Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Speedtech Battle for the Belts Scheduled as Race-Within-a-Race at Texas Motorplex








O’FALLON, MO (Oct. 21, 2009) — This Friday at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, the National Guard ADRL’s unique Speedtech Battle for the Belts will pit the top eight points earners for each of the eighth-mile series’ five professional classes—Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, Flowmaster Extreme 10.5, Pro Extreme Motorcycle and Extreme Pro Stock—against each other to determine world champions, while all points earned through qualifying and elimination rounds the next day in the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V will count toward the 2010 points chase.

New for this year, though, is an initial bye run granted to each points leader, which also requires the seventh- and eighth-place Belts qualifiers in each class to race each other first, with the winner taking on the number-two contender in the Belts quarter-finals. Meanwhile, number three will take on number six and four will race five, just as in a traditional eight-car eliminations ladder.

“That first-round bye is big; ever since (the ADRL) announced that’s what they were doing, we focused on being number one,” defending back-to-back Pro Extreme champ Jason Scruggs stated. “It gives you an extra free shot at the track, which is a pretty big deal, but you still have to capitalize on it. You’re still going for lane choice (in the semis), so you want to make sure and make a good pass.”

National Guard ADRL Executive Vice President of Competition Bert Corzine explained that World Finals V qualifying for all classes will begin at noon on Friday and all Belts contenders will make that first qualifying run without facing elimination. Speedtech Battle for the Belts racing will commence at the beginning of second-round qualifying with the numbers seven and eight starters from all five classes opening the session.

After round two of qualifying, a brief pre-race ceremony about 6:30 p.m. will introduce the quarter-finals of the Speedtech Battle for the Belts, including the first-round byes for each points leader, and each pass by all entries in the Belts pairings will also count as third qualifying attempts.

“We’ll allow about 75 to 90 minutes for everyone still in the hunt for the semis to get ready,” Corzine said. “Then we’ll interrupt qualifying about halfway through round three and run them just like we’ve done the last few years.”

Once all World Finals V qualifying is in the books, and again after allowing a reasonable time for preparations, the Speedtech Battle for the Belts finals will determine all five 2009 National Guard ADRL world champions. The evening will be capped off by a much-anticipated showdown between the Bigfoot and Snakebite monster trucks, a thrilling, flame-throwing jet-car pass and finally, massive victory lane celebrations that fans will be invited to join in order to honor the new champions.

“We’re guaranteed at least three of five new world champions this year,” National Guard ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling pointed out, as Extreme Pro Stock is in its maiden year, defending Pro Nitrous champ Billy Harper opted out of racing in ’09 and two-time defending Pro Extreme Motorcycle champion Billy Vose failed to make the eight-rider cut to defend his title.

“It’s really impossible to predict what’s going to happen,” Nowling said. “For an organization that’s supposedly dominated by money and all these other things, the parity is almost uncomfortable. This has all the makings of a truly epic race and all eyes in the drag racing universe will be on Ennis, Texas, this Friday night.”

Complimentary tickets to the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V are available at many service stations, restaurants and retail outlets in Ennis and the surrounding area and are available for purchase through the Texas Motorplex box office. Spectator gates open at 9 a.m. both days of the event.

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