Friday action kicked off with Virginia racer Bob Tatum claiming the $10,000 top prize. Tatum, driving his venerable Chevelle, used a .016 reaction and 6.447 on his 6.42 target to knock off fellow Virginia based competitor Jason Stern in the final round. Stern matched Tatum at the starting line with a .014 reaction, but fell when he could muster only a 7.800 on his 7.76 dial. The lone semi-finalist was Pennsylvania competitor Mike Barber. Barber still had two entries remaining in the quarterfinal round, where he lost one before advancing to the semi-finals. The other two quarterfinalists were Michael Beard and Brian Brown.
 

Following Friday’s regularly scheduled festivities, Coalburg Racing Promotions hosted a pair of hi-rollers gamblers events. The first, a 16-car field featuring a $500 entry fee, paid $5,000 to winner Johnny Labbous. Labbous, a racing legend and former Million Dollar Race winner, took out last years main event runner-up, Luke Bogacki in the final round. A second hi-roller race, featuring a $100 entry fee and 32-car field, paid $1200 to winner Kris Fields. Fields defeated Bud McNasby in a close final round.

Scotty Richardson came into Saturday’s $50,000-to-win main event as the defending champion, having claimed the top prize at the inaugural World Footbrake Challenge. Despite his reputation as arguably the greatest and most versatile driver in sportsman drag racing history, Richardson’s odds of repeating were long. There are only a handful of $50,000-to-win bracket events contested each season (in Box or Footbrake). To date, no driver had ever won the same $50,000-to-win event on two occasions, much less back-to-back. In fact, only Peter Biondo (who won both the Atco and Cecil County $50,000 events in 2000) and Gary Williams (who claimed the Gateway $50,000 win in 2000 and the Montgomery $50,000 in 2005) are the only two competitors to score in more than one $50,000-to-win event (Williams, the king of big dollar events, is also the only driver to win two Million Dollar Races). In Footbrake-only competition, the World Footbrake Challenge II was only the third event of this magnitude ever contested (including last season’s WFC, and the 2006 running of the Ultimate Footbrake Challenge at Montgomery Motorsports Park which paid $80,000-to-win). The only comparable accomplishment on the Footbrake level belongs to WFC promoter Jared Pennington, who won the Huntsville Dragway $20,000 event in 2004, and added the Piedmont Footbrake Nationals $20,000 triumph last season.

Despite the long odds, it was Richardson once again emerging from the talent laiden field. He drove his S10 pickup, the same machine that carried him to victory in 2007, to the main event win, further cementing his legacy as one of the most dominant competitors the sport has ever seen. Richardson defeated former Piedmont Dragway $20,000 Footbrake race winner Jacob Rutledge in the final round. Following a string of great reaction times highlighted by a quarterfinal .000 that earned him the bye to the final, Richardson left the line with a .024 reaction in the final stanza. Rutledge, however, posted his worst reaction of the day, .050, and then encountered problems; slowing to a 6.612 on his 6.48 dial, which allowed Richardson to coast thru for a relatively easy victory with a 6.865 on his 6.82 target. Former B&M Series World Champion Randall Roop was the lone semi-finalist, while Doyle Kay, and Bradley Smith took home quarterfinal money.

Saturday’s run for the money was won by Ray Jackson, with Francis Reynolds and Michael Beard taking second and third place, respectively.

The World Footbrake Challenge Best Losing Package awards for Saturday went to Russ Benish (Mickey Thompson Tires), Kris Bunch (CSR Performance Products), Peter Biondo (B&M), Brooks Stevens (Goodyear Tires), and Joe Robertson (Nitrous Express). Randy Larson earned the Nitroplate “Step up to the plate” award for the day’s best package with a .003 lap.

Saturday also saw a pair of hi-rollers events, with former IHRA Summit Super Series World Champion Rick Baehr claiming the top prize in the $3,000-to-win 32 car event, over John Moreno. Local standout Brandon Bailey earned $1200 for his triumph over Chip Nininger in the $1200-to-win 32 car event.

Although no single performance can match Scotty Richardson’s unbelievable back-to-back $50,000 victories, Michael Beard gave Richardson a run for his money in Sunday’s competition. Beard, at the wheel of his Duck Tape sponsored Stock Eliminator Volare not only won the $10,000 Sunday event, he also earned runner-up honors. With the fierce competition and tight packages being laid down left and right, Beard, a former IHRA Stock World Champion, drove his two entries to side-by-side final rounds, a first in World Footbrake Challenge history.

Beard’s final opponent was Tim Clinton, who he defeated in the semi-final round with a .024 to .041 reaction time advantage and 7.135 on his 7.11 dial. Quarterfinalists included A.J. Casini, Steve Foley, and Ron Hagar.

Sundays run-for-the-money was won by John Moreno, with Seth Phillips placing second, and Andy Anderson third. Best losing package winners included Mike Barber (Mickey Thompson Tires), Scotty Richardson (CSR Performance Products), Ronnie Lancaster (B&M), Scott Macy (Goodyear Tires), and Bug McCarty (Nitrous Express), with the Nitroplate “Step up to the Plate” award for best package going to Van Greer (.001).

The event was wrapped up with the one race that no one on the premises really wanted to be involved with: the Jeg’s “Duck Race.” The “Duckie” was open only to competitors who had purchased a weekend entry and failed to win a round. Seven unlucky entrants each earned a $100 Jeg’s gift certificate for their misfortune, with the events winner earning a free entry to the 2009 World Footbrake Challenge.

When the dust settled, the Jeg’s “Duck Race” title went to touring professional competitor Troy Williams, Jr., who defeated Tony Mundy in the final round. Williams, one of the most decorated competitors in sportsman racing history, will no doubt place the Jeg’s Duck Race trophy atop his Bradenton, FL mantle alongside accolades from events similar in stature which he has claimed in the past: The Moroso 5-Day Championship, the Million Dollar Race, and the IHRA Quick Rod World Championship!

Additional awards and prizes presented throughout the weekend include the Best Overall Losing Package, which went to Jason McClure (.007, dead-on with a 7). For his misfortune, McClure earns a free weekend entry to the Footbrake Nationals at Piedmont Dragway. Mark Faul (Tacoma, WA) earned the Long Distance Award, and took home a complete APD fuel system for his lengthy travels.

On behalf of Coalburg Racing Promotions, the World Footbrake Challenge, and the Bristol Dragway Staff, Jared Pennington and Steve Stites would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every competitor who supported the World Footbrake Challenge II. The staff would also like to once again urge everyone to support the sponsors who helped make this event possible: Jeg’s, BTE, Huntsville Engine & Performance Center, Advanced Product Design, Nitroplate, Mickey Thompson Tires, CSR Performance Products, B&M Performance Products, Goodyear Tires, Nitrous Express, the Last Chance Footbrake Race at Cecil County Dragway, and the Footbrake Nationals at Piedmont Dragway.