HILL MAKES IT HAPPEN -- AGAIN
ORSCA star Mike Hill added to his 2006 win column and his bank account Aug. 6, by beating Michael Robinson in the $6,500 Outlaw 10.5 final at Phenix City, AL. Hill, the number-five qualifier of just six entries, had a first-round bye in his '05 Mustang, then narrowly edged Jack Barfield and his recently purchased 2000 Camaro before going on to pick up his $5K winner's share with a 4.62-second pass against the 4.79 by Robinson in the VIP Camaro. Also visiting the Phenix City winner's circle were index racers Kenny Acree (5.30), Bill Cowles (6.0), Josh Mackey (7.0), and Jarrod Mackey (8.0). (DRO file photo by Ian Tocher) [8-8-2006]
MARTIN EVENT SETS ATTENDANCE RECORD
Waves of people filed into US 131 Motor Sports Park from the time the gates opened on Saturday, Aug. 5, until just after the final professional qualifying sessions of the Torco Racing Fuels Northern Nationals were completed. IHRA officials had to delay pre-race
ceremonies for 45 minutes while the late-coming drag racing fans made their way through the line of traffic that backed up down the access road and onto US 131 in both directions.
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“I have never seen anything like this,” IHRA President Aaron Polburn said. “We are having trouble keeping up with the demand for tickets at the gate. It is amazing to me that Jason and Stephanie Peterson and their staff are still standing when you consider everything they have been put through today. I have to take my hat off to them because they are performing way above and beyond the call of duty.”
Ticket sales for the 25th Annual Torco Northern Nationals surpassed last season’s sales before the first pair of cars went down the track Saturday. Saturday ended up being the single largest day, crowd-wise, in Northern Nationals history. That record was broken not by hundreds, it was surpassed by thousands.
“We had a lot of attention in the media and through advance promotion for this race, and that really helped,” Polburn said. “But, in the end, I think it was the fact that this drag racing series is growing well beyond our expectations.” [8-8-2006]
