Even Mother Nature couldn't slow Allen Byrd as the Kingsport native took home Saturday's $10,000 Super Pro winner's purse after eliminations were finished during the J.W. Performance Transmissions Thunder Valley Southern Shootouts at Bristol Dragway on Sunday morning.
Delays throughout Saturday's action forced Dragway officials to complete racing on Sunday morning. Sunday's scheduled events took place after Byrd picked up his check.
"I'm taking it straight to the bank on Monday morning," said the 2006 Bristol Dragway Super Pro Champion.
Byrd defeated a tough field of competitors to make the final round where he faced Chad Hedgecock of Loudon.
Byrd used a .003 reaction time, paired with a 4.878 elapsed time at 133.42 mph to defeat Hedgecock's .012 R.T. with a 4.892 E.T. Byrd's rail dragster was dialed-in at a 4.86, while Hedgecock's dragster was dialed at a 4.87.
Jared Pennington from Fultondale, Ala., collected the Pro win when his opponent, Jason McClure from Huntsville, Ala., received a red light disqualification at the starting line. Pennington went faster than his dial-in, 6.636 on a 6.66 dial, but it didn't matter after the foul start from McClure. Pennington left the line with a .004 R.T. and completed his pass at 104.48 mph.
J.P. Britt took home the trophy for Junior Dragster Division II with a win over Kingsport's Dylan Davis. Britt used .155 R.T. and a 7.881 E.T. at 80.51 mph to defeat Davis. Both drivers went a little faster than their dial-ins, but Britt was closer and earned the win.
Once again, both Jr. Dragster Division I competitors broke out by going faster than their dial-ins. Celeste Parris of Waynesville, N.C. defeated Bristol, Va.'s Ben Denton by keeping her run closer to her dial-in. Parris used a .110 R.T. and 8.909 E.T. at 73.30 mph to beat Denton's .078 R.T. and 8.980 E.T.
Jonesborough's Bill Griffin picked up the win in Sunday's $5,000 Super Pro action. Allen Britt of Lumberton, N.C., turned on the red light, giving the victory to Griffin. Griffin's rail dragster left the line with a .120 R.T. and went a little faster than the dial, 5.009 on a 5.01 dial, at 136.61 mph to claim the top prize.
Pennington tried to earn another Pro division victory, but broke out, running a 7.635 E.T. on a 7.65 dial-in. Raleigh, N.C.'s Richard Alford Jr. was the benefactor and his 1971 Chevelle left the line with a .050 R.T., completing the run with a 6.982 E.T. at 96.99 mph.
Jared McKinney from Elizabethton won Sunday's Jr. Dragster Division II action, while Maynardville's Dylan Kiser earned the Jr. Dragster Division I victory over a red-lighting Jerry Coleman from Hurley, Va.
Jeremy Bargo banked $5,000 for his victory in Friday's Super Pro activities. Bargo, from Barbourville, Ky., wheeled his 2002 Worthy dragster past the red-lighting 1968 Camaro of Pikeville, Ky.'s T.J. Owens. After seeing the red light, Bargo left the line with a .006 R.T. and rolled through the track with a 7.132 E.T. at 60.56 mph. Owens completed his jaunt down the strip in 6.078 seconds.
The Pro final on Friday also was decided by a red light. Kelly King from Stockbridge, Ga. pulled the trigger a little early and handed the win to Adam Davis' 1970 Nova. Davis, from Cullman, Ala., rolled off the line with a .004 R.T. and cruised down the strip with a 10.384 at 49.80 mph. King ran a 6.942 on a 6.93 dial-in on his losing effort.
Thunder Valley returns to action with Sonic Mother's Night at Street Fights on Thursday, May 8. Highlighting the evening's activities will be a Chevy Astro van Pro Mod, capable of blistering fast speeds. Gates open at 5 p.m., and racing begins at 6 p.m. Spectator admission is $5, while racer admission is only $10.
Bristol Dragway takes a rest next weekend before the stars and cars of NHRA return for the May 16-18 O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
For more information about Bristol Dragway's exciting event, please call (423) 764-DRAG or visit www.bristoldragway.com.