ROCKINGHAM — The stars of the NHRA’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series including former NHRA World Champions Raymond Miller III of Spring City, Tennessee, John Labbous Jr. of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, and Sherman Adcock Jr. of Forston, Georgia, descend on Rockingham Dragway May 19-22 for a class racing doubleheader showcasing some of the sport’s brightest young talent.
A test-and-tune session from 1-6 p.m. Thursday will lead into Lucas Series qualifying Friday and eliminations starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. Then, with the completion of racing on the quarter mile course, a majority of those on the grounds will stay over Sunday to compete in an NHRA National Open at the eighth mile distance.
To help facilitate, the racers’ gate will open at 2 p.m. on Wednesday and remain open on a 24-hour basis through the Sunday finale.
Miller, the 2019 World Champ in Super Comp, is seeking an unprecedented sixth consecutive division championship (fifth straight in Super Comp) but enters the Rockingham race in only fourth place behind pacesetting newcomer Jock Lisenby of Panama City Beach, Florida, and two-time former division Super Street champion Jonathan Anderson of Williamson, Georgia.
Labbous, the 2017 Lucas Oil Champ in Super Gas, is trying to break through for an even year division title for the first time. The second-generation standout won Southeast Division titles in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021, all in Super Gas except 2017 (Super Comp).
The current divisional point leader, Labbous will be looking over his shoulder this week for Adcock, the 2007 World Champion who currently is in fourth place, and for Harrisburg’s Steve Furr, a four-time Southeast Division Champion and two-time IHRA World Super Rod Champion who will be a threat in both Super Gas and Top Dragster.
Defending series champion David Eaton of Merritt Island, Florida, will try to make it two-in-a-row in Competition Eliminator but will have to get past defending event champion Van Puckett of Monroe, Georgia, to do so. Puckett also won the Rockingham LDRS in 2018.
Eaton’s 1932 Bantam roadster invariably is one of the fan favorites, but by no means is it the only unique vehicle in the field. From Robert Sellers’ Florida-based 1958 Plymouth Fury to Jim Perry Jr.’s 2000 Chevy S-10 truck to defending Super Street champion Allan Kremkau’s 1972 AMC Gremlin to Jerry Hefffelfinger’s ’38 Chevy roadster, the event is as much classic car show as competition.
Adult admission tickets are $25 per day although discounts are available on the purchase of three-or-four-day combo tickets. Children under six are free with a ticketed adult and, as always, parking is free in Rockingham’s main lot.
CURRENT 2022 SOUTHEAST DIVISION STANDINGS
TOP DRAGSTER – 1. Jeremy Hancock, Commerce, Ga., 242; 2. Robert May, Kinsey, Ala., 186; 3. Vance Houston, Newland, 177; 4. Clint Riley, Greenville, Fla., 153; 5. Steven Furr, Harrisburg, 134.
TOP SPORTSMAN — 1. Calvin Snow, Lyman, S.C., 1970 Chevy Nova, 156; 2. Kendall Barnes, Brunswick, Ga., 2010 Pontiac GXP, 145; 3. Douglas Crumlich, Douglasville, Ga., 1963 Chevy Corvette, 135; 4. Tie, Jacky Bennett, Palatka, Fla., 2016 Chevy Camaro, and Robert Sellers, Daytona Beach, Fla., 1958 Plymouth Fury, 125 each.
COMPETITION – 1. David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., 1932 Bantam roadster, 201; 2. Van Puckett, Monroe, Ga., 2005 Chevy Cavalier, 179; 3. John Frech, Cortland, Ohio, dragster, 115; 4. Matt Alvey, Taylorsville, Ky., 2010 Chevy Cobalt, 106; 5. Jared Kimbrough, Milton, Fla., dragster, 91.
SUPER STOCK – 1. Austin Alvey, Taylorsville, Ky., 2005 Pontiac Sunfire, 218; 2. Corey Taylor, Lumberton, 1968 Chevy Corvette, 197; 3. Kevin Riner, Autryville, 1998 Chevy Camaro, 186; 4. Jeff Adkinson, Damascus, Ga., 1969 Chevy Camaro, 184; 5. Michael Pearson, Tampa, Fla., 1968 Chevy Camaro, 165. Also, Mike Crutchfield, Montgomery, Ala., 2008 Pontiac G5, 164.
STOCK – 1. Austin Alvey, Taylorsville, Ky., 2001 Chevy Corvette, 206; 2. Jim Marshall, Indian Land, S.C., 1979 Chevy Nova, 183; 3. Jeff Adkinson, Damascus, Ga., 2015 Chevy Camaro, 181; 4. Terry Hembree, Blue Ridge, Ga., 1969 Chevy Camaro, 164; 5. Matt Rover, Merritt Island, Fla., 1971 Dodge Challenger, 163.
SUPER COMP – 1. Jock Lisenby, Panama City Beach, Fla., 234; 2. Jonathan Anderson, Williamson, Ga., 217; 3. Frank Altilio II, Orlando, Fla., 216; 4. Raymond Miller III, Spring City, Tenn., 196; 5. John Labbous Jr., Goodlettsville, Tenn., 174.
SUPER GAS – 1. John Labbous Jr., Goodlettsville, Tenn., 1963 Chevy Corvette, 262; 2. Jim Perry Jr., Niota, Tenn., 2000 Chevy S-10 truck, 196; 3. Jerry Heffelfinger, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1938 Chev roadster, 185; 4. Sherman Adcock Jr., Forston, Ga., 2002 Pontiac Firebird, 175; 5. Michelle Lisenby, Panama City Beach, Fla., 171.
SUPER STREET – 1. Allan Kremkau, Orlando, Fla., 1972 AMC Gremlin, 175; 2. Christopher Webb, Four Oaks, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 165; 3. James Raper, Easley, S.C., 1993 Ford Mustang, 164; 4. Tim Anderson, Ft. Myers, Fla., 154; 5. Tie, Scott Mackie, Fort Myers, Fla., 1966 Chevy II, and Kevin MacNicol, North Port, Fla., 1969 Pontiac Firebird, 153 each.
2021 SOUTHEAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS
TOP DRAGSTER – Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala.
TOP SPORTSMAN – Doug Gbur, Greer, S.C., 2010 Pontiac GXP
COMPETITION – David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., 1932 Bantam roadster
SUPER STOCK – Anthony Bertozzi, Ashland, Va., 1998 Pontiac Grand Am
STOCK – Terry Taylor, Lumberton, 1970 Chevy Corvette
SUPER COMP – Raymond Miller III, Spring City, Tenn.
SUPER GAS – John Labbous Jr., Goodlettsville, Tenn., 1963 Chevy Corvette
SUPER STREET – Ed Pauley, Shelby, 1968 Chevy Camaro
2021 ROCKINGHAM LDRS RESULTS
TOP DRAGSTER – Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., .010, 6.478 on a 6.170, 161.96 mph, def. Blake Peavler, Olney, Ill., .005, 10.344 on a 6.170, 76.25 mph.
TOP SPORTSMAN – Scott Underwood, Madison, Ala., 2002 Chevy Camaro, .053, 7.375 on a 7.360, 177.02 mph, def. Calvin Snow, Lyman, S.C., 1970 Chevy Nova, .083, 7.786 on a 7.740, 168.58 mph.
COMPETITION – Van Puckett, Monroe, Ga., 2005 Chevy Cavalier, .039, 8.043 on an 8.520, 149.58 mph, def. David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., 1932 Bantam roadster, .032, 11.387 on a 7.230, 72.29 mph.
SUPER STOCK – Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., 1999 Pontiac Firebird, .040, 9.727 on a 9.690, 135.54 mph, def. Jim Reynolds, Raleigh, 1957 Chevy Bel Air, .073, 9.093 on a 9.080, 146.96 mph.
STOCK – Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., 2004 Pontiac GTO, .016, 10.954 on a 10.800, 111.57 mph, def. Matt Lisa, Vernon, N.J., 1968 Chevy Camaro, .042, 10.837 on a 10.600, 122.74 mph.
SUPER COMP (8.90 target) – Devin Isenhower, Brownsburg, Ind., .018, 10.160, 107.00 mph, def. Ray Miller, Spring City, Tenn., foul (-.004).
SUPER GAS (9.90 target) – Rob Kropfeld, Hamilton, Ohio, 1967 Chevy Camaro, .049, 10.020, 150.16 mph, def. Rusty Cook, Cynthiana, Ky., 1999 Chevy Corvette, .021, 13.555, 72.57 mph.
SUPER STREET (10.90 target) – Allan Kremkau, Orlando, Fla., 1972 AMC Gremlin, .009, 10.918, 137.85 mph, def. Ed Pauley, Shelby, 1968 Chevy Camaro, .024, 10.899 breakout, 137.85 mph.
ADVANCED JR. DRAGSTER – Lavar Lewis Jr., Mechanicsville, Va., .055, 7.910 on a 7.900, 82.46 mph, def. Aaron Reynolds, West Melbourne, Fla., .069, 7.966 on a 7.900, 74.68 mph.
INTERMEDIATE JR. DRAGSTER – Matthew Peterson, Punta Gorda, Fla., .119, 8.938 on an 8.950, 73.60 mph, def. Ava Badgett, Mt. Airy, .104, 8.918 breakout on an 8.950, 73.61 mph.
NOVICE JR. DRAGSTER – Tanner Mocny, Venice, Fla., .040, 12.026 on an 11.990, 53.52 mph, def. Corey Reed, Winder, Ga., .105, 11.865 breakout on an 11.900, 54.50 mph.
