Official Release:
Race Wrap—Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series, Round 1
Text: Steve Turner
Photos: NMCA
The Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series kicked off during the 11th Annual Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals Presented by MAHLE Motorsport held at Atlanta Dragway from April 4-6, 2019.
Racers in Chevrolet Performance Stock presented by Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center, ProForm Rumble, LME Street King, and Chevrolet Street Car Challenge started their run toward a shot at a championship ring and an invitation to the Champions Dinner during the PRI Show this December.
It came down to a battle between the top two qualifiers in Chevrolet Performance Stock presented by Scoggin-Dickey. Playing out the same way in eliminations, number-one qualifier Jesse Wilson’s 2015 Camaro defeated number-two qualifier Haley Burhammer’s 2010 Camaro to take a trip to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle. Wilson got the jump at the tree and never looked back as his 10.24 bested Burkhammer’s 10.58 pass.
A healthy pack of Proform Rumble racers rolled into Atlanta Dragway, but only one could leave victorious. Running sharp thanks to a fresh transmission in the tunnel, David Rickey ran close to his 11.25 index throughout eliminations to put his 2002 Camaro in the finals against Nicholas Massengale’s 2001 Camaro SS. Both racers had impressive reaction times when they needed them in eliminations, but it was Massengale who chopped down the tree and took the win with an 11.03 on an 11.00 index.
Two 10-second machines marched through eliminations to clash in the LME Street King final round. Bryan Williams kept his 1999 Firebird running just on either side of his 10.00-second dial-in, while Ricky Pennington clicked off consistent runs around his 10.75 dial-in. It seemed a close race was coming, but Williams lit the red bulb and handed Pennington the easy win, but he still ran a 10.66 on 10.75 dial-in for good measure.
Chevrolet Street Car Challenge, which offers limited free entries to the first 75 LS or modern-LT powered vehicles, runs in a True Street style format. Winners are awarded in several elapsed-time categories. Greg Trail earned the overall kudos with a 10.21-second average in his 2008 Corvette. Kyle Rainey was the runner-up with a 10.77 average in his 1999 Camaro SS. Rounding out the class victories were 10-second winner Harry King, 11-second winner Kevin Rowand, 12-second winner Tom Calabrese, and 13-second winner Oscar Campes.
Follow the series as it continues during four more NMCA Muscle Car Nationals events this season, including the NMCA Memphis Homecoming at Memphis International Raceway (Millington, Tennessee) May 2-5—featuring the Chevrolet Performance LSX Shootout, NMRA/NMCA Nitto Tire Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing at Route 66 Raceway (Joliet, Illinois) July 25-28, NMCA All-American Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park (Norwalk, Ohio) August 22-25, and the NMCA World Street Finals at Lucas Oil Raceway (Indianapolis, Indiana) September 19-22.
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