COLEMAN STAGES TWO-PEAT IN MMP PRO ET CLASS WARS

It could be said that plumbing contractor Stan Coleman was at a disadvantage Saturday night (3-25) at Montgomery Motorsports Park. He was the previous week's winner and as such received a bye in the first round if one was needed. The problem is that, at MMP as at most drag strips, once a racer receives a bye he cannot receive another one that night.

But Coleman took his bye and never looked back as he drove his '89 Chevy Beretta to a Pro ET win over Tallapoosa, Georgia heavy hitter Chris White in the finals. Coleman dialed a 5.46 and then ran a dead-on 5.463 at 125.75 miles per hour to seal the deal over the faster White, who dialed a 4.88 in his dragster and then ran a heartbreaking 4.879 for a one thouandth of a second breakout loss at 140.44 miles per hour. Mike Young of Selma (AL) and Rodney Carr of Millerville (AL) were the semi-finalists.

In Footbrake, it came down to a battle of veterans as Lowell Bowen of Ashland, Alabama defeated George Richardson, also of Ashland. Bowen had a free pass as Richardson had an -.005 red light to end the race on the starting line. Bowen's vintage 1955 Chevy ran a 7.042 breakout run on his 7.05 dial at 94.89 miles per hour. Richardson's '69 Chevy pickup truck rumbled to a dead-on 10.167 on his 10.16 dial at 66.35 miles per hour in a losing cause. John Norris of Montgomery (AL) and Harold Minor were the semi-finalists.

The MMP bracket program continues next Saturday (4/1) with gates opening at 4pm, time trials at 5pm, Sunoco run for the money at 6:30pm and round one eliminations at 7:00pm. Pro ET pays $1,000 to win, but if more than 60 cars enter in Pro, the winner's purse goes to $1,500; if 100 cars show up in Pro, the winner's purse bumps to $2,000.
Footbrakers race for free, paying only a spectator admission with the winner receiving $500.

MMP will host the Capital City Nationals on April 22-23, with $10,000 on the line for the winner of Pro ET each day and Footbrakers racing for $1,000 each day.