Donovan Dominates Denton
Event #4 – July 7th - North Star Dragway – Denton, Texas
Story: Chris Graves
Keith Breazeal is without a doubt the hottest S.J.F.A. driver in the association’s debut season. With three consecutive wins in the first three events, Breazeal’s Houston based team has accumulated a huge points lead over second place Steve Dunkin who has taken the “Fuelish Pleasure” digger to two finals this year. Circuit president Mike Millsap has qualified number one at all the events but has not put it together in eliminations and has made no final round appearances. Millsap had prior business obligations and was not able to compete in the rain-out make up event at North Star Dragway on June 7th as the S.J.F.A. and Outlaw Fuel Altered Association shared the spotlight at the track’s grand opening under new ownership. Robert Donovan made the tow from Oklahoma to compete in his first S.J.F.A. event with seven other teams ready to go some rounds in hopes of taking home a Smiley’s Racing Products S.J.F.A. winner’s plaque!
Breazeal clicked off a 5.29 at 129 mph in his first qualifying pass of the evening which was just one hundredth slower than Rick Huckabee’s 5.28 at 128 mph. Ft. Worth runner Richard Brady went 5.20 at 131 mph to secure the third spot after the first session. Paul McCann III also made his S.J.F.A. debut at Denton in his beautiful all yellow Jr. Fueler and clicked off a nice 5.07 at 131 mph which put him second after one, but Robert Donovan went low for the session with a 4.91 at 140 mph to take the top spot.
The S.J.F.A teams did their jobs back in the pits after first session of qualifying because everyone came out in session number two and stepped it up. Steve Dunkin went 5.43 at 126 mph after struggling in the opening session. Steinberg also struggled in the first round but clicked off a 5.55 at 124 mph on a nice A to B lap. Huckabee improved to a 5.24 along with Breazeal who leapfrogged him into the fourth spot with his quicker 5.21 at 131 mph. Brady dipped into the teens with a 5.18 and McCann III tickled the four second zone with a 5.00 at 136 mph to secure his spot in second. Donovan’s 4.91 held up for the top spot heading into eliminations with Don Scott rounding out the quick eight with a 5.81 bump spot.
Final Qualifying Order:
1) Robert Donovan – 4.91
2) Paul McCann III – 5.00
3) Richard Brady – 5.18
4) Keith Breazeal – 5.21
5) Rick Huckabee – 5.24
6) Steve Dunkin – 5.43
7) Brett Steinberg – 5.55
8) Don Scott – 5.81
The cars paired up for first round and kicked off their eliminations right after the Outlaw Fuel Altereds wrapped up their first round match-ups. McCann III squared off with Steve Dunkin who had an opportunity to put some distance between him and third place Millsap in points with Millsap’s absence at this event. Not if McCann has anything to say about it. McCann’s 4.99 at 136 mph with the assistance of a stout .017 reaction time easily send Dunkin’s 5.42 packing. Donovan lit the scoreboard with a 4.92 at 140 mph to take out Richard Brady who ran his best pass at a 5.15 but also left that ugly red bulb glowing at the starting line. Breazeal made his best run at 5.19 to advance on a solo pass after Steinberg broke in the other lane. No data for Huckabee vs. Scott.
First Round Results:
(W) Paul McCann III (.017 rt) 4.99 at 136 mph vs. (L) Steve Dunkin (.128 rt) 5.42 at 127 mph
(W) Robert Donovan (.089 rt) 4.92 at 140 mph vs. (L) Richard Brady (-.015 rt) 5.15 at 131 mph
(W) Keith Breazeal (.027 rt) 5.19 at 131 mph vs. (L) Brett Steinberg (Broke)
(W) Rick Huckabee (No Data) vs. (L) Don Scott (No Data)
Semi-final action brought some good racing to the line as McCann III lined up with Huckabee to decide the night’s first finalist. An incredible .005 reaction time from McCann took him all the way to the win with another 4.99 at 136 mph pass. Huckabee cut a good light but his 5.21 was no match in performance. Breazeal and Donovan lined up in a battle of heavyweights. The current points leader versus the number one qualifier. Breazeal got a huge starting line advantage with an amazing .002 reaction time to Donovan’s .133. Breazeal needed everything he could get out of the gate because his performance just wasn’t up to par with Donovan here tonight. Breazeal’s 5.21 at 131 mph was just not enough to hold off Donovan’s 4.87 at 140 mph, low elapsed time of the event so far. What a drag race!
(Robert Donovan)
Semi-Final Round Results:
(W) Paul McCann III (.005 rt) 4.99 at 136 mph vs. (L) Huckabee (.086 rt) 5.21 at 128 mph
(W) Robert Donovan (.133 rt) 4.87 at 140 mph vs. (L) Breazeal (.002 rt) 5.21 at 131 mph
The final round paired up two teams making their circuit debut, McCann III vs. Donovan, although these boys are no strangers to being behind the wheel of a Jr. Fuel Dragster. McCann was on his game all night at the starting line while Donovan had at least a tenth of a second performance advantage on the rest of the field throughout the evening. He needed all the E.T. he could get after McCann cut a .008 light to Donovan’s .157. McCann fell off his 4.99 pace from prior rounds to a 5.08 at 132 mph which was just enough for Donovan to run him down on his 4.86 at 140 mph lap in the other lane. A margin of victory of only eight hundredths of a second gives you an idea of how close this one was at the stripe! Donovan put together low elapsed time and top speed of the meet when it counted most and took home his first Southwest Junior Fuel Association win and became the second winning driver in circuit history!
Final Round Results:
(W) Robert Donovan (.157 rt) 4.86 at 140 mph vs. (L) Paul McCann III (.008 rt) 5.08 at 132 mph (Margin of victory: .08 seconds)
“As usual the S.J.F.A. put on a great show with a number of quality teams. My crew chief, David Thomason, was on his game all night and we were able to put together some decent runs with good numbers. It was up to me to not beat myself at the tree and keep it in the groove with the shiny side up. McCann had a great light in the final, but fortunately we were able to chase him down in the lights and take home the win,” said Donovan
With the win Donovan jumps to the number nine spot in Smiley’s points after just one event. McCann III and Donovan both made great debuts in their diggers and they should be contenders anytime they show up. Breazeal held his stranglehold over Dunkin and Millsap in the points standings and is well on his way to the first S.J.F.A. Smiley’s Racing Products championship title! The Southwest Junior Fuel Association will be in action along side the Outlaw Fuel Altered Association headlining the B.H.R.A. Nationals at Texas Raceway in Kennedale, Texas on August 3rd and 4th.
Low Elapsed Time – Mike Millsap (7.69)
Top Speed – Mike Millsap (170.54)
