Pro Stock Showdown at Las Vegas

Showdown begins ’09 season

Words by Kay Burk
Photos by James Drew

Maybe Erica Enders is looking for a few tips from veteran racer and car builder Jerry Haas.

The Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is the highlight of pre-season testing for the more stock-appearing cars. This year it came down to the best two out of the 14 cars that were in competition.

Allen Johnson took the honors on Saturday, Jan. 31, defeating defending Showdown champ and NHRA Pro Stock titleholder Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the final match up. Johnson’s Stratus went 6.70 at 205.04 mph to a 6.74/204.79 for Coughlin’s new Cobalt.

Pro Stock drivers Greg Anderson, Jason Line, and Warren and Kurt Johnson tested at Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida the same weekend, so did not compete in the Showdown. Also at the Las Vegas venue but not competing were Mike Edwards, J.R. Carr and Jim Yates.

Edwards was busy with his new engine customer, Ron Krisher (Left), and wanted to make sure the transition from Cagnazi power to Edwards went smoothly. Krisher had some kind of trouble on two out of four runs and did not show for the first round of competition.

Former NBA player Tom Hammonds defeated David Beckley and Rickie Jones before getting beaten on a holeshot by Jeg Coughlin in the semi-final round.