PRO EXTREME

Von Smith got his first ADRL win in his Howard Moon-tuned Al-Anabi ’68 Camaro. Smith, Oak ridge, Tenn., qualified at number five with a 3.693 and ran consistently through the rounds (3.686 against Gene Hector, 3.694 against Mick Snyder and 3.693 against Alex Hossler) but saved his best for last running 3.639 at 210.08 mph in the final round. He could have saved it as his final opponent, Joey Martin, went into tire shake at the launch.

Martin’s Milton, Florida-based “Lowmad” had bested Jason Scruggs, Neal Wantye and Tommy D’Aprile to get to the final.

PRO NITROUS

Morgantown, WV, driver Jim Laurita dominated the Pro Nitrous field at Richmond, qualifying in the number-one spot with a 3.771 at 198.90 mph and winning the event.

In the first round he beat Robert Patrick in Patrick’s first ADRL race of this year and Randy Weatherford in the second 3.871 to 3.977. In the wild semifinal, Laurita got the win with a 3.862 while Steve Jackson ran 4.109 even after his hood blew off at half track! Jackson never lifted.