PDRA at Rockingham, NC

Smith returns to win Dragstock XII

Words and photos by Gordon Columbine

North Carolina's own "Tricky Rickie" Smith won a PDRA Pro Nitrous race for the second time this year at Rockingham Dragway, repeating his spring victory with the Professional Drag Racers AssociationDragstock XII title. Also scoring pro class wins Sept. 12, at the eighth of nine scheduled events for the all-eighth-mile series, were points leader Jason Scruggs in Pro Extreme, Melanie Salemi with her breakthrough victory in Pro Boost, Chuck Wilburn with his first Pro Extreme Motorcycle victory, and Jody Stroud for the second time in Pro Open Outlaw.

In the PDRA sportsman ranks, Dane Wood prevailed for the first time in Top Sportsman, Matt Cooke won his first Top Dragster final, Carson Brown won from the top qualifying position in Pro Jr. Dragster and Alexis Tanner picked up the win in Top Jr. Dragster.

PRO NITROUS

Smith, the back-to-back reigning NHRA Pro Mod champion and current PDRA Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous points leader, placed 14th with a 3.90 pass in the opening round of qualifying and was 17th after round two despite improving to 3.83 seconds. That left Friday night's third session when he vaulted up to ninth with a 3.79 at 198.67 mph before ultimately qualifying his IDG-backed '69 Camaro eighth with a 3.78 at 198.67 mph.

"I came here with just one motor because I didn't want to bring my NHRA stuff, but I didn't mean to be as soft on the tune-up as I was the first two runs when it was hot," Smith admitted. "Luckily it cooled down, the track stayed tight, and we were able to step it up."

Tommy Franklin

After opening eliminations with a 3.78 win over Steve Jackson, Smith faced one of his biggest rounds of the year in the quarter finals against number-one qualifier Tommy Franklin, who trailed him by less than one round's worth of points heading into Dragstock XII. Whoever won the round was guaranteed to leave with the points lead and an opportunity to extend it substantially. Smith took full advantage, leaving first with a .031 reaction time, then posting another 3.78 pass at 199.17 mph while Franklin slowed to 3.83 at 175.64 when his own '69 Camaro coughed fire from its scoop for the second-straight run as it crossed the finish line.

"That was a huge round," Smith agreed. "We got a little lucky since he was running so fast but it looked like he hurt the motor a run or two before we raced. But sometimes you have to be lucky to win."

In the semi-finals, Smith got it done on the starting line, leaving with a .040 light against the .068 by Jay Cox, which allowed his 3.79 at 198.73 to beat a quicker 3.77 at 198.61 by four-thousandths of a second. Waiting for him was Chris Rini, who started his ATI Performance Products '69 Camaro third after running a career-best 3.75 at 198.23 mph in qualifying. Rini beat Tim Savell, John Hall and John Camp to reach Smith in the final round.

Once there, it looked like Smith was living up to his "Tricky Rickie" reputation as he turned on both the pre-staged and staged bulbs before Rini had even pre-staged.

"I really didn't intend for that to happen," Smith insisted. "I noticed the last two runs the brakes were feeling different and I was just waiting for him to go in when I saw my staged light come on. I didn't even realize the car was creeping forward but when it did I just pressed the transbrake button and got ready to go."

After Rini staged he took a .011 lead off the start, but Smith quickly recovered and made his best run of the weekend with a 3.77 at 198.96 against a 3.82 at 191.46 mph.

"It was that Musi motor and the Bickel chassis, always Bickel, that got it done," Smith said. "That, and Rickie Smith don't ever give up. I've been doing this a long time and that's one thing you can be sure of, I don't ever give up."