Harold Martin (right) ran a career-best 3.99 in the semis before finishing runner-up to Jim Halsey in the Pro Nitrous final. He later said he enjoyed racing in front of the huge Rockingham crowd as it made going rounds that much more fun.

 

Unfortunately, several oildowns and a couple of minor accidents slowed the progression of eliminations considerably, but The River (above) was there to take up the slack and keep the huge Rockingham crowd entertained while the track guys did their thing.

Former ADRL Pro Extreme champion John Lynam (left) put his ‘Lil Red Corvette second on the qualifying list at Rockingham and made it to the second round against Joe Baker.

Todd Tutterow (above) pulled double-duty at Rockingham, wheeling his own supercharged ’41 Willys in Pro Extreme action and filling in for an ailing Annette Summer in her twin turbocharged ’63 Corvette in Pro Nitrous. Tutterow qualified the Willys 11th, but lost to eventual race winner Josh Hernandez in round one, and though he ran 4.15 in the Vette (the car’s best pass ever), it was good enough only for 26th of 31 entries.

Joshua Hernandez steered Tommy Lipar’s ’57 Chevy to a career-best 3.78 to win the Pro Extreme final over Jason Scruggs, who lost his blower belt about half-track.

Debbie McDonald, mother of Pro Extreme driver Bennie McDonald Jr., reacts to her son going 3.998 to break into the 16-car field and giving the ADRL its first all-three-second field in history. McDonald was later bumped out, but got reinserted as first alternate when Mike Neal’s car suffered irrepairable block and head damage in its last qualifying shot.