JEGS.com Cajun SPORTSnationals crowns 2011 champions
Courtesy of Jegs
BELLE ROSE, LA – The eighth annual JEGS.com Cajun SPORTSnationals crowned it’s 2011 champions Sunday night at No Problem Raceway with a Mardi Gras-themed celebration.
Leading the celebration was Louisiana native Mark Jones of Marrero, La., who beat a red-lighting Shane Vicknair to take the TCI Comp Cams Top Dragster title. Jones survived five grueling rounds in his Spitzer hot rod to win the race.
In the Suburban Chevrolet Top Sportsman class, Todd Stewart erased Royce Freeman with a 7.212 at 180.81 mph. Freeman got out of shape early and couldn’t get his Pontiac GXP to calm down, allowing Stewart to zoom away for an easy win in his ’67 Camaro.
Sportsman legend David Rampy made the final round of Competition Eliminator a victory lap when opponent Russell Joly couldn’t get his Cobalt started at the line. Rampy ran his familiar ’32 Bantam down the track in 7.521 at 138.97 mph to collect $10,000 from Attitude Apparel.
Closing out the day’s action in the seventh round of eliminations, Jeff Lopez won Super Comp on a double-breakout race against Jim Carter. Lopez posted a 8.889 at 162.37 mph (-.011) against Carter’s 8.872 at 172.54 mph (-.028).
In Super Gas, Rustin Mayse took the win when Audie Wood broke-out by -.029.
Terry Emmons inched ahead of Mark Faul to take Super Stock in the seventh and final round, while Chris LeBlanc put half a fender on Mike DeSio to win Super Street.
Kevin Helms captured the Stock title by mastering both ends of his race against final-round opponent Jerry Bennett.
James Enloe was the winner in Sportsman Motorcycle.
Troy Coughlin Jr. was the most successful of the Team JEGS contingent, racing to the fifth round of Super Comp before falling to eventual class champion Lopez. Samanatha Kenny, the fiancé of five-time NHRA champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., also showed well in Super Comp, reaching the fourth round in her brand-new JEGS rail before she was tripped up by race runner-up Carter.
Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Super Comp) and his brother Mike Coughlin (Top Sportsman) both bowed out in Round 1.
Young Jack Coughlin was all smiles after he and several other Junior Dragster racers made exhibition runs following prerace ceremonies.
