Halsey wins Farmington Quick-8 thriller
(March 23, 2008) Mocksville, NC - In a stunning display of Texas Hold 'em, Quick-8's newest member, Jim Halsey, unloaded some final round Fulton thunder right when he needed it. "As I was coming down the return road someone told me that I was a pretty good poker player", laughed Jim Halsey, after an eye-opening upset of Rickie Smith. After living in the 3's during Friday's test session, as well as Saturday afternoon qualifying, Rickie Smith was considered a huge favorite going into eliminations. Jim Halsey dipped in the 3's on exactly one pass on Saturday night, right when it counted. "We knew the car had it, we simply didn't need to run 3.90's until that run", commented Halsey.
In the end, a glowing side by side scoreboard displayed a 3.95 @ 188mph for Halsey, along side a 3.97 @ 186mph for Rickie Smith. The final run of the night is likely the quickest pair of elapsed times in the history of nitrous doorslammers, and without question the most dazzling display of power ever witnessed at Farmington. Although this wasn't Halsey's first trip to Mocksville, NC's 1/8 mile (he tested here last year) it was his first time racing with the North Carolina-based heads-up league. "The racers in this series was extremely receptive and gave us a really nice welcome", said Halsey, adding that he truly had a blast racing in the Quick-8.
Halsey, who qualified number 2 with a 4.05, met Randy Weatherford in round one. Weatherford burned 2 pistons on the qualifying pass just prior to first round eliminations, and had to thrash just to make it to staging for this ADRL Houston re-match. Weatherford rattled and spun at the hit, as Halsey popped and flashed fire at half track as he broke a pinion. Both drivers coasted silently across the finish line, with Halsey advancing to round two.
The surprising performance of Thomas Dunford gave Halsey game competition in the semi-finals. The pair of Tim McAmis-built 1968 Camaros thrilled the fans with long, smoky burnouts. When the tree came down, a hole-shot win was there for the taking, but neither driver leaned on the tree. Halsey was quicker with a .119 reaction time, to Dunford's .176 rt. At the 660 mark, Halsey stopped the clocks with a 4.01, as Dunford breathed down his neck with a 4.03 et. Great effort by Dunford, who's stepped up the power in the off season in his popular Death Dealer entry.
In the finals, Rickie Smith was quicker out of the gate (.039 - .049) but Halsey was closing the gap almost instantly. Halsey clocked a stunning 60 foot time of .958, followed by a 2.63 at half track. Halsey's flames were burning bright as he thundered through the finish line at a 3.95 to take the win.
Halsey's next scheduled event is in San Antonio, with the running of the IHRA Amalie Oil Texas Nationals. Halsey will return to the Tar Heel state in April, as he competes in IHRA's Spring Nationals at Rockingham. Eric Davis, Allen Lay and Halsey himself, along with longtime love, Cathy Crouse, will return home to Maryland tonight victorious in their Quick-8 debut.
Fantastic season-opener for the Quick-8 series tonight at Farmington. The association gets cranked up again with a stop at Timberlake, NC's Roxboro Dragway on May 17.
Photos by Van Abernethy
