Gray Strikes Gold in Aeromotive Nitro Coupe Challenge's Maryland Super Chevy Event
It was kind of Tommy Gray and the rest of the field as the Baltimore, Maryland racer used home field advantage and consistent runs from his 2007 Pontiac GTO Aeromotive Nitro Coupe to win both halves of the Nitro Coupe Challenge at Maryland International Raceway.
Gray took low qualifier honors with a 6.297 blast and had the top qualifying speed at 228.42 mph. With almost two tenths in elapsed time and 10 miles per hour on the rest of the field, Gray assumed the mantle of man to beat on Sunday. But no one could, as Gray won a showdown with Canadian doorslammer legend Larry Sinke in the finals. Gray took his Aeromotive Nitro Coupe to a 6.395 second, 222.18 mph run for the holeshot win. Sinke, from Welland, Ontario, had a 6.350 second, 
221.82 mph run in his '67 Nova Aeromotive Nitro Coupe, but couldn't erase a significant starting line disadvantage. The Maryland event also saw the Aeromotive Nitro Coupe debut of Ken 'The Kid" Walsh, best known for his spectacular "Mr. 409" exhibition car. Ken is now campaigning an awesome red '63 Corvette in the Nitro Coupe wars.
In the ProCharger Bracket One Brawl, George Cable, Sr. of Mechanicsville, MD took the crown, besting Chris Wilkinson of Laplata, Maryland in an all-dragster final. Cable ran a 7.962 on a 7.95 dial at 168.05 mph. Wilkinson dialed a 7.81 but ran a 7.895 at 
170.28 mph. Another Mechanicsville, Maryland racer, Tony Mattera, won the Jeg's Bracket Two Battle. edging Jennifer Vanorsdale of Montrose, VA in t he finals. Tony ran a 10.939 on h is 10.90 dial at 121.67 in the finals. Jennifer ran a 9.875 at 133.07 on a 9.88 dial for the breakout loss. The DOT Street fight lived to its name as Chubby McDonald from Linwood, West Virginia drove his '55 Chevy to a win in the finals over Keith Simpkins of Hughesville, MD. In the finals, McDonald carded a 11.700 at 111.83 on his 11.60 dial. Keith dialed a 11.98 but slowed to a 12.064 at 110.75 mph. The Jr. Dragster wars at Maryland International Raceway were tough and when the dust cleared, Nick Chiles of Reedville, VA was standing with the winner's trophy. He defeated Andrew Vitto of Herndon, VA in the finals. Chiles dialed a 7.90 and roared to a 7.940 at 81.58 miles per hour. Andrew cut a killer .008 light but then ran 7.984 on an identical 7.90 dial.
This weekend (May 4-6) , it's the O'Reilly Super Chevy Show presented by Mr. Gasket at legendary National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio.
