Words by Duke Ritenhouse
In a pair of intriguing matchups, two FLOWMASTER American Drag Racing League veterans clashed for the Pro Extreme title and two newcomers squared off to determine the Pro Nitrous champion Saturday night, May 20, in an exciting conclusion to the ADRL O'Reilly Memphis Drags. In Pro Extreme, series regulars Bil Clanton and John Lynam - with a combined four ADRL event wins between them - met for the second time in an ADRL final. The end result was the same as the first (at last year's second Valdosta, Ga., event), with Clanton driving the Big Money '53 Studebaker to a 3.98 to tire-rattling 5.46 win over Lynam and the Lil' Red '63 Corvette for his first win of the season and third overall. The Memphis Drags final continued a string of misery for Lynam in ADRL Pro Extreme eliminator finals. Lynam has now lost the last five Pro Extreme finals he has appeared in - a streak that began with his loss to Clanton last year in Valdosta - including losing both the rain-delayed St. Louis final and the Memphis Drags final in the space of two days. Lynam, though, does have the satisfaction of having won last year's biggest race, claiming the ADRL's Pro Extreme championship by winning the Battle for the Belts final in October in Kennedale, Texas. His final-round opponent at that race? Bil Clanton. |
