SOUSA EARNS BIG PAYCHECK DURING WORLD FOOTBRAKE CHALLENGE III AT BRISTOL DRAGWAY

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Monday, July 20, 2009)- Manny Sousa walked away $30,000 richer after his win in Saturday’s Quick 64 Shootout during last weekend’s World Footbrake Challenge III at Bristol Dragway.

Sousa towed his 1967 Chevy II from Bradenton, Fla. to Thunder Valley to take part in the event and drove back home with a big check in his pocket after Johnny Labbous of Chattanooga turned on the red light in the final round.

After seeing his opponent disqualified on the line, Sousa still turned in a stellar .004 reaction time. Knowing he did not need to run hard, he cruised through the lights in 8.869 seconds (5.780 dial-in) at 48.55 mph. Unfortunately for Labbous, his redlight negated a run that saw him .010 sec. off of his dial in.

DER Racing Series regular Brandon Bailey almost took home Friday’s $10,000 paycheck, but Rick Baehr of Toledo, Ohio had other plans.

Bailey, a native of Glade Spring, Va., and Baehr both ran faster than their dial-ins, but Baehr was closer to his. Baehr ran a 6.706 elapsed time on a 6.71 dial, while Bailey completed his run in 9.620 seconds (9.64 dial-in).

Baehr’s winning package included a .022 light and a speed of 102.34 mph at the speed trap.

Sousa attempted to make a Saturday sweep by winning the $10,000 race, but was denied by Steve Alford of Angier, N.C.

Sousa was too anxious on the line, turning on the red. Realizing he only needed to roll off the line to collect the victory; Alford reacted with a leisurely .998 R.T. and halted his run.

The final $10,000-to-win event of the weekend went to Luke Bogacki of Woodville, Ala. on Sunday evening. In a close match-up, Bogacki took the win over Doyle Kay from Ashville, Ala.

Both drivers had strong reaction times; Bogacki leaving with a .004 R.T. and Kay not far behind with a .008 R.T. The difference came at the top end of the track when Bogacki ran .007 sec. off of his dial in, a 6.327 E.T. on a 6.32 dial-in, at 105.49 mph.

Kay’s lap of Thunder Valley was completed in 6.072 sec. (6.03 dial-in) at 104.34 mph.