Kelley breaks two-year drought with big win

National Dragster, Oct 3, 2003

NHRA's Honda Tuning All Motor class continues to provide some of the highest drama and diversity of any of the five heads-up categories in the NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series, and Scott Kelley added to that with his victory in Sonoma.

The former NHRA record holder, who finished third in the 2001 standings and suffered through a tough 2002, became the fourth different winner in the fourth different make of vehicle to capture a trophy in the class this season.

Kelley won his first race in two years by using a starting-line advantage to defeat red-hot Leslie Durst, the No. 1 qualifier (10.24) and winner of the two previous events, in the final. Kelley drove his Toyo Tires Bullet '69 VW Fastback to a 10.67 at 122.88 mph to knock off Durst's quicker but losing 10.60, 127.34 from her Horizon Motorsports Honda CRX.

En route to the final, Kelley defeated Frank Reyes and Chad Barber, and Durst stopped Nick Novak and Heather O'Connor in the first all-female semifinal in NHRA sport compact history.

"It feels unbelievable," said Kelley. "We've worked so hard and have had some bad luck, but it finally came together this weekend."

Points leader Ken Scheepers and second-place Scott Mohler lost in round one, keeping Scheepers atop the standings by 32 points.