Battle at the ‘Plex
History: An original, mint condition, non-faded bright red, wool, moth-less Lions Drag Strip AA/Gas Supercharged class record holder jacket. This is not some recreation, but the Real McCoy in perfect condition! A 1968 coat awarded to members of "Big John" Mazmanian’s team and that "Little Richard" on the right breast is Richard Siroonian. Suffice to say, there are precious few in existence and this particular sweetie has been worn less than a half dozen times (all by Chris Martin). The late Steve Evans found it on a coat hanger in the Lion's Tower just before the wrecking ball splintered the joint in the 1970s and took it home. Years later, he was cleaning out his closet, saw it, didn't want it, offered to me (Chris Martin), and I took it. He’s passed away and I'm broke, so it's being offered to you ... at a price.
The Motorplex’s all-concrete surface is famous in drag racing for being one of the quickest and fastest, and on the Oct. 12-13 weekend fans and racers weren’t disappointed.
More than 35,000 fans came to the Motorplex over the two-day race to see champions crowned in all four classes as well as the first race of the ADRL’s 2008 Battle for the Belts season. The crowd at the ‘Plex (on Saturday there were so many fans that it was Standing Room Only) were not only treated to the quickest, fastest, and closest racing in ADRL history, but they also got to witness some historical events. Including the quickest side by side pass featuring Frankie Taylor and Jason Scruggs (3.81 to a 3.79) and Mike Hill’s jaw dropping 4.266 lap in the finals of Extreme 10.5, to the youngest professional class champion in drag racing history, Jamie Hancock!
BATTLE FOR THE BELTS, FRIDAY
ADRL Pro Extreme star Jason Scruggs exorcised the demons that have plagued him and his father, Mitchell, with two magnificent performances in the two days of racing at the ADRL’s World Finals. He not only won the 2007 World Championship eight-car “Battle for the Belts” but on Saturday won his second ADRL national event taking out the team of Frankie and Paul Taylor, who were getting tuning help from Pro Mod legend Jim Oddy.
Scruggs capped his 2007 season by drubbing Joe Baker for the Pro Extreme Championship with a 3.850 ET to Baker’s shut-off 7.79. During the 2007 season, Scruggs continually lowered the ADRL’s Pro Extreme performance records (set in September at Rockingham, NC, at 3.703 and 205.22 mph), and finished third in the AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts points standings. He posted runs of 3.781/203.80 and 3.768/203.65 in winning his two preliminary rounds before the finals, beating John Lynam and Joshua Hernandez.
