COMMERCE, Ga. – The wait was worth it for Mike Edwards, who dropped the curtain on the rain-delayed Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals Monday morning with a clean 6.645-second pass to easily outrun Pro Stock points-leader Jeg Coughlin.
It was the first win of 2009 for Edwards, who solidified his third-place position in the Pro Stock standings; Coughlin, who slowed to a 7.190 in the final round, remained in first place after six of 24 races in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season have been completed.
“It doesn’t matter if you win on Sunday or Monday … it’s an unbelievable challenge to win (a Pro Stock race). You can’t make a mistake and win in this class,” Edwards said.
The other three categories were decided late Sunday night and the winners were: Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
For Edwards, the win was a bit of personal vindication as his A.R.T./Young Life Pontiac GXP has been at the head of the ultra-competitive Pro Stock category with a class-best three No. 1 qualifiers, but no wins before Monday.
“Our performance has been good all year, as good as anybody’s in (Pro Stock). We’ve just had a little bit of trouble on Sunday (raceday),” Edwards said. “If that’s what it takes to win (racing on Monday instead of Sunday), we’ll come back on Monday every race.”
Pro Stock final order
1. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP; 2. Jeg Coughlin; 3. Greg Anderson; 4. Jason Line; 5. Rodger Brogdon; 6. Allen Johnson; 7. Warren Johnson; 8. Greg Stanfield; 9. Ron Krisher; 10. Tom Hammonds; 11. Larry Morgan; 12. Rickie Jones; 13. Steve Spiess; 14. V. Gaines; 15. Johnny Gray; 16. Kurt Johnson.
Pro Stock round-by-round
ROUND ONE — Warren Johnson, Pontiac GXP, 6.806, 180.50 def. Johnny Gray, Dodge Stratus, 6.923, 173.12; Allen Johnson, Dodge Stratus, 6.661, 207.43 def. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.655, 208.07; Greg Stanfield, Pontiac GXP, 6.643, 208.17 def. Rickie Jones, Stratus, 6.677, 207.34; Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.667, 207.46 def. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, 6.649, 207.37; Jason Line, GXP, 6.628, 208.78 def. Tom Hammonds, Cobalt, 6.651, 207.59; Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.603, 209.43 def. Steve Spiess, Cobalt, foul; Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.618, 209.46 def. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, broke; Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.648, 208.10 def. V. Gaines, Stratus, 6.712, 206.39;
QUARTERFINALS — Coughlin, 6.646, 207.69 def. Brogdon, 6.668, 207.40; Line, 6.628, 208.46 def. Stanfield, 6.707, 202.79; Anderson, 6.646, 208.26 def. W. Johnson, 6.673, 208.10; Edwards, 6.628, 208.20 def. A. Johnson, 6.669, 207.05;
SEMIFINALS — Coughlin, 6.637, 207.56 def. Anderson, 6.632, 208.14; Edwards, 6.639, 207.72 def. Line, 6.649, 208.42;
FINAL — Edwards, 6.645, 208.17 def. Coughlin, 7.190, 155.11.
Pro Stock points standings
1. Jeg Coughlin, 524; 2. Jason Line, 494; 3. Mike Edwards, 461; 4. Greg Anderson, 403; 5. Allen Johnson, 347; 6. Greg Stanfield, 336; 7. Ron Krisher, 292; 8. Kurt Johnson, 282; 9. Rickie Jones, 252; 10. Warren Johnson, 236.
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