David Barton Runs to No. 1 in Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown at Norwalk Nationals
NORWALK, OH – At the conclusion of three qualifying sessions at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals David Barton and his 
Ray Barton Chevrolet COPO Camaro ran to the top of a tough Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown field. Twenty-seven race cars entered the event vying for 16 spots in tomorrow’s national event, the third race of the Factory Stock Showdown. Barton on the strength of his 7.825 second run will go into race day as the No. 1 qualifier and he will face No. 16 Waldemar Rodriguez in the first round whose quickest run was 7.928 seconds.
No. 1 qualifier David Barton runs down Summit Motorsports Park during the third qualifying session.
Barton was solidly in the field going into the second day of qualifying and he took a shot in the second round, which did not pan out for the driver from Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania. In the final session Barton dialed his Camaro back and shot to the top of the field.
“In the second session we tried to go after it a little bit because we knew we were deep enough in the field where if I ruined the run I could make up for it in the last session,” said Barton. “We smoked that run by putting it up on the bumper so we just tamed her down a little bit to get from point A to point B. We laid down the power I thought we had and I think there is more left in it. I probably shouldn’t have run a .82 to show that much of my hand but how do you know what it is going to run? I was just doing the best I can.”
As the most recent race winner Barton is not taking anything for granted on race day.
“I could go up there and do the same thing I did in qualifying, like stand it up on the bumper or cut a bad light but, I still have to be smart, calm and try and be good all at the same time. It is not easy that is for sure,” added Barton.
Point leader and reigning 2021 Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown champion Aaron Stanfield qualified No. 5 and will race No. 12 qualifier Jesse Alexandra in the first round. Stanfield will be looking for his second Factory Stock Showdown win of the season.
Going into eliminations the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown bounty will be on the No. 1 qualifier and SpringNationals winner and his Ray Barton Chevrolet COPO Camaro. Barton defeated Factory Stock Showdown 2021 champion Aaron Stanfield in Houston finals to earn the first $1,000 bounty payout.
“I was thinking about the bounty in Houston because it is tough enough racing as it is and I was just trying to win the race,” said Barton. “I wish I could have won $6,000 since he was on a six race win streak but there was enough pressure running Aaron Stanfield. Tomorrow I am going to go out there and run my race and not worry about the bounty being on me.”
The first driver who will have a chance to collect the bounty will be Rodriguez, Barton’s first round opponent.
First Round Match-Ups
No. 1, David Barton vs. No. 16, Waldemar Rodriguez
No. 2, Chuck Watson vs. No. 15, Arthur Kohn
No. 3, Jim Betz vs. No. 14, Doug Hamp
No. 4, Bill Skillman vs. No. 13, Daniel Condon
No. 5, Aaron Stanfield vs. No. 12, Jesse Alexandra
No. 6, Joseph Welch vs. No. 11, Scott Libersher
No. 7, Stephen Bell vs. No. 10, Leonard Lottig
No. 8, John Carbone vs. No. 9, David Janac
