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STERLING CLOUGH WINS VETERAN RACER SHOWDOWN SUNDAY AT U.S. 13

By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE – It could have been titled “Veterans Showdown� Sunday at the U.S. 13 Dragway when two racers that have supported the track for most of its existence met in the Top Eliminator final. The “Mayor of Marion, Va.� Sterling Clough faced “Mr. GTO� Bill Groton of Seaford, Del. with Clough taking the win. Chad Thurman of Seaford scored the win in Mod and Rob Morgan of Dagsboro, Del. rode to the win in Pro Bike. In other action Kody Mariner of Salisbury, Md. got his first win in Street after moving from Jr. Dragster this season, Josh Davis of Seaford won in Hot Rod, Caitlyn Hooper of Hurlock, Md. topped Jr. Dragster 1 and Alexis Truitt of Parsonsburg, Md. avenged her final round loss last week by winning Jr. Dragster 2.

 

The battle of the veterans in Top Eliminator saw Sterling Clough in his dragster taking on the ’66 Pontiac GTO of Bill Groton. Clough would take the double break-out win with an 8.627/154.61 on an 8.63 dial-in. Groton was under by more as he posted a 10.029/134.16 on a 10.10 dial. Semi-finalist was Mike Jones who lost to Groton while Clough had the bye.

 

In the Mod final it was Chad Thurman in his Camaro facing Tim Foskey, Jr. in his Mustang. Foskey had the better reaction but broke out by four one-thousandths with a 9.396/133.86 on a 9.40 dial. Thurman took the win running almost dead on his dial with a 9.701/137.69 on a 9.70 dial. Semi-finalists were Danny Durham who lost to Thurman and Daryl Beauchamp who lost to Foskey, Jr.

 

Rob Morgan rode up against last week’s Pro Bike winner, Harvey Powell in the final. Morgan took the win with a 9.294/136.48  on a  9.20 while Powell had problems at the start and ran an off the throttle 13.181/59.94 on an 8.88 dial. Semi-finalists were Mike Messix who lost to  Powell and Drew Birch who lost to Morgan.

 

First year racer in the Street division, Kody Mariner scored his first win over former champion, Gary Stickles. Stickles had a red light foul and Mariner made a full pass with a 12.004/115.32 on a 12.00 dial.

 

Josh Davis in his unique ’77 AMC Pacer met Gavin Truitt in his ’95 Chevy S-10 in the Hot Rod final. Davis took the double breakout win with a 12.038/108.94 on a 12.04 dial. Truitt had a 10.292/125.96 on a 10.36 dial.

 

Caitlyn Hooper was paired against Zach Shirkey in the Jr. Dragster 1 final. Hooper was on her dial running an 8.908/72.63 on an 8.90 dial for the win while Shirkey had a solid 11.952/54.92 on an 11.91 dial. In the all-female Jr. Dragster 2 final it was Alexis Truitt up against Hope Clarke. Truitt took the victory running a 7.973/80.57 on a 7.96 dial while Clarke ran an 8.577/75.73 on an 8.50 dial.

 

This Sunday will be another IHRA Summit ET Points event plus the second race in the Southern Bracket Racing Association Series. Gates open at 10 a.m. with qualifying at 11 a.m. and eliminations at approximately 2 p.m.

 

 

 

 

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