After drawing cards to pair the quick sixteen for first round, a big match-up rolled through the water box to open the action.  Ken Hawkins lined up with points leader Scott Parks in a great opening drag race and the closest of the round.  Hawkins was off the line first with a stout .015 light and blasted down the eighth mile but just at the lights the Parks & Walden power took the lead and round win with a 4.66 at 148 mph to Hawkins 4.80 at 145 mph.

Mike Buchanan

Mike Buchanan was in just his second appearance with the SWJFA series and had already notched a first round win at the last event in Navasota.  Buchanan continued his hot streak with a 5.42 opening round win over Michael Renaker who’s 5.02 at 135 mph lost with a -.025 reaction time at the starting line.  Renaker made three solid runs in his debut with the series and can look forward to the series’ next outing, September 4th at Ardmore Dragway. 

Steve Dunkin and Mike Millsap lined up next pitting the number six and seven qualifiers against each other.  Dunkin was off the line first with a .034 reaction time and his 4.89 at 139 mph took out the quicker but loosing 4.85 at 141 mph from Millsap. Dunkin missed the last event at Navasota and hoped to make up lost ground in the standings and was off to a good start as the opening round of eliminations continued.

Brandon Lewis was making his first appearance in eliminations with the SWJFA series wheeling Charlie Smith’s Oklahoma based entry against Bill Tumlinson.  Tumlinson knew he had to get a starting line advantage but jumped too soon and went red on the line, while Lewis clicked off a 4.75 at 143 mph to collect his first SWJFA round win and advance.