Chase for points is heating up

By Wendy Curling

HERTFORD — Sweltering heat and humidity that sent track temperatures soaring and turned racecar cockpits into virtual ovens could not deter die-hard racers from their mission Saturday at Northeast Dragway.

The mission; Collect valuable points, points that would inch them ever closer to the coveted track championship and all that it entails.

While there were some registered racers missing from the line up, the car count was good, which came as a surprise to most. Track owner Curtis Trueblood had been faced with the decision to cancel the day’s events due to the heat, but two weeks of consecutive rainouts forced his hand. “There was a good crowd here tonight,” he said, “I didn’t think there would be.”

Top Eliminator winner Leon Wiggins made the decision to brave the heat and was glad he did. “I almost didn’t come, but I was hot at the shop so I figured I might as well be hot at the track.”

And hot he was in his bright red Mustang as he posted near perfect reaction times round after round including .007 in the final against Jeff Moore of Elizabeth City. Moore fouled with a red light start and Wiggins went on to run 6.33 on his 6.35 dial.

It was just another day at the office for Perry Mark as he picked up his first Modified class win of the year.

“I work outside in the heat so this was no problem,” he said with excitement. “You know we got down to eight cars at PINKS and we’re going to be on TV,”, he said, adding teeth to his most recent accomplishment.

Mark faced Dylan Phelps of Edenton in the final. Phelps was best off the line, but Mark prevailed in the double break-out finish by running closer to his dial.

William White of Elizabeth City borrowed his daughter’s car and drove straight to the Street class winner’s circle after defeating Scott Miles in the final.

“I bought this car for my daughter and I told her it was a winner,” White beamed. “She’ll be surprised. She doesn’t even know that I borrowed it yet.”

White ran 10.18 on his 10.05 dial while Miles broke out on top end.

Big Kev Richardson and Thomas Reid faced off in the Pro Bike class with Richardson taking the win from the starting line as Reid fouled with a red light start. Richardson went on to run 6.18 on his 6.15 dial at 109 mph.

To round out the night, Whitney Harden of Askewville notched her third Junior Dragster victory by besting Erin Arledge of Chesapeake, who fouled with a red light start in the final round.

Racing continues this weekend with Points/Bracket racing Saturday with gates opening at 3, time runs beginning at 5, followed by eliminations at 7 p.m. Friday night Test and Tune will be held from 7 to 10 p.m.

Log on to www.northeastdragway.netfor these and other upcoming events.