BRISTOL, Tenn. (Monday, September 12, 2011) – A perfect weekend greeted the DER Bracket Series competitors at Bristol Dragway last weekend, with several competitors earning key wins as the championship battle winds down.
Chris Johnson of Maryville won Saturday’s Super Pro action as Kingsport’s David Starnes turned on the red light by .001 sec. Johnson’s run had a .005 reaction time and a 4.913 elapsed time (4.92 dial-in) at 140.59 mph.
Gary Goldberg from Rockwood picked up Sunday’s Super Pro win in a similar fashion when Buddy Fleenor of Rogersville left the line too soon. Goldberg’s winning run combined a .015 R.T. with a 6.221 E.T. (6.22 dial-in) at 110.21 mph.
Josh Wyatt drove his Mustang to the Pro category win over Carl Widner from Elizabethton. The Blountville native had a .015 R.T. and a 7.060 E.T. (7.04 dial-in) at 105.54 mph to defeat his opponent in the final.
Brandon Bailey from Glade Spring, Va. earned Sunday’s Pro division victory, beating Johnson City’s Larry Barr. Bailey used a .026 R.T. and a 9.826 E.T. (9.81 dial-in) at 68.68 mph to oust Barr.
In a battle of Mustangs, Bristol’s CJ Elsea took his 1973 version to Saturday’s Sportsman win over a red-lighting Ben Knight, also of Bristol. Seeing the red, Elsea eased out of the starting line with a .275 R.T. and ran hard to the line, breaking out with an 11.520 E.T. (11.53 dial-in) at 116.19 mph.
John Isom of Bristol took the win in Sunday’s Sportsman action over Randy Walters from Bluff City. Isom’s winning run had a .029 R.T. and a 9.842 E.T. (9.81 dial-in) at 126.93 mph.
Gabe Ellison came out on top in Saturday’s Junior Dragster Division II when Holly Fleenor from Bristol, Va. turned on the red in the final. Ellison had an impressive .008 R.T. and a 7.931 E.T. (7.96 dial-in) at 82.49 mph.
Joseph Beeler from Knoxville defeated Elizabethton’s Jesse Edens for Sunday’s Div. II win. Beeler had used a .102 R.T. and an 8.002 E.T. (7.95 dial-in) at 76.97 mph to collect the win.
Blountville’s Carson Brown took Saturday’s Jr. Dragster Div. I category over Drew Smith of Barbourville, Ky. Brown had a .044 R.T. and drove through the lights with a 9.099 E.T. (9.08 dial-in) at 73.33 mph.
Dylan Howard of Corryton sent Roan Mountain’s Garrett Freeman back to the hauler in Sunday’s final round of Jr. Dragster Div. I. Howard reacted with a .033 R.T. and raced to an 8.927 E.T. (8.91 dial-in) at 73.33 mph.
Bluff City’s Jerry Turner defeated Michael Waller of Ivanhoe, Va. in the Motorcycle final round on Saturday. Turner left the line with a .086 R.T. and finished the run with a 5.897 E.T. (5.87 dial-in) at 118.53 mph.
Waller avenged his loss on Sunday, downing Bristol’s Knight in the final round of Motorcycle. Waller used a .040 R.T. and a 5.943 E.T. (5.87 dial-in) at 108.79 mph to earn the trip to the Winner’s Circle.
Bluff City’s Bill Roberts earned the Trophy category on Saturday, defeating Chester Lay of Corryton for the win. Roberts final round had a .029 R.T. and a 15.180 E.T. (15.12 dial-in) at 89.33 mph. Michael Nuttall from Rutledge earned the Trophy win on Sunday when Charles Justus of Hurley, Va. went red in the final. Nuttall had an .062 R.T. and 16.702 E.T. (16.71 dial-in) at 78.64 mph on the pass.
Bristol Dragway returns to action Thursday with the Fas Mart Street Fights Series, while the DER Bracket Series crowns its champions during the final weekend of action Sept. 17-18.
For more information about Bristol Dragway events, please call (423) 764-DRAG or visit www.bristoldragway.com.
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