TOP FUEL
There were two major stories in the Top Fuel division at the Rockingham race this year. Ageless legend Chris Karamesines ran a 4.87/301.67 pass and was qualified until the last session, and rookie sensation Spencer Massey won his second straight IHRA national event to extend his Top Fuel World Championship points lead by defeating (for the second straight race) defending IHRA World Champ and No. 1 qualifier Bruce Litton.
Massey, 25, won the season-opening Amalie Texas Nationals at San Antonio just six days after qualifying for his Top Fuel license and hooking up with car owner Mitch King and veteran tuner Paul Smith. At San Antonio Massey had to beat defending Top Fuel champ Litton to win that race. He again stopped the reigning series champion in the final at Rockingham.
Massey is a graduate of the Jr. Dragster class and began driving injected nitro AFD dragsters on the NHRA circuit in 2006, winning two NHRA national events in a car owned and prepared by drag racing legend Gene Snow, who won IHRA Top Fuel titles in 1990 and 1991.
In the final at the Rock Massey cut a .038 light to Litton’s .069 and never looked back. His 4.712-second, 313.51 –mph effort covered Litton’s 4.764 at 310.13 mph.
“I’m having a ball,” Massey said. “I’ve had my license for three weeks and I’ve won two national events. How can you beat that? I owe it all to (car owner) Mitch King and (tuner) Paul Smith. Paul’s got one of the best tune-ups in the sport. The car goes down the track every time. All I have to worry about is cutting a light and keeping it in the groove.”
Going into the next race at Martin, MI, Massey is leading the Top Fuel standings by 56 Championship points.