Sousa, Baehr, Alford, and Bogacki Are Big Winners at World Footbrake Challenge III

Bristol, TN: The third annual World Footbrake Challenge presented by BTE made it’s way to beautiful Bristol Dragway in Bristol, TN last weekend, July 17-19. The event, billed as the “World’s Greatest Footbrake Race” has built it’s reputation by presenting a fun-filled, fairly run Footbrake event featuring huge cash purses, tremendous product prizes, and the most cut throat bottom bulb competition in the country.

Friday the weekend kicked off with a $10,000-to-win event that saw nearly 250 entrants vie for the top prize. At days end, it was former IHRA Summit Super Series champion “Slick” Rick Baehr taking home the top prize, as he defeated local standout Brandon Bailey for the title. Steve Foley was the lone semi-finalist, while Manny Sousa, Adam Davis, and Michael Quartarone earned quarterfinal honors.
As has become a staple at the World Footbrake Challenge presented by BTE, several racers who didn’t enjoy final round success were rewarded for having the best losing package in the opening rounds of competition. Kelly King posted the best losing run in round one, and earned a Reese Hitch Assembly. ThisIsBracketRacing.com presented an annual membership to the best losing package of the re-entry round, which went to Alabama racer Jeff Watkins. Mark Romeo took home a $350 Nitroplate gift certificate for posting the best losing run in round two, while Jeffery Jewell earned a free set of slicks compliments of Mickey Thompson Tires for the same prize in the third round. Steve Alford took a $500 Nitrous Express gift certificate back to North Carolina for having the best losing package in round four.

Day two brought the event that everyone came to see, the sixty-four car World Footbrake Challenge Shootout. The competition was nothing short of spectacular, as .00 lights and sub-.015 packages were the norm. When the dust settled, a field of 63 of the best Footbrake drivers in the country was eliminated and just one man remained. That man, who earned the title of 2009 World Footbrake Champion, was Bradenton, Florida’s Manny Sousa. Sousa, driving the Super Gas Chevy II belonging to Shane and Jarrett Naumann, put on a spectacular display, posting a .004 or better reaction time in four of the six competition rounds. Sousa capped his day by defeating sportsman racing legend John Labbous in the final round: Labbous lit the red light, while Sousa left the starting line with yet another great .004 reaction time. Sousa took home a whopping $30,000 for his efforts, while Labbous claimed $7,000 for the runner-up. Semi-finalists in the World Footbrake Challenge Shootout were Jason McClure and Allen Reno. Adam Davis, Doyle Kay, Rick Baehr, and John Rudisill were the quarterfinalists.

Several great sponsors stepped up to the plate to provide prizes for shootout contestants as well. Former Piedmont Dragway Footbrake Nationals winner Bret Schlichtig took home a complete APD Fuel System for posting the best losing package in round one. Robert Pare won a $500 Nitroplate gift certificate for having the best losing run in round two. Former NHRA national event winner Kyle Riley took home a cold air intake kit and 6 oil filters courtesy of K&N for the best losing package in round three, while Rick Baehr earned a K&N air filter and 6 oil filters for the best losing run in the quarterfinal round.
Sousa’s dominance did not end with the World Footbrake Challenge $30,000 shootout, as he continued to post stellar reaction times and solid runs en route to the $10,000 final later that night. In the final round, however, Sousa’s unbeaten streak would come to an end as he lit the red light by .005 opposite Steve Alford. Alford, driving his familiar Pinto, won the event in bizarre fashion, as he literally ran out of fuel on the starting line. He managed to get the car staged, and watched helplessly as Sousa fouled, handing him the event victory. Two time DragRaceResults.com Bracket Series champion Phil Combs was the lone semi-finalist, with Stock Eliminator standout Anthony Fetch and Chris Moren taking quarterfinal honors.

The daily best losing package awards went to Steve Foley (1st Round, Reese Hitch), Greg Rushing (Re-Entry Round, ThisIsBracketRacing.com membership), Dave Raser (2nd Round, Nitroplate Certificate), Jeff Stewart (3rd Round, Mickey Thompson Tires), and Michael Beard (4th Round, Nitrous Express Certificate).

Sunday the third annual World Footbrake Challenge presented by BTE came to a close with a familiar face in the late rounds. In the two previous WFC events, Luke Bogacki had driven his ThisIsBracketRacing.com Vega to three final round appearances, only to come up on the short end of each final round tilt. Sunday he reversed his fortunes, earning his first World Footbrake Challenge victory and the $10,000 top prize by defeating fellow Alabama resident Doyle Kay in the final round. Bogacki used a .004 reaction time and dead-on 6.327 to cap a strong performance that included reaction times of no worse than .012 for the last five rounds of competition. Saturday winner Steve Alford was the lone semi-finalist, while John Burleson and Richard Newman were the quarterfinalists.

Sunday’s best losing package awards were won by George Page (1st Round, Reese Hitch), Alan Thatcher (Re-Entry Round, ThisIsBracketRacing.com membership), Mark Romeo (2nd Round Nitroplate Certificate), Bret Schlichtig (3rd Round, Mickey Thompson Tires), and Bill Crutcher (4th Round, Nitrous Express Certificate).

The Trailer Toad Hard Luck Award ($100 cash) was presented to Ron Hagar, while the Trailer Toad Long Distance Award ($150 cash) went to Randy Larson, who made the journey to Bristol from South Florida.
Advanced Wireless Technology presented a remote winch control to the sixth place finisher in Friday’s Run for the Money contest, which was won by Richard Alford. Advanced Wireless Technology also supplied a trailer security system for the fourth best run in Saturday’s Run for the Money, which was made by Andrew Lindamood. The Huntstville Engine Low ET award went to Rick Justice for each day of the three-day event ($100 per day).

Bud McNasby Bracket Racing School presented a free racing school course to one lucky entrant, which was won by Nicole Talbert.

Anthony Walton, promoter of the Fall Footbrake Frenzy at Coastal Plains Dragway this November presented entries to the event to several competitors: Ron Hagar won a free weekend entry, while A.J. Casini and Francis Reynolds each were awarded with single-day entries to the Fall Footbrake Frenzy.

Jeff Stewart, who lost in round three of Saturday’s competition despite a stellar .014 package, also received a complimentary entry to the Last Chance Footbrake Race at Cecil County Dragway this October for having the best losing package of the weekend. JEGS Mail Order also supplied five $100 gift certificates, which were awarded via random drawing throughout the event.

World Footbrake Challenge promoters Jared Pennington and Steve Stites would like to extend a thank you to each of the great sponsors who donated prizes to help make the event a success, and to each and every Footbrake racer who made their way to Bristol Dragway for the World Footbrake Challenge III. Plans are already in the works for WFC IV, coming to Bristol in 2010; stay tuned for details!