IHRA AT ROCKINGHAM

By Dave Densmore.
Notes and photos by Jeff Burk.

Three-time IHRA World Champion Paul Romine of Indianapolis, Ind., won the 31st annual Holley Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway, the opening event in the IHRA's 2001 Summit Drag Racing Series.

Romine, 50-year-old owner of an engine re-manufacturing business, shared the winners' podium with Gene Wilson of Canton, Ga., Johnny Mancuso of Houston, Texas, Alan Pittman of Pelzer, S.C., and Monty Todd of Montgomery, Ala., winners in Pro Stock, Nitro Harley, Pro Modified and Funny Car, respectively.

After enduring a four-hour afternoon rain delay, Romine beat Steve Smith of Princeton, N.C., in round one, got a gift victory when Louie Allison of Arvada, Calif., failed to make the semifinal call and then beat defending champion Bruce Litton in the best race of the day, 4.758/309.77 to 4.785/291.57.

Wilson's starting line advantage made him a Pro Stock winner for the first time in his career despite final round foe Tommy Lee's national record-setting 6.552 second quarter mile at 210.11 miles per hour. Wilson, the 27-year-old son of TV fishing show host Orlando Wilson, won with a slightly slower time of 6.600 seconds. Wilson, driving a 2001 Mercury Cougar, upset No. 1 qualifier Tommy Lee of Kingsport, Tenn. with a .083 quicker reaction time.

Mancuso won for the second time in three years at The Rock, beating No. 1 qualifier Doug Vancil of Albuquerque, N.M., in a bizarre Nitro Harley final in which neither bike was under power at the finish line.

Pittman (above) stopped Mitch Stott (below) of Mill Spring, N.C., in the Pro Mod finals and Todd stopped former IHRA World Champion Jimmy Rector of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., to earn only his second tour victory in Funny Car.

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