Rain, cold temperatures, excessive oil downs, eliminations upsets, unexpected drama, and an anti-climatic ending to the points championship were all a part of the story at the Rock this weekend.  The most anticipated race of the season came on the brink of both well-needed, but highly inconvenient rain showers for most of the day Friday.  The event was called on account of the rain after only one qualifying round for only a part of the sportsman classes putting everything severely behind for Saturday and Sunday, leaving many of the elimination rounds and even some qualifying rounds to be completed late into Monday after further delays due to safety concerns with the cold temperatures and an excessive amount of oil-downs.
 
The cold temps definately contributed to some exciting moments in qualifying on Saturday though, giving everyone an extra boost of power on an excellent track.  We were even graced by the presence of this year's rookie owner of the IHRA, attending his first ever national event with his family in tow.  Again, rumors and drama took center stage with their appearance at the track, given the lack of interest that seems to loom over the owner due to the rumors of the purchase only being made to also obtain an ownership of a Monster Truck division and the additional rumor that there may not even be an IHRA next year.  Again, pure speculation here...I guess we'll all have to wait and see.  However it does make for some interesting round table discussion as to what effects the dissapearance of the IHRA could have on the racers, sponsors and sport.  Would everyone run to the NHRA, exploding the association and provide more sponsorship and competition for the assocation who has also fought just to have a full field in some categories over this past year?  Only time will tell.
 
And while no one can control the disruption of the event due to rain and cold weather, what's up with the lack of interest that seems to exist on race day?  I haven't been able to attend a National Event myself in a while, but it was easy to see even at Rockingham that all of the interest and excitement seems to lie in qualifications these days.  Who can run the fastest and be number one at the end of the day is what everyone wants to brag about.  The stands were packed on Saturday even given the cool weather.  But Sunday.....no one.  By noon half of the racers have packed up and left, leaving the track to look half empty and depressing, while even the pros race for the finals and the points championship with virtually no fans in the crowd or support from their fellow competitors.  Doesn't anybody care who wins the race anymore....apparently not.
 
To prove my point about qualifying....check out these stats!  While all of the top sportsman racers laid down some incredible passes and fought for that #1 Qualifying spot, every winner of every class qualified no higher than the #28 spot!
 
Top Dragster winner, Marco Abruzzi was even the alternate in the #33 spot!
(W) Marco Abruzzi             TD   6.74  0.031     7.949  1.209
 (L) Russell Leach             TD   6.54  -0.001(R)14.106  7.566
 
Top contenders for the Top Dragster field duked it out during qualifying however, with International Superstar, Sheldon Bissessar from Trinidad laying down an amazing 5.83 at almost 233mph in only his third 1/4 mile pass in his new tricked out Top Dragster, built and tuned by Aaron Sipple of ASE and IRONMAN Chassis.  Edward Careccia barely bumped Bissessar out of the #1 spot with a 5.805.  Keep a look out for Sheldon, the Trinidad Rocket, next year to be a regular in the spot light.  He's got the driving abilities of a pro, so you might even see him moving up the ranks to Funny Car in the near future!  At any case, he's definately a crowd pleaser and will provide some much needed entertainment and competition for the 2009 season!

Top Sportsman saw Sandy Wilkins taking the win........
(W) Sandy Wilkins             TS   7.10  0.013     7.118  0.018   #31 Qualifier

 (L) Glenn Teets Jr.           TS   6.93  0.011     6.994  0.064
 
Super Stock results were as follows.........

(W) Gil Carty Jr.          PFA-2  10.23  0.006    10.215 -0.015  #29 Qualifier

 (L) Anthony Bertozzi       SS/BS   9.13  -0.005(R)13.069  3.939

Super Rod was no exception to the trend............
(W) Jim Lintner               SR   9.90  0.020    10.529  0.629  #28 Qualifier

 (L) Darrell Estep             SR   9.90  -0.006(R) 9.902  0.002

Hot Rod had Chip Johnson, #36 Qualifier, take the green light........
(W) Chip Johnson              HR  10.90  0.020    10.915  0.015  #36 Qualifier

 (L) R.L. Koontz               HR  10.90  0.026    10.913  0.013
 
And Quick Rod was just one more of the same..........
(W) Josh Martin               QR   8.90  0.075    11.145  2.245  #37 Qualifier
(L) Troy Williams Jr.         QR   8.90  -0.005(R)13.071  4.171
 
While Top Fuel is always a crowd pleaser, they weren't without their own exciting drama this weekend.  After the driver and others associated were dismissed from the Interstate Equipment team owned by Doc Sipple due to disloyalties to the the team, infractions and discrepencies that will go unnamed, 26 year-old Jeff O'Neal was brought on to drive the car for the Rockingham race.  In another unexpected change of events, Friday night, O'Neal fell ill after an alarming allergic reaction to a medication and wound up in the local ICU, completely unaware that he had just lost his chance at racing a top fuel car at a national event.  Things seem to work themselves out for a reason however, with this year's Nitro Funny Car Champion, Terry Haddock playing double duty and jumping into the driver's seat at the last minute.  After their share of up's and down's over the season, not just this past weekend, Team Sipple laid down some amazing passes during qualifying even though interim driver Terry Haddock had not recieved any practice or training time in the car and had to draw on his knowledge and experience from his championship Nitro Funny Car.  Guess Team Sipple just needed to get rid of a few gremlins apparently causing all of the often disputed trouble. Its all about having the right combination, and I don't just mean the motor. Their 4.77 pass during Saturday night's qualifying session put them at #6 and allowed them the opportunity to hopefully take out points leader Spencer Massey in first round.  Jeff O'Neal retured from the hospital Sunday and was able to make it to the starting line for the first round of eliminations.  Haddock and the Sipple Top Fuel Team gave it all they had, but fell short on the score board due to a broken throttle cable. Bruce Litton, the weekend's #1 qualifiier and second in the points chase, also lost out first round, sending young rookie, Spencer Massey to the winner's circle for the points championship early on in the race.  However, Tim Boychuk made his way to the finals against Mike Strasburg who beat out Massey in Round 2.  Boychuk took home the last Ironman of the Top Fuel Season.
 
In Nitro Funny Car, Jack Wyatt was a no show in the finals, giving the win to John Lawson.  But #1 Qualifier, playing double duty this weekend, Terry Haddock won the points championship.
 
Pro Mod's Scott Cannon makes another strong five ninety run in eliminations and takes the win from the number seventeen position as the first alternate following suit to the Top Dragster category winner Marco Abruzzi!
 
Alcohol Funny Car had some great action this weekend as well.  Tony Bogolo's car, tuned by Rick Hickman, had the most exciting moment for the field winning last man standing and running his personal best in the second qualifying round of alcohol funny car, putting himself in the number one spot, topping off the all 5 second field and bumping veteran Mark Thomas out of the race.  However Bogolo lost in first round to Neal Parker, and Laurie Cannister was the last one standing to take home the trophey for Alcohol Funny Car.
 
In Pro Stock, Frank Gugliotta in the York Motorsports Mustang, ran a 6.270 at 221.45mph to set the national record, and earn the #1 qualifier spot.  He made it to round three, and the results of the finals are as follows:
(W) John Montecalvo (Montecalvo Inc Cobalt)     0.027      6.317 221.27
 (L) Elijah Morton (Morton Trucking Mustang)     0.008      6.337 218.87
 
It was a full weekend of action trickling over into Monday morning after many agonizing delays and hours spent waiting around huddled up in sweatshirts, jackets and for some blankets.  The season is over and Fall is definately here with Winter quickly approaching.  If you are done racing for the year, take this time to enjoy your family, friends and the holidays.  Just try not to let the recession, looming election and fact that IHRA might be down the drain next year get you down to the point where you pack on all those extra holiday pounds and have to have a bigger cage built for next year....but if you do, I know a great chassis builder!  See ya in 2009! 

~Carrie Sipple
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