Bill Skillman and his Ray Skillman Ford Cobra raced to victory Sunday at the Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, the third stop on the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown, to widen their points lead defeating Dan Condon and his Mickey Thompson Tire Chevy COPO Camaro in the finals.
“You know what? Chris Holbrook, our guy, he makes some super smoke. All the guys that help us out and win, it’s amazing to get this done. It really is,” Skillman said. “Back-to-back wins really shows how great a job everyone has done, and we’ve got a really good team. These guys were ex-Pro Stock crew chiefs, and they really know how to make it work. All of them just do a great job and I can’t say enough about it.”
Skillman would start the day with a first-round bye as Anthony Troyer and his Troyer Brothers COPO Camaro were unable to make the call. In the second round, Skillman would match with Gatornationals winner Lenny Lottig. Lottig would overpower the track and have to lift while Skillman would go 7.823-seconds at 177.91 mph for the win.
Skillman would then have to take on defending series champion Aaron Stanfield and his Stanfield Racing Engines COPO Camaro in the second round. Stanfield would leave on Skillman but the Mustang was able to reel in the Camaro by 7.801-seconds at 177.86 mph and advance to the finals.
En route to the finals Condon would defeat Warren Walcher in the first round on a holeshot before taking on No. 1 qualifier David Janac and his Janac Brothers Racing Ford Cobra. Janac would go -.006 red in the second round, sending Condon to face Jesse Alexandra and his Barton Chevy COPO Camaro in the semis. It would be a clean drag race as Condon went 7.889-seconds at 173.14 mph to better Alexandra’s 7.933-seconds at 172.36 mph.
In the finals, Condon would leave first but Skillman would run once again run down his opponent for victory. Condon’s 7.848-second pass at 174.46 mph would be no match for Skillman’s 7.813-seconds at 183.54 mph. With the runner-up finish, Condon moves from 17th to eighth in points.
With the victory, Skillman has now created a $2,000 target on his back through the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown Bounty Program. The bounty on Skillman will increase until another driver defeats him during eliminations.
The ongoing battle between Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Ford Cobra Jets and Dodge Challenger Drag Paks will pick up Father’s Day weekend at Bristol Dragway during the Thunder Valley Nationals.
Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown Top Ten Points Standings:
- Bill Skillman 282
- David Barton 218
- Lenny Lottig 217
- Aaron Stanfield 166
- Anthony Troyer 154
- Stephen Bell 145
- Warren Walcher 141
- Dan Condon 134
- Mark Pawuk 125
- Ricky Hord 120
This story was originally published on May 16, 2022. 
