smith, Riegelwood, 5.577, 123.27 mph; Richard Alford Jr., Raleigh, 6.586 on a 6.580, 97.05 mph, def. Bobby Hardee, Mullins, S.C., 1969 Nova, 6.437 breakout on a 6.440, 105.17 mph; Greg Parrish, Selma, 1986 Firebird, 6.208 on a 6.190, 110.29 mph, def. Shawn Carpenter, Elm City, foul.

Semifinals – Key, 5.895 on a 5.880, 112.66 mph, def. Alford, 6.554 breakout on a 6.570, 100.56 mph; Desist, 6.191 on a 6.170, 106.90 mph, def. Parrish, 6.219 on a 6.200, 110.26 mph.

FINAL – Lee Desist, Fayetteville, 1967 Camaro, 6.176 on a 6.170, 107.11 mph, def. Eddie Key, Red Springs, 1976 Chevy Luv truck, 5.889 on a 5.880, 114.84 mph.

SATURDAY TOP ELIMINATOR

 

Money split between 15 drivers still in competition – Ronnie Eyring, Glen Burnie, 1982 Camaro; Jarrett Creech, Selma; Johnny Dublin, Wingate, 1927 Ford roadster; Ronnie Odom, Wilmington, 1955 Chevy; Tony Self, Rockingham, 1972 Nova; Georgia Thomas, Lumberton; Eddie Key, Red Springs, 1976 Luv truck; Joey Lucas, Pittsboro; Brent Alford, Raleigh; Eric Thomas, Fairmont, 1967 Camaro; Eric Aman, Clinton; Kenny Ward, Loris, S.C.; Doug Carlisle, Pikeville, 1970 Nova; Dean Phillips, Burlington, 1967 Chevy II; Bill Eyring, Lillington, 1955 Chevy.

SUNDAY FOOTBRAKE

Round 5 – Richard Synger, Dudley, 1972 Nova, 6.284 on a 6.280, 108.00 mph, def. Williams Roberts, Benson, 5.927 breakout on a 5.930, 115.99 mph; Derek Harris, Mcleansville, 6.447 on a 6.460, 105.37 mph, def. Eric Aman, Clinton, 1971 Vega, foul; Clayton Roberts, Willow Springs, 5.498 on a 5.490, 118.67 mph, def. Justin West, Dunn, 1969 Camaro, 7.827 on a 7.790, 81.34 mph; Art Laselle, Fayetteville, 5.781 on a 5.780, 118.29 mph, def. Donald Daniels, Godwin, 1981 Olds, foul; Johnny Sikes, Cordova, 1968 Nova, bye.

Round 6 – Laselle, 5.768 on a 5.780, 118.73 mph, def. Synger; Harris, 6.492 on a 6.470, 98.96 mph, def. Sikes, 6.683 breakout on a 6.710, 103.40 mph; Roberts, bye.

Semifinals – Roberts, 5.475 on a 5.480, 125.71 mph, def. Harris, foul; Laselle, bye.

FINAL – Art Laselle, Fayetteville, 5.791 on a 5.790, 115.43 mph, def. Clayton Roberts, Willow Springs, 5.471 breakout on a 5.480, 121.83 mph.

SATURDAY FOOTBRAKE

Money split between nine drivers still in competition – Art Laselle, Fayetteville; Mike Merritt, Wrightsville Beach, 1966 Chevy II; Richard Synger, Dudley, 1972 Nova; Greg Schramm, 1989 Malibu; Justin West, Dunn., 1969 Camaro; Ricky Bullock, Sanford, 1971 Nova; Eric Aman, Clinton, 1971 Vega; Bobby Marritt, Wilmington, 1967 Nova; Mark Soles, Riegelwood, 1988 Mustang.

SUNDAY JR. DRAGSTER

Round 4 – Breanne Wall, Kenly, 7.986 on a 7.920, 81.22 mph, def. Miranda Pankey, Oakboro, 8.943 on an 8.900, 71.63 mph; Logan Brown, Bishopville, S.C., 7.955 on a 7.920, 81.64 mph, def. Krisy Carol Messer, Four Oaks, foul; Kimberly Dawn Messer, Four Oaks, bye.

Semifinals – K.D. Messer, 7.956 on a 7.920, 78.02 mph, def. Wall, 7.990 on a 7.950, 81.46 mph; Brown, bye.

FINAL – Kimberly Dawn Messer, Four Oaks, 7.904 on a 7.910, 81.36 mph, def. Logan Brown, Bishopville, S.C., foul.

SATURDAY JR. DRAGSTER

Round 4 – Lauren Edwards, Maysville, 7.990 on a 7.950, 82.44 mph, def. Logan Brown, Bishopville, S.C., 8.128 on a 7.960, 79.55 mph; Chase Wagner, Willow Springs, 7.903 on a 7.940, 82.69 mph, def. Kristy Carol Messer, Four Oaks, foul; Kaylee Miller, Lancaster, S.C., bye.

Semifinals – Miller, 7.949 on a 7.910, 81.52 mph, def. Wagner, 7.883 breakout on a 7.910, 82.46 mph; Edwards, bye.

FINAL – Lauren Edwards, Maysville, 7.916 on a 7.920, 83.11 mph, def. Kaylee Miller, Lancaster, S.C., 7.926 breakout on a 7.930, 82.17 mph.

GEN 5

FINAL – Tim Mortin, Fort Mill, S.C., unopposed.

DOT CLASS

Round 2 – Donald Barnes, Evergreen, 14.294 on a 14.220, 87.57 mph, def. Dan Aspenleiter, Wilmington, 1956 Chevy, 11.575 breakout on a 11.600, 114.06 mph; Jerry Cline, Mooresville, 1969 Camaro, 12.332 on a 12.250, 101.75 mph, def. Mike Merritt, Wrightsville Beach, 1966 Chevy II, 12.583 on a 12.510, 108.71 mph; Donald Daniels, Godwin, 1981 Olds, 11.268 on an 11.180, 118.30 mph, def. Ted Carter, Ellerbe, 11.048 on a 10.940, 121.35 mph; Justin West, Dunn, 1969 Camaro, bye; Samantha Thomas, Fairmont, 1970 Nova, bye; Ernest Matthews, Columbia, S.C., bye.

Round 3 – Barnes, 14.286 on a 14.250, 91.37 mph, def. Daniels, 11.229 breakout on an 11.230, 117.89 mph; West, 12.691 on a 12.540, 96.22 mph, def. Matthews, 13.823 on a 13.800, 100.58 mph; Thomas, 11.408 on an 11.450, 115.05 mph, def. Cline, foul.

Semifinals – West, 12.567 on a 12.530, 93.39 mph, def. Barnes, 14.291 on a 14.250, 90.54 mph; Thomas, bye.

FINAL – Justin West, Dunn, 1969 Camaro, 12.509 on a 12.540, 98.09 mph, def. Samatha Thomas, Fairmont, 1970 Nova, foul.

Filed in: Latest Headlines, Outdoors, Sports

You might like:

M. Bishop sinks putt for Mixed Division playoff win M. Bishop sinks putt for Mixed Division playoff win
Von Hagel wins drawing for Pixel Von Hagel wins drawing for Pixel
Application period open for club sponsorship Application period open for club sponsorship
S. Farris wins Player of the Year S. Farris wins Player of the Year
© 2024 AlleganyPlayground.com. All rights reserved. XHTML / CSS Valid.