Marshall Remains Undefeated Heading Fall Swing
August 4th, 2012 - North Star Dragway - Denton, TX

Report & Photos by Max Cackle Photography

The Southwest Junior Fuel Association held their fourth event of the season on August 4th at North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas. Eleven cars came to battle down the eighth mile on a steamy summer night under the lights. Ricky Marshall entered the event undefeated after three events with three top qualifying efforts and a commanding points lead. As the sun began to set across the Texas skyline the call went out to bring em’ to the lanes for the first qualifying session.

(Thomas Hixson warming up the "One Wild Ride")

(Brandon Lewis suiting up)

Ricky Marshall set the pace early with a strong 4.69 at 145 mph to grab the top spot after the first session. Odie Coker wheeled the Ron Ussery owned and tuned junior fueler to a 4.73 at 145 mph and Brandon Lewis clicked off a 4.83 at 142 mph in the Charlie Smith owned and tuned machine out of Oklahoma. Ken Hawkins also posted a 4.83 elapsed time in the opening session with Mike Millsap and Brian Briggs also in the 4.80 range.

(Odie Coker)

(Brandon Lewis)

In the second session, Steve Dunkin ran a 4.88 at 131 mph to qualify number seven, driving for Ron Muncy in the “Foolish Pleasure III” dragster. Despite missing the first session, Tera Wendland blasted to a 4.70 at 146 mph to jump up to the number two spot in the Darrell Walden owned junior fueler. Richard Brady qualified number nine with a 4.90 at 142 mph wheeling his 2010 Championship winning dragster. Thomas Hixson stepped up to a 5.01 at 138 mph in the “One Wild Ride” slingshot to qualify number ten and Mike Buchanan rounded out the field with a 5.31 at 133 mph in the Kansas based “Lou Anne” dragster. Ricky Marshall's 4.65 held on for the top spot, earning him his fourth consecutive top qualifying effort.

(Ricky Marshall)

(Richard Brady)

Final Qualifying Order:

1) Ricky Marshall - 4.69 @ 147
2) Tera Wendland - 4.705 @ 146
3) Odie Coker - 4.707 @ 147
4) Ken Hawkins - 4.80 @ 142
5) Brandon Lewis - 4.83 @ 142
6) Mike Millsap - 4.84 @ 143
7) Ron Muncy - 4.88 @ 131
8) Brian Briggs - 4.89 @ 141
9) Richard Brady - 4.90 @ 142
10) Thomas Hixson - 5.01 @ 138
11) Mike Buchanan - 5.31 @ 133

First Round Eliminations

In the opening round of eliminations, Thomas Hixson started the show drawing the lucky competition bye run and advanced with a 4.95 at 137 mph. Ken Hawkins posted a 4.83 at 142 mph to take out Mike Buchanan’s 5.06 at 137 mph. Brian Briggs posted a 4.88 at 141 mph to knock out Tera Wendland’s 4.77 at 143 mph with Wendland going -.009 red on the tree.

(Mike Buchanan)

(Tera Wendland)

As eliminations continued, Ricky Marshall posted a strong 4.65 at 148 mph to take out Richard Brady’s quickest pass of the night, a 4.80 at 144 mph. Odie Coker was out next and laid down the quickest pass of the round, advancing with a 4.62 at 149 mph over Brandon Lewis’s 4.81 after Lewis also went red on the starting line. Steve Dunkin closed the round with a win over Mike Millsap, Dunkin’s solid 4.73 at 144 held of Millsap’s 4.81 at 143 mph.

(Mike Millsap)

First Round Results

(W) Thomas Hixson (.286 rt) 4.95 @ 137 vs. (L) Competiton Bye Run (W) Ken Hawkins (.129 rt) 4.83 @ 142 mph vs. (L) Mike Buchanan (.066 rt) 5.06 @ 137 mph
(W) Brian Briggs (.069 rt) 4.88 @ 141 mph vs. (L) Tera Wendland (-.009 rt) 4.77 @ 143 mph
(W) Ricky Marshall (.059 rt) 4.65 @ 148 mph vs. (L) Richard Brady (.041 rt) 4.80 @ 144 mph
(W) Odie Coker (.010 rt) 4.62 @ 149 mph vs. (L) Brandon Lewis (-.012 rt) 4.81 @ 142 mph
(W) Steve Dunkin (.031 rt) 4.73 @ 144 mph vs. (L) Mike Millsap (.145 rt) 4.81 @ 143 mph

Second Round Eliminations

In the second round, Ken Hawkins posted his best pass of the night with a 4.73 at 143 mph to advance over Odie Coker’s quicker but loosing 4.63 at 149 mph after Coker went red on the tree by -.013. Ricky Marshall stepped it up to a 4.63 at 148 mph to take out Brian Briggs’ 4.92 at 141 mph and Steve Dunkin posted a 4.76 at 144 mph to advance to the semi-finals over Thomas Hixson’s 5.48.

(Brian Briggs)

(Thomas Hixson)

Second Round Results

(W) Ken Hawkins (.041 rt) 4.79 @ 143 mph vs. (L) Odie Coker (-.013 rt) 4.63 @ 149 mph
(W) Ricky Marshall (.075 rt) 4.63 @ 148 mph vs. (L) Brian Briggs (.010 rt) 4.92 @ 141 mph
(W) Steve Dunkin (.012 rt) 4.76 @ 144 mph vs. (L) Thomas Hixson (.158 rt) 5.48 @ 120 mph

Semi-Final Round Eliminations

Ken Hawkins drew the lucky competition bye run into the final and on his solo pass advanced with a 4.79 at 143 mph to face off against the winner of the next pair, between Steve Dunkin and Ricky Marshall. Marshall had this one from start to finish as Dunkin went -.026 red and his 4.74 lost to Marshall’s 4.64 at 148 mph. Marshall was headed to his fourth straight final round while Hawkins was moving to his first final of the season, but second in a row counting the Bowling Green Hot Rod Reunion where he posted a runner-up finish and career best numbers.

(Steve Dunkin)

(Ken Hawkins)

Semi-Final Round Results

(W) Ken Hawkins (.016 rt) 4.79 @ 143 mph vs. (L) Competition Bye Run
(W) Ricky Marshall (.049 rt) 4.64 @ 148 mph vs. (L) Steve Dunkin (-.026 rt) 4.74 @ 143 mph

Final Round Eliminations

Hawkins and Marshall came around the corner and the crew members made their final checks before the signal went out to fire up the final pair of the night. Marshall laid down his usual four hundred foot burnout which worked in the favor of Hawkins who had troubles getting his dragster to fire. The crew got it started just in time and after a quick burnout, met Marshall in the beams and both cars lit the stage bulb.

Hawkins took a massive starting line advantage and at half track held a slight advantage but Marshall’s ponies were making a move and at the stripe Marshall took the win light in one of the closest final rounds in series history, with a .005 margin of victory.

Final Round Results

(W) Ricky Marshall (.184 rt) 4.66 @ 147 mph vs. (L) Ken Hawkins (.031 rt) 4.82 @ 143 mph

Marshall collected his third win of the season and improved his round record to a stunning 12-0. Hawkins came up just short of his first win of the season but with two runner-up finishes (counting Bowlin Green) but under less than one hundredths of a second, a win is sure to come soon for team Coker-Hawkins. Hawkins also took home the Competition Sales of Dallas “Luck of the Draw” bonus at Denton. Marshall made another stride in the points standings now with a healthy lead over Muncy / Dunkin and Richard Brady.

(Marshall Racing - North Star Dragway Winner)

This win for Ricky Marshall kept undefeated round record intact and notched his second straight event win this season, which also kept him atop the Smiley’s Racing Products points standings. Richard Brady moved into second place in the standings with Ron Muncy, Brandon Lewis and Brian Briggs rounding out the top five.

(Coker & Hawkins Racing - North Star Dragway Runner-Up)

“I want to thank my crew, family and friends for the support for coming out on a very hot night. And thank God for Bob McKray horsepower because i was dead late at the tree. And thanks to SWJFA for giving us a place to race,” said Marshall.

Click Here to see photos from Denton.