Andrew Cowin Wins Top Fuel at Suzuki Motor City Nationals

Records first career Top Fuel victory at Milan Dragway

By Mike Perry | IHRA Communications

MILAN, Mich. (July 9, 2006) – All season, Andrew Cowin has talked about wanting to herd some of Scott Griffin Motorsports’ Serta Counting Sheep into the Winner’s Circle at a national event. Sunday at Milan Dragway he made shepherds everywhere proud.

Cowin (Wilmington, N.C.) collected his first career national event victory by driving the SGM/Serta Top Fuel Dragster past Bobby Lagana, Jr. (Scarsdale, N.Y.) in the final. Cowin, hired by Griffin in December of ’05, set the track speed record and qualified in the #1 position over the weekend. He laid down the quickest ET of each round en route to the Ironman victory, knocking off Bruce Litton (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Rick Cooper (Boise, Idaho) before facing Lagana in the final.

The team did not hurt a part or have to change an engine all weekend, a large change from its recent fortunes.

“The same bullets we started the race with, we ended the race with,” Cowin said. “That’s what racing is all about. We had a tremendous amount of fun this weekend and I really take my hat off to the crew. It is a team effort and everyone took care of their corner. I’ve always said if everyone got together and pulled in the same direction we would get there pretty quickly. In seven months we’ve done it.”

Cowin had to drive by Lagana in the final. Lagana had a slight advantage at the tree and was out in front at half-track, but he pushed a couple of rods out of the engine and Cowin zipped by him for the victory. Cowin posted a 4.840 at 282.95 mph to claim the victory over Lagana’s 4.945/282.19.

“This was a great weekend,” Griffin said. “It felt really good to get this one out of the way. Andrew drove great, the car ran strong and we ended up right where we wanted to be…in the Winner’s Circle.”

Gary Densham (Belleflower, Calif.) found the Winner’s Circle as well, claiming the Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car Ironman by defeating Doug Kalitta (Ypsilanti, Mich.) in the final. Kalitta, currently second in NHRA Top Fuel points, borrowed his cousin Scott’s Nitro Funny Car for the weekend.

“It was kind of intimidating,” Densham said of running Kalitta in the final. “I pulled up in the staging lanes and thought about the fact that they have $100 million and they had four crew chiefs behind them with Ron Toebler, Connie Kalitta, Jim Owen and them. And I have a bunch of rag-tag guys who just love to go racing. He’s absolutely one of the best natural talents we have in drag racing, he can drive any kind of car. To beat them was amazing.”

Densham knocked off Terry Haddock (Lynwood, Wash.) in the first round and Bob Gilbertson (Charlotte, N.C.) in the semifinals to face Kalitta with the Ironman on the line. He ran a clean 5.017/300.80 pass to better Kalitta’s tire-shaking 5.712/235.76 pedal job.

“We stuck to our game plan, to just go rounds and win the race,” Densham said. “All racers always want to go faster and quicker, but you can’t beat Mother Nature. If it’s hot, it’s hot. We wanted to just go down the race track and make them beat us, just go five flat at over 300 and take our chances.”

Mike Janis (Lancaster, N.Y.) had an emotional weekend that ended with him and his team in the Winner’s Circle. The Knoll Gas-Torco Pro Mod 2004 World Champion won for the first time since his father, Joe, passed away a couple of months ago. Janis defeated Danny Rowe (Rossville, Ga.) in the final.

“I miss the guy,” Janis said of his father. “I really wanted this one bad for him and we got it. My son Mike is what keeps me going with this whole thing, he drives the whole package. When I get down he helps get me right back up.”

Janis knocked off Mike Castellana, Steve Bareman and Glen Kerunsky during the elimination rounds. He topped Rowe by posting a 6.181/231.20 compared to Rowe’s 6.200/231.48.

You probably could have gotten long odds if you would have bet, before the season, the first London, Ontario Alcohol Funny Car driver to win an Ironman during the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series schedule would not be named Rob Atchison. Paul Noakes made that improbable scenario a reality when he knocked off Fred Tigges (Holbrook, Mass.) in the final.

After the victory Noakes wanted to thank his fellow London resident.

“Robbie does our fuel system and we couldn’t have won this without their help,” Noakes said. “This feels really good. I have been racing IHRA for 16 or 17 years and this is the first Ironman I’ve won. It’s a really good feeling.”

Noakes topped Tom Carter (Cuero, Tex.) in the first round and Atchison in the semifinals before knocking off a red-lighting Tigges with the championship on the line.

Robert Patrick (Fredericksburg, Virg.) became the answer to a trivia question when he became the first driver to take a 2006 Ford Mustang to the Winner’s Circle in IHRA competition. Patrick just picked up his car from Jerry Haas three races ago.

“Jerry builds an incredible race car,” Patrick said. “You look at the points race now and Frank (Gugliotta) and I are having a pretty good battle. This should be fun the rest of the year.”

Television coverage of the Suzuki Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division and the Heritage Newspapers airs on SPEED Channel:

Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car - Saturday, July 29 at 5 pm

Pro Modified, Alcohol Funny Car and Pro Stock – Saturday, August 12 at 2 p.m.

The next event on the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series is the IHRA Canadian Nationals, July 21 – 23, at Toronto Motorsports Park in Toronto, Ontario.

MILAN, Mich. -- Sunday's final results from the Suzuki Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division and Heritage Newspapers at Milan Dragway. The $1.1 million race is the fifth of 11 in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Andrew Cowin, 4.840 seconds, 282.95 mph def. Bobby Lagana Jr., 4.945 seconds, 282.19 mph.

Nitro Funny Car -- Gary Densham, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.017, 300.80 def. Doug Kalitta, Monte Carlo, 5.712, 235.76.

Pro Modified -- Mike Janis, Chevy Cobalt, 6.181, 231.20 def. Dan Rowe, Chevy Corvette, 6.200, 231.48.

Alcohol Funny Car -- Paul Noakes, Ford Mustang, 6.208, 222.18 def. Frederick Tigges, Dodge Avenger, foul.

Pro Stock -- Robert Patrick, Ford GT 500 Mustang, 6.437, 218.12 def. Pete Berner, Pontiac GTO, 6.448, 216.76.

Top Stock -- Paul Mercure, Chevy Camaro, 9.489, 140.15 def. Bo Kenney, Pontiac Firebird, 10.672, 101.74.

Top Sportsman -- Sandy Wilkins, Chevy Cavalier, 7.146, 188.17 def. Gary Wojnowski Sr., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 7.177, 189.84.

Top Dragster -- Bob Mandell Jr., Dragster, 6.899, 195.59 def. Luke Bailey, Dragster, foul.

Quick Rod -- Slate Cummings, Dragster, 8.966, 152.88 def. Mary Ann Jackson, Dragster, 8.917, 163.16.

Super Rod -- Cartho Bennett, Ford Roadster, 9.883, 144.13 def. Pat Martin, Roadster, foul.

Hot Rod -- Kenneth Jozwiak, Chevy Nova, 10.904, 130.05 def. Ken MacNicol, Pontiac Grand Prix, 10.922, 123.55.

Super Stock -- Lyn Laperriere, Chevy Camaro, 9.752, 133.13 def. Bobby Rashid, Pontiac Firebird, 9.719, 136.57.

Stock -- Charley Downing, Chevy Malibu Wagon, 13.232, 74.93 def. Kevin Helms, Chevy Camaro, 17.595, 59.54.

ET Bracket -- James Ribble, Chevy Corvette, 10.899, 108.38 def. James Riley, Chevy Chevelle, 9.419, 143.11.

ET Box -- James Riley, Chevy Chevelle, 9.415, 142.67 def. Jan Stockman, Chevy S-10, foul.

ET No Box -- James Ribble, Chevy Corvette, 10.866, 123.06 def. Rick Mitchell, Dodge Dart, 11.288, 114.82.

MILAN, Mich. -- Final round-by-round results from the Suzuki Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division and Heritage Newspapers at Milan Dragway, the fifth of 11 events in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Chris Karamesines, 4.941, 266.16 def. Doug Foley, 7.456, 104.12; Rick Cooper, 4.817, 309.91 def. T.J. Zizzo, 6.941, 121.18; Bobby Lagana Jr., 4.942, 285.23 def. Clay Millican, 5.221, 251.58; Andrew Cowin, 4.748, 313.80 def. Bruce Litton, 5.040, 241.58;

SEMIFINALS -- Lagana Jr., 13.221, 94.63 def. Karamesines, broke; Cowin, 4.828, 293.28 def. Cooper, 4.849, 309.91;

FINAL -- Cowin, 4.840, 282.95 def. Lagana Jr., 4.945, 282.19.

NITRO FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Doug Kalitta, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.046, 299.26 def. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo, 5.286, 255.19; Vincent Arcadi, Chevy Camaro, 5.019, 302.41 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Monte Carlo, 5.093, 283.49; Bob Gilbertson, Dodge Stratus, 4.877, 303.71 def. Jack Wyatt, Pontiac Firebird, 5.685, 177.02; Gary Densham, Monte Carlo, 5.012, 303.37 def. Terry Haddock, Camaro, 9.231, 90.24;

SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 5.118, 287.23 def. Arcadi, 5.198, 261.62; Densham, 5.637, 232.79 def. Gilbertson, 5.887, 207.05;

FINAL -- Densham, 5.017, 300.80 def. Kalitta, 5.712, 235.76.

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE -- Jim Halsey, Chevy Camaro, 6.233, 227.19 def. Tommy D'Aprile, Chevy Corvette, 6.225, 232.75; Dan Rowe, Corvette, 6.120, 231.32 def. Quain Stott, Corvette, 10.683, 81.47; Steve Bareman, Dodge Stratus, 6.212, 232.31 def. Taylor Lastor, Camaro, 10.567, 83.29; Carl Spiering, Camaro, 6.172, 232.91 def. Dennis Radford, Corvette, foul; Scott Cannon, Pontiac GTO, 6.148, 231.68 def. Rick Distefano, Corvette, 6.152, 231.52; Glen Kerunsky, Chevy Bel Air, 6.227, 229.63 def. Ed Hoover, Corvette, 6.182, 232.27; Mike Janis, Chevy Cobalt, 6.159, 228.11 def. Mike Castellana, Chevy Cavalier, 9.596, 85.21; Shannon Jenkins, Camaro, 6.233, 226.09 def. Matt Hagan, Corvette, 6.192, 231.60;

QUARTERFINALS -- Kerunsky, 6.243, 229.59 def. Halsey, broke; Janis, 6.191, 226.51 def. Bareman, 9.452, 88.63; Cannon, 12.353, 82.92 def. Spiering, broke; Rowe, 6.352, 188.44 def. Jenkins, 14.028, 77.66;

SEMIFINALS -- Rowe, 6.188, 227.00 def. Cannon, 7.087, 140.05; Janis, 6.180, 228.96 def. Kerunsky, 12.948, 74.02;

FINAL -- Janis, 6.181, 231.20 def. Rowe, 6.200, 231.48.

ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Rob Atchison, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.843, 241.93 def. Neal Parker, Monte Carlo, 5.927, 237.21; Frederick Tigges, Dodge Avenger, 5.901, 241.32 def. Chris Foster, Avenger, 6.139, 200.47; Paul Noakes, Ford Mustang, 11.310, 73.93 def. Thomas Carter, Chevy Camaro, foul; Terry McMillen, Avenger, 5.900, 238.55 def. Mark Thomas, Monte Carlo, 6.019, 236.09;

SEMIFINALS -- Noakes, 5.925, 240.81 def. Atchison, 6.011, 240.29; Tigges, 5.909, 243.41 def. McMillen, broke;

FINAL -- Noakes, 6.208, 222.18 def. Tigges, foul.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Rob Mansfield, Chevy Cobalt, 9.566, 95.84 def. Ed Machacek, Chevy Cavalier, foul; Steve Spiess, Cobalt, 6.453, 215.41 def. Jeff Dobbins, Ford Escort, 6.529, 212.56; John Montecalvo, Cobalt, 6.456, 216.06 def. Elijah Morton, Ford ZX2, 6.522, 211.83; John Nobile, Escort, 6.462, 215.65 def. John Bartunek, Cobalt, 6.522, 215.03; Pete Berner, Pontiac GTO, 6.443, 215.31 def. Brian Gahm, Ford Mustang, 6.589, 208.39; Tony Gillig, Mustang, 6.446, 215.31 def. Michael Bruno, GTO, 6.469, 215.27; Frank Gugliotta, Escort, 6.428, 217.39 def. Larry O'Brien, Dodge Stratus, 6.494, 213.94; Robert Patrick, Ford GT 500 Mustang, 6.432, 217.39 def. Rick Jones, Cobalt, 6.460, 216.90;

QUARTERFINALS -- Gillig, 6.463, 216.41 def. Spiess, 6.472, 215.68; Berner, 6.459, 216.10 def. Mansfield, 6.477, 216.90; Patrick, 6.447, 218.05 def. Nobile, 6.467, 216.38; Montecalvo, 6.488, 215.82 def. Gugliotta, 6.479, 217.04;

SEMIFINALS -- Berner, 6.453, 215.51 def. Montecalvo, 6.481, 215.58; Patrick, 6.441, 217.07 def. Gillig, 6.486, 214.89;

FINAL -- Patrick, 6.437, 218.12 def. Berner, 6.448, 216.76.

MILAN, Mich. -- Point standings (top 10) for IHRA professional categories following the Suzuki Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division and Heritage Newspapers at Milan Dragway, the fifth of 11 events in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1. Clay Millican, 437; 2. Doug Foley, 347; 3. Rick Cooper, 345; 4. Bobby Lagana Jr., 317; 5. Bruce Litton, 266; 6. Andrew Cowin, 240; 7. Chris Karamesines, 230; 8. Mitch King, 157; 9. Louie Allison, 140; 10. T.J. Zizzo, 139.

Pro Modified

1. Glen Kerunsky, 401; 2. Quain Stott, 327; 3. Dan Rowe, 296; 4. Mike Janis, 277; 5. Tommy D{Aprile, 265; 6. Carl Spiering, 245; 7. Jim Halsey, 239; 8. Scott Cannon, 219; 9. Alan Pittman, 195; 10. Mike Castellana, 193.

Alcohol Funny Car

1. Mark Thomas, 425; 2. Rob Atchison, 397; 3. Thomas Carter, 342; 4. Terry McMillen, 280; 5. Frederick Tigges, 269; 6. Trevor Lebsack, 226; 7. Larry Dobbs, 194; 8. Terry Munroe, 184; 9. Paul Noakes, 167; 10. Neal Parker, 114.

Pro Stock

1. Tony Gillig, 418; 2. Frank Gugliotta, 410; 3. Pete Berner, 361; 4. Robert Patrick, 353; 5. Jeff Dobbins, 285; 6. John Nobile, 276; 7. Rob Mansfield, 251; 8. John Montecalvo, 236; 9. Steve Spiess, 227; 10. Larry O'Brien, 206.

Nitro Funny Car

1. Dale Creasy Jr., 386; 2. Jack Wyatt, 336; 3. Vincent Arcadi, 331; 4. Gary Densham, 322; 5. Bob Gilbertson, 308; 6. Terry Haddock, 260; 7. Gary Cooper, 172; 8. Paul Lee, 164; 9. Doug Kalitta, 97; 10. Mitch King, 84.