Belle Rose: Lee Callaway summary

Callaway wins third straight in Belle Rose.

BELLE ROSE, La. - Just three races ago in NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster driver Lee Callaway's career, he had never won a race. Since then, Callaway has been on fire, winning his third straight divisional event during this past weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La.

Callaway, from Baytown, Texas, qualified his Tom Conway tuned Blown Alcohol Dragster fourth in the show with a 5.588 second elapsed time at 252.48 mph. In round one, he took out former points leader Nick Copeland with a 5.586 at 253.90 mph, and then took out veteran driver Troy Buff in the semifinals with a 5.616 at 252.52 mph.

In the final, Callaway would face his closest rival in Division 4 competition, defending Division 4 Champ Shelly Howard. The race was over at the start, as Howard redlighted, disqualifying her and allowing Callaway to cruise to victory with a 5.650 at 249.95 mph.

"It was just another great weekend for the team," said Callaway. "I really have to take my hat off to No Problem Raceway. They built a great facility and a great racetrack. For the track to be as good as it was as hot as it was, really says a lot about the effort that went into building it. We were able to run well out of the box, and that really helped us throughout the event. My crew gave me a great racecar all weekend, and I needed every bit of it, because we had some plenty tough customers to race in Copeland, Buff, and Howard."

With the win, Callaway is just one step away from clinching the Division 4 Championship, another feat he has never won. If Callaway can make the final round of his next event, the final Division 4 event at Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Noble, Okla., Oct. 4-6., Callaway will clinch the title. Howard must also win the event if she is to pass Callaway.

"This isn't a done deal by any means," stated Callaway. "It feels good to win this race, but it isn't time to break out the Championship hats like they do in the football games. Shelly and her team are very talented, and every bit capable of winning that event and sending us packing. It looks like once again the World Championship battle will be decided at Noble with Duane Shields and Art Gallant chasing points, so it will only be that much tougher. We will definitely have to bring our 'A' game."

"I'm not too worried about the championship at this point," Callaway added. "If it's going to happen, it will happen. No matter what happens, we've had such a good year, I really can't complain. After racing for all these years, it feels really good just to be at this level."

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