IHRA: Jenkins Snares Victory - Grabs Pro Mod Points Lead
22 June 1999
CORDOVA, ILL.-- The Pro Modified contingent are starting to catch on to Shannon Jenkins' little game. The former World Champion and new points leader from Tuscaloosa, Ala., always goes through qualifying and puts forth a good act of struggling and when it comes eliminations time, proceeds to gouge the eyes out of all that cross him in competition. He gave an award-winning performance as won his second national event victory of the season at the IHRA Amalie Oil Summer Nationals in Cordova, Ill."There's no game going on," laughed Jenkins. "It's funny that always have problems and find them by the time eliminations start. Nah, seriously, we opt to do our testing at the national events and sometimes we get good results and sometimes bad. That's a chance we take."
The "Iceman" was cool in qualifying despite a blistering 6.35/221.45 that was laid down by the '53 Corvette of Jim Oddy before he ran. Jenkins never broke a sweat as he posted the quickest nitrous lap of the first session with a 6.49/219.94, good enough for the second spot. He failed to improve during his second attempt with a 6.52/214.93.
Jenkins continued his downward spiral in the third session by failing to improve. He produced a 6.56/214, and subsequently dropped to 7th in the program. He maintained pace in the final session, though he slowed to an 8.17/111.05. His final qualifying status paired him against points leader Quain Stott in the first round, another racer not enjoying a good weekend.
He continued his mastery of the points-leading Stott by forcing him to light the red-bulb. Jenkins went through the motions and posted a 6.521/214.25. The win advanced him into the second round, where he had a tall order to fill matching up against the record holding Al Billes.
Jenkins embarrassed Billes off of the line and stormed to a 6.563/213.13 to 6.516/219.58 to advance to the semi-final round, where he was scheduled to face Dale Brinsfield. The Dylan Mortgage-backed, Brinsfield offered a formidable challenge, but fell short on the top end. Jenkins took the win with a 6.529/215.03 while Brinsfield posted a respectable 6.554/217.95. The finals saw final round opponent Tommy Gray melt Jenkins out of the gate. Jenkins never wavered in his faith and ran down Gray with a 6.485/219.36. The "Undertaker" lost with a 6.594/219.33.
Jenkins plans to continue his championship conquest at the IHRA CARQUEST Empire Nationals in Leicester, NY., July 9-11. Jenkins, along with each Pro Modified contestant, will be afforded four qualifying runs during the course of the event and the quickest sixteen entries will compete in final eliminations on Sunday. This event will be televised on ESPN2 with the dates TBA in an upcoming issue of Drag Review.
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