ET Dragracing

Top ET Challenge at Rockingham, NC

Thomas, Paschal, Carpenter Claim $20,000 Victories

 

Results and photos courtesy Rockingham Dragway

Although he came up short of the big money, “Nasty Nick” Hastings of Shelby, Ohio, got the “iron man” award by taking his 1981 Pontiac T1000 to the round of seven on all three days. His best finish, though, was runner-up to Carpenter on Saturday.

 

Rockingham Dragway’s return to big money bracket racing drew a weekend field of almost 350 bracket racers from 20 states but, when the tire smoke cleared Sunday, the bulk of the purse stayed in the host state with Michael Paschal, Shawn Carpenter and Tim Thomas.

 

Each of those Carolinians took home a $20,000 winner’s check from The Rock’s inaugural Top ET Challenge, its first big money event since track owner Steve Earwood and the late George Howard collaborated on several popular projects including the original Million Dollar Drag Race and the B&M Racers Appreciation Series.

 

The Top ET Challenge was co-produced by Tony Saraceni and 1320 Race Promotions.

 

Thomas, a past winner at Rockingham, claimed the last of the “20s” on Sunday when he edged 2015 Rockingham track champ David Lowe of Rowland in the final round. Racers earned more than $150,000 over the three days. In addition to the $20,000 paid to each day’s big winner, each runner-up earned $5,000 and the semifinal losers $1,500.

 

SUNDAY SUMMARY

Tim Thomas

 

After getting a free pass to the final when Trenton’s Brian Higgins was guilty of a foul start, Thomas threw a .013 package at Lowe in the big money round including a .005 reaction time. It proved decisive and left Thomas as the lone survivor among the 338 who started the first round.

 

Jimmy Broadway of Vanceboro ended Hastings’ final bid for a $20,000 payday when he took the Ohio runner out in the quarter finals. Unfortunately, he couldn’t capitalize on the momentum and lost to Lowe a round later by the narrowest of margins -- .001 of a second.

 

Round 6 – “Nasty Nick” Hastings, Shelby, Ohio, 1981 Pontiac T1000, .032, 6.222 on a 6.230, 109.53 mph, def. Kevin Prevette, Appling, Ga., .036, 5.773 breakout on a 5.790, 119.07 mph; Jimmy Broadway, Vanceboro, 1966 Chevy II, .006, 6.106 on a 6.090, 112.28 mph, def. Kevin Mills, Trenton, 1968 Chevy, .006, 6.008 breakout on a 6.010, 112.84 mph; Brian Higgins, Trenton, 1966 Chevy Nova, .007, 5.679 on a 5.670, 120.90 mph, def. David Spaugh, Lexington, Chevy S-10 truck, .021, 5.589 breakout on a 5.590, 120.56 mph; Eric Aman, Clinton, .001, 5.463 on a 5.460, 126.53 mph, def. Nick Hastings #2, .002, 6.224 breakout on a 6.230, 106.04 mph; Tim Thomas, Lumberton, .009, 4.738 on a 4.730, 144.63 mph, def. Jimmie Gullin, Matthews, .019, 4.872 on a 4.870, 139.00 mph; David Lowe, Rowland, .012, 4.723 on a 4.720, 145.72 mph, def. Noah Strickland, Concord, foul (-.009); Tommy Strickland, Raeford, .004, 4.565 on a 4.540, 149.38 mph, def. Wesley Roberts, Benson, .037, 4.626 on a 4.610, 148.48 mph; Chaz Silance, Jacksonville, bye.

 

Round 7 – Higgins, .017, 5.692 on a 5.670, 121.00 mph, def. Silance, .010, 4.609 on a 4.580, 144.41 mph; Broadway, .021, 6.103 on a 6.100, 111.98 mph, def. Hastings, .038, 6.202 breakout on a 6.230, 108.89 mph; Thomas, .005, 4.735 on a 4.730, 140.11 mph, def. Aman, .003, 5.473 on a 5.450, 126.93 mph; Lowe, .009, 4.724 on a 4.720, 145.36 mph, def. Strickland, .012, 4.561 on a 4.540, 148.27 mph.

 

Semifinals – Thomas, .016, 5.026 on a 4.720, 107.27 mph, def. Higgins, foul (.013); Lowe, .014, 4.739 on a 4.720, 141.64 mph, def. Broadway, .018, 6.106 on a 6.090, 112.08 mph.

 

FINAL – Tim Thomas, Lumberton, .005, 4.738 on a 4.730, 145.33 mph, def. David Lowe, Rowland, .022, 4.721 on a 4.720, 145.19 mph.

VOLUME XIX,  NUMBER 3 - March  2017

SATURDAY SUMMARY

Shawn Carpenter

 

“Big money” racing veteran Shawn Carpenter of Elm City got the second “20” when Ohio’s “Nasty Nick” Hastings missed his target by one thousandth of a second in the final round and was guilty of a breakout foul. It was a “live by the sword; die by the sword” outcome for the Ohio driver who was .001 off the target on the positive side to get past Statesville’s Doug Foley Jr. in round eight.

 

Unlike Friday, when Hastings was the only non-Carolinian among the last eight, Scott Sanders of Pikeville, Ky., and Bob Leripzigon on New Hope, Pa., advanced to the round of seven but neither could move any further.

 

For Carpenter, the toughest part of the final was sitting at the starting line while Hastings got a .35 of a second head start in his 1981 Pontiac T1000. When he did finally get the green, the Elm City veteran’s .007 reaction time was the difference maker as he pushed Hastings into his narrow breakout.

 

Round 6 – Michael Morton, Jacksonville, 1970 Chevy Nova, .042, 6.496 on a 6.510, 103.61 mph, def. Mike Whitaker, Telford, Tenn., 1965 Chevy Nova, foul (-.007); Shawn Carpenter, Elm City, .018, 5.893 on a 5.890, 110.24 mph, def. Phillip Bullock, Nashville, .010, 6.032 on a 6.020, 111.57 mph; Eric Aman, Clinton, .012, 5.472 on a 5.470, 121.30 mph, def. Lee Desist, Fayetteville, .014, 6.225 on a 6.220, 110.56 mph; Marty Wright, Swannanoa, 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo, .010, 5.516 on a 5.520, 125.18 mph, def. Jimmy Broadway, Vanceboro, 1966 Chevy II, .008, 6.083 breakout on a 6.090, 112.04 mph; “Nasty Nick” Hastings, Shelby, Ohio, 1981 Pontiac T1000, bye; Doug Foley Jr., Statesville, .010, 4.790 on a 4.790, 143.91 mph, def. Kevin Prevette, Appling, Ga., .027, 4.686 breakout on a 4.700, 145.99 mph; Scott Sanders, Pikeville, Ky., .012, 5.171 on a 5.160, 128.84 mph, def. Brian McHattie, Youngstown, Ohio, .032, 4.608 breakout on a 4.610, 148.74 mph; Tommy Strickland, Raeford, .003, 4.561 on a 4.550, 150.31 mph, def. Steve Dweck, Miami, Fla., .014, 4.744 on a 4.740, 143.61 mph; Bob Leripzigon, New Hope, Pa., bye.

 

Round 7 – Hastings, .002, 6.233 on a 6.240, 109.51 mph, def. Morton, foul

 

(-.017); Carpenter, .015, 5.875 on a 5.880, 113.67 mph, def. Aman, .008, 5.462 breakout on a 5.470, 122.88 mph; Wright, bye; Foley, .017, 4.803 on a 4.790, 140.25 mph, def. Sanders, .019, 5.192 on a 5.160, 131.10 mph; Strickland, .009, 4.565 on a 4.550, 147.91 mph, def. Leripzigon, no time.

 

Round 8 – Hastings, .022, 6.231 on a 6.230, 109.26 mph, def. Foley, .010, 4.775 breakout on a 4.780, 142.90 mph; Carpenter, .019, 5.872 on a 5.880, 115.50 mph, def. Wright, foul (-.351); Strickland, bye.

 

Semifinals – Hastings, .012, 6.246 on a 6.230, 107.82 mph, def. Strickland, .025, 4.547 on a 4.540, 150.35 mph; Carpenter, bye.

 

FINAL – Shawn Carpenter, Elm City, .007, 5.906 on a 5.880, 113.41 mph, def. Nick Hastings, Shelby, Ohio, 1981 Pontiac T1000, .020, 6.229 breakout on a 6.230, 108.85 mph.

 

FRIDAY SUMMARY

 

It took the Compulink timing system to call the final round winner on Friday and that winner was Michael Paschal of Pleasant Garden who, by a scant .006 of a second, got his dragster to the finish line ahead of the 1980 Ford Mustang of St. Pauls’ William Brewer.

 

Paschal, who entered two cars and got both of them as far as the quarter finals, put together a .027 package in the final (a .022 of a second reaction time and an eighth-mile competition time of 4.565 seconds against a 4.560 target). Brewer actually had an ever-so-slight lead at the start but was .015 off his target and that was the difference.

 

Except for Ohio’s “Nasty Nick” Hastings, who wound his way into the semifinals at the wheel of his venerable 1981 Pontiac T1000, the bulk of the Friday purse remained in North Carolina. In addition to Paschal and Brewer, other Carolinians who advanced to the round of seven were Ernie Humes of Troutman, Paul Warwick of Lumberton, David Lowe of Rowland and David Dean of Charlotte.

Paul Warwick

 

Round 5 – John Hodson, Graniteville, S.C., 1986 Ford Mustang, .030, 5.515 on a 5.510, 125.29 mph, def. Steve Peeler, Greenwood, S.C., IROC Camaro, foul (-.003); William Brewer, St. Pauls, 1980 Ford Mustang, .010, 6.536 on a 6.530, 101.71 mph, def. Michelle Pelo, Jacksonville, 1967 Chevy Camaro, foul (-.011); Ernie Humes, Troutman, 1972 Dodge Demon, .002, 6.574 on a 6.570, 100.53 mph, def. Frank Duplissis Jr., Longvalley, N.J., 1967 Chevy Camaro, .012, 5.876 breakout on a 5.880, 113.75 mph; Michael Morton, Jacksonville, 1970 Chevy Nova, .007, 6.507 on a 6.500, 102.97 mph, def. Paul Warwick, Lumberton, .020, 6.457 on a 6.450, 104.48 mph; “Nasty Nick” Hastings, Shelby, Ohio, 1981 Pontiac T1000, .011, 6.236 on a 6.220, 109.32 mph, def. Mark Talmadge, Williamson, N.Y., 1975 Chevy Vega, .013, 6.001 on a 5.980, 114.24 mph; Todd Whited, Richlands, Va., .009, 5.366 on a 5.360, 125.26 mph, def. Ross Freeman, Westville, S.C., .025, 7.496 on a 7.480, 89.17 mph; Paul Warwick #2, Lumberton, .019, 6.456 on a 6.450, 104.45 mph, def. Shawn Carpenter, Elm City, .015, 5.873 on a 5.860, 111.37 mph; Barry Nall, Eagle Springs, 1968 Plymouth Barracuda, .023, 5.769 on a 5.730, 115.20 mph, def. Georgia Thomas, Lumberton, .041, 5.539 on a 5.510, 124.75 mph; Michael Paschal, Pleasant Garden, .016, 4.595 on a 4.570, 143.14 mph, def. Scott Sanders, Pikeville, Ky., .011, 5.176 on a 5.140, 131.24 mph; David Lowe, Rowland, .053, 4.716 on a 4.740, 145.55 mph, def. Steve Dweck, Miami, Fla., foul (-.001); David Dean, Charlotte, .002, 4.478 on a 4.480, 154.21 mph, def. Doug Foley Jr., Statesville, foul (-.014); Jeff Dobbins, Wilmington, .005, 4.706 on a 4.700, 143.03 mph, def. Jason DeWitt, Bloomsdale, Ga., .009, 4.607 on a 4.590, 149.22 mph; Jeff Jones, Ninety-Six, S.C., .003, 4.583 on a 4.560, 143.25 mph, def. Tommy Strickland, Raeford, .019, 4.534 breakout on a 4.540, 150.55 mph; Michael Paschal #2, Pleasant Garden, .005, 4.579 on a 4.580, 147.23 mph, def. Will Holloman, Four Oaks, .004, 4.746 breakout on a 4.750, 143.75 mph; Dale Taylor, Elizabethtown, bye.

 

Round 6 – Hastings, .014, 6.224 on a 6.220, 108.07 mph, def. Morton, .017, 6.499 on a 6.490, 103.66 mph; Warwick, .025, 6.458 on a 6.450, 104.68 mph, def. Nall, .014, 5.749 breakout on a 5.750, 115.44 mph; Brewer, .012, 6.558 on a 6.520, 99.73 mph, def. Whited, .024, 5.376 on a 5.340, 126.46 mph; Humes, .056, 6.563 on a 6.570, 102.24 mph, def. Hodson, no time; Lowe, .007, 4.770 on a 4.740, 141.80 mph, def. Taylor, .014, 4.787 on a 4.760, 142.24 mph; Paschal, .005, 4.572 on a 4.570, 148.56 mph, def. Jones, .022, 4.569 on a 4.560, 145.22 mph; Paschal #2, .011, 4.574 on a 4.570, 149.13 mph, def. Dobbins, .009, 4.707 on a 4.700, 144.09 mph; Dean, bye.

 

Round 7 – Hastings, .013, 6.222 on a 6.210, 108.45 mph, def. Paschal, .036, 4.577 on a 4.570, 148.59 mph; Warwick, .025, 6.449 on a 6.440, 104.94 mph, def. Lowe, .057, 4.741 on a 4.740, 140.78 mph; Brewer, .027, 6.540 on a 6.510, 98.64 mph, def. Dean, .034, 4.475 breakout on a 4.480, 150.56 mph; Paschal #2, .025, 4.564 on a 4.570, 149.50 mph, def. Humes, foul (-.003).

 

Semifinals – Brewer, .011, 6.526 on a 6.530, 101.44 mph, def. Warwick, .016, 6.444 breakout on a 6.450, 105.02 mph; Paschal, .008, 4.575 on a 4.560, 143.93 mph, def. Hastings, .016, 6.228 on a 6.210, 109.86 mph.

 

FINAL – Michael Paschal, Pleasant Garden, dragster, .022, 4.565 on a 4.560, 146.46 mph, def. William Brewer, St. Pauls, 1980 Ford Mustang, .018, 6.535 on a 6.520, 101.13 mph.

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Paul Warwick

 

Round 5 – John Hodson, Graniteville, S.C., 1986 Ford Mustang, .030, 5.515 on a 5.510, 125.29 mph, def. Steve Peeler, Greenwood, S.C., IROC Camaro, foul (-.003); William Brewer, St. Pauls, 1980 Ford Mustang, .010, 6.536 on a 6.530, 101.71 mph, def. Michelle Pelo, Jacksonville, 1967 Chevy Camaro, foul (-.011); Ernie Humes, Troutman, 1972 Dodge Demon, .002, 6.574 on a 6.570, 100.53 mph, def. Frank Duplissis Jr., Longvalley, N.J., 1967 Chevy Camaro, .012, 5.876 breakout on a 5.880, 113.75 mph; Michael Morton, Jacksonville, 1970 Chevy Nova, .007, 6.507 on a 6.500, 102.97 mph, def. Paul Warwick, Lumberton, .020, 6.457 on a 6.450, 104.48 mph; “Nasty Nick” Hastings, Shelby, Ohio, 1981 Pontiac T1000, .011, 6.236 on a 6.220, 109.32 mph, def. Mark Talmadge, Williamson, N.Y., 1975 Chevy Vega, .013, 6.001 on a 5.980, 114.24 mph; Todd Whited, Richlands, Va., .009, 5.366 on a 5.360, 125.26 mph, def. Ross Freeman, Westville, S.C., .025, 7.496 on a 7.480, 89.17 mph; Paul Warwick #2, Lumberton, .019, 6.456 on a 6.450, 104.45 mph, def. Shawn Carpenter, Elm City, .015, 5.873 on a 5.860, 111.37 mph; Barry Nall, Eagle Springs, 1968 Plymouth Barracuda, .023, 5.769 on a 5.730, 115.20 mph, def. Georgia Thomas, Lumberton, .041, 5.539 on a 5.510, 124.75 mph; Michael Paschal, Pleasant Garden, .016, 4.595 on a 4.570, 143.14 mph, def. Scott Sanders, Pikeville, Ky., .011, 5.176 on a 5.140, 131.24 mph; David Lowe, Rowland, .053, 4.716 on a 4.740, 145.55 mph, def. Steve Dweck, Miami, Fla., foul (-.001); David Dean, Charlotte, .002, 4.478 on a 4.480, 154.21 mph, def. Doug Foley Jr., Statesville, foul (-.014); Jeff Dobbins, Wilmington, .005, 4.706 on a 4.700, 143.03 mph, def. Jason DeWitt, Bloomsdale, Ga., .009, 4.607 on a 4.590, 149.22 mph; Jeff Jones, Ninety-Six, S.C., .003, 4.583 on a 4.560, 143.25 mph, def. Tommy Strickland, Raeford, .019, 4.534 breakout on a 4.540, 150.55 mph; Michael Paschal #2, Pleasant Garden, .005, 4.579 on a 4.580, 147.23 mph, def. Will Holloman, Four Oaks, .004, 4.746 breakout on a 4.750, 143.75 mph; Dale Taylor, Elizabethtown, bye.

 

Round 6 – Hastings, .014, 6.224 on a 6.220, 108.07 mph, def. Morton, .017, 6.499 on a 6.490, 103.66 mph; Warwick, .025, 6.458 on a 6.450, 104.68 mph, def. Nall, .014, 5.749 breakout on a 5.750, 115.44 mph; Brewer, .012, 6.558 on a 6.520, 99.73 mph, def. Whited, .024, 5.376 on a 5.340, 126.46 mph; Humes, .056, 6.563 on a 6.570, 102.24 mph, def. Hodson, no time; Lowe, .007, 4.770 on a 4.740, 141.80 mph, def. Taylor, .014, 4.787 on a 4.760, 142.24 mph; Paschal, .005, 4.572 on a 4.570, 148.56 mph, def. Jones, .022, 4.569 on a 4.560, 145.22 mph; Paschal #2, .011, 4.574 on a 4.570, 149.13 mph, def. Dobbins, .009, 4.707 on a 4.700, 144.09 mph; Dean, bye.

 

Round 7 – Hastings, .013, 6.222 on a 6.210, 108.45 mph, def. Paschal, .036, 4.577 on a 4.570, 148.59 mph; Warwick, .025, 6.449 on a 6.440, 104.94 mph, def. Lowe, .057, 4.741 on a 4.740, 140.78 mph; Brewer, .027, 6.540 on a 6.510, 98.64 mph, def. Dean, .034, 4.475 breakout on a 4.480, 150.56 mph; Paschal #2, .025, 4.564 on a 4.570, 149.50 mph, def. Humes, foul (-.003).

 

Semifinals – Brewer, .011, 6.526 on a 6.530, 101.44 mph, def. Warwick, .016, 6.444 breakout on a 6.450, 105.02 mph; Paschal, .008, 4.575 on a 4.560, 143.93 mph, def. Hastings, .016, 6.228 on a 6.210, 109.86 mph.

 

FINAL – Michael Paschal, Pleasant Garden, dragster, .022, 4.565 on a 4.560, 146.46 mph, def. William Brewer, St. Pauls, 1980 Ford Mustang, .018, 6.535 on a 6.520, 101.13 mph.

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