Litton, Stott, Thomas, and Collins
Earn First Victories of the Season at
the IHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals

By IHRA Communications

The IHRA's first visit to the Western Canada proved to be one of the most successful inaugural events in the history of the sanctioning body. The inaugural Rocky Mountain Nationals, presented by GM Goodwrench Service, was blessed with perfect weather and outstanding racing for the thousands of motorsports fans that converged on Budweiser Motorsports Park, just south of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. Racers from five provinces and 22 states were represented at the event. The friendly Bud Park track employee's, enthusiastic spectators, hard working IHRA staff and the exciting action filled racing combined for one of the most memorable events in recent IHRA history. The fans also had the pleasure of enjoying Top Fuel and Pro Stock racing for the first time in the facilities 11-year history.

Bruce Litton broke a long final round drought by defeating defending IHRA Top Fuel champion, Clay Millican. The driver of the Lucas Oil dragster used a holeshot to defeat Millican for the first time in ten final round appearances dating back to April 2000 in Rockingham. Litton used a 4.917/299.30 to defeat Millican's quicker 4.877/283.64. "It feels really good to finally return to the winner's circle," commented Litton. "Every win is special but this one had extra meaning because we've tried so hard in the past and it just never panned out. We we're very fortunate today and the good Lord blessed us with some good runs. I feel very blessed to be there in the final to get a shot at winning."

Quain Stott's dominating victory in Edmonton may be the beginning of his run for the Hooters Drag Racing Series world championship. Stott qualified No. 1 in his '63 Corvette with a record setting performance and never ran slower than a 6.40 on race day to earn his first IHRA victory of the season. Stott defeated Rick Distefano in the final round with a 6.352/226.92 to take home the Iron man. "We never raced in this kind of altitude and we were hurting parts all through qualifying, but we kind of expected that," said Stott. "I've raced in this kind of altitude in a nitrous car but never in a blown car so we went through a little bit of a learning curve. We finally found a good combination on Sunday, even though we hurt a couple of pistons in the final. We're tickle to death and glad to be here in Canada. I really enjoyed the people here. I've never felt more welcomed in my life anywhere I've ever been. This win was in memory of B.R. Lee, the founder of LeeBoy, and I wanted to win this for him."

Mark Thomas won his first national event of the season by defeating Canadian favorite and No. 1 qualifier, Rob Atchison in the Funny Car final. Thomas drove his Ethanol sponsored Dodge Avenger to a 5.919/240.00 to defeat Atchison's 6.008/237.90. "It feels wonderful to be back in the winner's circle," said an elated Thomas. "We came to this race after Richmond with our tail between our legs after hurting some motors and failing to qualify there. We came here looking to be pretty conservative after Richmond and my crew chief, Jimmy Rector, said don't worry; we'll be okay. It all came together really well. We ran the car pretty conservatively the first three runs and for the final I decided I needed to do my job on the tree and Jimmy said he'd give me a 5.90 and we ran a 5.91. We never had the heads off the car all weekend and never hurt a thing so it was a great race all the way around."

The Sunoco Pro Stock final pitted Jason Collins against Rick Jones in a classic Ford versus Dodge match up. Collins left the starting line first and never looked back, recording a 6.720/207.08 to take his first win of the season. "We started out the weekend with some different gearing in the car," said Collins, "and we chased the set up for a couple of rounds of qualifying and then we made a change and after that the car started flying. Pro Stock is so competitive now that anyone can win on any given day. You just got to be on your game on the starting line and get to the other end of the race track. I was shocked everyone ran so well at this altitude. I'd like to thank my wife and my mom and dad, because their the one's that make this all possible."

The next event on the 2003 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series is the inaugural Motor City Nationals at Milan Dragway in Detroit, Michigan, July 11-13.

EDMONTON, Alb. -- Sunday's final results from the Inaugural Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by GM Goodwrench Service at Budweiser Motorsports Park. The $1.1 million race is the fifth of 12 in the 2003 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Bruce Litton, 4.917 seconds, 299.30 mph def. Clay Millican, 4.877 seconds, 283.64 mph.

Pro Modified -- Quain Stott, Chevy Corvette, 6.352, 226.92 def. Rick Distefano, Corvette, 6.400, 214.95.

Funny Car -- Mark Thomas, Dodge Avenger, 5.919, 240.00 def. Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 6.008, 237.90.

Pro Stock -- Jason Collins, Mercury Cougar, 6.720, 207.08 def. Rick Jones, Dodge Neon, 6.760, 207.80.

Top Sportsman -- Dale Giroux, Chevy Cavalier, 8.035, 153.29 def. Gary Gummow, Pontiac Firebird, 7.722, 177.27.

Top Dragster -- Britt Cummings, 7.496, 177.30 def. Ricky Adkins, 7.557, 173.57.

Quick Rod -- Eddy Plaizier, Dragster, 9.097, 160.48 def. Garth Giroux, Dragster, 9.067, 164.47.

Super Rod -- Dave Archambault, Mercury Zephyr, 10.041, 130.94 def. Brad Dekker, Chevy Corvette, 10.113, 153.53.

Hot Rod -- Randy Modersohn, Chevy Nova, 11.225, 126.68 def. Gerry Brown, Dodge Demon, 11.121, 128.09.

Stock -- Ed Matiejewski, Chevy Nova, 12.640, 100.39 def. Tom Skjonsberg, Plymouth Barracuda, 10.795, 124.25.

Super Stock -- Byron Setters, Chevy Camaro, 10.935, 96.78 def. Ernie Penner, Pontiac Firebird, foul.

EDMONTON, Alb. -- Final round-by-round results from the Inaugural Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by GM Goodwrench Service at Budweiser Motorsports Park, the fifth of 12 events in the 2003 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Jack Ostrander, 5.154, 260.94 def. Grant Flowers, 5.664, 66.50; Bruce Litton, 7.756, 107.33 def. Louie Allison, broke; Donald Sosenka, 5.565, 212.76 def. Todd Paton, 7.121, 127.98; Clay Millican, 4.791, 295.37 def. John Sipple, 7.428, 109.79;
SEMIFINALS -- Litton, 4.972, 282.92 def. Ostrander, broke; Millican, 5.268, 234.61 def. Sosenka, 8.232, 86.45;
FINAL -- Litton, 4.917, 299.30 def. Millican, 4.877, 283.64.

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE -- Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.915, 125.92 def. Kip Dupuis, Buick Special, broke; John Scialpi, Chevy Bel Air, 6.494, 216.55 def. Paul Athey, Chevy Corvette, 6.559, 216.24; Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.404, 225.56 def. Glen May, Ford Ranger, 6.553, 215.62; Mitch Stott, Corvette, 6.406, 224.66 def. Lee Smith, Corvette, 6.544, 221.02; Rick Distefano, Corvette, 6.356, 222.99 def. Joe Delehay, Chevy Pickup, 6.477, 219.03; Carl Spiering, Bel Air, 6.477, 219.03 def. Dan Rowe, Chevy Coupe, 6.562, 213.47; Dennis Radford, Dodge Viper, 6.436, 218.60 def. Pat Stoken, Chevy Camaro, 6.585, 194.67; Glen Kerunsky, Bel Air, 6.402, 219.88 def. Billy Harper, Viper, 6.400, 220.96;
QUARTERFINALS -- Distefano, 6.360, 222.71 def. Spiering, 6.494, 216.55; Q. Stott, 6.346, 226.01 def. Kerunsky, 6.387, 221.40; M. Stott, 6.376, 224.21 def. Radford, 6.511, 217.39; Martin, 6.455, 218.07 def. Scialpi, 6.432, 219.51;
SEMIFINALS -- Distefano, 6.382, 221.83 def. M. Stott, 6.398, 224.71; Q. Stott, 6.282, 227.56 def. Martin, 6.480, 218.07;
FINAL -- Q. Stott, 6.352, 226.92 def. Distefano, 6.400, 214.95.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 7.034, 143.33 def. Lloyd Dyck, Chevy Camaro, broke; Mark Thomas, Dodge Avenger, 6.060, 232.31 def. Roger Bateman, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 12.443, 58.04; Terry McMillen, Avenger, 6.091, 231.30 def. Scott McVey, Avenger, 6.167, 222.71; Ronnie Midyette, Camaro, 6.025, 231.60 def. Danny Fillion, Ford Probe, 6.730, 213.32; Tony Bogolo, Olds Achieva, 6.111, 232.07 def. Leon Aines, Chevy Corvette, broke; John Evanchuk, Firebird, 6.224, 226.58 def. Trevor Lebsack, Ford Mustang, 6.666, 211.06; Larry Dobbs, Corvette, 6.127, 231.95 def. Rory Christianson, Dodge Daytona, 6.396, 224.66;
QUARTERFINALS -- Midyette, 6.072, 227.90 def. Bogolo, 6.078, 232.49; Thomas, 6.020, 235.10 def. Dobbs, 6.749, 150.20; McMillen, 6.070, 232.73 def. Evanchuk, foul; Atchison, 5.933, 238.72 was unopposed;
SEMIFINALS -- Atchison, 5.987, 236.46 def. Midyette, 6.018, 233.64; Thomas, 6.041, 235.29 def. McMillen, 6.123, 226.87;
FINAL -- Thomas, 5.919, 240.00 def. Atchison, 6.008, 237.90.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Doug Kirk, Ford Mustang, 6.694, 207.80 def. Chuck DeMory, Mustang, 6.915, 201.79; Frank Gugliotta, Mercury Cougar, 6.711, 208.67 def. Angelo Alesci, Mustang, broke; Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.754, 207.23 def. Steve Williford, Chevy Cavalier, 6.826, 205.10; Rick Jones, Dodge Neon, 6.686, 208.23 def. Jeff Dobbins, Ford Probe, broke; John Montecalvo, Cavalier, 6.705, 207.70 def. Ron Miller, Cavalier, 6.776, 204.26; Jason Collins, Cougar, 6.686, 208.81 def. Gary Henry, Cougar, 6.761, 205.15; Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.694, 208.23 def. Pete Berner, Mustang, broke; Carl Baker, Cougar, broke was unopposed;
QUARTERFINALS -- Kirk, 6.694, 208.09 def. Baker, 6.724, 207.85; Gugliotta, 6.779, 207.32 def. Gahm, foul; Jones, 6.714, 207.70 def. Montecalvo, 6.732, 205.19; Collins, 6.720, 208.38 def. Morton, 6.752, 206.80;
SEMIFINALS -- Collins, 6.709, 209.01 def. Gugliotta, 6.755, 208.67; Jones, 6.735, 207.99 def. Kirk, 6.724, 206.84;
FINAL -- Collins, 6.720, 207.08 def. Jones, 6.760, 207.80.

EDMONTON, Alb. -- Point standings (top 10) for IHRA professional categories following the Inaugural Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by GM Goodwrench Service at Budweiser Motorsports Park, the fifth of 12 events in the 2003 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series - 

Top Fuel

1. Clay Millican, 499; 2. Bruce Litton, 345; 3. John Smith, 208; 4. Todd Paton, 206; 5. Jack Ostrander, 186; 6. Grant Flowers, 171; 7. Donald Sosenka, 162; 8. Bobby Lagana Jr, 155; 9. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 148; 10. Louie Allison, 131.

Pro Modified

1. Mitch Stott, 379; 2. Quain Stott, 275; 3. Mike Janis, 205; 4. Al Billes, 200; 5. Billy Harper, 157; 6. Harold Martin, 154; 7. Paul Athey, 148; 8. Shannon Jenkins, 125; 9. Thomas Patterson, 99; 10. Dale Brinsfield, 96.

Funny Car

1. Rob Atchison, 327; 2. Mark Thomas, 302; 3. (tie) Tony Bogolo, 267; Ronnie Midyette, 267; 5. Terry McMillen, 212; 6. Mike Comella, 138; 7. John Vouros, 121; 8. Larry Dobbs, 120; 9. (tie) Chris Foster, 84; Terry Munroe, 84.

Pro Stock

1. Rick Jones, 290; 2. Carl Baker, 287; 3. Brian Gahm, 258; 4. Doug Kirk, 248; 5. Jason Collins, 225; 6. Elijah Morton, 214; 7. Frank Gugliotta, 206; 8. John Montecalvo, 203; 9. Steve Williford, 153; 10. Charlie Peppers, 134.

IHRA Communications