After losing the first two races Sunday in a special Spring Civil Wars showdown with Yankee invader Carl Tasca, Carolina’s Roy Hill earned a measure of revenge in the finale when he pushed his Cobra Jet Mustang to the quickest quarter mile in the history of the high-performance Ford breed.
Hill, a former IHRA Pro Stock world champion who now operates Roy Hill’s Drag Racing School at Rockingham Dragway, stopped the timers in 7.523 seconds at 184.75 miles per hour to win a somewhat anticlimatic final against Tasca, who already had won bragging rights in the best-of-three duel.
However, losing the title of “world’s quickest” sent the Rhode Island driver back home determined to recapture the title of having the sport’s quickest and fastest Ford Cobra Jet. The son of the late Bob Tasca Sr., the man who created the original Cobra Jet, had a best time Sunday of 7.596 seconds, his second quickest time ever.
In addition to the match race, the 20th renewal of the Roush Yates Performance Products Spring Civil Wars included a Ford-only car show, events in the Ford Fun Series, exhibition performances by a jet-powered dragster and Danny O’Day’s “Superwinch” wheelstander and a full slate of drag races.
Clayton’s Jamie Carroll picked off the biggest single share of a record event purse when he drove his 1971 Chevy Nova to an eight-round victory for a $2,000 payday in the Soles Auto Service Footbrake class on Sunday.
In addition to Carroll, event winners included Willie Lytch of Southern Pines, who drove his 1967 Chevy Camaro to a big win in the ATI Pro Tree Doorslammer class; Dallas Glenn of Mooresville, whose 1968 Chevy El Camino was a popular winner in Open Comp; Bennett’s Howard Brewer, a winner in Combo Eliminator with his ’85 Mustang; and former Rock track champ Steve Alford of Angier, who won Saturday’s Sole Footbrake title in a race completed Sunday morning.
In an all-Alford final, Steve Alford used a .003 of a second reaction time to turn back Rashad Alford of Benson, who lost despite running dead-on his target at 6.860. The margin at the finish line was .010 of a second.
In the 5.30 Index class, which made its Civil Wars debut, Robert Anderson drove his 1963 Chevy Corvette to victory over Andy Jeffers in a final round featuring drivers from the same hometown – Cassatt, S.C.
Although an overall champion was not determined due to Saturday time constraints, the debut of the Donnie Gibbs Racing Outlaw 4.70 class was declared a major success after attracting a field of 25.
The purse was split Saturday night among four unbeaten – Nick Cline of Mooresville, whose 1934 Chevy coupe was a fan favorite, Dale McSwain of Norwood, Charlotte’s Greg Patillo Jr. and Kevin Carpenter. Johnathan Gibbs of Salisbury was the top qualifier at 4.705 seconds, .005 off the target.
The Fun Ford Car Show awarded Best of Show to the 1985 Mustang of Randall Snider, Garner, Best Truck to John Eddings of Foxfire Village in his 2000 Ford Lightning with the Best Classic Award won by Freddie Kelly, Jr of Southern Pines in his 1970 Mustang. Best New Ford was won by Richard Barnhill of Rockingham in a 2015 Mustang and the Club Participation Award went to the Campbell Club or Aberdeen.
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ROCKINGHAM – Results from the 20th annual Roush Yates Performance Products Spring Civil Wars event at Rockingham Dragway:
SUNDAY
Cobra Jet Showdown
Match 1 – Carl Tasca, Cranston, R.I., 7.628, 181.13 mph, def. Roy Hill, Sophia, N.C., 7.706, 182.43 mph.
Match 2 – Carl Tasca, Cranston, R.I., 7.596, 180.66 mph, def. Roy Hill, Sophia, N.C., 7.620, 170.11 mph.
March 3 – Roy Hill, Sophia, N.C., 7.523, 184.75 mph, def. Carl Tasca, Cranston, R.I., 10.305, 86.73 mph.
ATI Pro Tree Doorslammer
Round 4 – Colon Richardson, Asheboro, 5.491 on a 5.480, 127.16 mph, def. Ray Harring, Loris, S.C., foul; Robert Richardson, Asheboro, 1969 Chevy Nova, 6.001 on a 5.990, 113.82 mph, def. Tracy Massey, Wilmington, 7.022 breakout on a l7.030, 95.85 mph; Jamie Carroll, Clayton, 1971 Chevy Nova, 6.311 on a 6.270, 106.26 mph, def. Eddie Shelley, Rockingham, 1990 Chevy Camaro, 5.702 breakout on a 5.740, 117.52 mph; Michael Brady, Liberty, 1967 Chevy Camaro, 5.832 on a 5.830, 114.35 mph, def. Daniel Comer, New London, 1971 Ford Maverick, 6.950 on a 6.950, 97.22 mph; Willie Lytch, Southern Pines, 1967 Chevy Camaro, 6.311 on a 6.300, 108.49 mph, def. B.J. Cook, Wingate, 1972 Chevy Camaro, 7.173 breakout on a 7.180, 95.13 mph; Arana Blanton, Loris, S.C., 1968 Chevy Camaro, bye.
Round 5 – R. Richardson, 5.999 on a 5.990, 113.91 mph, def. C. Richardson, 5.501 on a 5.480, 124.45 mph; Lytch, 6.308 on a 6.300, 106.55 mph, def. Brady, 5.836 on a 5.810, 117.92 mph; Blanton, 6.057 on a 6.050, 112.41 mph, def. Carroll, 6.277 on a 6.260, 108.59 mph.
Semifinals – Lytch, 6.312 on a 6.300, 109.32 mph, def. Blanton, 6.059 on a 6.050, 112.76 mph; R. Richardson, bye.
FINAL – Willie Lytch, Southern Pines, 1967 Chevy Camaro, 6.323 on a 6.300, 107.97 mph, def. Robert Richardson, Asheboro, 1969 Chevy Nova, 6.011 on a 6.000, 113.38 mph.
Network Distributors Open Comp
Round 3 – Justen West, Dunn, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 12.604 on a 12.670, 102.38 mph, def. Ron Williams, Eagle Springs, foul; Dallas Glenn, Mooresville, 1968 Chevy El Camino, 11.580 on an 11.560, 108.68 mph, def. Nikki Williams, Carthage, 11.662 breakout on an 11.730, 117.30 mph; Curtis Williams, Jacksonville, 12.478 on a 12.600, 97.78 mph, def. Travis Frazier, Franklinville, 1986 Ford Mustang, foul; Donald Daniels, Godwin, 1981 Oldsmobile, 11.240 on an 11.330, 116.34 mph, def. Steve Keller, Mooresville, 1968 Chevy Camaro, 10.372 breakout on a 10.490, 117.21 mph; Willie Morgan, Eagle Springs, bye.
Round 4 – Daniels, bye; Glenn, 11.48 on an 11.560, 113.56 mph, def. Williams, 12.459 breakout on a 12.600, 91.36 mph; Morgan, 11.037 on an 11.140, 120.24 mph, def. West, 12.561 breakout on a 12.670, 99.58 mph.
Semifinals – Daniels, 11.288 on an 11.330, 118.74 mph, def. Morgan, 11.084 breakout on an 11.140, 119.98 mph; Glenn, bye.
FINAL – Dallas Glenn, Mooresville, 1968 Chevy El Camino, 11.541 on an 11.560, 110.26 mph, def. Donald Daniels, Godwin, 1981 Oldsmobile, 11.220 breakout on an 11.330, 119.03 mph.
Soles Auto Service Footbrake
Round 5 – Steve Alford, Angier, 6.808 on a 6.780, 94.82 mph, def. Brett Miles, Red Springs, 1974 Plymouth Duster, 7.159 on a 7.140, 92.72 mph; Jamie Carroll, Clayton, 1971 Chevy Nova, 6.363 on a 6.260, 99.94 mph, def. Darlene Wells, Asheboro, 1969 Ford Mustang, 7.290 on a 6.980, 93.82 mph; Kevin Williams, Pageland, S.C., 6.395 on a 6.380, 104.11 mph, def. Scott Yates, Gold Hill, 6.483 on a 6.450, 103.62 mph; David Sears, Holly Springs, 1989 Ford Mustang, 6.021 on a 6.060, 115.18 mph, def. Kenny Roberts, Raynor, S.C., 1978 Chevy Nova, 6.106 breakout on a 6.160, 112.97 mph; Terry Rucker, NA, 6.718 on a 6.780, 100.05 mph, def. Aaron Brock, Pageland, S.C., foul.
Round 6 – Carroll, Clayton, 1971 Chevy Nova, 6.289 on a 6.270, 106.92 mph, def. Alford, 6.773 on a 6.730, 91.52 mph; Sears, bye; Williams, 6.368 on a 6.370, 107.66 mph, def. Rucker, foul.
Semifinals – Williams, 6.331 on a 6.420, 107.10 mph, def. Sears, foul; Carroll, bye.
FINAL – Jamie Carroll, Clayton, 1971 Chevy Nova, 6.420 on a 6.270, 102.31 mph, def. Kevin Williams, Pageland, S.C., 6.572 on a 6.390, 100.94 mph.
PTRA 6.0/7.0 Combo Index
Round 3 – Terry Floyd, Lake Wylie, S.C., 1955 Chevy Bel Air, 6.022 on a 6.000, 114.93 mph, def. Bill Rittz, Danbury, 5.981 breakout on a 6.000, 114.76 mph; Jerrod Youker, Salisbury, 1970 Chevy Nova, 7.034 on a 7.000, 95.07 mph, def. Daniel Comer, New London, 1971 Ford Maverick, 6.973 breakout on a 7.000, 95.52 mph; Howard Brewer, Bennett, 1985 Ford Mustang, 6.999 on a 7.000, 98.66 mph, def. Willie Morgan, Eagle Springs, 6.987 breakout on a 7.000, 97.26 mph; Vito Bosca, Bathhurst, New Brunswick, Canada, bye.
Semifinals – Floyd, 5.989 on a 6.000, 115.20 mph, def. Bosca, foul; Brewer, 7.006 on a 7.000, 100.50 mph, def. Youker, foul.
FINAL – Howard Brewer, Bennett, 1985 Ford Mustang, 7.012 on a 7.000, 97.62 mph, def. Terry Floyd, Lake Wylie, S.C., 1955 Chevy Bel Air, 6.021 on a 6.000, 114.96 mph.
PTRA 5.30 Index
Round 1 – Marty Campbell, Kannapolis, 1985 Ford Mustang, bye; Andy Jeffers, Cassatt, S.C., 5.470, 128.22 mph, def. Randy Sanders, Eagle Springs, no time; Johnathan Helms, Bennettsville, S.C., 5.381, 122.46 mph, def. Chris Warren, Concord, 6.005, 89.63 mph; Robert Anderson, Cassatt, S.C., 1963 Chevy Corvette, 5.388, 125.93 mph, def. Jeffrey Toler, Pine Town, 6.266, 120.82 mph.
Semifinals – Anderson, 5.375, 129.73 mph, def. Helms, 5.398, 115.78 mph; Jeffers, 5.489, 127.99mph, def. Campbell, 7.215, 69.11 mph.
FINAL – Robert Anderson, Cassatt, S.C., 1963 Chevy Corvette, 5.391, 128.18 mph, def. Andy Jeffers, Cassatt, S.C., 5.477, 127.47 mph.
SATURDAY
Soles Auto Service Saturday Footbrake
Round 5 – Michael Branham, Elgin, S.C., 1990 Ford Mustang, 5.944 on a 5.900, 113.57 mph, def. Brett Miles, Red Springs, 1974 Plymouth Duster, 7.354 on a 7.140, 93.00 mph; Steve Alford, Angier, 6.810 on a 6.770, 92.91 mph, def. Larry Brown, NA, 7.238 breakout on a 7.240, 93.95 mph; Rashad Alford, Benson, 6.875 on a 6.890, 95.01 mph, def. Keith Daniel, Currie, 1988 Ford Mustang, 6.872 breakout on a 6.900, 99.85 mph; Jesse Warren, Concord, 6.497 on a 6.470, 105.41 mph, def. Scott Yates, Gold Hill, 6.468 breakout on a 6.470, 107.19 mph; Aaron Brock, Pageland, S.C., bye.
Round 6 – Brock, 7.023 on a 7.010, 89.96 mph, def. Warren, 6.490 on a 6.480, 105.61 mph; R. Alford, 6.837 on a 6.830, 102.09 mph, def. Branham, 5.940 on a 5.900, 117.42 mph; S. Alford, bye.
Semifinals – S. Alford, 6.829 on a 6.790, 87.79 mph, def. Brock, 6.843 on a 6.800, 86.87 mph; R. Alford bye.
FINAL – Steve Alford, Angier, 6.813 on a 6.790, 95.23 mph, def. Rashad Alford, Benson, 6.860 on a 6.860, 96.67 mph.
Donnie Gibbs Racing Outlaw 4.70
Round 3 – Racing suspended and money split among Dale McSwain, Norwood, Nick Cline, Mooresville, 1934 Chevy coupe, Greg Patillo Jr., Charlotte and Kevin Carpenter, NA.
Qualifying – 1. Johnathan Gibbs, Salisbury, 4.705; 2. Dale McSwain, Norwood, 4.716; 3. Kevin Carpenter, NA, 4.716; 4. Jeff Talvacchio, Ernul, 4.717; 5. Nick Cline, Mooresville, 1934 Chevy coupe, 4.718; 6. Jeremy Youker, Salisbury, 4.721; 7. Donnie Gibbs Sr., Mooresville, 4.726; 8. Barry Holshouser, Charlotte, 4.734.
ATI Pro Tree Doorslammer
Round 4 – Racing suspended and money split among Tony Moon, Kannapolis, Steve Hilburn, Loris, S.C., Lonnie Plyler, Statesville, Donald Norris, Conway, S.C., 1980 Chevy Monza, Arana Blanton, Loris, S.C., 1968 Chevy Camaro, and David Matthews, Kannapolis.
PTRA 7.0 Index
Round 3 – Racing suspended and money split between Jerry Cline, Mooresville, 1970 Chevy Nova, and Kenny Myers, Clemmons.
PTRA 6.0 Index
Round 3 – Racing suspended and money split among Steve Turner, Blythewood, S.C., Terry Floyd, Lake Wylie, S.C., 1957 Chevy Bel Air, and Robert Richardson, Asheboro, 1969 Chevy Nova.
Network Distributors Open Comp
Round 3 – Racing suspended and money split among Kenny Roberts, Raynor, S.C., 1978 Chevy Nova, Dale Burris, Concord, 1993 Ford Mustang, Justen West, Dunn, 1969 Chevy Camaro, Curtis Williams, Jacksonville, and Donald Daniels, Godwin, 1981 Oldsmobile.
This story was originally published on May 4, 2015. 
