SHRA at Denton, Texas

Champions Crowned at Final Event

Results and photos courtesy SHRA

Tera Graves  (Russell Brown photo)

The Southwest Heritage Racing Association presented by Red Line Shirt Club finished the 2018 season after delays with a rainout and scheduling conflicts forced a move to a different venue. North Star Dragway in Denton, TX, which held the first-ever SHRA event, was the scene of the season ender.

The ‘Chip Draw’ at the drivers’ meeting resulted in a 4.65 index for NE1, 5.50 for NE2, and 5.50 for NE3. Temperatures 15-20 degrees below normal made for a cold track challenge for the racers. Trying to finish the event before nightfall dropped the temps even further, the SHRA decided on just one qualifying session.

Steve Matthews had a 25-point lead over Tera Graves in the Nostalgia Eliminator 1 class with Keith Zimmerer one point behind Graves and Tommy Drozd two points behind her. Qualifying one and two respectively, Graves and Matthews met in the NE1 Shootout Final, where Matthews turned on the red light handing Graves the win.

In the regular NE1 racing, Matthews again uncharacteristically had a red light in the first round and had to watch as the finale played out. Ms. Graves met her husband, Chris Graves, in the final round. He had brought out his “Blown Inheritance” for its only appearance this year and had to pedal on the cold and slippery track with the win going to Tera, who got the NE1 championship by one point.

In NE2 Kevin Wendland had a 16-point lead over last year’s class champ Bruce Dodson going into the event. By qualifying in the No. 8 spot, he met No. 3 qualifier Dodson in the first round, so the winner would be the champion. Dodson turned on the red light, handing the championship to Wendland, who joined his daughter, Tara Graves, as a 2018 SHRA champion.

In the semifinal, Wendland fell to Andy Voigt who went on to beat Michael Caknupp for his first SHRA event win. Voigt's 5.309/130.17 bested Caknupp’s 5.780/120.03.

Defending champion Doug Morrison had a 19-point lead over Josh Moseley in NE3. Both men advanced out of round 1, but in the next round Moseley had an -.019 red light against Bob Scoggins, handing the championship to Morrison. Morrison went on the get the event win over a red-lighting Bob Scoggins.

In Nostalgia Super Stock Vic Corlett had a 13-point lead over Doug Watkins. Although Corlett bowed out in round 1, Watkins still came up three points short for the championship. Kent Morris took the final round win over Vic.