BY THE NUMBERS: 4
IHRA’s First Four

Clay Millican and crew chief/tuner Mike Kloeber fired a little shot across their NHRA counterparts' bows with a stunning 4.484/323.19 which backed up a previous 4.52 lap that re-set the IHRA World Record. The four-second lap, which was a first for the IHRA, happened at what has long been the quickest track on the IHRA trail, Steve Earwood’s Rockingham Dragway. The incrementals for the historic IHRA lap are as follows: .833 (60 ft); 2.219 (330 ft); 3.035/277.77 (660 ft); 4.484/323.19 (quarter mile). (Jeff Burk photo) [10-31-2005]

BY THE NUMBERS: 3
Castellana First in the Three's

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Mike Castellana secured one of the most prized titles in naturally-aspirated Pro Modified racing when his all-time quarter-mile record 6.106-second elapsed time, recorded during the final round of qualifying at the 10th annual IHRA Udderly SMOOth World Finals at Rockingham (NC) Dragway, included the first sub-4.00 eighth mile ET in nitrous-aided class history.

The 3.997/184.82 eighth was preceded by a 1.002 60-feet ET, a 2.661 330-feet ET, and the 6.106 was capped with a 229.82 mph speed. (Jeff Burk photo) [10-31-2005]

COUGHLIN WINS 'BIG DOG'

Consistent performance was the key for Troy Coughlin getting $50,000 for winning the third annual North Vs. South Big Dog Shootout on Oct. 29 at Piedmont Dragway in Greensboro, NC. Coughlin posted four straight elimination passes all within one-hundredth of a second. In the final Coughlin's Cavalier turned in a 4.26 eighth-mile elapsed time, to beat South finalist Buzz Varner.

Coughlin beat Donnie Krusinski with a 4.26, Johnson Lawson with a 4.25, and the South team's No. 1 qualifier, Todd Tutterow, with another 4.25. Along the way, Coughlin bettered the "Big Dog" 60-foot record that he just set on Thursday, lowering it from .997 to .986. He and Lawson were involved in the quickest side-by-side race in event history when Coughlin beat Lawson by .005 seconds.

The race against Tutterow also was dramatic as Tutterow's driveshaft broke during the run and came into the cockpit, slightly injuring his right hand. [10-31-2005]