Home state racers claim titles at JEGS SPORTSnationals (NHRA/JEGS)
Home state racers claim titles at JEGS SPORTSnationals BELLE ROSE, La. (March 21) – The sixth annual JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals raced to a conclusion today at No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, La., as champions were crowned in nine separate NHRA eliminators. Leading the way were a trio of home state racers including Stephen Rosen, Keith Raftery, and Glenn Knapp, who earned wins in Comp, Top Dragster, and Super Street respectively. Rosen, of Harahan, La., was nearly perfect off the starting line as he drove his dragster to a final round victory against Adam Hickey, Hammond, La. Raftery, a resident of Lake Charles, La., advanced to his fourth-career final at the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals and claimed his third win when he defeated NHRA Pro Stock driver Dave Connolly in the Top Dragster final. Raftery won the Top Sportsman title in Belle Rose in 2005 and 2008, and was a runner-up in 2007. Knapp, who hails from Baton Rouge, La., drove his ’69 Mustang to the title in Super Street after Kevin Edmonds broke in the final round. The Bell Rose Super Stock title went to former NHRA Super Stock national champion Larry Stewart Jr., of Clinton, Miss., who stopped Alvin Guillard of Destrehan, La., in the final and Austin Williams of Burleson, Texas successfully defended his 2008 victory at the Cajun SPORTSnationals when he defeated Jeff Adkinson, of Damascus, Ga., in the Stock Eliminator final. Both Williams and Adkinson were behind the wheel of vintage '69 Camaro race cars. Other champions crowned during Sunday’s final rounds were Joe Roubicek, of Westlake Village, Calif., (Top Sportsman), Todd Ewing of Cullman, Ala. (Super Comp), David Tatum III of Palmetto, Ga. (Super Gas), and Michael Nask of Texarkana, Texas, who prevailed in the Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson class. Once again, No Problem Raceway Park track manager Pat Joffrion and his staff, worked together with NHRA officials and representatives of JEGS Mail Order to create a fun-filled yet competitive event that attracted approximately 500 competitors from all across North America. Now in its sixth year, the JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals has become an annual highlight for racers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. In addition to four days of competitive racing, the event offers a variety of social activities including Friday’s popular crawfish boil and racer appreciation party. The Belle Rose champions are now half-way to earning the highly prized JEGS Crown trophy which is available to any driver who can win two the three JEGS SPORTSnationals races held each year. The JEGS Crown is a handmade trophy that was meticulously handcrafted by noted Indy Racing fabricator Dan Dreisbach of Naked Sculpture. Winning the JEGS Crown is one of the most difficult accomplishments in motorsports as it has been awarded just once in the last five years; to Pro Mod competitor Mike Ashley, who swept the Belle Rose and Columbus events in 2005. The next opportunity for racers to win the JEGS Crown will be the JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals at Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., May 14-16, and the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway, in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 24-26. --30-- Information regarding JEGS Mail Order can be found at _www.jegs.com_ (http://www.jegs.com) and for media/fan resources checkout _www.teamjegs.com_ (http://www.teamjegs.com) . Media Contact: Scott "Woody" Woodruff JEGS, Director of Media & Motorsports Office: 800.345.4545 (#3, ext 412) Mobile: 614.595.1820 Fax: 740.362.5507 Email: _jegspr@aol.com_ (mailto:jegspr@aol.com) -or- _scott.woodruff@jegs.com_ (mailto:scott.woodruff@jegs.com)