RAIN HALTS RECORD SETTERS AT ROCKINGHAM

Rain washed out a final round showdown between the record-shattering Pro Compact race cars of Matt Scranton and Matt Hartford, spoiling an otherwise spectacular NOPI Drag Racing Series event at Rockingham Dragway.

Hartford opened the event by lowering the national record for the Pro Compact class to 6.620 seconds in his 2004 Chevy Cavalier before Scranton unloaded a sensational 6.506 in the final qualifying session to grab the record and the No. 1 qualifying position in his 2004 Toyota.

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But the much anticipated final round showdown never materialized. Because of the rain, the Scranton-Hartford final round as well as four others will be contest at the next event in the NOPI series at Bristol, Tenn.

Before the rains, in addition to Scranton and Hartford, Brent Rau of Eden, NC, and Justin Humphreys of Mt. Airy, MD, had reached the final round in Pro Outlaw; Joe Demaree of Zionsville, IN, and Gary Gardella of Howell, NJ, had made it to the money round in the Pro 4-Cylinder class; and Saul Salceda of Gardena, CA, and Norris Prayoonto of Springfield, VA, had turned back all comers in Pro Stock.

Among the champions crowned before weather became an issue were Dale Sanders of Eagle Springs, who drove his 1994 Toyota Supra to victory in the Bracket 14 category; Anna Comingore of Bryan, TX, who drove a similar car into the winners' circle in the popular NOPI Chic class for women drivers; and Mike Slowe of Bensalem, PA, a champion in the MIRock Superbike Series contested at The Rock, in the new Modified Street Bike class. Richie Gibson, Huntingtown, MD, won in Comp; Matt Keller of Springfield, VA, in Turbo 4; Tony Melber Jr. of Perry Hall, MD, in Turbo 6; Shawn Ponterio, Stafford, VA, in Bracket 15; Jim Hucks, Orange Park, FL, in Power Street; and Doug Ray of Salisbury, NC, in Quick Class for motorcycles. [6-28-2005]