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July 19, 2004 Motor City Nationals Milan Michigan Final Round Results: (photos courtesy Guy Van Syckle)
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.
Rocky Mountain Nationals coverage is here
June 13, 2004 Grand Bend Ontario Final round results were not so kind to the Canadians in the pro fields on Sunday. Rob Atchison in Funny Car, was the only canuck to make a final round and he gave it away at the tree with a .015 red light. In hindsight, the .100 rt by Thomas and the 5.917 et would have certainly been beatable. While it is easy to sit back and speculate or judge a guy, and you give him hero accolades if he saws the tree down, you have to give yourself the chance to win, and a red light gives you none unless your opponent crosses the center line. The win by Thomas was his 4th consecutive to start the season. The r/u by Atchison was his second final round of the season. In Top Fuel, the lone Canadian was blasted out of contention in the semis by the Werner/Millican juggernaut. Todd could only look as Millican rolled on to a 4.75 victory. In the final round Millican like Thomas in Funny Car got an easy one when Tim Cullinan red lit away his chance. But even a perfect light would not have been enough as Millican was more or less a 4.70 machine running a 4.744 (his third run within 2/100th of each other) to Cullinan's game 4.837. In Pro Stock, Ontario's Larry O'Brien made it to the second round, losing to Rick Jones, who lost to eventual winner Elijah Morton. Morton defeated Brian Gahm despite the 5/100ths advantage at the tree by Gahm. The margin of victory in the 6.557-6.613 race was just over 5/thou. In Pro Mod, all four Canadian in elimination's were gone in round one. Point leader Al Billes lost to race winner Quain Stott, who defeated Harold Martin in the final round. He new rules certainly have seemed to make the races much more competitive in the class, and has slowed the blown cars down alot more than I thought it would. Or have the nitrous cars sped up a bit too since the rules change. Interesting! Here are the final round results for all classes. Top Fuel -- Clay Millican, 4.744 seconds, 299.90 mph def. Tim Cullinan, foul. Pro Modified -- Quain Stott, Chevy Corvette, 6.344, 225.33 def. Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.389, 222.60. Funny Car -- Mark Thomas, Dodge Avenger, 5.917, 238.79 def. Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, foul. Pro Stock -- Elijah Morton, Ford Mustang, 6.557, 210.67 def. Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.613, 209.69. Top Stock -- Paul Mercure, Chevy Camaro, 9.821, 134.91 def. Frank Teuton, Plymouth Duster, 9.888, 131.96. Top Sportsman -- Gary Wojnowski, Chevy Monte Carlo, 7.357, 182.88 def. Steven Derosa, Chevy Cavalier, 7.036, 195.95. Top Dragster -- Marco Abruzzi, Dragster, 7.665, 171.36 def. Scott Winkelman, Dragster, 7.394, 177.44. Quick Rod -- Steve Hoyt, Dragster, 8.925, 166.26 def. Ron Folk, Dragster, 8.899, 163.45. Hot Rod -- Randy Sell, Ford Mustang, 10.934, 120.25 def. Gary Stowell, Chevy Vega, 10.942, 123.30. Super Rod -- John Vineyard, Ford Roadster, 9.910, 153.11 def. Steve Hoyt, Chevy Corvette, 9.880, 157.45. Super Stock -- Anthony Bertozzi, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.373, 139.40 def. Wally Clark, Grand Am, 9.786, 132.23. Stock -- Michael Beard, Didge Dart, 11.404, 107.71 def. Manny Sousa, Chevy Nova, 11.960, 102.72. ET Bracket -- Brian Clayton, Chevy Camaro, 10.637, 125.68 def. Mark Cote, Oldsmobile Cutlass, foul. ET No Box -- Mark Cote, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 10.795, 123.81 def. Bill Ward, Chevy Nova, 11.222, 116.92. ET Box
-- Brian Clayton, Chevy Camaro, 10.607, 125.64 def. Jeff Moser, Dragster,
8.051, 161.49. Qualifying results: (courtesy Drag Race Central and IHRA.com) Top Fuel 1 1 Clay Millican, 4.658 304.25 * indicates a Canadian
driver Funny Car: 1 2 Mark Thomas, 5.831 236.96
Pro Stock: 1 777 John Nobile, 6.493 211.96
Pro Mod: 1 4 Shannon Jenkins,6.221 218.12
IHRA Mopar Canadian Nationals: Grand Bend, Ontario Pre-race Team press releases June 9, 2004 Al Billes No. 1 in Both IHRA and NHRA Points courtesy Billes Communications The team went into eliminations for the 4th annual ACDelco Nationals presented by the Richmond Times-Dispatch with a strong 5th place qualifying position, and finished the event with a quarterfinal result. This result vaulted Billes from the fourth position to the top of the standings in championship points, surpassing fellow Canadians Glen Kerunsky and Rick Distefano, as well as former champion Mike Janis. Billes also currently sits atop the points in NHRA AMS Pro Mod Challenge competition with two wins this season, his most recent coming at Bristol. The Stratford Motor Products-sponsored team attributes their points standings to consistent qualifying and race day performances, being one of only two teams to qualify at all national events held by both sanctioning bodies this season. The team is excited about defending their title at the Mopar Canadian Nationals in Grand Bend June 11-13th, their next stop in the 2004 Hooters IHRA schedule.
Photos courtesy Guy Van Syckle, Atchison Racing and Bruce Biegler
May 1 ,2004 The IHRA announces new Over Drive rules effective immediately. The rule drops the OD limit to 20.0% . Let the fur fly. March April Archives
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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. IHRA Funny Car World Champion Rob
Atchison claimed his first victory of the 2004 season at IHRA/Hooters
Motor City Nationals at Milan Dragway July 18th. Bad weather had threatened
the event but Mother Nature cooperated with perfect weather and the
event was completed with all the final rounds done before the skies
opened up with a torrential downpour putting a dampener on the Winner's
Circle festivities. Atchison started the weekend off with a # 1 qualifying
pass of 5.84 et and 240.10 mph. pass. Atchison remained in the 5.80's
throughout eliminations until his final round victory over current
points leader Mark Thomas. Rob used his better reaction time to secure
the "Iron Man" as both he and Thomas ran almost identical
times with Rob running a 5.950 to Thomas's 5.957. The victory ties
Rob with former IHRA World Champion Todd Paton as the winningest Canadian
Alcohol Funny Car racer with 7 victories and 5 runner-ups each in
IHRA competition. "It feels real good to get the victory"
stated Atchison. My crew works so hard and they deserve the victory
celebration. We have been running fairly well but just could not put
the total package together until this weekend. The next race for the
Erickson Manufacturing Pontiac will be the AC Delco Canadian Nationals
at Toronto Motorsports Park. 
Pro
Stock -- Rick Jones, Dodge Stratus, 6.576, 211.83 def. Elijah Morton,
Ford Mustang, 6.545, 213.03.
Top
Stock -- Paul Mercure, Chevy Camaro, 9.900, 134.07 def. Matt Morgan,
Camaro, 9.990, 134.60.
Top
Sportsman -- Jackie Slone, Chevy Corvette, 7.052, 193.16 def. Tim
Molnar, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.213, 191.32.
Top
Dragster -- Nick Folk, Dragster, 7.046, 169.64 def. Jim Huggett, Dragster,
7.131, 179.56.
Quick
Rod -- Mary Ann Jackson, Dragster, 8.947, 146.88 def. Dennis Kline,
Dragster, 8.929, 160.37.
Super
Rod -- Brian Folk, Chevy Cavalier, 9.890, 138.78 def. Wes Weaver,
Chevy Camaro, 9.867, 145.33.
Hot
Rod -- Chris Nyerges, Chevy Chevelle, 10.874, 121.34 def. Matt Albright,
Chevelle, 10.869, 129.84.
Super
Stock -- Jeremy Mudd, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.482, 137.75 def. Scotty
Stillings, Grand Am, 9.538, 130.39.
Stock
-- Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.784, 116.45 def. Craig Marshall,
Dodge Dart, 11.140, 116.68.
London,
ON - Edmonton Alberta's John Evanchuck will be competing at the
2004 IHRA Mopar Canadian Nationals at Grand Bend Motorplex in Alcohol
Funny Car. The 52 year old Evanchuck will be driving the Mattress
Depot/King Koil Firebird out of the Atchison Racing stable in his
first ever race in Ontario. "We got to meet John last year in
Edmonton and with his connections with Mattress Depot and King Koil
in Alberta and our connections with Mattress Depot in London and along
with the support of, Burtch Mechanical Services, Dana Canada and Erickson
Manufacturing we were able to put together a deal that would allow
John to run at Grand Bend " stated IHRA Funny Car Champion Rob
Atchison. This gives the world's greatest fans the opportunity to
cheer for another talented Canadian driver with local connections.
When we race at home we have our whole crew available to 
us
so we have more then enough talent to make both cars very competitive.
Both cars will also receive support from Atchison Machine Service,
Pennzoil Canada, Performance Racing News, Team Truck Centre, Tool
and Cutter Supply, Ultimate Touch Collision and West Coast Transportation
and Atchison Racing's many product sponsors.
Mopar
Canadian Nationals at Grand Bend Motorplex. "It was truly awesome
winning our first IHRA Iron Man at the 2003 Mopar Canadian Nationals
in front of the greatest fans in the world ". "We have been
very fast so far this year qualifying # 1 at all three IHRA events
and finishing runner-up twice" stated Atchison. We are confident
our luck will improve enough to make it back to the winner's circle
and we can't think of any better place then home to get back on track.
We spent the off season doing personal appearances at charity events
and celebrity dinners and have developed a whole new fan base that
will be attending the Ontario IHRA National events. The weather should
be a little warmer this year because of the later schedule date and
it will give all our new and old fans the opportunity to see and feel
the excitement of IHRA/Hooters National Event Drag Racing. Primary
Sponsor Erickson Manufacturing are bringing 2 bus loads of Employees
for the Night of Fire and associate sponsors Atchison Machine Service,
Mattress Depot, Pennzoil Canada, Performance Racing News, Team Truck
Centre, Tool and Cutter Supply , Ultimate Touch Custom and Collision
and West Coast Transportation will all be in attendance. For more
information visit www.atchisonracing.com