Day 2 of the BTE World Footbrake Challenge, version 14, the first of three $10,000-to-win races for the footbrake crowd. No electronic aides, just good old fashioned drag racing. This year is the 14th edition of the famed event held at the famed Bristol Dragway Thunder Valley.
Today’s schedule called for a single time trial followed by eliminations in the main event. Also on tap was the second of two scheduled WFC Gambler’s Races with last nights first WFC Gambler’s Race won by Alliance, Ohio’s Cory Griffith. Despite years of racing, it was Griffith’s first WFC event and he made the best of it with the win. Along with the money, the win gave Griffith the rights to the bye run should there be one in the first round.
To mention the pits are packed is an understatement with many trying their hand on the very same track which on Labor Day weekend, will host the largest footbrake purse in the country, the BTE Labor Day $100K, $100,000 to the winner.
Four hours after eliminations began, the first round was over with a WFC record 547 entries making the call, completely smashing last year’s record 489. In addition to that record, it also became the largest single class of cars run in the history of Bristol Dragway.
With that many entries, it became apparent the Friday night Gambler’s Race would have to be postponed. The plan of attack at 10:15 pm was to complete Friday’s $10K race, run Saturday’s $10K and then run the WFC Gambler’s Race. On Saturday there will only be a time trial for new entries which should allow for a full day of racing. The best laid plans though…
Seven cars left in round seven; Charlie Lockhart, Chad Dotson, Dan Smith, Lexi Pollard, last night’s Gambler’s Race winner Corey Griffith, Matt Obertanec and Ben Jones.
Running up against the curfew, officials decided to complete round eight to leave four cars and call it a night, completing the race on Saturday morning. Pollard used a better reaction time against Jones to advance. Lockhart had a perfect 0.000 RT but Dotson had already turned on the red-light. Griffith took the best of Obertanec to continue his rookie quest at the WFC and Smith took the odd car bye run. Semifinals will have four left, Lockhart will take on Griffith while Pollard and Smith will do battle.
First up AM will be the WFC Salute to the Fourth of July followed by new entry time runs and then the completion of Friday’s race.
This story was originally published on July 4, 2020. 
