4/28/2024
IHRA Events
Fulcher, Minton, Eaton, Chandler, Grooms Take IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Wins at Beacon Dragway
PADUCAH, KY — Drivers in five classes raced to prestigious wins at the IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Engineering on Saturday at Beacon Dragway.
Defending track champion Isaac Fulcher (Box), Justin Minton (No Box), Chad Eaton (Sportsman), Kasey Chandler (Junior Dragster) and Jessie Grooms (Teen Street) were the winners at the Western Kentucky drag strip.
Race winners in the Box, No Box, Sportsman and Junior Dragster classes, who are IHRA members, are now eligible to compete for even bigger prizes at the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering if they enter at least two other IHRA races (an IHRA-member track Summit SuperSeries team race or Sportsman Spectacular) before the 2024 IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals.
Fulcher had an incredible .002 start to defeat Gary Benton in the ADP Carbs Super Pro (Box) final. Fulcher then posted a 5.962 second pass at 120 mph on a 5.94 dial-in. Benton, who had a good .024 reaction time, finished in 6.03 seconds at 113.46 mph on a 6.00 dial-in.
Minton posted a winning effort of 6.068 seconds at 108.02 mph on a 6.04 dial-in in the BTE No Box class. Runner-up David Broy was a little closer to his 6.04 dial-in with a 6.069-second pass at 113.46 mph, but Minton had the .034 to .050 advantage at the tree.
Eaton was spot on in the Hoosier Tire / Rupert Carbs Sportsman final with a 7.468-second pass at 89.59 mph on a 7.46 dial-in. He also won the holeshot .036 to .109 over his final-round opponent Larry Hall. Hall went down the drag strip in 11.040 seconds against a 10.91 dial-in.
Chandler took the Mohler Maintenance Junior Dragster final with a 7.936-second run at 81.68 mph. Both drivers triggered red lights, but Connor Bledsoe ended up runner-up after being just -.001 too quick at the start.
There was a special Teen Street race which Grooms won when final-round opponent Tyler Cromer fouled at the start. Grooms went ahead for a 10.094-second pass at 70.49 mph. Cromer posted a run of 9.394 seconds at 74.37 mph.
The IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser Engineering is scheduled to return May 11 at Gleason Raceway Park.
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