| SHIGEMATSU TURNS SECOND FINAL
ROUND APPEARANCE OF THE SEASON INTO FIRST NITRO TOP FUEL WIN
Bob Drapp Takes Third Victory of the Year in ET Category
BRISTOL, Tenn., (Aug. 16, 2006) – Tak Shigematsu revenged an
early-season loss to Mike Romine Sunday during the Thunder in the Valley
Nationals presented by Smith Bros Harley-Davidson. The Ehime, Japan
native posted a loss against Romine in Norwalk, Ohio earlier this
season. Shigematsu evened the score Sunday, beating Romine in the final
at Bristol Dragway.
The win was Shigematsu's first this season, but second at Bristol
Dragway as he also posted a victory there in 2002. He topped the current
points leader by riding his Don Johnson Racing Harley-Davidson to a
6.446-second pass at 215.86. Romine and the Salt Lake City
Harley-Davidson team recorded a 6.594 run at 209.56 in his fifth final
round appearance of the season.
Shigematsu was also the top qualifier of the event, turning in a 6.390
pass at 216.41. Romine was second with a 6.544 at 211.99 while Doug
Vancil and the Vance & Hines Motorports Harley-Davidson team rounded out
the top three with a 6.597 at 209.98.
L.E. Tonglet – younger brother of Screamin' Eagle NHRA rider GT Tonglet
– rode his Harley-Davidson to his first victory of the season in the
Destroyer category by beating Michael Ray in the final. Tonglet used a
9.496 pass at 139.57 to beat Ray's 9.451 at 139.60. Ray was the No. 1
qualifier in the category with a 9.465 at 139.06.
Keith Carper earned the win in the SEP by beating Joey Talbott in the
final round. Carper rode his Harley-Davidson to an 11.597 pass at 107.92
over Talbott's 11.560 at 113.55 for the victory. Carper's holeshot
(slower but winning time) victory was aided by a .023 reaction time
compared to Talbott's .101.
Bob Drapp became a three-time winner in the ET category, beating Robert
McConnell in the final. Drapp's 9.826 pass at 132.97 was all for show as
McConnell fouled at the starting line, handing Drapp the win.
Just four AHDRA races remain this season. The next AHDRA event is Team
Latus Motors Harley-Davidson Northwest Nationals in Woodburn Ore., Aug.
26-27. |
