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Allison
Earns First Career Top Fuel Win During IHRA Motor City Nationals
 MILAN,
Mich.-- Louie Allison earned his first career Top Fuel victory
during IHRA’s Second Annual Motor City Nationals presented
by the Milan News Leader and Saline Reporter at Milan Dragway.
Allison, of Denver, Colorado, covered the quarter-mile in
4.924 seconds at 286.32 mph to defeat “Doc” John
Sipple in the final round.
Al Billes, Barrie, Ontario, Pro Modified; Rob Atchison, London,
Ontario, Funny Car; and Rick Jones, Galesburg, Ill., Sunoco
Race Fuels Pro Stock were winners in their respective categories.
The Top
Fuel final round had a different look for the first time of
the season. Current points leader Clay Millican lost for the
first time since August of 2003, as Sipple defeated him in
the first round. A major upset, Sipple would face Bruce Litton
in round two.
Eventual
winner Allison defeated Tim Cullinan in round one with a 4.872
ET to advance to the semifinal against Doug Foley. Allison
with another great pass, beat Foley to the finish line at
4.882, 285.89 to set-up the final round between Allison and
Sipple, two competitors who have never won and event. Allison
used a reaction time advantage to win the race.
“I
really don’t know what to say because I haven’t
won before,” said Allison. “This is absolutely incredible.
Ever since I saw my first AA/Fuel Dragster with a Hemi run,
I knew I wanted to drive one. Today is the culmination of
that dream. Jack Ostrander gave me the opportunity of a lifetime
and now I have the Iron Man to prove it.”
Sipple,
after his first round win over Millican, met Bruce Litton
in round two. Litton, currently number two in the point standings,
was the expected winner but it was another upset as Sipple
recorded a 5.032 ET to clinch the final round appearance.
In Pro Modified, Billes defeated Fred Hahn in first round
and met Mike Castellana in round two. Castellana had the reaction
time advantage but Billes the faster car, covering the track
in 6.321, 226.39. He then met defending world champion Mitch
Stott and like Castellana, Stott had the better reaction time
and Billes had the quicker car, crossing the finish line in
6.718 seconds to Stott’s 6.790. Billes would meet Mike
Janis in the final round, a repeat final from this year’s
Spring Nationals. Billes ran a 6.460, 225.11 and won the race
as Janis shut off early.
“We
are testing a completely new engine combination,” said
Billes. “We experienced some tough times, but we worked
through them and the win was a great way to end the day. The
car ran well in the first two rounds, but once it got hot
out, the track started to go away and it got really tricky
to navigate.”
Janis
began the day qualified No. 1 and defeated Wayne Torkelson
in round one as the No. 16 qualifier Torkelson red-lighted.
Janis met Pat Moore in round two and ran a 6.265, 227.61 to
take the round and met current points leader Harold Martin
in the next round. This is Martin’s home track, but Janis
outran him with a 6.295 to Martin’s 6.421 in a good race.
Number one Funny Car qualifier Atchison began the day with
a first round bye-run, and faced Paul Noakes in round. Atchison,
the defending world champion won the round with a 5.895, 239.44.
He then faced Chris Sipple in the semifinal round and made
another great pass – 5.898, 239.14, to advance to the
final round against season-long foe Mark Thomas. Atchison
won the round and the event with a 5.950-second pass.
“I
was pretty pumped up and I really wanted to beat Mark badly
today,” said Atchison. “He wanted to beat me just
as bad. It’s a great thing to race against Mark Thomas
because he is a great champion. He’s a fantastic winner
and a good friend. He brings out the best in me and the rest
of the class.”
Thomas,
who has won four events this season, ran a 5.903, 238.76,
to defeat Terry Munroe in round one. In round two, he faced
Scott Wildgust. Wildgust had the reaction time advantage,
but Thomas was too quick and won the round. He faced Terry
McMillen in the semifinals. McMillen, fresh off a runner-up
finish in Edmonton, had the starting line advantage, but like
the round with Wildgust, Thomas drove around him at 239.23
mph to advance to the final round. Despite losing to Atchison,
he set the track speed record at 241.32 mph.
In Sunoco Pro Stock, Jones defeated Robert Patrick in the
first round and met Steve Spiess in round two. Spiess, who
held the event top speed, left early and lost with a red-light
as Jones made a 6.575, 211.53 mph pass. In the semifinals,
Jones defeated Frank Gugliotta to advance to the final against
Morton. Jones had the slower ET in the final round, but with
a better reaction time won the event.
“This
was a very good day for Team Quarter-Max,” said Jones.
“Deep down inside, we knew that we weren’t the fastest
car out there, so we just tried to be the most consistent.
We made good runs all day and (crew member) Mark Stockseth
made good calls on the clutch.”
“We
just all came together as a team and I drove pretty well today.
We had a real good day.”
Morton
defeated Tony Gillig in round one as Gillig just missed a
perfect reaction time and red-lighted. Morton faced John Montecalvo
next and defeated him with a 6.569, 208.91, to easily take
the round. He met defending world champion Brian Gahm in the
semifinal. With nearly identical reaction times, Gahm had
trouble early and Morton pulled away to win the round and
advance to the final.
The next
event on the 2004 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series is the Third
Annual ACDelco Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park, Toronto,
Ontario, July 30 – August 1, 2004.
MILAN,
Mich. -- Sunday's final results from the Second annual IHRA
Motor City Nationals presented by the Milan News Leader and
Saline Reporter at Milan Dragway. The $1.1 million race is
the sixth of 12 in the 2004 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series:
Top
Fuel -- Louie Allison, 4.924 seconds, 286.32 mph def.
John Sipple, 4.917 seconds, 268.12 mph.
Pro
Modified -- Al Billes, Chevy Corvette, 6.460, 225.11 def.
Mike Janis, Corvette, 7.216, 164.91.
Funny
Car -- Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 5.950, 237.63 def.
Mark Thomas, Dodge Avenger, 5.957, 241.32.
Sunoco
Pro Stock -- Rick Jones, Dodge Stratus, 6.576, 211.83
def. Elijah Morton, Ford Mustang, 6.545, 213.03.
GM
Performance Parts Top Stock -- Paul Mercure, Chevy Camaro,
9.900, 134.07 def. Matt Morgan, Camaro, 9.990, 134.60.
Erson
Cams Top Sportsman -- Jackie Slone, Chevy Corvette, 7.052,
193.16 def. Tim Molnar, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.213, 191.32.
Mallory
Top Dragster -- Nick Folk, Dragster, 7.046, 169.64 def.
Jim Huggett, Dragster, 7.131, 179.56.
ACCEL
Quick Rod -- Mary Ann Jackson, Dragster, 8.947, 146.88
def. Dennis Kline, Dragster, 8.929, 160.37.
Lakewood
Super Rod -- Brian Folk, Chevy Cavalier, 9.890, 138.78
def. Wes Weaver, Chevy Camaro, 9.867, 145.33.
Hurst
Hot Rod -- Chris Nyerges, Chevy Chevelle, 10.874, 121.34
def. Matt Albright, Chevelle, 10.869, 129.84.
ACCEL
DFI Super Stock -- Jeremy Mudd, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.482,
137.75 def. Scotty Stillings, Grand Am, 9.538, 130.39.
Hays
Stock -- Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.784, 116.45 def.
Craig Marshall, Dodge Dart, 11.140, 116.68.
ET
Bracket -- Barb Miller, Dragster, 7.480, 177.86 def. Mike
LaPradd, Ford Galaxie, 10.749, 125.53.
ET
Box -- Barb Miller, Dragster, 7.510, 174.41 def. James
Kull, Dragster, 7.895, 168.64.
ET
No Box -- Mike LaPradd, Ford Galaxie, 10.836, 124.25 def.
Mickey Adams, Chevy Camaro, 10.117, 124.58.
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