Thursday, July 6, 2000

checkered flag
Abilene’s Browder second in Odessa drag racing
By Ted Dunnam

Eddie Browder of Abilene finished second this past weekend in the Lunati Super Stock Division of the Holley Sportsman Championship drag racing event at West Texas Raceway in Odessa.

Browder finished second to Tony Cowell of Weatherford on the one-eighth-mile strip in the International Hot Rod Association event. Robert Roland of Snyder finished second to Vernon Rowland of Newcastle, Okla., in the Weiand Hot Rod division.

Other winners from Texas included Larry Bowen of Marble Falls (NOS top sportsman); Gary Wise of Odessa (Hooker modified); Jimmy Lewis of Mesquite (Holley team super G super rod), Lee Banister of Crosby (Earl’s Stock); Luke Bogacki of Arlington (bracket electronics); and Ty Casey of Lubbock (bracket non-electronics).

In other news concerning the IHRA, it made a major move by coming to a multi-year sanctioning agreement with Virginia Motorsports Park to host a drag racing major event in the spring of 2001.

The Virginia track had hosted NHRA events since the quarter-mile facility was built in 1994. VMP is the largest facility of its kind on the east coast.

“Over the last several years, IHRA has shown tremendous growth in many areas. Racer participation, sponsor activity and fan attendance are just a few,’’ said Paul Coleman, general manager of VMP.

“This important agreement gives IHRA a presence in the important mid-Atlantic region, enabling us to grow our racer, sponsor, fan and media presence,’’ said IHRA president Bill Bader. “Our partnership with the Virginia Motorsports family represents another milestone in IHRA’s growth.’’

Late models return

In addition to a full night’s racing featuring IMCA sanctioned modifieds, super stocks, street stocks, mini modifieds and pure stocks, the limited late model cars return to Abilene Speedway Saturday night.

The kids’ gold rush returns this weekend with 10,000 pennies and some candy up for grabs on the infield. Kids will be divided by age and given sacks to make their haul.

Rules are also available for the junior mini stocks division that will kick off its inaugural season next year. Rules for the stocks — for kids ages 12-16 — are available at the track or by calling (915) 698-4029.

More information is available at (915) 692-8800 or (915) 698-4029.

Contact assistant sports Ted Dunnam at dunnamt@abinews.com or at 676-6771. We are on the Web at sports.texnews.com.