DragStory
2009 Event Coverage => ADRL VMP Event Coverage, July 24-25 => Topic started by: Joanne Walter on July 26, 2009, 06:09:27 PM
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The pristine Virginia Motorsports Park is nestled in the historic heart of the Dinwiddie/Petersburg area. As we rolled into Dinwiddie County I mused that you could almost sense Minute Men in the underbrush.
But capturing a Minute Man is as difficult a battle in the ADRL as it was in the 18th Century Virginia.
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-Martin/ADRL_Fri_MemphisWin_Martin27.JPG)
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Notably absent from the field, this weekend, was the prominent team from Texas. But the action did not suffer as the native racers from the Virginia area quickly filled up the field.
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b15.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b3.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_JuniorsRound1-49.JPG)
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Every class in the ADRL Series is impacted, to some extent, by venue…but none so deeply as the Juniors.
The Juniors have a set number in their field [usually 16] and whoever gets on the list first makes it in.
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_JuniorsRound1-53.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior25.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5a7.JPG)
They then qualify by reaction times.
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b8.JPG)
After Friday night's 1st round of qualifying Taylor Weatherford was our #1 qualifier with a 0.012 light
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5a9.JPG)
followed by Morgan Benfield with a 0.015.
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Fri/pjr-q1.jpg)
As you can see, some of the reaction times on these kids consistently rival the best in the adult racing world.
*See Gallery (http://dragstory.com/photo/index.php?cat=2)
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(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjunior25a.JPG)
Jasmyn of The Jazzster found that any ounce of shade was a precious commodity in the scorching staging lanes.
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...Some area Juniors even came out to display their teams. They allowed youngsters to sit in their extreme machines for photo ops, and cheerfully answered numerous questions of this largely novice crowd.
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjuniors11.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Sat/2009-07-25ADRL_1.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjuniors17.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior21.JPG)
*See Gallery (http://dragstory.com/photo/index.php?cat=2)
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(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b24.JPG)
OMIGOSH!!!
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Sat/2009-07-25ADRL_VMP9.JPG)
*See Gallery (http://dragstory.com/photo/index.php?cat=2)
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In the first round…
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b12.JPG)
Makayla Wilson treed young Ken Dabney, Jr. with a killer .028 light.
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_JuniorsRound1-25.JPG)
while Jasmyn Wilson handed ADRL’s KJ Nowling a win with a red light start
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_JuniorsRound1-30.JPG)
Matt Hopkins powered his way to a victory over JC Gloyd
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_JuniorsRound1-35.JPG)
Robert Vogler, III snatched the win from sweet Tia Tutterow in their Halfscale match-up
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b11.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b20.JPG)
and Brandon Pottorff barely handed the round to Virginia’s Morgan Benfield with a -.015 red
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b38.JPG)
Roger Wayne Thornton slammed a .028 light over John Moretz
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_JuniorsRound1-52.JPG)
Patrick Weatherford overtook Kendall Thiesse with nearly a tenth on the tree
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b30.JPG)
Timmy Clifton, Jr passed to the second round when top qualifier Taylor Weatherford broke his motor mid race.
Round 2… Virginia Racers KICK IT!
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_JuniorsRound1-32.JPG)
Matt Hopkins ran almost on the money to snatch the win from Roger Thornton
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-24ADRL_VMPjunior5b10.JPG)
Patrick Weatherford eeked out a win over KJ Nowling as the sun began to sink
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjuniors234.JPG)
Timmy Clifton, Jr handed the round to Makayla Wilson with a -.006 red [OUCH!]
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_JuniorsRound1-45.JPG)
Morgan Benfield ran a tight race as Robert Vogler, III broke out by 1/1000th of a second
SEMIs…
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjuniorsemi28.JPG)
Patrick Weaterford and Matt Hopkins both broke out as the track cooled at VMP, but under the First or Worst Rule of drag racing Patrick took the win with a break out of .014 over Matt’s .024 [how close is THAT?]
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjuniorsemi31.JPG)
Morgan Benfield’s consistency on the tree sent Makayla Wilson to the trailer despite a valiantly tight race
Finals…
Has this been a race or WHAT?
The final round brought Patrick Weatherford to the line against Morgan Benfield, at nearly 11 PM, after a grueling weekend of heat both on and off the track.
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjuniorfin44.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjuniorfin43.JPG)
(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Jr/2009-07-25ADRL_VMPjuniorfin45.JPG)
With nearly a heads up dial (and a slight slip in Morgan’s light) Patrick’s tight game forced an all out battle as Morgan pushed her car into a break out giving the clean and well deserved victory to Patrick!
Congratulations, Patrick...as he adds his first Minute Man to his trophy room.
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(http://dragstory.com/photo/albums/ADRL-VMP/Sat/pjr-el.jpg)
*See Gallery (http://dragstory.com/photo/index.php?cat=2)