John Long Rockingham Report

ROCKINGHAM, NC.--- John Long's success with the Greg Goodman Super Eliminator dragster has been touch and go since the team started new at mid-season. The team's perseverance will eventually pay off, as the team tries different engine combinations to stay competitive in this division. But the IHRA CARQUEST Autumn Nationals were not kind to the science of John Long's Super Eliminator battle.

Long made his first laps of the event on Saturday with a 6.877/195.43 and that was good enough to secure the 12th spot. He stepped up during his last attempt with a 6.816/197.23, which was good enough for the 13th spot.

He was scheduled to face Laurie Cannister in the first round.

When Long met Cannister at the tree, he gave no advantage, but engine problems forced him to shut down and coast to a losing 7.295/125.57. Scattered engine parts will force Long to regroup before the next IHRA event.

The team was awarded the Stanback Snap-back award for all of the woes that they encountered during the course of the weekend.

Long and his Spectra One Motorsports Printing Team plans to resume their championship conquest at the IHRA EXPRESS Auto Parts.Com Nationals in Budds Creek, Md., Oct. 1-3. Long, along with each Super Eliminator contestant, will be afforded four qualifying runs during the course of the event and the quickest sixteen entries will compete in final eliminations on Sunday.