BIRT CLAIMS $10,000 FLOWMASTER PRIZE Photo by Gary Rowe/Raceworks.com 4/25/04

OCKINGHAM, NC - It took three weeks to do so, but Marcus Birt of Macon, Ga., finally won the $10,000 Flowmaster Super Street winners' purse in the rain-delayed 10th renewal of the Holcomb Motorsports Civil Wars drag racing event at Rockingham Dragway.

Birt's 1997 Chevrolet Camaro won wire-to-wire, qualifying No. 1 in the field at 4.697 seconds and then mowing down an impressive field of challengers including former

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champion Terry Robbins of Mooresboro, NC, who settled for runner-up honors.

Other winners included Clayton's Eddie Jones in Real Street, Old Fort's Jeff Plemmons in EZ Street, Darrin Hoyle of Hickory, who totally dominated in Limited Street, and Lee Neighbours of Hillsborough, winner in the Holcomb Open Comp class.

Best of the final rounds was the battle for the Real Street title, one in which Jones got the victory on the strength of a .081 of a second starting line advantage which negated a slight performance edge for Joey Thier of Greenville, SC. Thier actually had the quicker time at 5.643 seconds but couldn't overcome Jones' quick start coupled to a time of 5.665.

Hoyle qualified No. 1 in Limited Street at 5.070 seconds and then posted the quickest time in every round of racing. He beat Heath Jacobs of Pembroke in the final with his slowest time of the weekend, 5.133 seconds. It still was three tenths quicker than that of his opponent.

In Hot Street, Stephen Gerard Jr. of Chocowinity almost pulled off a final round upset of favored Randy Landreth of Greeleyville, SC. Gerard grabbed a .040 lead at the start but couldn't hold on as Landreth raced by to win by .011 of a second.

FLOWMASTER OUTLAW SUPER STREET

FINAL - Marcus Birt, Macon, GA, 1997 Chevrolet Camaro ($10,000 winner), .025, 4.732, 162.55 mph, def. Terry Robbins, Mooresboro, NC, 1998 Chevrolet Camaro, .045, 4.743, 147.70 mph.

No. 1 qualifier - Birt, 4.697 seconds, 162.55 mph.