FAMILIAR FACES DOMINATE
AT 'THE ROCK'

Words and photos by Ian Tocher

Multi-time winners finished on top of four of five professional categories at the 7th annual CARQUEST World Finals, held Oct. 20, at Rockingham Dragway. Only rookie Mark Cox broke the pattern by winning his career-first IHRA event after beating crowd favorite Ray Price in the Nitro Harley final.

At the IHRA's season-ending event at Rockingham, NC, Clay Millican and his Mike Kloeber-led Werner Enterprises team capped a second straight series title with their 11th win in 12 races this year.

After having his unprecedented winning streak snapped at the previous race, Top Fuel ace Clay Millican returned to the winner's circle by defeating Bruce Litton for the ninth time in the final round this season. In Pro Modified, Mitch Stott took on Rickie Smith and went home with his third straight final-round win, Dale Brand scored his third Alcohol Funny Car win of the year by beating Mark Thomas, and Carl Baker won his second Pro Stock event in 2002 after edging Jeff Dobbins by less than a car length in the final round.

PRO STOCK MAKES HISTORY

The Sunoco Race Fuels Pro Stock field was impressive with its first all-6.50s field in history after 28 cars attempted to be among the 16 fastest for raceday.

Auburn, GA's Charlie Peppers ran a career-best 6.541 at 210.93 mph to secure his first ever number-one starting position, and Elijah Morton rounded out the field after making a 6.599-secs pass at 209.59 mph. Morton won their raceday match-up when something in Peppers' engine broke going into second gear.

Alvin Whaley, 59, said he and 60-year-old driver Charlie Peppers (left) have teamed up to become IHRA Pro Stock's version of the "Over-the-Hill Gang." Peppers' new Jerry Haas-built 2002 Mustang is motivated by an 814 c.i. Jon Kaase engine that's owned by Whaley.

Carl Baker, from North Ridgeville, OH, qualified his Summit-sponsored 2002 Cougar ninth, then advanced through John Bartunek, Morton, and Jason Collins to reach the Pro Stock final. The win over Collins was particularly significant because it vaulted Baker into second place in the points past John Montecalvo, who failed to qualify in Rockingham.

Baker admitted he'd almost conceded second place to Montecalvo, who essentially had to qualify and go one round to clinch the position. "I'd have bet a thousand dollars that John would qualify," he said.

Number-three qualifier Jeff Dobbins made up the other half of the final. Both drivers had almost identical reaction times, and ran side-by-side down the strip, but Baker edged ahead with a 6.603 to Dobbins' 6.622 at the finish.

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