Qualifying continues at JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals
BELLE ROSE, LA. (April 4) – After two days of qualifying, the fields are beginning to take shape for the fourth annual JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, La.
After two runs in Comp Eliminator, local racer Adam Hickey of Hammond, La., is the low qualifier in his C/SMA Chevy Cobalt. Hickey drove to a run of 8.22-seconds to edge two-time and defending SPORTSnationals champion Craig Bourgeois of Metairie, La. Lee Sharp of Maryville, Tenn., is ranked third in Comp, followed by former U.S. Nationals champion Glen Treadwell of Sorrento, Fla.
The nearly 200 racers who are entered in Super Stock and Stock held their class eliminations today and also completed qualifying for their respective eliminators. Perennial low qualifier Bob Dennis is the provisional leader in Super Stock, posting a run of 10.74-seconds in his ’90 Oldsmobile. George Roussel Jr., of Thibodaux, La., is the top qualifier in Stock with his ’96 Chevy S-10 pickup truck.
Qualifying also began today in the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes. Earl Folse of Raceland, La., leads the way in Top Sportsman with a 6.558 in his ’68 Chevy Camaro. The top six qualifiers in Top Sportsman are all in the six-second zone including Team JEGS driver Mike Coughlin, who posted a 6.923 elapsed time, which is good for the No. 6 starting spot.
The Top Dragster class currently features 10 six-second qualifiers including Michael Kyle of West Lake, La., who is one top of the field with a 6.522-elapsed time.
The JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals features numerous special events, including Top Stock, a special race reserved only for the quickest and fastest vehicles in Stock Eliminator. Held late Thursday, former NHRA national champion Sammy Pizzolato of Houma, La., drove his classic ’69 Corvette to the Top Stock victory, stopping Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., in the final round.
The annual SPORTSnationals events have become favorites of NHRA sportsman racers as much for the off-track activities as for the on-track competition as this year’s edition was no different. At the conclusion of Friday’s qualifying runs, many of the nearly 500 competitors who are on hand at No Problem Raceway Park, gathered for a Cajun-style barbecue featuring crawfish and other local fare.
Saturday’s main event in Belle Rose will be the highly anticipated Mopar Super Stock Hemi Challenge, a special event for 1968 Dodge and Plymouth factory race cars. Included among this year’s favorites are former event winners Charlie Westcott Jr., of Parma, Mich., Jim Pancake of Delaware, Ohio, and low qualifier John Rains of Santa Paula, Calif.
