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Chris Holbrook Wins First Career Pro Stock Final at Rain-Delayed IHRA Winter Nationals Darlington, SC. -- (May 8, 1999) Chris Holbrook, driver of the Stu Evans/Ford Credit Racing Ford Probe has scored his first career Pro Stock victory at the ...

Edited: May 8, 2001, 12:19 PM

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Chris Holbrook Wins First Career Pro Stock Final at Rain-Delayed IHRA Winter Nationals

Darlington, SC. -- (May 8, 1999) Chris Holbrook, driver of the Stu Evans/Ford Credit Racing Ford Probe has scored his first career Pro Stock victory at the rain-delayed IHRA Prolong Super Lubricants Winter Nationals at Darlington International Dragway in Darlington, SC.

In a thrilling final round match up, Holbrook defeated rival Floyd Cheek with a 6.723 - 206.45 [the quickest ET and fastest miles per hour of eliminations] to Cheek's losing 6.740 - 204.60.

"I feel like I'm floating on a cloud," said Holbrook. "This is awesome! Every time I went to the starting line and let the clutch out, I just felt so confident. My lights were good and the car was running good...it was just our weekend."

During the event's original qualifying sessions in March, Holbrook had reset the national ET record for IHRA Pro Stock [6.612] en route to qualifying No. 1 at the race.

However, persistent rain on Sunday forced race officials to postpone final eliminations until Saturday, May 8. It was a long six-week wait!

"Chris was right on the money today with his lights," said crew chief Butch Peterson. "We knew we had the power to win this race. And Chris knew that when it came down to winning - it all would be up to him.

Holbrook defeated Chuck Demory, Dwayne Rice and John Montecalvo en route to the final round showdown with the current Pro Stock points leader Cheek. Cheek has won the previous two national event titles in 1999.

This season, the entire IHRA Pro Stock field has become much more competitive and winning each round is harder than ever.

"The first round [against Demory] really was the one that scared me the most," Holbrook began. "You hate to lose against the No. 16 qualifier and Chuck was right on his game. Then we had Dwayne [Rice] and his new car in the next round. He was cutting some great lights. After I saw John's [Montecalvo] red light, I let up a yell. From that point on, I just knew it was our weekend."

"I'm so proud of what my team has done today," said team owner Stewart Evans. "They performed perfectly between rounds to give Chris the best car out there. This is right where we planned to be when the season began - in the thick of the points battle. Now we'll continue to move forward towards our goal of the 1999 IHRA Pro Stock Championship."

The victory places Holbrook in the number two spot in the points chase.

After a five-week break, the IHRA Snap on Tools Drag Racing season will continue at the IHRA Summer Nationals at the newly paved Cordova Raceway Park in Cordova, Ill June 18-20.

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