IHRA’s 2005 Hooters Drag Racing season comes to a close – albeit 3 weeks late following a weather required deferment. Racers return inmass to a premium track surface and outstanding racing conditions and promptly respond with numerous IHRA record setting performances.

Canada’s Robbie Atchison scored what probably was the most impressive win of his career as he dominates in Alcohol Funny Car. With the victory Robbie is able to successfully defend his World Championship title for a third straight year. The London-Ontario based Erickson Manufacturing team is as awesome as they come as they never really give top points rival Jim Sickles any opportunity to overtake them at the season’s final event. Robbie paces the field with a 5.709 secs qualifier to earn the pole and then clinches the ’05 title when he beats Thomas Carter in round one while Sickles is eliminated by Fred Tigges.

The team really buries the hatchet in the final round -- with an outstanding run of 5.685 secs at 247.07 mph to defeat Mark Thomas. For Atchison, that was not only a new IHRA national ET record – it was also the quickest and fastest run ever by a Alcohol Funny Car driver using a conventional “roots type” supercharger.

Clay Millican also caps off his sizzling 2005 Hooters Drag Racing season with a spectacular win in Top Fuel driving the Werner Enterprises/Nitro Fish Apparel dragster. Millican goes for the quickest ride of his career and notches the IHRA’s first ever 4.4 secs elapsed time when he closes qualifying on Saturday at 4.484 secs. Millican’s previous career best run had been 4.505 secs at NHRA Houston back in April.

Top Fuel racing at Rockingham saw a total of 16 teams make qualifying attempts. Highlighting that action was class debuts for Indiana's Terry McMillen and Florida's Michael Gunderson -- both of who just missed qualifying. McMillen, who is well known on the IHRA trail with his popular Gator-themed Amalie Oil-sponsored Alcohol Funny Car, ran a solid 4.774 secs. Gunderson, who's credentials from the NHRA TAD circuit are very extensive, ran a very promising 4.794 secs.

In the TF final round Millican outdistances Doug Foley -- winning at 4.554 secs 319.14 mph to 4.649 secs 293.35 mph. He had beaten Bobby Lagana Jr and Louie Allison in earlier action. Incredibility the victory marked the 9th straight event victory at Rockingham Dragway for the Tennessee-based 5X World Champion.

Millican’s event victory was the 46th of his career and came over the quickest assembly of Top Fuel machines in IHRA history. The 8-car 4.740 secs bump eclipsed the 4.766 secs mark set at this event in 2004.

In Pro Modified, New York’s Mike Janis ended his 2005 racing season on a high as he earned his 2nd win of the season driving the Eaton Automotive sponsored Dodge Stratus. Janis was able to out gun the Eaton Cutler-Hammer sponsored Chevy Corvette of Canada’s Carl Spiering in that final round showdown. Janis won a close 6.135 secs 234.61 mph to 6.173 secs 231.81 mph decision. Janis had beaten out Billy Harper, Mike Castellana and Mike Bell in earlier action.

Spiering’s runner-up finish came from the number 3 position after the Jordan Station Ontario-based racer had recorded a career quick run of 6.077 secs during qualifying. The strong event finish for “Big Dog” wrapped up a 3rd place finish in final IHRA World Pro Mod points.

The Pro Mod program featured a surprise pole sitter as Mike Bell wheeled Roy Hill’s “Blue Max” tribute Ford Mustang to a swift 6.046 secs – the quickest run ever in IHRA PM class trim. Bell was not however quite able to back up that mark for a new official IHRA World record.

Mountain-motored Pro Stock was truly a record smashing affair as class racers produced for the second time in history an all sub 6.5 secs field. The bump spot was a simply unnatural 6.447 secs which knocked down the 6.485 secs mark set at Budds Creek in September.

Numerous drivers set career bests at the event and the prestigious Lenco-sponsored Pro Stock 6.30 record club saw Rick Jones, John Nobile, Jerry Haas and Robert Patrick earn membership.

Newly crowned IHRA World Champion and Chevy pilot Steve Spiess and Ford racer Robert Patrick battled it out for the IHRA ET record during the event. It was Patrick however who left the event holding that official mark at an all time quick 6.360 secs (!) mark. Patrick also went to the championship final round but he was beaten out by Maryland’s Frank Gugliotta – 6.404 secs at 218.44 mph to a shut off 8.487 secs at 114.48 mph.

Canada’s Larry O’Brien bettered his own Canadian Pro Stock records as he flew the Bear’s Performance Products Dodge Stratus to some more career best times. Larry clocked a 6.436 secs to qualify and then upped that to an even quicker 6.430 secs in round one while beating John Nobile. O’Brien’s Hemi-powered car however shook its tires in round two and he was forced to lift while racing against John Bartunek.

Saturday’s Top Stock program went to the Pontiac Firebird driven by Monty Bogan Jr who recorded a 9.519 secs at 131.90 mph on a single when Matt Morgan could not start his ’69 Camaro.

Only 6 Top Stock cars were entered at the event -- however the class did have some excitement. During Friday’s first time trials Paul Mercure and Frank Teuton collided at the top end of the track. Teuton allegedly accidently bumped his car into reverse crossing the finish line causing it to come across into Mercure’s lane. Mercure’s ’67 Camaro got the worst of the incident as it was an apparent total loss. Thankfully neither Mercure nor Teuton suffered injuries.

Torco Race Fuels presented a special nitro Funny Car match race at the event as NHRA circuit drivers Del Worsham and Mike Ashley made some exhibition runs. It was the first time supercharged nitro Funny Cars had seen action during a IHRA national event since the 1989 season. Worsham also made some exhibition passes driving the now fully restored and ultra famous “Blue Max” Ford Mustang II.

The Rockingham event included some special Sportsman racing added attractions. The Accel-sponsored Survivor Series gathered the top 8 points finishers in each of IHRA’s 7 Sportsman divisions. Victories went to Ron Folk (Top Sportsman), Malinda Bertozzi (Top Dragster), Scotty Stillings (Super Stock), Anthony Bertozzi (Stock), R.L. Koontz (Hot Rod), Bernard Weaver (Super Rod) and Britt Cummings (Quick Rod).

The event’s Summit-sponsored Super Series ET titles went to J.J. Brock (Box ET) and Rick Baehr (Not Box ET).