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Milan's Motorcity Nationals are presented by"Team Ace Racing"

Photos (on line Monday) courtesy Guy Van Syckle

Sunday Eliminations

MILAN, Mich. --

(July 9, 2006) - All season, Andrew Cowin has talked about wanting to herd some of Scott Griffin Motorsports' Serta Counting Sheep into the Winner's Circle at a national event. Sunday at Milan Dragway he made shepherds everywhere proud.
Cowin (Wilmington, N.C.) collected his first career national event victory by driving the SGM/Serta Top Fuel Dragster past Bobby Lagana, Jr. (Scarsdale, N.Y.) in the final. Cowin, hired by Griffin in December of '05, set the track speed record and qualified in the #1 position over the weekend. He laid down the quickest ET of each round en route to the Ironman victory, knocking off Bruce Litton (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Rick Cooper (Boise, Idaho) before facing Lagana in the final.

The team did not hurt a part or have to change an engine all weekend, a large change from its recent fortunes.

"The same bullets we started the race with, we ended the race with," Cowin said. "That's what racing is all about. We had a tremendous amount of fun this weekend and I really take my hat off to the crew. It is a team effort and everyone took care of their corner. I've always said if everyone got together and pulled in the same direction we would get there pretty quickly. In seven months we've done it."

Cowin had to drive by Lagana in the final. Lagana had a slight advantage at the tree and was out in front at half-track, but he pushed a couple of rods out of the engine and Cowin zipped by him for the victory. Cowin posted a 4.840 at 282.95 mph to claim the victory over Lagana's 4.945/282.19.

"This was a great weekend," Griffin said. "It felt really good to get this one out of the way. Andrew drove great, the car ran strong and we ended up right where we wanted to be.in the Winner's Circle."

Gary Densham (Belleflower, Calif.) found the Winner's Circle as well, claiming the Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car Ironman by defeating Doug Kalitta (Ypsilanti, Mich.) in the final. Kalitta, currently second in NHRA Top Fuel points, borrowed his cousin Scott's Nitro Funny Car for the weekend.

"It was kind of intimidating," Densham said of running Kalitta in the final. "I pulled up in the staging lanes and thought about the fact that they have $100 million and they had four crew chiefs behind them with Ron Toebler, Connie Kalitta, Jim Owen and them. And I have a bunch of rag-tag guys who just love to go racing. He's absolutely one of the best natural talents we have in drag racing, he can drive any kind of car. To beat them was amazing."

Densham knocked off Terry Haddock (Lynwood, Wash.) in the first round and Bob Gilbertson (Charlotte, N.C.) in the semifinals to face Kalitta with the Ironman on the line. He ran a clean 5.017/300.80 pass to better Kalitta's tire-shaking 5.712/235.76 pedal job.

"We stuck to our game plan, to just go rounds and win the race," Densham said. "All racers always want to go faster and quicker, but you can't beat Mother Nature. If it's hot, it's hot. We wanted to just go down the race track and make them beat us, just go five flat at over 300 and take our chances."

Mike Janis (Lancaster, N.Y.) had an emotional weekend that ended with him and his team in the Winner's Circle. The Knoll Gas-Torco Pro Mod 2004 World Champion won for the first time since his father, Joe, passed away a couple of months ago. Janis defeated Danny Rowe (Rossville, Ga.) in the final.

"I miss the guy," Janis said of his father. "I really wanted this one bad for him and we got it. My son Mike is what keeps me going with this whole thing, he drives the whole package. When I get down he helps get me right back up."

Janis knocked off Mike Castellana, Steve Bareman and Glen Kerunsky during the elimination rounds. He topped Rowe by posting a 6.181/231.20 compared to Rowe's 6.200/231.48.

You probably could have gotten long odds if you would have bet, before the season, the first London, Ontario Alcohol Funny Car driver to win an Ironman during the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series schedule would not be named Rob Atchison. Paul Noakes made that improbable scenario a reality when he knocked off Fred Tigges (Holbrook, Mass.) in the final.

After the victory Noakes wanted to thank his fellow London resident.

"Robbie does our fuel system and we couldn't have won this without their help," Noakes said. "This feels really good. I have been racing IHRA for 16 or 17 years and this is the first Ironman I've won. It's a really good feeling."

Noakes topped Tom Carter (Cuero, Tex.) in the first round and Atchison in the semifinals before knocking off a red-lighting Tigges with the championship on the line.

Robert Patrick (Fredericksburg, Virg.) became the answer to a trivia question when he became the first driver to take a 2006 Ford Mustang to the Winner's Circle in IHRA competition. Patrick just picked up his car from Jerry Haas three races ago.

"Jerry builds an incredible race car," Patrick said. "You look at the points race now and Frank (Gugliotta) and I are having a pretty good battle. This should be fun the rest of the year."

Television coverage of the Suzuki Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division and the Heritage Newspapers airs on SPEED Channel:

Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car - Saturday, July 29 at 5 pm

Pro Modified, Alcohol Funny Car and Pro Stock - Saturday, August 12 at 2 p.m.

The next event on the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series is the IHRA Canadian Nationals, July 21 - 23, at Toronto Motorsports Park in Toronto, Ontario.

Sunday's final results from the Suzuki Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division and Heritage Newspapers at Milan Dragway. The $1.1 million race is the fifth of 11 in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Andrew Cowin, 4.840 seconds, 282.95 mph def. Bobby Lagana Jr., 4.945 seconds, 282.19 mph.

Nitro Funny Car -- Gary Densham, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.017, 300.80 def. Doug Kalitta, Monte Carlo, 5.712, 235.76.

Pro Modified -- Mike Janis, Chevy Cobalt, 6.181, 231.20 def. Dan Rowe, Chevy Corvette, 6.200, 231.48.

Alcohol Funny Car -- Paul Noakes, Ford Mustang, 6.208, 222.18 def. Frederick Tigges, Dodge Avenger, foul.

Pro Stock -- Robert Patrick, Ford GT 500 Mustang, 6.437, 218.12 def. Pete Berner, Pontiac GTO, 6.448, 216.76.

Top Stock -- Paul Mercure, Chevy Camaro, 9.489, 140.15 def. Bo Kenney, Pontiac Firebird, 10.672, 101.74.

Top Sportsman -- Sandy Wilkins, Chevy Cavalier, 7.146, 188.17 def. Gary Wojnowski Sr., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 7.177, 189.84.

Top Dragster -- Bob Mandell Jr., Dragster, 6.899, 195.59 def. Luke Bailey, Dragster, foul.

Quick Rod -- Slate Cummings, Dragster, 8.966, 152.88 def. Mary Ann Jackson, Dragster, 8.917, 163.16.

Super Rod -- Cartho Bennett, Ford Roadster, 9.883, 144.13 def. Pat Martin, Roadster, foul.

Hot Rod -- Kenneth Jozwiak, Chevy Nova, 10.904, 130.05 def. Ken MacNicol, Pontiac Grand Prix, 10.922, 123.55.

Super Stock -- Lyn Laperriere, Chevy Camaro, 9.752, 133.13 def. Bobby Rashid, Pontiac Firebird, 9.719, 136.57.

Stock -- Charley Downing, Chevy Malibu Wagon, 13.232, 74.93 def. Kevin Helms, Chevy Camaro, 17.595, 59.54.

ET Bracket -- James Ribble, Chevy Corvette, 10.899, 108.38 def. James Riley, Chevy Chevelle, 9.419, 143.11.

ET Box -- James Riley, Chevy Chevelle, 9.415, 142.67 def. Jan Stockman, Chevy S-10, foul.

ET No Box -- James Ribble, Chevy Corvette, 10.866, 123.06 def. Rick Mitchell, Dodge Dart, 11.288, 114.82.

Saturday final qualifying

(July 8, 2006) - Andrew Cowin sat in the staging lanes and watched Clay Millican bump him from the top qualifying spot. It took him exactly 4.592 seconds to take it back.
Cowin zipped straight down the groove and into the Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top Fuel pole position during Saturday evening qualifying at the Suzuki Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division and Heritage Newspapers. Del Worsham (Knoll Gas - Torco Nitro Funny Car), Rick Distefano (Knoll Gas - Torco Pro Modified), Robert Patrick (Knoll Gas - Torco Pro Stock) and Rob Atchison (Alcohol Funny Car) also claimed top qualifier honors when all was said and done at Milan Dragway.

Cowin set the bar high Friday, posting a 4.659 pass to claim the provisional pole heading into Saturday's qualifying sessions. Millican blasted to a 4.641 Friday evening to bump the Wrightsville Beach, N.C.-resident and Australia native from the pole with one shot remaining at the track for the Scott Griffin Motorsports/Serta Mattresses Dragster.

Cowin was up to the task. He put together a 4.592 pass at 325.45 mph to jump back into the top spot and break the Milan Dragway speed record.

"It is just so tough out here," Cowin said. "We set the track record, lost it, then got it straight back. We were #1 and got bumped to #1, then we got it straight back. That's what competition is all about. Clay is so tough and it's a strong field out there. All the cars are really tough and it's a really close field."

Cowin and his Scott Griffin Motorsports team have yet to record a national event victory in IHRA competition. That is something Cowin will try to do something about Sunday.

"We're going to try to win three times in a row," Cowin said with a chuckle. "You can never hold your breath in drag racing, but the guys have given me a good, safe race car. We're going to wake up tomorrow morning and go racing. We'll go out and do our deal. Hopefully we'll win. Like I said, you can't hold your breath but we're pretty confident we can do well. Sooner or later it will be our day."

Del Worsham claimed the Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car #1 qualifying position Friday night with a 4.910 pass at 316.82 mph. Despite two Saturday qualifying sessions, no one was able to top that mark. It held up to keep Worsham (Chino Hills, Calif.) on the pole heading into Sunday's elimination rounds.

"I'm really excited to come back to IHRA," Worsham said. "After 14 years to come back and qualify #1, with the car running great, that's really exciting. I didn't know what to expect when I came here. We went to Rockingham last year for an exhibition that worked out really well, it was a great facility and it turned out great, I was kind of hoping the whole entire thing would be similar to that. And it has been great. IHRA has done a great job."

Worsham, thanks to the inverted ladder, will face Doug Kalitta (Ypsilanti, Mich.) in the first round of eliminations Sunday. Kalitta qualified in the #5 position with a 4.964 pass at 273.88 mph. Worsham is happy with the strength of the field.

"I came here and saw Bob Gilbertson, Gary Densham and guys I race with every weekend," he said. "To see them out here is great. Doug Kalitta coming here and driving the Funny Car is great, now I get to race him tomorrow. Hopefully he won't be too much of a Cinderella story."

Gilbertson clocked a 4.923 to claim the #2 position while Dale Creasy, Jr., the winner of the last two IHRA national events, took the #3 spot with a 4.934. Gary Densham rounded out the top half of the ladder with a 4.945.

Rick Distefano (Calgary, Alb.) saved his best for last. Distefano, running in the last pair of the last Knoll Gas-Torco Pro Modified session, carded a blistering 6.088 pass to destroy Mike Janis' 24-hour old track record and claim the #1 qualifying position. Janis, a Lancaster, N.Y. resident, ended up in the #2 position while Danny Rowe piloted his Jimmy Rector-tuned '63 Corvette to the #3 spot.

Robert Patrick wanted to make abundantly clear who the 2006 Mustang to beat was in the Knoll Gas-Torco Pro Stock class. Doug Kirk came to Milan Dragway with a 2006 Mustang painted exactly like Patrick's, including the same color paint and hood stripes.

Patrick (Fredericksburg, Va.) was not very pleased by Kirk's color scheme choice and added a decal on his rear window that read "Often imitated, never duplicated."

In the end Patrick got the last laugh, finishing at the top of the qualifying sheet while Kirk (Lenoir, W.V.) could not crack the top 16 and will not compete during Sunday's elimination rounds.

Patrick carded a sizzling 6.399 pass at 217.60 mph to claim the pole position, setting the Milan Dragway elapsed time record in the process. Frank Gugliotta (Mt. Airy, Md.) finished in the #2 qualifying position with a 6.416 run. He also claimed the track speed record at 219.22 when he passed through the beams at the finish line.

Tony Gillig (Lake Bluff, Ill.) qualified third at 6.428, Pete Berner (Crete, Ill.) fourth at 6.411 and John Nobile (Dix Hills, N.Y.) rounded out the top five with a 6.442 pass.

Rob Atchison, the three-time defending Alcohol Funny Car World Champion, finally put a sufficient amount of power to the tires and to the track. The London, Ontario resident has yet to record a victory in IHRA competition this season. Recently the Erickson '06 Monte Carlo driven by Atchison has suffered tire shake more than it has made clean passes. That all changed during Saturday evening qualifying in Milan.

Atchison went from out of the field to the #1 qualifying position by laying down a 5.811/242.98 pass at the Suzuki Motor City Nationals. It must have been something in the air at the time because Fred Tigges (Holbrook, Mass.), running in the same pair with Atchison, claimed the #2 spot with a 5.817 pass. Thomas Carter (Cuero, Tex.) slept on the pole after Friday qualifying, but he was unable to improve Saturday and fell to the #3 position.

The Suzuki Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division and Heritage Newspapers will continue Sunday morning at Milan Dragway with professional elimination rounds beginning at 11 a.m. and finals at 4:15 p.m.

Friday qualifying

Top Fuel

1 835 Andrew Cowin, Wilmington NC, McKinney-BAE 4.659 319.90 319.90
2 345 Bruce Litton, Indianapolis IN, Hadman-TFX 4.724 314.31 314.31
3 1 Clay Millican, Drummonds TN, Hadman-BAE 4.743 274.00 274.00
4 141 Bobby Lagana Jr., Scarsdale NY, McKinney-BAE 4.799 306.60 306.60
5 2 Doug Foley, Sewell NJ, McKinney-TFX 4.978 226.35 226.35
6 317 T.J. Zizzo, Lincolnshire IL, McKinney-TFX 6.666 130.62 130.62
7 323 Chris Karamesines, Chicago IL, Uyehara-BAE 6.948 118.82 118.82
8 301 Louie Allison, Denver CO, Baumgartne-TFX 11.120 67.55 67.55

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 4 Rick Cooper, Boise ID, McKinney-TFX 11.510 76.52 76.52
10 3382 Bob Leverich, Kimball MI, Victory-TFX 15.810 46.90 46.90

Funny Car

1 750 Del Worsham, Chino Hills CA, '05 Monte Carlo 4.910 316.82 316.82
2 206 Bob Gilbertson, Charlotte NC, '05 Stratus 4.923 317.87 317.87
3 31 Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti MI, '00 Monte Carlo 4.964 273.88 273.88
4 34 Jack Wyatt, Corydon IA, '02 Firebird 5.101 259.11 259.11
5 302 Dale Creasy Jr., Beecher IL, '06 Monte Carlo 5.122 286.32 286.32
6 1429 Vincent Arcadi, Lancaster NY, '00 Camaro 5.281 211.39 211.39
7 717 Jeff Diehl, Salinas CA, '02 Firebird 5.344 260.81 260.81
8 499 Todd Simpson, Ponder TX, '01 Camaro 5.611 230.88 230.88

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 121 Terry Haddock, Lynnwood WA, '03 Camaro 6.069 153.54 153.54
10 340 Robert Bode, Barrington IL, '06 Monte Carlo 6.173 174.66 174.66
11 782 Gary Densham, Bellflower CA, '05 Monte Carlo 7.352 130.25 130.25
12 517 Gary Cooper, Wichita KS, '05 Stratus 11.274 90.02 90.02
13 423 Rob Bruce, Flint MI, '02 Firebird 19.335 50.17 50.17

Pro Mod

1 5 Mike Janis, Lancaster NY, *'06 Cobalt 6.111 232.95 232.95
2 1057 Carl Spiering, Jordan Station ON, *'67 Camaro 6.134 233.72 233.72
3 2814 Matt Hagan, Christianburg VA, '63 Corvette 6.147 231.44 231.44
4 7 Ed Hoover, Gilbert SC, *'63 Corvette 6.171 232.03 232.03
5 2813 Scott Cannon, Lyman SC, *'06 GTO 6.173 231.60 231.60
6 671 Glen Kerunsky, Priddis AB, *'57 Bel Air 6.176 227.04 227.04
7 1382 Tommy D'Aprile, Port Charlotte FL, *'63 Corvet 6.182 232.43 232.43
8 6695 Rick Distefano, Calgary AB, *'53 Corvette 6.218 229.82 229.82
9 470 Jason Hamstra, DeMotte IN, *'63 Corvette 6.247 228.11 228.11
10 1966 Mike Lockwood, Hadley PA, '66 Corvette 6.247 224.73 224.73
11 4 Jim Halsey, Street MD, '68 Camaro 6.254 228.04 228.04
12 12 Steve Bareman, Elma NY, *'06 Stratus 6.255 234.13 234.13
13 1955 Charles Carpenter, Harrisburg NC, '55 Bel Air 6.257 225.97 225.97
14 8 Burton Auxier, Dixie WV, '53 Corvette 6.260 224.81 224.81
15 2 Shannon Jenkins, Tuscaloosa AL, '68 Camaro 6.264 225.33 225.33
16 247 Mike Bell, Asheboro NC, *'66 Mustang 6.271 225.37 225.37

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 1722 Tim O'Hare, Ocean View DE, *'69 Camaro 6.307 221.56 221.56
18 112 Pat Stoken, Eureka MT, '68 Camaro 6.310 207.40 207.40
19 1036 Keith Baker, Dothan AL, '63 Corvette 6.328 223.62 223.62
20 1699 David Roemer, Avon OH, '63 Camaro 6.364 222.99 222.99
21 5012 Kenny Lang, Grande Pointe MB, *'53 Corvette 6.396 227.92 227.92
22 38 Dan Rowe, Rossville GA, *'63 Corvette 6.402 218.37 218.37
23 3127 Mark Nielsen, Brantford ON, '00 Camaro 6.410 222.18 222.18
24 1941 Eddie Ware, Marietta GA, *'41 Willys 6.423 226.54 226.54
25 9 Harold Martin, West Bloomfield MI, '05 Grand Am 6.447 220.01 220.01
26 1948 Rick Moore, High Point NC, '03 Grand Am 6.680 177.25 177.25
27 402 Taylor Lastor, Knoxville TN, '68 Camaro 6.879 159.46 159.46
28 11 Billy Harper, Paducah KY, '00 Viper 6.896 197.80 197.80
29 1090 Raymond Commisso, Toronto ON, *'67 Camaro 7.761 116.60 116.60
30 44 Mike Castellana, Westbury NY, '05 Cavalier 9.084 88.43 88.43
31 10 Dennis Radford, Baker City OR, '63 Corvette 9.647 100.55 100.55
32 6 Quain Stott, Columbus NC, *'63 Corvette 10.191 85.70 85.70
33 1962 Alan Pittman, Greenville SC, *'62 Bel Air 14.528 55.52 55.52
34 1152 Tony Pontieri, Toronto ON, *'57 Bel Air DQ
35 1107 Steve Vick, Knoxville TN, '63 Corvette DQ
36 1313 Chip King, Semora NC, *'69 Daytona DQ

Pro Stock

1 3 Robert Patrick, Fredericksburg VA, '06 GT 500 6.411 219.08 219.08
2 2 Frank Gugliotta, Mt. Airy MD, '05 Escort 6.419 219.22 219.22
3 777 John Nobile, Dix Hills NY, '03 Escort 6.442 217.00 217.00
4 7 Pete Berner, Crete IL, '06 GTO 6.449 215.51 215.51
5 4 Rick Jones, Galesburg IL, '05 Cobalt 6.453 217.70 217.70
6 1 Steve Spiess, Manhattan IL, '05 Cobalt 6.460 216.72 216.72
7 8 John Montecalvo, Center Moriches NY, '06 Cobalt 6.462 216.24 216.24
8 9 Brian Gahm, Lucasville OH, '03 Mustang 6.480 215.48 215.48
9 12 Elijah Morton, Jacksonville NC, '05 ZX2 6.483 216.69 216.69
10 24 Michael Bruno, Frankfort IL, '06 GTO 6.486 216.06 216.06
11 171 Larry O'Brien, Lakeshore ON, '04 Stratus 6.486 215.34 215.34
12 163 Rob Mansfield, Margate FL, '06 Cobalt 6.499 217.00 217.00
13 112 Richard Penland, Gastonia NC, '04 Escort 6.502 210.90 210.90
14 42 John Bartunek, Pearl River NY, '06 Cobalt 6.522 215.79 215.79
15 118 John Konigshofer, Otterville ON, '02 Cougar 6.535 214.96 214.96
16 759 Jeff Dobbins, Wilmington NC, '06 Escort 6.546 208.65 208.65

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 335 Bob Bertsch, Willis MI, '04 Mustang 6.612 212.26 212.26
18 1320 Bert Jackson, Glen Allen VA, '03 Cavalier 6.623 215.89 215.89
19 44 Dwayne Rice, Grove City OH, '06 Cobalt 6.623 210.80 210.80
20 22 Jason Collins, Rainbow City AL, '04 Mustang 6.663 210.83 210.83
21 516 Ed Machacek, Atkins IA, '05 Cavalier 6.782 170.88 170.88
22 6 Tony Gillig, Lake Bluff IL, '04 Mustang 9.511 92.96 92.96
23 143 Ron Miller, Lebanon OH, '02 Cavalier 10.487 82.76 82.76
24 43 Doug Kirk, Lenoir WV, '06 Mustang 11.459 85.75 85.75
25 30 Tim Dooley, Haymarket VA, '04 Cavalier DQ
26 251 Cary Goforth, Holdenville OK, '06 Cobalt DQ
27 381 Jerry Haas, Fenton MO, '05 Cavalier DQ

Alcohol Funny Car

1 4 Thomas Carter, Cuero TX, '05 Camaro 5.863 241.80 241.80
2 6 Terry McMillen, Elkhart IN, '00 Avenger 5.898 241.02 241.02
3 147 Frederick Tigges, Holbrook MA, '01 Avenger 5.906 241.89 241.89
4 5 Chris Foster, Davenport IA, '06 Avenger 5.927 237.05 237.05
5 377 Paul Noakes, London ON, '98 Mustang 5.934 240.38 240.38
6 3 Mark Thomas, Louisville OH, '06 Monte Carlo 5.973 243.85 243.85
7 331 Tony Bogolo, Hamilton OH, '99 Mustang 6.008 230.33 230.33
8 293 Larry Dobbs, Welland ON, '01 Corvette 6.073 203.65 203.65

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 172 Neal Parker, Millville NJ, '05 Monte Carlo 6.329 197.59 197.59
10 1 Rob Atchison, London ON, '06 Monte Carlo 12.387 64.86 64.86
11 100 Terry Munroe, Beaver PA, '05 Monte Carlo DQ