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Cordova, TN — October 10, 2010:
T.J. Tracey returned to Top Sportsman competition for
the first time in over two and one half years at Beech Bend Raceway Park in
Bowling Green, Ky in late August. The NHRA Division 3 meet, one of the most
prestigious races of the year, is held annually the week before the U.S.
Nationals in Indianapolis.
T.J. piloted Mark Pickens’ 1995 MPE
Motorsports/MOTORVATION Cutlass, while Mark drove the MPE
Motorsports/MOTORVATION GTO. Mark exited the competition early but T.J.
marched thru the talented field in route to the final round.
Tracey, racing out of the #30 qualifying position with
a 7.23 @ 188mph pass, battled Belva Brinegar in Rd. 1. The resulting 7.24
run, on a 7.24 dial, was made even more impressive by his .008 reaction
time.
Rd. 2 pitted T.J. against former Division 2 champ Jerry
Barker. Another brilliant .003 light coupled with a 7.239 on a 7.24 run led
to a double breakout win. Barker’s .019 light was left on the table.
The Quarterfinals found T.J. up against Thad Martin.
Once again T’s .010 light was slightly better than Martin’s equally
impressive .011 bulb. The Cutlass ran 7.25 on a 7.24 dial to outrun Martin’s
7.20 on a 7.17.
The Semi’s produced more than its share of drama when
the passenger side door of T.J.’s Cutlass would not stay shut after the
burnout. Mark was frantically trying to get the door fastened when the
starter said run or shut it down. One last attempt at shutting the door and
it was time to let it go down the track. Not only did T.J. keep his
concentration throughout the ordeal, he posted another .010 light while
running dead on his 7.25 dial in. Bob Mandell, who is having a career year,
didn’t stand a chance while running a very respectable 6.93 on a 6.91 dial
with a .023 reaction time.
This would be the second time in the finals at Bowling
Green for the Cutlass, known as “Ole Blacky”. The first time, in 2006, Mark
finished runner-up to Lee Adkin’s ’57 Chevy in a “too close to call” .0007
finish.
The final round opponent was long time competitor Billy
Vaughn in his ’95 Monte Carlo. T.J.’s conservative .029 was better than
Vaughn’s .044 light, but a breakout 7.21 on a 7.24 dial gave the win to
Vaughn’s 6.88 on a 6.89 run.
All in all it was a terrific return to Top Sportsman
racing, after such a long layoff, for T.J and the MPE
Motorsports/MOTORVATION team. CONGRATULATIONS to T.J. and to Billy Vaughn
for an entertaining race and to Billy and his wife for a well deserved win!
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