Stanton: Quick Eight racenotes

STANTON, Mi. - Kenny Rucker became the first two-time winner of LIZZARD RACING ENGINES Top Sportsman Quick Eight at the CARQUEST Northern Nationals would not have been a solo affair. Rucker, 48, of Pond Gap, Va., soloed for the victory when Carl Rossler failed to make the call.

Rucker made no bones about his intentions as he qualified on the top with a 6.623, 209.85.

Eliminations opened with Rucker taking out the potent Thunderbird of past Quick Eight champion Doug Mills. Mills was quicker off of the line, but his 6.873, 204.41 was not enough to fend off the hard charging 6.679, 209.62.

Carl Rossler continued the Chevrolet assault on the Fords as his sleek '55 Chevy defeated Jimmy Detrick's Ford Probe. His win was incredible considering he was late with a .736 reaction. Detrick had problems and was forced to abort the run, allowing Rossler to win with a 6.806, 196.85.

In a battle of Fords, Rockwell took out the Thunderbird of Al Matarazzo. Matarazzo was the quicker of the two out of the gate, but drifted out of the groove and played tag with the guardrail. Rockwell snaked by for the win with a 7.505, 134.77.

Scott Johnson didn't let a quicker reaction from Tim DeCoff deter him from tracking his opponent down. DeCoff was .031 quicker off of the line, but Johnson's entry was the better at the finish with a 6.786, 206.61. DeCoff lost with a 7.029, 194.91.

In the semis, Rockwell earned a freebie into the finals when Johnson left before the tree was activated.

In a battle of Chevrolets, the remaining berth to meet the Ford went down to Rucker and Rossler. When Rossler failed to show, Rucker eased into the final round.

Rossler failed to make the call for the final round and because of that Rucker soloed for his second LIZZARD RACING ENGINES Top Sportsman Quick Eight championship of the season.

-IHRA