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Million Dollar Race results

The following is courtesy of Crest Motorsports on the Web at: http://crestcomm.com/motorsports ********************************* ATTENTION: SPORTS EDITORS & SPORTS DIRECTORS! MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE UPDATE FROM HUNTSVILLE DRAGWAY TRACEY ...

The following is courtesy of Crest Motorsports on the Web at:

http://crestcomm.com/motorsports

*********************************

ATTENTION: SPORTS EDITORS & SPORTS DIRECTORS! MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE UPDATE FROM HUNTSVILLE DRAGWAY

TRACEY EARNS $175,000 - - BIGGEST PAYDAY IN DRAG RACING!

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- With the biggest prize in drag racing waiting at the end of the Huntsville Dragway eighth mile, Toby Barnes' nerves finally failed him Sunday at Huntsville Dragway. Barnes, a 35-year old racer from Ellenwood, GA was guilty of a foul start that handed a record $175,000 winner's check to T.J. Tracey of Bartlett, TN in the final round of the inaugural Million Dollar Drag Race. Barnes left the starting line .006 of a second too soon at the wheel of the 1968 Chevy Camaro in which he had won 18 or 21 previous final rounds during the 1996 season. He settled for $50,000 runner-up money while Tracey drove uncontested to a victory that earned him $125,000 more than anyone else had ever made in bracket racing. The brainchild of promoters George Howard and Steve Earwood, the Million Dollar bracket race failed to draw the 400 entrants necessary to pay the full million dollar winner's purse. However, the $175,000 paid to Tracey for a pro-rated starting field of 157 was $75,000 more than that earned for winning any other drag race in the world, even those comprising the NHRA's professional series. The previous record for one drag racing event was $100,000 earned by Funny Car drivers Al Hoffman & John Force & Top Fuel driver Larry Dixon as winners of NHRA Budweiser bonus races. Force was a $100,000 winner last month in the Big Bud Shootout in Indianapolis, Ind; Hoffman & Dixon won the same amount for their 1995 victories. Howard, a Birmingham, AL truck dealer & owner of Huntsville Dragway, said that plans already are being made for next year's "Million Dollar Drag Race". "I don't think anyone thought we could pull it off," he said, "but now that we've done it, I expect we'll make the 400 entries next year and pay the full million."

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INAUGURAL MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE October 4, 1996 Huntsville Dragway/Huntsville, Ala.

Results of "The Night Before the Million Dollar Race" Championship

Quarterfinals -- Joel Reynolds, Adamsville, AL, 1978 Pontiac Phoenix, .505, 7.102 on a 7.09, 96.32 mph def. Kenny Martin, Chapel Hill, NC, dragster, .505, 4.937 on a 4.91, 136.84 mph; Jeffery Maggart, Carthage, TN, Horton dragster, .532, 5.592 on a 5.56, 121.09 mph def. Jim Henderson, Dora, AL, 1965 Chevelle, .533, 7.096 breakout on a 7.10, 94.17 mph; Jeffrey Maggart, Carthage, TN, Horton dragster, 5.33, 6.084 on a 6.06, 115.87 mph def. Kelt Louden, Portland, TN, dragster, .489 foul, 5.339 on 5.34, 128.55 mph.

Semifinals -- Joel Reynolds advanced on a bye; Jeffrey Maggart was to have raced himself and advanced the dragster after withdrawing the door car.

Finals -- Jeffery Maggart, .516, 5.611 on a 5.56, 120.88 mph def. Joel Reynolds, .497 foul, 12.534 on a 7.09, 36.34 mph.

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INAUGURAL MILLION DOLLAR RACE October 5, 1996 Huntsville Dragway/ Huntsville, Ala.

RESULTS

Quarterfinals -- T.J. Tracey, Barlett, TN, Racecraft dragster, .524, 5.487 on a 5.50, 129.94 mph def. Tom Dauber, Clarksburg, NJ, S&W dragster, .497 foul, 5.244 on a 5.25, 131.23 mph; David Powell, Portland TN, dragster, .519, 5.299 on a 5.29, 127.51 mph def. Jeff Parker, Lumberton, NC, 1966 Chevy II, .494 foul, 5.932 on a 5.93, 114.59 mph; Toby Barnes, Ellenwood, GA, 1968 Camaro, .525, 7.613 on a 7.60, 90.49 mph def. Kent Crane, Columbia, Mo., 1985 Dodge Daytona, .555, 6.074 on a 6.04, 113.05 mph; Kenny Underwood, Tampa, FL, Horton Dragster, .518, 5.064 on a 5.04, 130.20 mph def. Keith Quick, Hanceville, AL, .512, 7.613 on a 7.60, 92.15 mph.

Semifinals -- Toby Barnes, .527, 7.607 on 7.60, 91.05 mph def. David Powell, .516, 5.315 on a 5.29, 124.00 mph; T.J. Tracey, .508, 5.512 on a 5.48, 129.68 mph def. Kenny Underwood, .519, 5.067 on 5.04, 132.25 mph.

Finals -- T.J. Tracey ($175,000) .525, 5.525 on a 5.50, 129.10 mph def. Toby Barnes ($50,000) .493 foul, 7.607 on a 7.60, 90.97 mph.

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INAUGURAL MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE October 5, 1996 Huntsville Dragway/Huntsville, GA

"BEST PACKAGE" Bonus Award Winners

Round 1 Tom Dauber, Clarksburg, NJ, S&W dragster, $1,000 cash from Pulley Engineering .501, 7.242 on a 7.240 Round 2 Rachel Henderson, Dora, AL, 1970 Opel GT, Altalabs weather station .500, 5.651 on a 5.650 Round 3 Kenny Smith, Morgantown, Ind., Spitzer dragster, $1,000 merchandise certificate from Barnett Performance .505, 5.104 on a 5.100 Round 4 Jeff Parker, Lumberton, NC, 1966 Chevy II, two sets of Hoosier tires .503, 5.942 on a 5.940 Round 5 Kenny Underwood, Tampa, FL, Horton dragster, $1,000 gift certificate from Holley .509, 5.046 on a 5.040 Round 6 Toby Barnes, Ellenwood, GA, 1968 Camaro, $1,000 merchandise certificate from B&M .505, 7.609 on a 7.600 *159 cars made the first round call representing 23 states (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin).

INAUGURAL MILLION DOLLAR DRAG RACE October 5, 1996 Huntsville Dragway/Huntsville, GA

"SPECIAL" Award Winners

Best Appearing Car -- Mike Weeks & Tommy Smith's ".38 Special" '38 Chevy, McCalla, AL.

Youngest Driver -- Joey Tidmore, Gardendale, AL, 18 years old (5-25-78), "The Home Place" '63 Vette.

Oldest Driver -- Windle Webster, Sr., Lebanon, TN, 58 years old (1-22-38), "Webster Brothers Dragster".

Oldest Car -- Toby Baptiste, Springfield, TN, dragster is 29 years old. Once was a front-motored Top Gas dragster.

Most Successful Woman -- Rachel Henderson, Dora, AL.  Best Package of the 
event, .001 in round 2.  "Regional Paramedics" 1970 Opel GT.

Long Distance Award -- Mark Beavin, Mesa, AR, 1972 Dodge Pickup.

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