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Darlington Shootout winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Vestal IHRA Director of Communications More information: (803) 332-0124 (423) 764-1164 October 11, 1997 Cheek leads IHRA bonus shootout winners with Sunoco Showdown win ...

Edited: May 8, 2001, 12:19 PM

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Vestal IHRA Director of Communications More information: (803) 332-0124 (423) 764-1164

October 11, 1997

Cheek leads IHRA bonus shootout winners with Sunoco Showdown win

DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Floyd Cheek took a holeshot and powered away from John Montecalvo to take the victory in the final round of the Sunoco Pro Stock Showdown Saturday morning, collecting the $20,000 winner's share of the special IHRA bonus program. Cheek, of Chattanooga, Tenn., covered the Darlington International Dragway quarter-mile in 6.75 seconds at 205.90 miles per hour in his 1997 Dynotech Ford Probe, just edging Montecalvo's Citgo-sponsored Chevy Monte Carlo, which ran 6.76, 205.62. The victory made a spectacular weekend even better for Cheek, as the 43-year-old driver also secured his first-ever Snap-on Tools Pro Stock World Championship. Other bonus shootout winners included Tom Callahan of Middletown, Ohio in the FP Performance Top Dragster Shootout. Callahan pocketed the $3,500 winner's share with a win over Matt Cooke in the final round. Greg Bensinger of Alpena, Mich. claimed the $8,000 prize money in the Stu Evans Lincoln-Mercury/Holbrook Enterprises Top Sportsman Shootout, defeating Kenny O'Dell in the final. Holley Performance Rod Shootout winners earned $5,000 each and included Bennie Ulmer Jr. of Orangeburg, S.C. (Quick Rod); Gilmer Hinshaw of Elon, N.C. (Super Rod); and R.L. Koontz of Sarasota, Fla. (Hot Rod). First place bonus money of $5,000 went to each champion of the Hooker Headers Great Class Shootouts. Those winners included Willow Springs, N.C.'s Doc Bilbrey (Modified); Richmond, Va.'s Anthony Bertozzi (Super Stock); and Gene Jordan of Reidsville, N.C. (Stock). Fields consisting of eight cars comprised the bonus shootout programs. Shootout positions were determined by qualifying and performance throughout the 1997 IHRA Snap-on Tools Championship Drag Racing Series season.

Shootout Results

Sunoco Pro Stock Showdown Floyd Cheek, Chattanooga, Tenn., 6.753, 205.90 def. John Montecalvo, Center Moriches, N.Y., 6.761, 205.62.

FP Performance Top Dragster Shootout Tom Callahan, Middletown, Ohio, 6.918, 192.80 def. Matt Cooke, Boone, N.C., 7.146, 186.41. Stu Evans Lincoln-Mercury/Holbrook Enterprises

Top Sportsman Shootout Greg Bensinger, Alpena, Mich., 7.329, 188.71 def. Kenny O'Dell, S. Sioux City, Neb., 6.833, 197.84.

Hooker Headers Modified Shootout Doc Bilbrey, Willow Spring, N.C., 7.878, 161.84 def. Michael Lyons, Garden City, Mich., 7.463, 174.85.

Holley Quick Rod Shootout Bennie Ulmer Jr., Orangeburg, S.C., 8.912, 155.19 def. Rusty Cook, Cynthiana, Ky., 8.923, 151.84.

Holley Super Rod Shootout Gilmer Hinshaw, Elon, N.C., 9.898, 155.70 def. Nick Smallwood, Delbarton, W.Va., 9.893, 144.30.

Holley Hot Rod Shootout R.L. Koontz, Sarasota, Fla., 10.899, 135.56 def. B.D. Parker, Florence, S.C., 10.861, 121.17.

Hooker Headers Super Stock Shootout Anthony Bertozzi, Richmond, Va., 10.163, 129.55 def. Jim Reynolds, Franklinton, N.C., 9.981, 131.63.

Hooker Headers Stock Shootout Gene Jordan, Reidsville, N.C., 10.777, 122.51 def. Harold Gault, Pacolet Mills, S.C., 11.594, 105.30.

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