race reports

ManCup at Rockingham, NC

Records Fall

 

Words by Dave Densmore

Photos by Tom McCarthy

Dan Wagner tuned Niki Zak to her first Pro Open class win as she became the first woman to go over 200 mph on a motorcycle.

 

Niki Taube Zakrzewski, better known in the bike racing community as Niki Zak, sped straight into the record books Saturday at Rockingham Dragway where she became the first woman in motorcycle drag racing history to record a finish line speed in excess of 200 miles per hour.

 

Little more than 24 hours later, the native of Sydney, Australia, added an exclamation point by beating reigning Pro Open champion and point leader Mark Rendeluk of Oklahoma City to join Larry “Spiderman” McBride of Newport News, Va., and “Super Dave” Stewart of Mooresville as record-breaking winners of The Rock’s Man Cup Fall Nationals.

 

Zakrzewski, who has been racing professionally for only three seasons, stopped the Compulink timers in 6.518 seconds at 200.65 mph Saturday astride before later improving to 6.450 at 205.82 mph. On race day, she crushed the field with runs of 6.487 at 202.85 mph, 6.490 at 203.65 mph on a single and, finally, 6.487 at 204.85 mph.

 

Until Saturday, the “fastest woman on two wheels” title belonged to NHRA Pro Stock Bike racer and former world champion Angelle Sampey of Mathews, La., who attained a speed of 199.76 mph on July 31, 2016 at Sonoma, Calif., Raceway.

McBride extended his Man Cup point lead by besting motorcycle legend and No. 1 qualifier Sam Wills of Edmond, Okla., in the Top Fuel final. En route to victory, the flamboyant McBride coaxed his bike across the quarter mile finish line at a fastest ever bike speed of 255.20 mph in the semifinals.

 

Stewart lowered the national record in the Real Street class to 7.652 seconds and beat national point leader “Turbo Johnny” Dobrin of Sarasota, Fla., in the money round.

 

Other winners included Louisburg’s Ehren Litten in Pro Street, Michael Ray of New Braunfels, Texas in Pro Fuel, Ronnie Smith of Pasadena, Md., in Pro Mod, Broderick Jackson of Atlanta in 4.60 Index, Pete Chongris of Mentor Ohio in Top Gas, Ron Arnold of Bowling Green, Ky., in Crazy 8s and veteran Jeremy Teasley, the winningest motorcycle rider in Rockingham history, in Super Comp.

Ehren Litten

 

Litten beat Aruba’s Terrence Angela to earn the hardware in Pro Street but that win was anticlimactic after he upset national record-setting Rodney Williford of Rougemont, a multi-time champion in the old MIRock Superbike Series, in round two.

 

Williford lowered the Pro Street national record to 6.705 seconds in qualifying and then stopped the timers in an even quicker 6.667 seconds at 225.67 mph in round one. Against Litten, though, he couldn’t maintain traction and slowed to 7.871.

 

TOP FUEL

 

Qualifying – 1. Sam Wills, Edmond, Okla. 5.902, 234.00 mph; 2. Larry “Spiderman” McBride, Newport News, Va., 6.114, 228.92 mph; 3. Dave Vantine, Hamilton, N.Y., 6.167, 226.54 mph; 4. Ian King, Litlington, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, 6.258 217.67 mph; 5. Chris Hand, Navou, Ala., 6.567, 158.33 mph; 6. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., 7.822, 157.19 mph.

 

Round 1 – Dave Vantine, Hamilton, N.Y., 5.994, 227.31 mph, def. Ian King, Litlington, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, 6.204, 207.94 mph; Larry “Spiderman” McBride, Newport News, Va., 5.957, 248.66 mph, def. Chris Hand, Navou, Ala., 5.885, 222.95 mph; Sam Wills, Edmond, Okla., 5.902, 231.00 mph, def. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., 6.782, 199.88 mph.

 

Semifinals – Wills, bye; McBride, 5.833, 255.29 mph, def. Vantine, foul.

 

FINAL – Larry “Spiderman” McBride, Newport News, Va., 5.828, 246.48 mph, def. Sam Wills, Edmond, Okla., 6.235, 230.80 mph.

Sam Wills remains just a few points behind McBride in the Top Fuel points.

 

PRO OPEN

 

Qualifying – 1. Niki “Niki Zak” Zakrzewski, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 6.450, 205.82 mph; 2. Richard Brunson, Davenport, Iowa, 6.453, 202.21 mph; 3. Mike Rendeluk, Oklahoma City, Okla., 6.489, 204.05 mph; 4. Rob Garcia, Pottstown, Pa., 6.773, 193.40 mph; 5. Keith Browne, Semora, 6.972, 196.44 mph; 6. Robert Giard, Gainesboro, Tenn., 8.218. 189.58 mph.

 

Round 1 – Mark Rendeluk, Oklahoma City, Okla., 6.549, 202.24 mph, def. Rob Garcia, Pottstown, Pa. 6.892, 188.64 mph; Richard Brunson, Davenport, Iowa, 6.528, 198.67 mph, def. Keith Browne, Semora, 6.960, 192.55 mph; Niki “Niki Zak” Zakrzewski, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 6.487, 202.85 mph, def. Roget Giard, Gainesboro, Tenn., no time.

 

Semifinals – Rendeluk, 6.512, 202.64 mph, def. Brunson, 6.559, 198.70 mph; Zak, bye.

 

FINAL – Niki “Niki Zak” Zakrzewski, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 6.487, 204.85 mph, def. Mark Rendeluk, Oklahoma City, Okla., 6.679, 196.90 mph.

 

PRO STREET

 

Qualifying – 1. Rodney Williford, Rougemont, 6.705, 220.73 mph; 2. Terrence Angela, Aruba, 6.813, 216.55 mph; 3. Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 6.819, 213.20 mph; 4. Ehren Litten, Louisburg, 6.867, 218.90 mph; 5. Chris Connelly, Brighton, Mich., 6.912, 208.26 mph; 6. Mark Gargulo, Granville, Mass., 6.943, 205.76 mph; 7. Chris Edwards, Bessemer City, 7.125, 201.97 mph; 8. Jorden Haase, Irwin, Pa., 7.134, 203.43 mph.

 

Round 1 – Ehren Litten, Louisburg, 6.742, 222.00 mph, def. Chris Connelly, Brighton, Mich., 6.964, 205.88 mph; Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 6.884, 210.08 mph, def. Mark Gargulo, Granville, Mass., 6.984, 200.47 mph; Terrence Angela, Aruba, 7.083, 174.48 mph, def. Chris Edwards, Bessemer City, 9.810, 90.27 mph; Rodney Williford, Rougemont, 6.667, 225.67 mph, def. Jorden Haase, Irwin, Pa., no time.

 

Semifinals – Litten, 6.744, 223.21 mph, def. Williford, 7.871, 165.99 mph; Angela, 6.833, 215.27 mph, def. Teasley, 6.871, 185.54 mph.

 

FINAL – Ehren Litten, Louisburg, 6.786, 215.62 mph, def. Terrence Angela, Aruba, 6.897, 192.41 mph.

 

PRO FUEL

 

Semifinals – Michael Ray, New Braunfels, Texas, 8.237, 159.95 mph, def. Tyler Wilson, Walnut Cove, 8.303, 161.63 mph; Preston Bartlett, St. Augustine, Fla., no time, def. Jay Beasley, Winston-Salem, no time.

 

FINAL – Michael Ray, New Braunfels, Texas, 7.354, 166.76 mph, def. Preston Bartlett, St. Augustine, Fla., 7.364, 171.34 mph.

 

REAL STREET

 

Round 1 – “Super Dave” Stewart, Mooresville, bye; John Dobrin, Sarasota, Fla., 7.859, 188.99 mph, def. Jason Fernando, Tampa, Fla., 8.299, 176.84 mph; Marcus Hylton, Eden, 7.935, 171.93 mph, def. Anibal Merced, Concord, 8.048, 182.28 mph.

 

Semifinals – Stewart, 7.652, 190.89 mph, def. Hylton, 7.942, 170.45 mph; Dobrin, bye.

FINAL – “Super Dave” Stewart (shown), Mooresville, 7.749, 193.10 mph, def. John Dobrin, Sarasota, Fla., 7.790, 191.40 mph.

 

PRO MOD

 

Semifinals – Travis Davis, Douglas, Ga., 4.094, 174.28 mph, def. Brad McCoy, Cleveland, 4.082, 174.14 mph; Ronnie Smith, Pasadena, Md., bye.

FINAL – Ronnie Smith (shown), Pasadena, Md., 4.086m 172.45 mph, def. Travis Davis, Douglas, Ga., 4.129, 171.42 mph.

 

4.60 INDEX

 

Round 3 – Tony Mullen, Bradenton, Fla., 4.616, 150.56 mph, def. Mike Chonglis, Eastlake, Ohio, 4.639, 148.44 mph; “Long Island Mike” Ostrowski, Bay Shore, N.Y., 4.642, 139.99 mph, def. Ronnie Procopio, Wake Forest, 4.659, 157.52 mph; Broderick Jackson, Atlanta, Ga., bye.

 

Semifinals – Jackson, 4.635, 153.49 mph, def. Ostrowski, 4.620, 142.22 mph; Mullen, bye.

 

FINAL – Broderick Jackson, Atlanta, Ga., 4.601, 155.44 mph, def. Tony Mullen, Bradenton, Fla., 4.595 breakout, 153.21 mph.

 

TOP GAS (8.20 target)

 

Round 2 – Pete Chongris, Mentor, Ohio, 8.191, 153.09 mph, def. Dustin Lee, Morristown, Tenn., 8.168 breakout, 163.29 mph; Jim Chongris, Mentor, Ohio, 8.286, 153.04 mph, def. Frank Loney, Dalzell, S.C., 8.099 breakout, 141.85 mph; Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 8.224, 164.21 mph, def. Jeff House, Keller, Texas, 8.184 breakout, 157i.30 mph; Alan Fields, Climax, 8.183, 161.40 mph, def. Ben Knight, Elkton, Va., 8.180 breakout, 160.10 mph.

 

Semifinals – Fields, 8.271, 150.82 mph, def. J. Chongris, 8.364, 149.63 mph; P. Chongris, 8.250, 154.09 mph, def. Teasley, foul.

 

FINAL – Pete Chongris, Mentor, Ohio, 9.486, 114.40 mph, def. Alan Fields, Climax, 20.952, no speed.

 

CRAZY 8S (8.880 target)

 

Round 3 – Dusty Brazel, Norman Park, Ga., 8.891, 150.92 mph, def. Wade Smith, Dublin, Ga., foul; Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., 8.910, 144.10 mph, def. Keith Browne, Semora, 8.943, 143.78 mph; Eric Griffith, Riner, Va., bye.

 

Semifinals – Brazel, 8.942, 147.60 mph, def. Griffith, 8.898, 150.90 mph; Arnold, bye.

 

FINAL – Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., 8.914, 142.24 mph, def. Dusty Brazel, Norman Park, Ga., 8.964, 149.85 mph.

 

SUPER COMP (8.90 target)

 

Round 3 – Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., 8.847, 154.37 mph, def. Freddy Frazier, Sanford, foul; Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 8.948, 149.76 mph, def. Travis Bordeaux, Harrisburg, 8.904, 138.07 mph; Randall Cross, Stone Mountain, Ga., 10.875, 107.96 mph, def. “Long Island Mike” Ostrowski, Bay Shore, N.Y., foul; Shawn Welch, Waynesboro, Ga., bye.

 

Semifinals – Teasley, 8.916, 149.90 mph, def. Cross, 8.913, 148.61 mph; Welch, 8.917, 142.42 mph, def. Arnold, 8.893 breakout, 142.45 mph.

 

FINAL – Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, 8.961, 149.30 mph, def. Shawn Welch, Waynesboro, Ga., 8.018, 128.64 mph.

 

SUNDAY PRO ET

 

Round 4 – Ben Knight, Elkton, Va., .014, 8.199 on an 8.180, 155.78 mph, def. Robin Procopio, Wake Forest, .025, 8.218 on an 8.200, 158.06 mph; Eric Griffith, Riner, Va., .035, 8.933 on an 8.880, 146.24 mph, def. Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, Tenn., .089, 9.007 on an 8.970, 141.58 mph; Ted Harvey, Mentor, Ohio, .031, 8.088 on an 8.090, 158.54 mph, def. Shawn Welch, Waynesboro, Ga., foul.

 

Semifinals – Harvey, .025, 8.186 on an 8.090, 153.02 mph, def. Knight, .019, 8.275 on an 8.170, 154.69 mph; Griffith, bye.

 

FINAL – Ted Harvey, Mentor, Ohio, .009, 8.125 on an 8.110, 144.94 mph, def. Eric Griffith, Riner, Va., .053, 8.906 on an 8.880, 151.20 mph.

 

SATURDAY PRO ET

 

Round 4 – Stephen Knight, Durham, .056, 9.042 on a 9.040, 148.36 mph, ddef. Dustin Lee, Morristown, Tenn., .059, 9.188 breakout on a 9.190, 147.17 mph; John Markham, Bowling Green, KY., .020, 8.831 on an 8.720, 138.27 mph, def. Calvin Mason, Mobile, Ala., .149, 9.191 breakout on a 9.200, 141.13 mph; Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, Tenn., .055, 8.975 on an 8.980, 148.05 mph, def. Harvey Hubbard, Sedley, Va., foul.

 

Semifinals – Markham, bye; Knight, .048, 9.039 on a 9.040, 141.73 mph, def. Claycomb, .088, 8.941 breakout on an 8.950, 150.35 mph.

 

FINAL – Stephen Knight, Durham, .011, 9.054 on a 9.020, 144.42 mph, def. John Markham, Bowling Green, Ky., .022, 8.736 on an 8.700, 147.04 mph.

 

SUNDAY STREET ET

 

Round 5 – Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., .055, 9.392 on a 9.380, 144.41 mph, def. Elmer Cromer, Nokomis, Fla., .097, 9.287 breakout on a 9.350, 147.68 mph; Roy Johnson, Keystone Heights, Fla., .022, 9.405 on a 9.390, 140.96 mph, def. Stanley Russell, Stanley, Ga., .048, 9.735 on a 9.720, 138.34 mph; John Fernandez, Tampa, Fla., bye.

 

Semifinals – Fernandez, .045, 8.426 on an 8.360, 155.79 mph, def. Johnson, .073, 9.467 on a 9.390,144.35 mph; Arnold, bye.

 

FINAL – John Fernandez, Tampa, Fla., NA, 8.364 on an 8.360, 162.51 mph, def. Ron Arnold, Bowling Green, Ky., foul.

 

SATURDAY STREET ET

 

Round 5 – Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, Tenn., .042, 9.261 on an 8.950, 155.65 mph, def. Bob Burt, Columbus, Ohio .048, 10.537 breakout on a 10.550, 121.30 mph; Brian Dale, Dalton, Ga., .048, 9.143 on an 8.950, 135.74 mph, def. Vance Houdyshell, Vero Beach, Fla., .024, 10.257 on a 9.900, 135.81 mph; C.J. Fair, Lexington, S.C., bye.

 

Semifinals – Dale, .059, 8.930 on an 8.970, 152.18 mph, def. Fair, foul; Claycomb, bye.

 

FINAL – Brian Dale, Dalton, Ga., .043, 8.930 on an 8.930, 148.09 mph, def. Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, Tenn., .084, 8.920 on an 8.920, 151.53 mph.

 

SUNDAY V-TWIN FINAL: Vance Houdyshell, Vero Beach, Fla., .143, 10.101 on a 10.000, 137.95 mph, def. Barry Pryer Sr., Chesapeake, Va., .176, 12.453 breakout on a 12.550, 105.22 mph.

 

SATURDAY V-TWIN FINAL: Barry Pryer Sr., Chesapeake, Va., .058, 12.887 on a 12.550, 89.71 mph, def. Manny Carrasquillo, Clearwater, Fla., .051, 14.740 on a 14.000, 83.96 mph.

 

STREET FIGHTER FINAL (9.50 target): Jason Herron, West Columbia, S.C., 9.545, 140.23 mph, def. Pablo Gonzalez, Carolina, Puerto Rico, 9.529, 141.91 mph.

VOLUME XIX,  NUMBER 9 - SEPTEMBER  2017

BACK TO TOP

Connect

official DRO sponsors

 © 1999-2017 - Drag Racing Online and Racing Net Source LLC - 607 Seib Drive, O'Fallon, MO 63366 Phone: 636.272.6301 - Privacy Policy

fficial ponsors