STICK SHIFT NATIONALS

event pays $ 5,000 to win , ever since Butner Construction stepped up and started kicking in an additional two grand in support to the winner , which is a sensational purse for a free-entry sportsman race , with a payout structure so deep that every single person who competes gets paid to race .

And just when Regenthal thought the event couldn ’ t get much better , a complete stranger walked up to him at the most recent running and pledged $ 10,000 for next year ’ s event . While the gentleman was indeed a stranger at the time , he turned out to be Greg Butcher of Butcher Trucking in Mocksville , North Carolina , and he recently bought himself a gear jammer and wants to get

involved with the Stick Shift Nationals . “ So next year , it ’ s gonna be $ 10,000 to win and everyone else is gonna get paid more too ,” Regenthal smiles .

Winners from the most recent event include Mike Shamel , who drove his beautiful Chevy II to the victory on Friday night over Andy Charcalla ’ s Mustang during the first-ever gambler ’ s race .

The Stick Shift Nationals is well-known for producing an original winner in the main event , as no one has ever duplicated the feat in the history of the event , and this year ’ s race kept that streak alive . Ronnie Courtney from Johnston , South Carolina , took top honors in his 2005 Cavalier , as he got past the 1969 Camaro of Castalia , North Carolina ’ s Joe Collins . those who make an unfortunate exit in round one have the opportunity to enter the “ secondchance race .” Pete Wright seems to have the winning formula for this event while driving his 1978 Chevy Luv truck . Wright has found the winner ’ s circle before in the second-chance race , and he did so again by getting past the 1978 Mercury Zephyr wagon of Chuck Martin . The event stretched well into the night to determine a winner , thus capping the most heavily-attended gathering to date .

“ I ’ ve got to thank my wife , Lisa , for being my biggest help – without her I couldn ’ t do this ,” says Regenthal .

Legendary racer , Mike Boyles , continues to be a huge supporter and sponsor of this event , as well as Farmington Dragway manager Sandy Collins , Mark Joyce and Leigh Anne Flynt .

“ I ’ ve got to give a mention to Ronnie Flynt , who persuaded me to get back into gear jammer racing a few years ago , which is how I first started in drag racing all those years ago ,” says Regenthal . “ With everything we ’ ve got going on , we ’ re real excited about the future and we just believe this race is really going places .” DI

24 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 170