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Cook handles heat, wins at Tri-State

West Chester resident drove a 2002 Miller Super Pro division dragster to the win.

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By John Bombatch, Staff Writer 1:15 AM Monday, June 29, 2009

ROSS TWP. — Several drivers used the regular program event at Tri-State Dragway on Sunday, June 28, as a tune-up for next week’s July 4th weekend 3-day double points event, but the hot weather made the drag racing tough for everyone.

West Chester’s John Cook Jr. powered his 2002 Miller Super Pro division dragster to the overall win in a final with Pro winner Kevin Bishop, of Amelia. Cook took home $1,000 for the win.

“The track was tough today, with it being as hot as it was,” said Cook Jr., a 10-year racing veteran and former track champion, “but the more passes down the track you make, you get used to it.”

Fairfield’s John Kadas earned his first win of the season with a street final win over Howard Ledford of Kettering; and junior dragster points leader Sammi Lee, of Cincinnati, extended her lead with a finals win over Lebanon’s Kenny Carson Jr., the defending points champ.

The Super Pro and Pro categories were combined, with the winners from each category facing off for the $1,000 prize money. There were 68 entrants in that event, 20 cars in the street competition and 14 in the junior dragster bracket.

With track temperatures estimated to be as high as 135 degrees, drivers in all four racing categories battled a hot, slick and oily track.

Another West Chester driver, Rob Nixon, was at Tri-State solely to win as many rounds as he could in order to work on his set-up for the July 4th weekend.

“It’s greasy out there today. You don’t know if your car’s going to hook up or not, so that breaks your concentration,” he said. “Hopefully the weather will be a little cooler then.”

Hamilton’s Brian Hendrickson was a semifinalist in the street category. He’s looking forward to the weekend’s action.

“It’s the people here that make this a great race. It’s really a tough bunch of veteran drivers who race here. And they’re all really good people,” he said. “That’s what makes it fun.”

The July 4 weekend race has winning payouts ranging from $1,000 on Friday, July 3, to $2,000 on Sunday, July 5.

Contact this reporter at  (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.

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