TORKELSON HOLESHOTS HOMETOWN
HERO TO CLAIM ROUTE 66 WIN
Words by Hank Schmitt
Photo courtesy ShowCase Photo
8/19/05
Mickey Thompson Nitro Coupe rookie Wayne Torkelson
of Belpre, Ohio, marched closer to a world championship
Sunday (8/14) when he defeated defending world champ Randy
Adler in the finals of the AutoZone Super Chevy Show at
Route 66 Raceway.
The
win is the latest in a string for Torkelson this year, moving
him closer to getting a strangle-hold on the Nitro Coupe
world championship in his rookie year on the tour. In Saturday
qualifying, Adler edged Torkelson for the Trim Parts Low
Qualifier Award with a 6.345 at 221.13 miles per hour versus
Torkelson's 6.380 at 223.14.
In the finals, though, points leader Torkelson put a .037
to .094 holeshot on Adler, winning with a 6.439 at 217.63
miles per hour to Adler's quicker but losing 6.410 at 218.09
mph.
A field of ten Top Sportsmen duked it out in qualifying
Saturday and in eliminations Sunday. Winfield, IL racer
Jeff Fleming dipped into six-second land to put his '97
Camaro in the low qualifier slot. Fleming ran a sterling
6.997 at 194.52 miles per hour on Saturday, but had to settle
for semi-final money on Sunday.
AutoZone Super Chevy Show's Route 66 Top Sportsman winner
was Mark Conkle of Etna, Ohio. Conkle bested Dan Howorth
of Yorkville, Indiana in the finals. Conkle's 1987 Sunbird
ran a 7.296 at 175.82 miles per hour on a 7.21 dial; he
got away with it because Howorth had a ton of problems leaving
the line. ending up with a 7.219 on his 7.19 dial.
Nitro Coupe Eliminations - Sunday 8/14/05
| Finals |
|
R/T |
ET |
MPH |
| |
Wayne Torkelson def. |
.037 |
6.439 |
217.63 |
| |
Randy Adler |
.094 |
6.410 |
218.09 |
Top Sportsman Eliminations - Sun. 8/14/05
| |
Driver |
R/T |
Dial-in |
ET |
MPH |
| Winner |
Mark Conkle, Etna, OH |
.051 |
7.21 |
7.296 |
175.82 |
| Runner-Up |
Daniel Howorth, Yorkville, IL |
.114 |
7.19 |
7.219 |
189.87 |
| Semis |
Jeff Fleming, Winfield, IL |
|
|
|
|
