IHRA Epping FC wrap up

Sickles scores win in Epping
courtesy C.J. Perry, IHRA Communications

When the dust settled from the 10th Annual Amalie Oil North American Nationals at New England
Dragway, the world was not turned upside down. But it definitely was a more interesting place
in IHRA drag racing as Dennis Radford became a first time winner in Torco Pro Mod, joining Doug
Foley (Top Fuel), Jim Sickles (Funny Car), and Frank Gugliotta (Torco Pro Stock) in the
professional winner's circle.

In Funny Car, Jim Sickles won against Mark Thomas with a pass of 5.730 at 248.43 mph against
Thomas' 5.829 at 241.76 mph.

Thomas (Louisville, Ohio) returned to the championship round for the first time since the spring
Rockingham race, facing Jim Sickles (Caledonia, N.Y.), who had won at Grand Bend and Norwalk
this season and is a solid second in the season points chase.

Sickles threw down numbers all weekend, consistently running in the 5.70s, dispatching Thomas
Carter (Cuero, Texas) in the first round and Terry McMillen (Elkhart, Ind.) in the second.
McMillen had run a career best 5.825 to qualify number five, but Sickles put down his second
consecutive 5.742 to win the round and advance to the final.
Thomas dispatched Terry Munroe (Beaver, Penn.) in the first round, running a 5.921 at 210.01 mph
to Munroe's 5.979 at 239.19 mph. Thomas then beat Neal Parker on a holeshot, running Parker
down with a 5.923 at 237.59 mph to Parker's 5.887 at 226.77 mph. Thomas' reaction time of .003
enabled him to make the final despite blowing the burst panel on three consecutive runs.

Next to Steve Spiess in Torco Pro Stock, Sickles may have the most consistent pro car in IHRA.

"Two wins in a row, we have a bracket car hot rod. You can't beat that," Sickles said.

Whatever technical issues that Sickles and his team have struggled with in the past seem to be
gone.

"Tom Anderson (Sickles' crew chief) and the crew did a great job. Our secret was in the blower
and we pushed the car to what we felt the track would handle."

With Rob Atchison bowing out, it left the door open just enough for Sickles to consider the
points chase.

"Mathematically, we're still in the hunt," Sickles said. "Rob's had a great year, they're
unconscious, but we've really gotten so much consistency out of this car and we can go rounds
and win races."

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Neal Parker, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.840, 232.79 def. Frederick Tigges, Chevy Camaro,
foul; Jim Sickles, Monte Carlo, 5.742, 247.07 def. Thomas Carter, Camaro, 5.863, 239.27; Terry
McMillen, Dodge Avenger, 5.856, 240.34 def. Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 13.493, 58.80; Mark
Thomas, Avenger, 5.921, 210.01 def. Terry Munroe, Monte Carlo, 5.979, 239.19;
SEMIFINALS -- Thomas, 5.923, 237.59 def. Parker, 5.887, 226.77; Sickles, 5.742, 248.20 def.
McMillen, 5.929, 238.47;
FINAL -- Sickles, 5.730, 248.43 def. Thomas, 5.829, 241.76.

Funny Car

1. Rob Atchison, 1,001; 2. Jim Sickles, 935; 3. Mark Thomas, 776; 4. Thomas Carter, 617; 5.
Terry McMillen, 579; 6. Chris Foster, 539; 7. Terry Munroe, 467; 8. Frederick Tigges, 386; 9.
Melinda Green-King, 272; 10. Larry Dobbs, 205.