A Rockingham Dragway photo
ROCKINGHAM — Traditional drag racing, the Fun Ford Series, a swap meet, a match race featuring two of the world’s quickest and fastest Super Stock Cobra Jet Mustangs and a Ford-only car and truck show will share the spotlight at this week’s 20th annual Roush Yates Performance Products Spring Civil Wars with two of the most unique vehicles on the professional tour.
Danny O’Day’s one-of-a-kind “Superwinch” wheelstander and Robert Albertson’s “Blazing Angel” jet-powered dragster will make exhibition runs Saturday between rounds of eliminations in the ATI Performance Products Pro Tree Doorslammer, Soles Performance Footbrake, Open Comp and the Pro Tree Doorslammer Association 5.30, 6.00 and 7.00 Index classes.
While Albertson will be making his first Civil Wars appearance, O’Day is no stranger either to Rockingham Dragway or to the event.
The driver of one of the most popular of the wheelstand breed, O’Day has covered the quarter mile, front wheels up the entire distance, in as few as 8.54 seconds at a finish line speed of 157 miles per hour. That makes his 1934 Ford roadster the quickest of the breed.
As for Albertson, his family-owned-and-operated jet dragster uses a Pratt and Whitney J60 jet to deliver power that has produced finish line speeds exceeding 300 mph. One of the most unique features of the Irmo, S.C.-based jet is a paint scheme designed to resemble that of a P-51 fighter jet which, ironically, wasn’t jet-powered.
The Civil Wars will begin with open testing from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday. In addition to O’Day and Albertson, Saturday’s program features racing for a $1,500 top prize in Pro and Footbrake, trophy presentations in the Fords-only car and truck show and an all-comers wheelstand contest.
Admission is $40 for a three-day combo ticket, $35 for a Saturday–Sunday ticket or $20 per day. Children under six are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult and parking is free in Rockingham’s main lot.
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