Count Down To The
Championship Heats Up At Northeast Dragway
By Carla Winslow
Saturday nights bring great pleasure to many race
car drivers and their fans. Saturday nights under the drag strip lights; the
smoke and the fumes from the burnouts put a smile on the driver’s faces after a
hard weeks work. The track becomes the place that drivers look forward to all
week long to relax, hangout with friends, and talk a language that most don’t
understand - bracket racing.
After weeks of bad weather that forced the track to
cancel events, the track was finally open for a great day of racing. With only
a few races left to determine the champions in each class things heated up. All
drivers are looking to earn valuable and much needed points to earn a spot at
the top of the list. Like previous years the championship is still very much up
for grabs in all four classes.
Joel Moreland of Edenton took his dragster to the
winners circle for back to back wins in the TOP ET Class keeping he and his
team mate Eric Whitehurst of Edenton in the number one spot. Moreland took the
win over Randy Trahan of Chesapeake VA. Former Grudge Racer and Modified Track
Champion William Wickerson of Chesapeake, VA returned to Northeast Dragway
after nearly six years of being away and he took the win over Jerry Gray.
Wickerson won his first track champion at Northeast Dragway during the 3rd
season of the tracks operation. 5.90 Index Class winner Caden Trueblood of
Hertford, NC showed once again that he has the talent to win a championship.
With five out of six wins this season Trueblood has earn his spot in the top of
his class. Trueblood beat Willie Corl in the finals. Rookie Michael Jernigan
clinched his second win this year in his 1979 El Camino beating the 2015 Street
Class Champion Hunter Mason of Camden, NC. The Jr Dragster Class decided to
spice up their finals as both drivers decided to have a Street Outlaw type race
for the win. Sierra Eure of Suffolk, VA and Justin Blythe of South Hampton, VA
met in the finals. Both drivers who typically run a 7.90 decided to dial 11.90
and leave on a hand held flash light that is commonly used in street outlaw
racing. Both drivers staged and waited patiently on Blythe's father who turned
on “banged” the light. With only a reaction difference of .020 at the light
both racers got a clean and competitive start toward the finish line. Eure’s
skills at top end worked in her favor and gave her the win light over Justin.
On Saturday August 13th the track will
host “Truck Wars” a battle for top dog in the 660 with all make and model
trucks/ gas or diesel. Gates will open at 3 pm with racing at 5 pm. Points Race
# 6 will be held on August 20th, gates open at 3 pm with times run
at 5 pm and racing at 7 pm. Test and Tunes continue each Friday night under the
lights - gates open at 7 pm with runs from 8-11 pm. Specter’s are always
welcome. For more information log onto www.northeastdragway.net