McBride, who had a brief fling last year on the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle tour, won wire-to-wire, a victory made the more gratifying because she avenged her final round loss last year by beating former series champion Barry Greene of Hinesville, Ga., in the semifinals.

 

Other Sunday winners included Vincent Demito of Collegeville, Pa., who won the 60-Inch Sport Bike title at Rockingham for the third straight time; John Kulcycki of Phoenixville, Pa., who earned his first victory in the Heavyweight Hitters division for riders weighing at least 240 pounds; and Billy Deffendall of Burgaw, N.C., who prevailed in the 5.60 Pro Comp class.

 

Sunday’s race was the first of eight in a series operated jointly by Rockingham Dragway and Maryland International Raceway. 

 

For McBride, the only thing missing was the chance to face current series champion Tony Girardi of Hollywood, Fla., in what would have been a final round battle between the No. 1 and No. 2 qualifiers.  Norris ended that possibility when he simply outran Girardi in the other semifinal.

 

Demito extended his Rockingham victory streak at the expense of No. 1 qualifier Steve Knecum of Edgewater, Pa., whom he easily defeated in the final.

Although she was beaten in the final round of 5.60 Pro Comp, Robin Procopio of Waldorf, Md., managed to salvage a win worth $1,000 in the Classic Collision/J.S. Home Improvement Quick 32 class, which debuted at the Spring Open. 

Ms. Procopio ran 8.425 on an 8.360 dial-in in the final to turn back James Stewart II of Richmond, Va. (9.341 on a 9.250 dial-in).

By contrast, Andy Lunch of West Columbia, S.C., couldn’t buy a victory.  He was runner-up in the Fish’s Customs Street ET class on Saturday and runner-up in Pro ET on Sunday.  Nevertheless, by winning the most rounds over the two days, he did pick up a $500 bonus from Nitrous Express. 

Mac McAdams of Edgewater, Md., and Ronnie Procopio of Waldorf, Md., Robin’s husband, were the Pro ET winners on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.  In Street ET, Rich Valko of Mentor, Ohio, and Stephen Reynolds of Winston-Salem, N.C., were the Saturday and Sunday winners.

 

 

Results from Sunday’s SpencerCycle.com Spring Open at Rockingham Dragway, first of eight events in the 2005 MiRock Superbike Series:

Round 1 –
2. Tony Girardi, Hollywood, Fla., 7.222, 192.55 mph, def. 13. Coodee Thomas, Stone Mountain, Ga., 7.556, 151.15 mph;

3. Dave Norris, Bryans Road, Md., 7.244, 191.35 mph, def. 12. Lee Shierts, Charlotte, N.C., 8.218, 165.50 mph;

4. Barry Greene, Hinesville, Ga., 7.325, 186.23 mph, def. 11. Jeff Nordeen, Simpsonville, S.C., 8.284, 183.77 mph;

6. Eric Kelly, Miami, Fla., NT, NS, def. 9. John Gatti, Boca Raton, Fla., 8.115, 173.32 mph;

10. Jamie Steele, Leesville, S.C., 8.204, 172.17 mph, def. 5. Dimey Eddinger, Winston Salem, N.C., 24.509, 28.32 mph;

7. Boo Brown, Potomac Falls, Va., NT, NS, def. 8. Robert Hunnicutt Jr., Waldorf, Md., broke;

1. Angie McBride, Lewisville, N.C., 7.231, 191.65 mph, bye.

Round 2 –
Girardi, 7.551, 176.67 mph, bye;

McBride, 9.456, 88.50 mph, def. Brown, broke;

Greene, 7.347, 185.05 mph, def. Steele, 8.167, 172.36 mph;

Norris, 7.337, 186.36 mph, def. Kelly, 7.604, 179.61 mph.

Semifinals –
McBride, 7.229, 183.47 mph, def. Greene, 7.260, 187.78 mph;

Norris, 7.271, 187.39 mph, def. Girardi, 7.340, 186.28 mph.
 
FINAL –
Angie McBride, Lewisville, N.C., Suzuki, 7.659, 181.84 mph, def. Dave Norris, Bryans Road, Md., Suzuki, foul (red-light).

 

ORIENT EXPRESS 60-INCH SPORT BIKE
 

Round 1 –
1. Steve Knecum, Edgewater, Pa., 8.340, 182.53 mph, def. 8. Heather Grant, Mocksville, N.C., 10.459, 131.10 mph;

3. Vincent Demito, Collegeville, Pa., 7.986, 185.74 mph, def. 6. John O’Connor, Royersford, Pa., 8.859, 172.59 mph;

4. John Flood, Oakland, N.Y., 8.370, 172.23 mph, def. 5. Jeremy Tillman, Jeannette, Pa., foul;

2. Mike Slowe, Bensalem, Pa., 7.943, 183.57 mph, bye.

Semifinals –
Demito, 8.573, 160.59 mph, def. Slowe, foul;

Knecum, 8.231, 185.79 mph, def. Flood, 8.386, 177.81 mph.
 
FINAL –
Vincent Demito, Collegeville, Pa., Suzuki, 7.969, 184.93 mph, def. Steve Knecum, Edgewater, Pa., Suzuki, 8.154, 184.55 mph.
 

 

HEAVYWEIGHT HITTERS
 

Round 1 –
2. Cedric Anthony, Charlotte, N.C., 8.877, 154.44 mph, def. 5. Gerald Cox, Smithfield, N.C., broke;

1. John Kulcycki, Phoenixville, Pa., 8.515, 174.96 mph, bye;

3. Tyrell McKinney, Lancaster, S.C., 9.406, 141.05 mph, def. 4. Tyrone Smith, Charlotte, N.C., 10.378, 100.48 mph.
 
Semifinals –
Kulcycki, 8.585, 171.58 mph, def. McKinney, 9.248, 160.38 mph;

Anthony, 9.013, 149.63 mph, bye.

FINAL –
John Kulcycki, Phoenixville, Pa., Suzuki, 8.655, 170.90 mph, def. Cedric Anthony, Charlotte, N.C., Suzuki, 9.013, 149.63 mph.

 

HONDA-SUZUKI OF SANFORD 5.60 HEADS-UP

 
Round 1 – 10. Billy Deffendall, Burgaw, N.C., 5.746, 104.57 mph, def. 7. Robert Crocker, Fayetteville, N.C., 10.192, 54.58 mph;

1. Michael Sumner, Moncure, N.C., 4.589, 119.85 mph, def. 16. Fred Jensen, Castle Hayne, N.C., 5.552, 120.40 mph;

3. Rickey Butler Jr., Culpepper, Va., 5.650, 112.54 mph, def. 14. Jamie Chance, Laurinburg, N.C., 5.590 breakout foul, 122.20 mph;

9. Matt Davies, Richmond, Va., 5.915, 99.10 mph, def. 8. Mark Eckles, Statesville, N.C., broke;

6. Michael Pendergraft, Salisbury, N.C., 5.615, 122.93 mph, def. 11. Danny Thompson, Oakboro, N.C., 5.550 breakout foul, 108.33 mph;

2. Brad Hill, Asheboro, N.C., 5.632, 114.57 mph, def. 15.  Ronald Procopio, Waldorf, Md., 5.751, 116.28 mph;

5. Robin Procopio, Waldorf, Md., 5.757, 103.35 mph, def. 12. Daniel Middleton Jr., Adams Run, S.C., 5.953, 112.72 mph;

4. Ernest Lassiter, Willow Spring, N.C., 5.587, 130.56 mph, bye.

Round 2 –
Butler, 5.614, 116.80 mph, def. Pendergraft, 5.652, 123.50 mph;

Deffendall, 4.623, 121.31 mph, def. Hill, 5.594 breakout foul, 116.98 mph;

Sumner, 5.626, 114.03 mph, def. Davies, 5.698, 117.82 mph;

R. Procopio, 5.665, 103.21 mph, def. Lassiter, 5.654, 129.47 mph.

Semifinals –
R. Procopio, 5.631, 116.33 mph, def. Sumner, 5.596 breakout foul, 119.76 mph;

Deffendall, 5.652, 112.28 mph, def. Butler, 5.558 breakout foul, 118.43 mph.

FINAL –
Billy Deffendall, Burgaw, N.C., Kawasaki, 5.620, 116.54 mph, def. Robin Procopio, Waldorf, Md., Suzuki, 5.545 breakout foul, 121.23 mph.