Fall Footbrake Frenzy at Jacksonville, NC

Roberts is Dead-On for $20K Payday

Words and photos by Michael Beard

William Roberts

The $20,000 Footbrake Thanksgiving Tradition continued with the Fall Footbrake Frenzy IV at Coastal Plains Dragway, November 23-24, hosted by Michael Beard and Anthony Walton of Loose Rocker Promotions. The country's highest-paying Footbrake race awarded the $20,000 check to William Roberts, while Richard Alford bookended the weekend's $5K's.

In addition to the three main racing events, many racers shared in over $5,000 in other cash and prizes, plus a Friday night Racer Appreciation Barbecue and Cornhole Tournament, plus coffee and Bojangle's biscuits Saturday morning.

Bojangle's $5K Warmup

Richard Alford didn't need much of a warmup at the Fall Footbrake Frenzy. While the Raleigh, N.C., racer has always been top-tier driver, he has simply been on fire for the past two months. Alford not only won his second IHRA Div. 9 Summit Team Finals Modified ET championship, he also drove borrowed cars to both a $20K win and a $5K runner-up at the inaugural American Doorslammer Nationals.

Alford returned to the seat of his familiar yellow Chevelle at the Fall Footbrake Frenzy, with a fresh motor from Dean's Performance. He didn't miss a beat.

"For several years now, going back to '96, it seems like from August on are my good months. I'm real satisfied with my new motor. I called Chris Dean and he said after three runs, it would be broken in. I have never had to go test and tune after putting in a new motor. Dean builds a great motor, and Larry Chapman and Danny Lawson have had a hand in every championship my brother Steve and I have won. I've got to give them props!"

During eliminations, Alford employed an unconventional staging technique, rolling in an extra chunk just before the tree was activated. Still, he was able to do so consistently.

"I used to stage like that back in the '90s when my car was slow. I'm just used to it," said Alford. "I made 31 passes all weekend, and my 60' and half track numbers were right on. Everything did what I wanted."