Memorable wins for weekend racers

By Wendy Curling

The Memorial Day weekend events at Northeast Dragway wrapped up Sunday with the annual Iron Man race along with the 4.90 and 5.90 Index classes where race winners in all classes took home priceless memories on a weekend of national remembrance.

Modified racer and recognized track chaplain, Greg Jernigan of Gates, who offers a prayer before eliminations on race days, gave a moving Memorial Day message during a track side church service Sunday morning emphasizing the importance of remembering all the men and women who have died for our freedom and the need to uphold the Christian values on which our nation was founded.

Jernigan’s closing prayer asking for the safety of our soldiers as well as a safe and enjoyable day for racers must have been ringing like a hallelujah chorus in the cockpit of his 1985 Dodge Daytona as he crossed the finish just .004 ahead of visiting racer Ronald Franklin of South Hill (Va) to win his first ever Iron Man trophy.

“ I want to thank God first and then my wife, Teri” Jernigan expressed with the utmost sincerity after his emotional win.

Veteran racer Mark Moreland of Edenton may have collected more wins than he can recall, but he was quick to point out that this was his first ever actual Iron Man trophy. “I have four Iron Man wins, but when I won those they just gave plagues”, said Moreland.

Moreland finished with a flawless final round performance in the Top Eliminator class in his Race Tech dragster posting a near perfect .005 reaction time and running dead on his 4.85 dial while his opponent Larry Pittman fouled with a red light start.

Former Street class Champion Tom Cornelissen, who drives his Mustang to and from the track, has raced a limited schedule this year citing the economy and conflicting work schedules, but the decision to race for the Iron Man paid off as he also collected his first.

Cornelissen bested Amanda Ries of Virginia Beach in a side by side race to the stripe where he won by a margin of .035.

Luke Boykin of Kill Devil Hills continued his dominance of the Pro Bike class by sweeping the weekend with back to back wins for a season total of four.

“I was afraid I had used up all my luck before the Iron Man” said Boykin, “But I just kept telling myself I was on a roll”. And roll he did as he took the win over Darrell Bradley in the final round by a sizable .203 margin at the finish line.

Logan Willoughby of Elizabeth City finally won his first Iron Man in what will be his last year of Junior Dragster racing. Willoughby won all rounds including the final where he faced Danielle Hill of Chesapeake who fouled with a disappointing red light start.

Skip Moore of Chesapeake has rocketed to the top of the 4.90 Index class winning every race this season earning the nickname “Mr. 4.90". “It’s like Christmas in July” he said with an unrelenting smile after winning the final round against Hallett Latimer, also of Chesapeake, who jumped the start with a red light foul. Moore tripped the finish line beams with a 4.91 to seal deal.

In contrast, the 5.90 Index class has seen a new winner in all three events held this year.

J2 Race Engines, Inc of Chesapeake sponsored Sunday’s race where Buddy Boyce picked up his first win by besting Leon Wiggins in the final with a .021 reaction time and running dead on 5.90.

Regular Bracket racing will be held this Saturday with gates opening at 1 o’clock p.m. Time runs will begin at 3, followed by eliminations at 5 p.m.

Friday night Test and Tune will be held from 7 to 10 p.m.

Log onto www.northeastdragway.net for schedules, forums, photos and more.