Sportsman Racers Have Winning Efforts at Virginia IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series event

DINWIDDIE, Va. — Dane Davies kept turning the win lights in Top Dragster and local racer Mike Alexander Jr. was the best in Top Sportsman at Saturday’s IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series races at Virginia Motorsports Park.

They were joined by the following winners in other classes: Tracy Robbins (Super Stock), Dan Fletcher (Stock), Mitchell Harkey (Quick Rod), Richard Price (Super Rod) and Lawrence Paden (Hot Rod).

Davies had a great day at the tree, including a near perfect .001 start in his quarterfinal win over Timothy Williams. He had a slight .024 to .025 advantage at the tree over final-round opponent Jessica Pritchett.

He then posted a winning run of 4.085 seconds at 162.93 mph, as Pritchett’s final numbers were 4.144 seconds at 171.29 mph.

Alexander, from nearby Mechanicsville, Va., beat Bob Mandell III in the Top Sportsman final. Alexander’s .016 advantage at the tree was the difference as Mandell had a slightly better pass at 4.097 and 181.86 mph. Alexander went down the strip in 4.107 seconds at 176.12 mph to achieve the win.

Robbins took the Super Stock victory as George Wright fouled at the start. Robbins posted a 9.168-second run at 132.56 mph along with a .064 reaction time. Wright had a 9.755-second pass at 137.57 mph after his red light.

Fletcher made it 2-for-2 on the season in Stock, winning .034 to .096 at the tree and then posting a 10.946-second run at 115.65 mph. Ronald Jewell broke out with his 10.684-second pass on a 10.70 dial-in.

Quick Rod also saw a repeat winner as Harkey also followed up a win at Benson with a .011-second win at VMP. Corey Manuel had the .014 to .035 advantage at the start, but Harkey was able to overcome it with 8.906-second run at 178.10 mph. Manuel posted a 8.939 pass at 180.77 mph.

Richard Price was the Super Rod winner with a winning effort 9.930 seconds at 148.40 mph on a 9.90 Index. Runner-up David Morris was .007 better at the tree, but went under the Index number at 9.895 seconds and 168.77 mph.

It was the closest of margins .001 in Hot Rod as Paden parlayed a .040 to .061 advantage at the start to the win. He finished in 10.951 seconds and 142.07 mph. Tony Iacono III went 10.931 seconds and 132.32 mph to come oh, so close.

The IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series will be in action at Montgomery International Dragway on May 7-9.