FOUR FOR FORD! SKILLMAN WINS HIS FIRST ADRL SUPERCAR SHOWDOWN|

The American Drag Racing League's outrageous new SuperCar Showdown category crowned its 3rd unlike champion in four completed events while the Ford Motor Visitor kept its unbeaten streak alive. Drew Skillman, the 20-four twelvemonth-sometime star who has been one of the hottest performers in the sport in 2012, earned his first SCS victory in a thrilling all-Ford duel with three-time World Champion Jimmy DeFrank at the ADRL Gateway Drags Four presented by CarSafe Automotive Repair Protection at Gateway Motorsports Parks in Madison, Illinois.

Skillman, whose most recent advent at the ADRL Spring Drags in Bristol, Tennessee, resulted in a semi-final finish before the young Indianapolis-based racer went on to win iii major NHRA titles in as many weeks, returned to all-out competition fully prepared for the ADRL's unique eighth-mile racing format. At the wheel of his Indianapolis Car Exchange 2012 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet, Skillman clocked a qualifying run of an amazing 5.70 seconds with a terminate line speed of 121.01 miles per hr to shatter the SuperCar Showdown Globe Records for Elapsed Time and Speed set in March during the inaugural result at Houston, Texas.

"When we last raced at Bristol, our Ford Mustang was fix for quarter-mile competition", said Skillman after the tape-breaking attempt. "Although my gramps, Ray, was runner-up at that race, we knew there were means to drastically improve our operation past preparing our squad cars specifically to run the shorter eighth-mile distance. We went domicile and worked on a program to brand the cars launch harder and run faster…and it worked".

While seventy yr-quondam Ray Skillman was not in omnipresence at the Gateway Drags, Drew Skillman was joined in the program by his male parent, Beak Skillman, in an identically-prepared supercharged v.4-liter 2012 Mustang which qualified third for the SuperCar Showdown with a career-best 5.87 seconds at 117.67 mph. Drew'south white Cobra Jet and his father'south bluish entry avowal the livery of Ray'south huge chain of Indianapolis dealerships.

Leading the qualified field by a full six hundredths of a second over the most recent winner in the SCS series, Chris Holbrook and his record-belongings Varsity Ford-sponsored Mustang Cobra Jet, Skillman opened eliminations with a blistering v.73/120.44 victorious charge to come across Holbrook in the semi-finals. Despite Holbrook'due south quicker reactions, Skillman was able to chase down the Michigan driver to win by a mere 8.54 feet with another 5.73 blast at 120.61 mph.

Meanwhile, i of elevate racing's most prolific champions was on a mission to meet Drew Skillman in the championship round. Jimmy DeFrank, at the helm of the Butner's Motorcar Sales supercharged Cobra Jet, was making an impressive debut in the SuperCar Showdown series. The owner of the California Car Cover Visitor clocked 2 consecutive runs of v.82 seconds in eliminations, including a semi-final defeat of Drew's father, Bill. Nigh importantly, DeFrank had meliorate reaction times than each of his initial opponents.

"I was more nervous before the final circular than in any race in my life…including those NHRA races", confided Skillman. "Jimmy DeFrank is ane of the all-time drivers in this sport and I knew his reaction times were excellent all through eliminations. I was sure nosotros had a horsepower advantage but, because the ADRL races us on a professional starting system, I knew my reaction times would be critical against him".

The title friction match institute DeFrank producing the quickest reaction time to the green light starting signal of any commuter in eliminations and the Chatsworth, Californian, led Skillman for the outset third of the race. Halfway down the Gateway Motorsports Park strip, Skillman pulled aslope DeFrank and then barely nosed his opponent at the stop line past a mere five.99 feet to win the quickest and fastest race in SCS history. Skillman recorded a victorious five.72/120.90 to DeFrank's 5.78/120.03 which, ironically, was a career-best effort for the Butner's Motorcar Sales Mustang.

"We've been lucky to have won then many titles this twelvemonth", said Skillman after passing a postal service-race technical inspection to verify his Mustang's compliance with SCS rules which mandate the engines, chassis and even tires of all entries remain in factory product trim.

"This race was special, though. To make a make clean sweep of the event as the low qualifier while setting both the elapsed fourth dimension and speed records and beating Jimmy in such a shut race, information technology was really a dream weekend. My dad and our crew is elated and I'thou certain my grandfather will be, too. Our sponsors Kendall Oil, DuPont Paint and, most of all, the Indianapolis Car Exchange brand it possible to practise this and to proceed winning for them is our priority. Of course, Jesse Kershaw of Ford and our engine architect, Patterson Racing Engines, are going to be thrilled, besides. This Ford Mustang made vi straight runs over ii days between 5.70 seconds and 5.75 seconds and every run was quicker than the World Record coming into this race! Nosotros're going to ride this wave every bit long as we tin and I already can't expect for the next SuperCar Showdown!".

The next event in the 2012 SuperCar Showdown Series will exist the American Drag Racing League's U.Due south. Drags V at Virginia Motorsports Park in Petersburg, Virginia, on June 22-23.

Story courtesy of Bret Kepner
Photos courtesy of Ian Tocher