EXTREME PRO STOCK

Doug Kirk’s “Mountain-motored” Mustang (near lane) was another victim of leaving four-thousandths of a second too soon, which is also exactly what Scott Gray did in the PXM final round race. Kirk’s red light start handed Dean Goforth his first National Guard ADRL event win.

After setting low E.T. of the meet for the Extreme Pro Stock class with a 4.10 in the semis that sent him to his second-straight final-round appearance, Dean Goforth ran 4.13 at 173.25 with his ’09 Pontiac GXP against a redlighting Kirk, who left too early.

“I had no idea he’d gone red until we were well on down there when I saw the win light in my lane,” said Goforth, who opened the day with a win over his son, Cary, then beat Pete Berner and points leader Brian Gahm to reach the final. “Every round is so tough out here. This is the best racing there is; I’m having a lot of fun doing this.”

The National Guard ADRL’s Pro Jr. Dragster class for kids 8-17 years old also crowned a first-time race champion in Minford, Ohio’s R.J. Thacker, who ran 9.44 on a 9.39 dial-in to win the final over Caleb Ellison.

With just one race left to gain points toward qualifying for the 2009 championship-deciding Speedtech Battle for the Belts this October at Ennis, Texas, all National Guard ADRL teams will be turning their attention to the series’ oldest and most prestigious event, Flowmaster Dragstock VI, to be held Sept. 11-12, at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina.