Rockingham, N.C. – Virginian Lavar Lewis won Saturday’s Main Event, Jr. Dragster racers from Florida hoisted the trophy in four other races, and Fayetteville’s Nolan Callahan kept the host state from being shut out in the School’s Out Shootout at Rockingham Dragway.

6-9 winner Nolan Callahan

10-13 winner Dylan MacNicol

14-18 winner Katie Sloat

Callahan’s better reaction time enabled him to drive past Jackson Summers of Franklin, Ky., in a double-breakout final round for the 6-9 age group on Sunday. Callahan was .064-second under his 12.08 target; Summers was .069-under his 11.91.

In an event that attracted Jr. racers from nine states, Lewis cruised to victory in Saturday’s feature when final-round foe Matthew Pilon of Clewiston, Fla., also was guilty of a breakout. Lewis, meanwhile, was safe with an 8.025 against a 7.980 target, mollifying the sting of a final-round loss in Friday’s Gamblers Race.

The weekend’s only double winner was Austin Logan of Port Charlotte, Fla., who after beating Lewis in the Gamblers Race finale, picked up an additional $500 for winning the Golf Cart Race on Saturday.

Katie Sloat of Parrish, Fla., and Dylan MacNicol of North Port, Fla., were the other age-group Jr. Drag Racing League winners, Sloat in 14-18 and MacNicol in 10-13, and Sylvia Pilor of Parrish, Fla., won the Parents Race over Dwayne Stiles of Winder, Ga.

Each of the Jr. Drag Racing League winners were awarded the prestigious NHRA Wally trophies as part of the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Challenge program.

Outside of Callahan’s win, the best performances by Carolinians were Liberty’s Kristen Brady’s runner-up finish in the 14-18 age group and Alyssa Rabon’s second place in 10-13. Cam Whisnant of Dallas, who won the Carolina Coalition event earlier this year at The Rock, reached the semifinals in 14-18 before being ousted by the eventual winner.
– Steve Earwood