It was a big race weekend at Memphis International Raceway (MIR) as the IHRA Summit Racing Series hosted the Division 4 Pro-Am Tour. Local racers as well as racers from across the county came to MIR to compete in 1/4-mile and 1/8-mile classes. MIR is one of more than 100 IHRA member tracks in seven divisions that participate in these Sportsman competitions.
The competition is populated by Sportsman competitors who are the backbone of grassroots drag racing. By the end of the weekend, 16 champions would be determined with six of them calling MIR their “hometown” track.
Mark Meadows doubled up on the weekend taking the Ironman win both Saturday and Sunday from Double Grove, Ark. in the Quick Rod class.
Devin Johnson from Collierville, Tenn., also had a double showing over the weekend, taking the Runner-Up trophy on Saturday and the Ironman win on Sunday in Jr. Dragster Beginner.
Danny Nelson from Batesville, Ark., took the Ironman win in Super Rod on Saturday as well as honors for best appearing in car category.
Jesse Bobo from Walnut, Miss., took the Ironman win in Top Dragster on Saturday.
Justin Poindexter from Millington, Tenn. took the Ironman win in Jr. Dragster Master on Saturday.
“It was a great weekend for our racers,” stated Pam Kendrick, VP & GM of Memphis International Raceway. “A lot of our local racers came out and went to winner’s circle over the weekend. It’s always great to see them there and to see so many new faces at the track. It was the perfect weather and an all around good weekend to race.”
Complete results from the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL Division 4, Race 1 at Memphis International Raceway:
Top Sportsman – Leslie Dugas, Grandview, Texas, ’97 Cutlass, (.016) 7.769 on 7.743, 144.01 def. Glenn Wright, Odessa, Texas, ’12 Camaro, (-.007) foul
Top Dragster – Jesse Bobo, Walnut, Miss., dragster, (.026) 7.594 on 7.59, 175.25 def. Mike Crader, Bedford, Texas, dragster, (.027) 7.344 on 7.34, 178.61
Super Stock – Scott Stillings, Floyds Knobs, Ind., ’98 Grand Am, (.013) 8.932 on 8.88, 141.25 def. Jarrod Granier, Ladadieville, La., (.039) 9.524 on 9.45, 132.74
Stock – Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Donaldsonville, La., ’04 GTO, (.047) 10.652 on 11.90, 112.15 def. Randy Eakins, Sikeston, Mo., ’10 Challenger, (.157) 10.690 on 11.90, 123.44
Quick Rod – Mark Meadows, Beech Grove, Ark., dragster, (.050) 8.875 on 8.90, 181.72 def. Tommy Costales, Manuel, Texas, dragster, (-.013) foul
Super Rod – Danny Nelson, Batesville, Ark., ’63 Corvette, (.032) 12.303 on 9.90, 72.57 def. Tommy Maedgen, Troy, Texas, ’69 Camaro, (-.001) foul
Hot Rod – Tony Jones, Gilmer, Texas, ’67 Camaro, (.017) 10.908 on 10.90, 148.05 def. Greg Fowler, Point Pleasant, W.Va., ’80 Camaro, (.003) 10.930 on 10.90, 142.29
Junior Dragster Master – Justin Poindexter, Millington, Tenn., dragster, (.016) 7.936 on 7.94, 81.60 def. Caleb Morse, Ponchatoula, La., dragster, (-.006) foul
Junior Dragster Advanced – Mallory Bontrager, Wylie, Texas, dragster, (.055) 8.874 on 8.90, 76.21 def. Cody Hughes, Decatur, Texas, dragster, (-.067) foul
Junior Dragster Beginner – Graeme Rufenacht, Round Rock, Texas, dragster, (.125) 12.152 on 11.93, 54.71 def. Devin Johnson, Collierville, Tenn., dragster, (.313) 11.933 on 11.96, 55.75
Complete results from the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL Division 4, Race 2 at Memphis International Raceway:
Top Sportsman – Scooter Hampton, Odessa, Texas, (.002) 7.215 on 7.18, 180.26 def. Rowdy James, Odessa, Texas, ’00 Corvette, (.036) 7.432 on 7.42, 181.42
Top Dragster – Craig Liles, Artesia, N.M., dragster, (.001) 7.135 on 7.15, 188.20 def. Chris Gulitti, Spring, Texas, dragster, (.017) 7.287 on 7.32, 188.12
Super Stock – Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Donaldsonville, La., ’99 Firebird, (.013) 9.881 on 9.85, 133.10 def. Scott Stillings, Floyds Knobs, Ind., ’98 Grand Am, (.039) 8.995 on 8.98, 148.09
Stock – Randy Eakins, Sikeston, Mo., ’10 Challenger, (.081) 10.759 on 10.72, 123.10 def. Matt Pellichino, Hammond, La., ’06 Corvette, (-.004) foul
Quick Rod – Mark Meadows, Beech Grove, Ark., dragster, (.013) 10.137 on 8.90, 102.26 def. Ed Bousman, Camanche, Iowa, dragster, (-.011) foul
Super Rod – Tommy Maedgen, Troy, Texas, ’69 Camaro, (.040) 9.910 on 9.90, 154.53 def. Wes Neely, Florence, Miss., ’67 Camaro, (-.003) foul
Hot Rod – Jamie Abbott, Arlington, Texas, ’81 Trans Am, (.004) 10.928 on 10.90, 137.15 def. Dennis Clark, Pasadena, Texas, ’68 Camaro, (.024) 10.915 on 10.90, 134.19
Junior Dragster Master – Shallon Brosson, Larenzo, La., dragster, (.042) 7.903 on 7.90, 82.23 def. Darian Boesch, Kenner, La., dragster, (.049) 7.916 on 7.90, 81.61
Junior Dragster Advanced – Mallory Bontrager, Wylie, Texas, dragster, (.038) 8.949 on 8.90, 74.82 def. Jordan Broussard, Carencio, La., dragster, (.058) 8.982 on 8.90, 71.38
Junior Dragster Beginner – Devin Johnson, Collierville, Tenn., dragster, (.174) 11.939 on 11.90, 56.16 def. Graeme Rufenacht, Round Rock, Texas, dragster, (.203) 11.912 on 11.92, 54.26
This story was originally published on June 17, 2014. 
