ROCKINGHAM — In an event that recalled drag racing’s roots as the great American performance sport, Mike Gunter of Chesterfield, Virginia won an all-Mustang final over Bobby Parks of Germantown, Maryland, to claim Rockingham Dragway’s Small Tire Dig or Die Street Car Shootout and, with it, a special gun metal version of the NHRA’s iconic Wally winners’ trophy.
On a Speed for All weekend, 186 pre-entries raced for a winner-take-all cash prize and the distinctive gun metal gray version of the trophy presented to race winners on the NHRA’s Camping World pro tour as well as winners in the NHRA’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
There were no time trials and there was no qualifying for the “off the trailer” event. It was “get in and go” and no one went better than Gunter in his Virginia-based F-body Mustang. Ousted in the semifinal round were Charles Corriher of Denver, N.C., and Eddie Grimes of Westminster, Maryland.
The Dragway is open this Saturday for quarter-mile runs open to the public in any vehicle. Adult admission is $15 with kids 12-and-under free. Action starts at 6 p.m.
