ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- Defending Winston champion Gary Ormsby, Chuck Etchells and Darrell Alderman each posted victories Sunday in the 21st annual Budweiser Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
While Ormsby's triumph was his third of the season, it was the first of Etchells' 12-year racing career and Alderman's first of the season.
Ormsby, of Roseville, Calif., swept to his second consecutive Top Fuel victory in a Castrol GTX Special when he defeated Joe Amato. Ormsby covered the quarter-mile distance in 5.044 seconds at 282.48 mph to edge Amato, of Old Forge, Pa., at 5.071 and 280.63.
Etchells, of Putnam, Conn., made the first final-round appearance of his career profitable when he defeated Johnny West for the Funny Car title. Etchells' consistency, which had carried him to upset wins earlier in the day, prevailed in the finals as he recorded a 5.454 at 271.41 in the Mountain Dew Pontiac Trans Am. West, however, encountered problems with his Banzai Racing Chevy Beretta just off the starting line.
The car veered sharply to the right into the retaining wall and West was apparently knocked unconscious by the impact. The car rode the guard rail the full length of the strip before being stopped by a barrier at the end of the track. West, of Chandler, Ariz., was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of a possible concussion.
Alderman, of Fairfield, Ill., took the Pro Stock title, using a better starting-line reaction time to defeat a quicker Mark Pawuk. Alderman had a 7.322 at 187.89 in his Mopar Dodge Daytona. Pawuk, of Medina, Ohio, had a 7.317 at 187.26. Alderman's .433 reaction time compared to Pawuk's .477 provided the margin of victory.
The $987,000 event was the 10th stop in the 19-race, $18-million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.
