NHRA

Spencer Massey Topeka wrap-up

Massey reaches semifinals in Topeka TOPEKA, Kan. - Just one week after scoring a win at the Lucas Oil Series event in Shreveport, La., NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster rookie reached the semifinals of this past weekend's O'Reilly Summer Nationals at ...

Edited: Dec 11, 2006, 4:04 AM

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Massey reaches semifinals in Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. - Just one week after scoring a win at the Lucas Oil Series event in Shreveport, La., NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster rookie reached the semifinals of this past weekend's O'Reilly Summer Nationals at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kan., in just his second national event start in drag race legend Gene Snow's A/Fuel Dragster. The strong showing vaulted Massey to fifth in national points standings following the event.

Massey, 23, of Ft. Worth, Texas, qualified the "Snowman" entry fifth in the field with a 5.517 second pass at 247.93 mph. In round one, Massey defeated defending Division 5 Champion Randy Meyer with a 5.739 at 245.85 mph, then took out Todd Datweiler in round two with a 5.499 at 257.73 mph.

Massey's semifinal opponent would be another division champ, Chris Demke of Division 7. Massey, who is quickly gaining the reputation of a holeshot artist, with reaction times of .031 and .029 in the previous two rounds, left the line first with a near-perfect .001 reaction time (.000 is perfect), but quickly lost that lead when his mount dropped a cylinder early and slowed to a 5.794 at 248.57 mph to Demke's off-pace 5.708 at 232.11 mph.

"I was just stoked to be racing on Sunday," said Massey. "Then to make the semifinals was really something. They were really rushing us on Sunday; we only got 35 minutes before the semifinals, so I didn't get much time to think about it. The track must have got a little better that last round, because it just stuck the tire and caused it to drop a cylinder."

Massey and Snow will turn their focus back on the divisional trail and their battle with Steve Torrence for the Division 4 Championship at the upcoming Division 4 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Cherokee County Motorsports Park in Rusk, Texas, June 16-18. Massey trails Torrence by a mere round going into the event.

"We'll just try to duplicate the weekend we had in Shreveport in Rusk," said Massey. "We need to go rounds and keep Torrence out of the winner's circle. It should be pretty similar conditions to Shreveport, so hopefully we'll be able to pick right up where we left off."

-gsr-

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