Spradlin Motorsports Continues Hot Streak, Reaches Final Round Grabs Points Lead
Reynolds, GA – After recent double wins in both Top Dragster and Top Sportsman at a NOPI Nationals event, the Spradlin Motorsports team was 
back in familiar territory at the last NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Southeast Division event of the season at Silver Dollar Raceway in Reynolds, GA. The Southeastern Hose backed team carried high momentum into the event and reached the final round in Top Dragster.
“We were really excited to get back to Silver Dollar where we have had a fair amount of success in the past, with a several final rounds appearances and a win,” says Casey Spradlin, team driver of the supercharged ’37 Chevy Coupe Top Sportsman and supercharged rear-engine Top Dragster.
Spradlin entered eliminations qualified 4th in Top Dragster with a 6.51 at 212 MPH and 14th in Top Sportsman with 7.13 at 196 MPH. In Top Sportsman, what was considered a great spot on the ladder that guaranteed a 3rd round appearance made a turn for the worse. “On race day we looked at the ladder in amazement as our first round opponent, Ronnie ‘The King’ Davis, had withdrawn. Then a laddered 2nd round bye run put us automatically into 3rd round! We couldn’t help but have visions of our first double up on the Lucas Oil side,” explains Spradlin. “So we tried to be smart and just took the tree for the round one win, then for round two, we decided to make a full run to set up for 3rd round. Right at the lights, the motor let go big time! It banged the blower and then instant engine self-destruction began. It sounded like every piston was beating its way out of the block…there was lots of smoke…I was late on the chutes as it took me by surprise. I got it stopped and was trying to make sure there was no fire.”
Spradlin had already advanced into the 3rd round in Top Dragster by besting reigning Top Dragster Southeast division champion, Steve Cohen, in the 2nd round. Putting the engine destruction behind them, the team turned its focus to making the most of the great outing it was having in the Top Dragster class. “I was devastated for a brief moment about the coupe engine explosion because it’s the second time this season that has happened and it is really frustrating from a tuner and car owner standpoint for our small team. However, I knew I had to tuck that away and use it for motivation to win in the dragster,” Spradlin describes the turning point for the team. A foul start by famed chassis builder Danny Nelson in the 3rd round advanced the team all the way to the final round by virtue of a laddered semi-final bye run.
Reaching the second LODRS final of the season, the other coming at the first race in Orlando, FL, catapulted Spradlin from 5th all the way into the points lead. “Coming into the event I didn’t even think I had a shot at the championship as there were several multi-time national and divisional champions ahead of me including Anthony Bertozzi, Steve Furr, and Jeff Strickland. Outlasting them is a good day any day,” Spradlin confesses, also a former IHRA and NHRA division champion. During the final round against first time finalist Bill Earnest, Casey got the hole-shot but didn’t reach the finish line first, giving up the win to Earnest. “During the third round, I lost some unexplained E.T. and the rest of the day I was afraid that it would come back and therefore I was trying to cut the finish line margin down as much as possible and did a bad job in the final,” Spradlin explains.
Spradlin, out of events to claim, has to wait and see if Bertozzi can surpass his points total at the final LODRS event in Las Vegas. “Either way we had a great year and were blessed with 4 finals and 2 wins and either a win or runner-up in the championship standings. We need to thank the owners and employees of Southeastern Hose for their support as well.”
Spradlin Motorsports is grateful for the support of great marketing partners like Southeastern Hose, Smith Brothers Push Rods, Jet Hot Performance Coatings, Tim Gaines Performance, TCI Transmissions, and S.T.T Safety Equipment. For more information about the team please visit our website at spradlinmotorsports.com and also our facebook page at facebook.com/spradlinmotorsports.
