Hill Wins Class Eliminations, Lewis Qualifies #1 & Races to Semis in Atlanta

Courtesy of Roy Hill Racing 

COMMERCE, GA – Roy Hill and Grant Lewis kept the Phoenix Racing / Roy Hill’s Drag Racing School Super Stock team’s hot streak alive at the 31st annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals with yet another top qualifier and semifinal finish. This time it was Lewis in the Phoenix Racing 2010 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet who raced to the semis from the pole, while Hill drove the Coca-Cola / Alsco Cobra Jet to the class eliminations victory over Lewis in Super Stock/A-Automatic.

Lewis, from Jesup, GA, qualified on top with an 8.738 on a 9.70 index while Hill placed 12th in qualifying with a 9.019 before falling in the opening round to Tyler Caheely. Meanwhile, Lewis dispensed of Sal Biondo, Arthur Leong, and Kevin Helms on his way to the semis. There he would lose a close one to James Caro by .0078 seconds, running 8.834 on an 8.76 dial-in for a .074 package compared to Caro’s 10.068 on a 10.04 dial.

“Grant went around him, but he ended up giving up too much stripe and Caro got back around him,” Hill said. “We’re getting closer though. We’re really getting these Cobra Jets dialed in; we just haven’t had our big break yet.”

“This race was almost identical to the race in Houston, with the number one qualifier and a semifinal finish. I went red in the first round, but it was great to see Grant go so far in eliminations,” continued Hill. “I was able to redeem myself in class eliminations though, taking the win against Grant in the finals of SS/AA. The class eliminations are a really neat thing that NHRA has implemented at some of the races this year, and we took full advantage of it.”

Lewis’s weekend in the James Finch-owned Phoenix Racing Cobra Jet was made possible by Jacky Jones Ford in Cleveland, GA. The dealership had a 2012 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet, number 43 of 50, on display. That was special for Hill, given his background with Richard Petty and Richard Petty Motorsports, who made the number 43 famous. Jacky Jones Ford will be involved with the team as an associate sponsor once again this coming weekend for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Atlanta Dragway.

“Immediately following the race this weekend, I’ll be flying out to Chicago for the 2011 National Restaurant Association Show, the largest restaurant and hospitality industry trade show,” Hill said. “There we will represent Alsco, one of our sponsors this year and a major provider of uniforms, linens, and other rentals for the restaurant and hospitality industry. We’ll have the 2010 Alsco / Coca-Cola Ford Mustang on display with them and I’m looking forward to spending a few days with the folks from Alsco. It has been an extremely busy start to 2011, but I’m so glad to be back out there and I’m loving every minute of it.”

Visit www.royhillsdragracing.com for more information about Roy Hill’s Drag Racing School and the team’s 2011 plans.

Photo by Roger Richards