PRIVATE TEST AT THE ROCK Rockingham Dragway and MXA Performance is offering private testing on Saturday, November 6, and Saturday, November 13. Open to all vehicles, the track will prep the right lane for drag radials, the left lane for big tires. The fee is $300 per entry for unlimited runs and includes admission for four. All entries must pre-enter. PRE-ENTER at thefoat.com. If you ever wanted to have the track to yourself without the crowd, this is your chance. Motorcycles welcomed. NO TIME ON REQUEST. Gates will open at 10 am; time runs will be from 11 am to 7 pm. Call 910 582-3400 for more info. Racers planning to compete in the annual NHRA doubleheader at The Rock, Oct. 22-24, are reminded that while fees are to be paid at the gate, participation requires an online tech card that can be found at www.nhradiv2.com. Racers can pay at the gate with cash, credit card or debit card and if assistance is needed with the online tech card, help will be available onsite starting Thursday morning. The track will be open Wednesday, Oct. 20, from 2 p.m. until midnight for early parking and will be open Thursday for testing. The final Lucas Oil Series event in the Southeast will be contested Friday and Saturday on the quarter mile, preceding an NHRA National Open event at the eighth-mile distance on Sunday. Don’t forget that online tech cards are mandatory.       NHRA DOUBLEHEADER WEEKEND AT ROCKINGHAM DRAGWAY Lucas Oil Series Titles on the Line October 23, Final NHRA National Open on 24th ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – The schedule for racers to double up on the participation points used by the NHRA to determine eligibility for future national events was released this week. The Weekend Double, October 21-24, again is expected to lure some of the nation’s most prominent sportsman racers to Rockingham Dragway for the doubleheader featuring the season’s final Lucas Oil Series divisional event and the year’s last NHRA National Open. One day of open testing and two days of racing on The Rock’s quarter mile course for championships in eight Lucas Series categories will be followed on Sunday by an NHRA National Open contested on the eighth mile. Both races award series points along with the valuable grading points the NHRA will use to determine who will and won’t be eligible to file entries for specific events next year in the Camping World national series. The Lucas Oil Series event will crown champions in Super Street, Super Gas, Super Comp, Stock, Super Stock, Top Sportsman, Top Dragster and Competition Eliminator. Sunday’s National Open will award trophies in the same categories with the exception of Competition Eliminator. Thursday’s test-and-tune on October 21 will be followed by a full day of qualifying the following day featuring sessions in Competition Eliminator, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Time trials for Jr. Dragster League racers will kick off the Saturday program at 9 a.m. followed at 9:30 but the start of eliminations in Super Street, Stock, Super Stock, Super Gas and Super Comp. First rounds in Top Dragster, Top Sportsman and Competition will begin at 11:30 a.m. National Open qualifying will begin at 9 a.m. Sunday with eliminations starting at 11:30. - VIEW NHRA WEEKEND RUN ORDER SCHEDULE THARPE REPEATS AS TOP FUEL CHAMP IN NITRO WORLD FINALS White, Doyle, Pendergrast Among Other Winners in 30th Jim McClure Memorial Race ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – Flashing the form that powered him to NHRA series championships in 2018 and 2019, Pfafftown’s Tii Tharpe repeated as winner of the featured Ray Price Top Fuel Challenge in Sunday’s 30th annual Jim McClure Memorial AMRA Nitro World Finals at Rockingham Dragway. Although he qualified behind teammate and multiple time McClure champion Jay “Bulldog” Turner of Julian and newly crowned NHRA champion Ryan Peery of Milford, Ohio, Tharpe dominated eliminations, taking out Turner in the semifinals with quick time (6.30 seconds) and top speed of the event before stopping Peery in the final round for the second straight year. The result not only denied Peery his first Ray Price trophy, it also kept him from doubling up at The Rock after earlier winning the track’s AHDRA Top Fuel title. In the final, Tharpe stopped the timers in 6.350 seconds at 220.04 mph. Peery trailed in 6.471 seconds at 216 mph. The Tharpe-Turner semifinal easily was the best of the day. Tharpe coupled low ET and top speed to a .062 reaction time while Turner, the 2016 and 2017 NHRA champion and NHRA winner earlier this year at Charlotte, was .066 on the ‘Tree with a time of 6.346 seconds at 216.03 mph after running 6.314, second quickest of the race, in the previous round. Other winners included Sam White of Chapin, S.C., who returned to the winners’ circle as Pro Fuel champion for the first time since 2018 by beating reigning series champ Jim Martin of Palestine, Ill., in the final; Jim Doyle of Chicopee, Mass., who scored in Nitro Funny Bike after Armon Furr, the former McClure Top Fuel champ (2017) from Orangeburg, S.C., upset series champ and defending event champ Chris Smith of Murfreesboro, Tenn., in the semis. Another Murfreesboro standout, Shane Pendergrast, extended his domination of Pro Modified, and Bill Doherty of Lake Charles, La., the McClure Pro Mod winner in both 2017 and 2020, won this time in Pro Gas from the No. 1 qualifying position. Overall, the event winners represented 10 different states. The only rider able to double-up on the weekend was Casey Smith of Musella, Ga., who, after winning Pro Eliminator, also scored in Dial-In Eliminator in which he beat Kirby Shearin of Roanoke Rapids in the final. Reigning series champ Gary Douglass of Staunton, Va., won Modified; David Doremus of Loveland, Ohio scored in Top Eliminator; John Terry of White House, Tenn., got the Super Gas title; David Dennick of Eighty-Four, Pa., was the last man standing in Pro Dresser, many-time series champ and Pro Gas runner-up Donnie Huffman of Lakeland, Fla., claimed Street Eliminator; and a pair of Carolinians, Bob Maier of Cleveland and Rich Stamey of Wilmington, prevailed in Super Pro and Street Dresser, respectively. ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – Results from the 30th annual AMRA Jim McClure Memorial Nitro World Finals at Rockingham Dragway. Hometowns are North Carolina unless otherwise indicated. Results include reaction time, track time, target time (where applicable) and finish line speed: TOP FUEL (for the Ray Price Trophy) Qualifying – 1. Ryan Peery, Milford, Ohio, 6.425, 213.57 mph; 2. Jay Turner, Julian, 6.445, 214.42 mph; 3. Tii Tharpe, Pfafftown, 6.464, 203.52 mph; 4. Tim Kerrigan, Novato, Calif., 6.534, 204.32 mph; 5. Jake Stordeur, Goshen, Ohio, 6.587, 200.20 mph; 6. Rich Vreeland, Danville, Pa., 6.627, 200.17 mph; 7. Frank Capone, Wakefield, Mass., 6.808, 188.20 mph; 8. Tracy Kile, Ashville, 6.835, 174.93 mph. Did Not Qualify: John “J.T.” Toth, Charleroi, Pa.; Mark Conner, Robertsville, Mo.; Curtis Heisler, Phoenix, Ariz.; Robert Stewart, Gloucester, Va.; Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass.; Jimmy McMillan, Deland, Fla. Round 1 – Jake Stordeur, Goshen, Ohio, .027, 9.944, 83.01 mph, def. Tim Kerrigan, Novato, Calif., foul; Jay Turner, Julian, .080, 6.311, 215.20 mph, def. Frank Capone, Wakefield, Mass., .169, 8.441, 179.09 mph; Tii Tharpe, Pfafftown, .093, 6.351, 215.37 mph, def. Rich Vreeland, Danville, Pa., .094, 6.732, 181.89 mph; Ryan Peery, Milford, Ohio, .088, 6.514, 214.79 mph, def. Tracy Kyle, Ashville, .080, 6.560, 211.69 mph. Semifinals – Tharpe, .062, 6.300, 221.16 mph, def. Turner,.066, 6.346, 216.03 mph; Peery, .119, 6.393, 216.79 mph, def. Stordeur, no time. FINAL – Tii Tharpe, Pfafftown, .073, 6.350, 220.04 mph, def. Ryan Peery, Milford, Ohio .099, 6.471, 216.34 mph. PRO FUEL Qualifying – 1. Sam White, Chapin, S.C., 7.311, 172.70 mph; 2. Jim Martin, Palestine, Ill., 7.358, 165.60 mph; 3. Rocky Jackson, Youngsville, La., 7.461, 165.72 mph; 4. Paul Anderson, Clarkston, Mich., 7.518, 168.56 mph. Round 1 – Sam White, Chapin, S.C., .174, 7.386, 171.55 mph, def. Phil Lower, Vicksburg, Mich., .134, 7.778, 158.91 mph; Jim Martin, Palestine, Ill., .177, 7.724, 141.08 mph, def. Jay Beasley, Winston-Salem, .135, 8.038, 150.03 mph; Walter Halonski, High Springs, Fla., .218, 7.655, 168.07 mph, def. Rocky Jackson, Youngsville, La., .200, 8.639, 157.87 mph; Paul Anderson, Clarkston, Mich., .262, 7.608, 166.39 mph, def. John McConnell, Darlington, S.C., .161, 28.755, 34.978 mph. Semifinals – White, .190, 7.345, 170.88 mph, def. Anderson, .151, 7.694, 166.74 mph; Martin, .133, 7.403, 166.13 mph, def. Halonski, .156, 7.981, 153.26 mph. FINAL – Sam White, Chapin, S.C., .071, 7.359, 169.34 mph, def. Jim Martin, Palestine, Ill., .098, 7.504, 163.97 mph. NITRO FUNNY BIKE Qualifying – 1. Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass., 6.955, 184.09 mph; 2. Chris Smith Murfreesboro, Tenn., 7.075, 180.24 mph; 3. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., 7.229, 177.60 mph. Semifinals – Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C, .119, 7.181, 187.60 mph, def. Chris Smith, Murfreesboro, Tenn., no time; Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass., bye. FINAL – Jim Doyle, Chicopee, Mass., .127, 6.930, 194.07 mph, def. Armon Furr, Orangeburg, S.C., .061, 7.275, 187.68 mph. PRO MOD Qualifying – 1. Shane Pendergrast, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 8.434, 155.31 mph; 2. John Price, Emmitsburg, Md., 8.636, 151.58 mph; 3. Loreto Pesce, Newark, Del., 8.734, 149.81 mph; 4. Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., 8.923, 150.65 mph. Round 1 – John Price, Emmitsburg, Va., .315, 8.623, 150.83 mph, def. Robert Dumas, Ayer, Mass., no time; Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., .086, 8.716, 153.30 mph, def. Richmond Boone, Mint Hill, .020, 9.365, 141.91 mph; Loreto Pesce, Newark, Del., .081, 8.789, 146.02 mph, def. Billy Doherty, Lake Charles, La., .114, 9.844, 139.04 mph; Shane Pendergrast, Murfreesboro, Tenn., bye. Semifinals – Pendergrast, .067, 8.496, 155.06 mph, def. Douglass, .032, 8.647, 154.30 mph; Price, .074, 8.597, 152.16 mph, def. Pesce, .066, 8.745, 150.87 mph. FINAL – Shane Pendergrast, Murfreesboro, Tenn., .074, 8.623, 152.81 mph, def. John Price, Emmitsburg, Md., .058, 8.976, 152.33 mph. PRO GAS Qualifying – 1. Billy Doherty, Lake Charles, La., .8.875, 150.40 mph; 2. Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., 9.016, 145.77 mph; 3. Keith Carper, Laurel, Md., 9.580, 142.63 mph; 4. Kevin Campbell, Southern Pines, 11.120, 116.93 mph. Semifinals – Bily Doherty, Lake Charles, La., .099, 9.042, 149.71 mph, def. Kevin Campbell, Southern Pines, foul; Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .043, 8.870, 146.88 mph, def. Keith Carper, Laurel, Md., .032, 10.903, 121.44 mph. FINAL – Billy Doherty, Lake Charles, La., .065, 8.651, 151.15 mph, def. Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .016, 8.904, 144.27 mph. MODIFIED Round 1 – Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., .123, 9.440, 142.07 mph, def. Heather Van Fleet, Toledo, Ohio, .193, 10.132, 127.38 mph; Gary DeGrange, Babson Park, Fla., .060, 9.443, 138.51 mph, def. Troy Young, Wirtz, Va., .121, 9.493, 137.39 mph; Kimberly DeShields, Murfreesboro, Tenn., bye. Semifinals – DeGrange, .001, 9.521, 138.27 mph, def. DeShields, .192, 9.650, 139.80 mph; Douglass, bye. FINAL – Gary Douglass, Staunton, Va., .294, 9.460, 139.67 mph, def. Gary DeGrange, Babson Park, Fla., no time. TOP ELIMINATOR (9.30 target) Round 2 – David Doremus, Loveland, Ohio, .062, 9.663, 120.80 mph, def. Scott Schenkel, Palmerton, Pa., .059, 9.772, 133.08 mph; Chris Hoppe, Pennington, N.J., .106, 10.599, 103.79 mph, def. Gregory Hawes, Nakina, .116, 11.263, 114.88 mph; Freddie Frazier, Sanford, bye. Semifinals – Doremus, .052, 9.935, 125.96 mph, def. Frazier, .102, 9.991, 119.55 mph; Hoppe, bye. FINAL – David Doremus, Loveland, Ohio, .102, 9.431, 127.47 mph, def. Chris Hoppe, Pennington, N.J., .037, 9.594, 139.27 mph. SUPER GAS (9.90 target) Round 2 – John Terry, White House, Tenn., .171, 10.956, 82.12 mph, def. David Minton, Granite Falls, no time; Scott Schenkel, Palmerton, Pa., .032, 10.020, 119.63 mph, def. Heather Van Fleet, Toledo, Ohio, .083, 10.056, 125.34 mph; Raylen Mason, .104, 9.900, 135.31 mph, def. Vance Houdyshell, Vero Beach, Fla., foul; Steve Matthews, Chicago Heights, Ill., bye. Semifinals – Terry, .062, 9.863, 132.48 mph, def. Schenkel, .084, 9.834 breakout, 127.87 mph; Mason, .051, 9.949, 136.86 mph, def. Matthews, .002, 10.147, 104.63 mph. FINAL – John Terry, White House, Tenn., .064, 10.066, 112.85 mph, def. Raylen Mason, .262, 10.122, 135.97 mph. SUPER PRO (10.30 target) Round 2 – David Doremus, Loveland, Ohio, .068, 10.362, 126.35 mph, def. Brian Conelly Jr., Country Club Hills, Ill., .190, 10.208 breakout, 124.10 mph; Gray DeGrange, Ewing, N.J., .246, 10.911, 111.84 mph, def. John Wayne Stephens, Charleroi, Pa., .193, 11.065, 121.77 mph; Bob Maier, Cleveland, .025, 10.300, 117.21 mph, def. Rick Medford, Cherokee, .044, 10.528, 126.12 mph. Semifinals – Maier, .045, 10.253, 126.70 mph, def. Doremus, .069, 10.235 breakout, 127.37 mph; DeGrange, bye. FINAL – Bob Maier, Cleveland, .074, 10.221, 128.13 mph, def. Gray DeGrange, Ewing, N.J., .105, 10.182 breakout, 124.76 mph. PRO ELIMINATOR (10.90 target) Round 2 – Rick Medford, Cherokee, .050, 11.193, 102.37 mph, def. Ted Farley, Michigan City, Ind., .316, 11.145, 116.43 mph; Scott Barkley, Bradford, Tenn., .027, 10.824, 111.22 mph, def. Cody Hayworth, Concord, .060, 10.765 breakout, 113.04 mph; Troy Fittro, Milan, Iowa, .094, 10.967, 108.63 mph, def. Crosby Blain, Georgetown, Tenn., .063, 11.108, 100.14 mph; Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .231, 10.993, 116.83 mph, def. Loren Potter, McDonald, Tenn., .040, 11.191, 116.73 mph. Semifinals – Medford, .068, 10.947, 117.84 mph, def. Barkley, .063, 10.877 breakout, 110.61 mph; Smith, .078, 10.929, 117.40 mph, def. Fittro, .164, 10.901, 102.98 mph. FINAL – Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .024, 11.066, 111.82 mph, def. Rick Medford, Cherokee, .115, 11.055, 116.32 mph. STREET ELIMINATOR (11.50 target) Round 3 – Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .106, 11.509, 104.28 mph, def. Dalton Lund, Greenville, Tenn., .019, 11.620, 105.47 mph; Terry Mason, Springhill, Tenn., .033, 11.535, 82.28 mph, def. Gary DeGrange, Babson Park, Fla., .100, 11.351 breakout, 90.48 mph; Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .207, 11.482, 109.86 mph, def. Unknown #515OZ, .301, 11.354 breakout, 110.33 mph. Semifinals – Huffman, .050, 11.514, 103.67 mph, def. Smith, 058, 11.491 breakout, 96.46 mph; Mason, bye. FINAL – Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .065, 11.613, no speed recorded, def. Terry Mason, Springhill, Tenn., foul. DIAL-IN ELIMINATOR Round 4 – Donnie Huffman, Lakeland, Fla., .007, 11.705 on an 11.600, 99.14 mph, def. Billy Buell, Center Point, Ind., .528, 12.868 on a 12.650, 100.37 mph; Kirby Shearin, Roanoke Rapids, .152, 12.981 on a 13.000, 103.79 mph, def. Russell Smith, no time; Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .020, 12.323 on a 12.260, 103.14 mph, def. Randy Hammons, Hermitage, Tenn., .020, 11.680 on an 11.450, 115.20 mph. Semifinals – Smith, .097, 12.227 on a 12.260, 105.05 mph, def. Huffman, foul; Shearin, bye. FINAL – Casey Smith, Musella, Ga., .092, 12.235 on a 12.200, 105.12 mph, def. Kirby Shearin, Roanoke Rapids, .279, 12.780 breakout on a 12.880, 103.40 mph. PRO DRESSER Round 2 – Rylan Mason, Carolina Beach, .271, 10.024, 133.74 mph, def. Bert Baker, Haslett, Mich., .053, 12.212, 109.41 mph; David Dennick, Eighty-Four, Pa., .128, 9.550, 139.39 mph, def. Greg Quinn, .044, 9.696, 144.67 mph; Seth Locklear, Wilmington, bye. Semifinals – Dennick, .051, 9.511, 140.34 mph, def. Locklear, .226, 9.354, 142.51 mph; Mason, bye. FINAL – David Dennick, Eighty-Four, Pa., .203, 9.520, 141.03 mph, def. Ryland Mason, Carolina Beach, .192, 10.865, 101.15 mph. STREET DRESSER Semifinals – Jim Kennedy, Matoon, Ill., .272, 11.273, 118.70 mph, def. Don White, Markham, Ill., .198, 19.438, 58.99 mph; Rich Stamey, Wilmington, .220, 11.714, 112.90 mph, def. Terry Wright, Portland, Ky., .212, 12.217, 105.55 mph. FINAL – Rich Stamey, Wilmington, .238, 11.743, 111.99 mph, def. Jim Kennedy, Matoon, Ill., .230, 11.807, 111.90 mph.