NHRA News: Million Dollar Race (10/12-13/2002)

Reynolds hits the jackpot at B&M Million

By Kevin McKenna, National DRAGSTER
10/13/2002

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (Sunday) - Five years after his runner-up finish in the second annual B&M Million Dollar Drag Race, Joel Reynolds finally claimed sportsman racing's biggest prize when he drove his '78 Pontiac to a $200,000 victory at the B&M Million Dollar event at Memphis Motorsports Park. Reynolds, of Adamsville, Ala., defeated former NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle racer Claude DeBonis in the action-packed final. DeBonis, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., won his $2,000 entry into the Million Dollar main event by winning Thursday's Gambler's Race, parlaying a $50 investment into a $50,000 windfall. The total payout for the event was $386,000.

"I'm a little in shock right now, I don't really know what to say," said Reynolds. "I felt pretty comfortable all night long and the car did its part. After getting so close in 1997, it was nice to come back and finally win this race."

In the final round, Reynolds had a perfect .500 reaction time and ran a 6.971 on his eighth-mile dial-in of 6.96 to hold off the dragster of DeBonis, who trailed with a .532 reaction and a 5.013 on his 4.99 dial. In the last seven rounds of the ten round marathon, Reynolds never had a reaction time worse than .510.

Dan Phelps of Eureka, Mo. was the lone semifinalist and George Rupert and Joe McOwen were the quarterfinal finishers out of a field of 215 entrants, who each posted a $2,000 entry fee to participate in the event.

The seventh annual B&M Million Dollar Drag Race will conclude today with the running of the second of the Barker Trailer Sales Twin $20,000 races.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (Saturday) - A field of 214 of the sport's best bracket racers took to the eighth-mile course at Memphis Motorsports Park Saturday for the 7th annual B&M Million Dollar Drag Race. Each of the 214 contestants paid a $2,000 entry fee to compete in the event, which will pay $200,000 to the winner. The runner-up will be guaranteed at least $50,000 and each of the semifinalists will pocket no less than $10,000 for their efforts.

Included in the field are former Million Dollar Race winners T.J Tracey, Troy Williams Jr., and Stephen Hughes as well as notable NHRA sportsman drivers Scotty Richardson, Dan Northrop, Brian and Nick Folk, Jeff Strickland, and Mitch Smith. Drivers in the B&M Million Dollar Race who are eliminated in either the first or second round of eliminations will have the opportunity to "buy back" into the event for $500.

On Friday, Chad McKee of Millington, Tenn., drove his '89 Camaro to a victory in the first of the Barker Trailer Sales Twin 20 events. McKee earned a $20,000 payday when he downed Tim Cmar of Muncie, Ind., in the final round. More than 450 drivers participated in the Twin 20 event and the final round was not completed until nearly 3 a.m. Saturday.

Hours later on Saturday morning, McKee returned to win a $5,000 shopping spree at Jeg's Mail Order in the Jeg's Clash for Cash, a special eight-car race for former B&M Series event winners.

The event began Thursday, October 10, with a $50 Gambler's race that was won by former Sportsman Motorcycle standout Claude DeBonis of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. DeBonis stopped Joe McOwen of Shemons, N.J. in the final round to earn $2,000 plus a free $2,000 entry into the Million Dollar main event.

Racing will continue at Memphis Motorsports Park on Sunday with the second of the Barker Trailer Sales Twin 20 events.

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