The true mark of excellence and consistency for any drag racer is to win two classes at the same event. Typically, although rare, the feat is accomplished by sportsman racers competing in index classes and ET. However it's even more so out-of-the-ordinary for a racer to a score a double in the pro ranks, especially in two nitro categories.

Jay "The Bulldog" Turner, rider of the Mancuso Harley Davidson-backed JIMS Pro Fuel and Screamin' Eagle Top Fuel entries, displayed remarkable consistency and took the back-to-back wins at the AHDRA's S&S Jim McClure Nationals presented by Drag Specialties from Virginia Motorsports Park.

Turner defeated Steve Simmons in the final of Pro Fuel with a blast of 6.87 to Simmons' 8.80, and moment's later narrowly defeated former champ and world record holder Doug Vancil with a 6.413 to a 6.417 in the Top Fuel category.

After Turner won in Pro Fuel, the entire event came to a halt, as Turner was escorted back up to the starting line via his team's scooter. The consecutive laps didn't seem to affect Turner's concentration at all based on his .035 reaction time against Vancil.

"Running back-to-back can't hurt you," Turner said. "I like racing as many times as I can. I wouldn't mind if Top Fuel was a 32- bike field." I'm sure the fans wouldn't either.

On the day Turner was a perfect 7-0 in round competition. "We were very consistent. We ran four 6.40's. Four .40's will beat one .20," Turner said in reference to No. 1 qualifyer Tak Shigematsu's run of 6.24 - the talk of the event.

"We have a great team. Johnny (Mancuso) and the rest of the gang did a great job tuning and I just tried to ride the thing the best I could."

Even more impressive is the fact that it's not the first time Turner has accomplished the feat. He scored his first nitro-double less than a year ago in Rockingham, NC. A large part of Turner's success may lie in the experience and knowledge of Mancuso.

"The track stayed good all day and we just tried to do the best we could interpreting the data we had," Mancuso said. "We just tweaked away at it and never let anyone else's performance affect us. We ran our race." The event was extra special for Mancuso as he was not in attendance for Turner's first double due to the funeral of his stepfather. "That was one race I was sorry I missed," Mancuso said. "It means a lot to do it again."

With the victory, Turner is in the No. 2 spot in the To Fuel point series, behind leader Mike Romine.

Turner seemed to have gone unnoticed for much of the day due to the hype surrounding Shigematsu's bid to set a new AHDRA record. Shigematsu continued to smoke the tire and failed to run the needed 6.307 to back up the 6.245.

"No more smoke tire," Shigematsu said during an interview. After being upset in round No. 2 Shigematsu entered the exhibition class Nitro Harley Outlaw, but still was unable to make it down the racetrack cleanly.

Shigematsu ran the record blast during his first run on Saturday, and then failed to make a full pass for the rest of the event. "He got out of the groove and it filled the cylinders up with fuel," reported tuner Don Johnson. "We left the same tune-up in it. During some of the runs we even backed it down. It's frustrating. We certainly had the power to get the record."

Jay Tuner in action

Jay Turner and Johnny Mancuso

Tak Shigematsu clocked a record 6.24,
but was unable to back it up.

More from the S & S Jim McClure Nationals …

In S & S Pro Gas racing, reigning champ, Mike Lozano took the win honors on a solo pass that resulted from a pair of unusual occurrences in the semis.

No. 1 qualifyer, Dirk Higgins was paired with Karen Wagner (No. 4 qualifyer). Wagner was unable to fire when she realized she had come to the line minus the kill-switch - thus awarding Higgins a competition bye run.

Higgins made a clean pass before crossing in front of the 750ft foam block, which according to AHDRA safety rules, results in disqualification.

Lozano was paired with Connie Cohen (No.2 qualifyer) for his semi final run, but things went sour for Cohen in the box and it set Lozano up for his back-to-back singles and the eventual win.

Rick Moore gained more ground on point's leader, Willie Herschberger with a win in the Kresto Pro Drag category.

Moore, the No. 1 qualifyer was paired with Tripp Nobles in the final and took the win light with a 7.36 at 176mph to a 7.72 at 166mph from Nobles.

Moore's victory leaves him 45 points away from Herschberger's top spot in the standings.

For Eddie Lee, the inaugural event at Virginia Motorsports Park marked a first of his own. Lee qualified No. 1 in Samson Pro Mod Racing and went on to defeat Mark Venia in a close final with a 8.27 at 155mph to a 8.28 at 157mph from Venia- giving Lee his first event win.

Eddie Lee captured his first Pro Mod win.

In G-Squared Street Pro competition, Andy Simon did it again.

Simon qualified No. 1 and collected another victory over Jeff King with a 8.95 at 155mph to a 9.13 at 146mph from King.

Simon has a commanding lead in the standings in front of King who is 2nd.

Wanda Poff has already earned a win this season in Super Sport competition, but in Virginia, she added a Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer win to her record.

Poff was paired with L.E. Tonglet in the final, and after a red-light foul, Tonglet threw away a 9.33 at 142mph, while Poff took the win light with a 9.50 at 138mph.

Wanda Poff celebrated her win with her granddaughter, Bella-Star.

In Screamin' Eagle V-Rod racing, Jamie McNaughton is out front and stands to take back-to-back championships after defeating the No.1 qualifyer, Lou Gerencer in the final.

Gerencer was off the line first, but McNaughton caught him with a 9.48 at 139mph to a 9.62 at 141mph from Gerencer.

Jamie McNaughton moves out front in the V-Rod standings.

Like McNaughton, Michael Ray is charging ahead in the S & S 124 Challenge category for his bid at back-to back titles.

Ray defeated Mike Roberts in the Virginia final on a hole shot win - .040 (9.65/139mph) to a sleeping .264 (9.50/139mph) from Roberts.

Michael Ray is close to a 2nd Championship title.

Bruce Croneberger added another win and furthered his lead in the Drag Masters Hot Street standings after defeating Charles Cannon in the final.

Croneberger clocked a 10.20 at 129mph for the win over Cannon's, 10.47 at 126mph.

Bruce Croneberger continued his hot streak.

Stephen Galati and Greg Kuypers met in the Casa Bella X-Mod final for the fifth consecutive time and the outcome was also repeated.

Galati got the win with ease (8.91/147mph) after Kuypers drew a red light before his 9.09 at 143mph runner-up finish.

Greg Kuypers earned the No.1 qualifying spot before losing to Galati in the final.

Bob Drapp has a firm grip on the Rucker Performance Super Gas championship contention after securing another win in Virginia. Drapp clocked a 9.706 against the 9.70 index to defeat a 9.64 from Lance Hines.

Julia Holliday, the 05 S & S Super Sport champ added more cushion to her 06 point's lead with another win. Holliday defeated Dean Shields with a 10.32 (against the 10.30 index) to a 10.28 from Shields.

Gary Douglass earned his 2nd AHDRA career win of the year and a spot in the Performance Corner Super Eliminator top ten leader board after defeating Bill Rowe Jr. who is 2nd in the national standings.

Douglas clocked a 10.91 for the win against the 10.90 index, while Rowe was runner-up with a 10.95.

J.P. Hendrzak is the current points leader in E.T. racing, but in Virginia, it was the Screamin' Eagle Performance category that brought him to the winner's circle.

Hendrzak clocked a 11.502 against the 11.50 index for the win, while Keith Carper in his 2nd SEP final of the season, finished under the number with a 11.47.

In a fitting conclusion to the event honoring the late Jim McClure, his long-time friend, Dan DeGood captured the win in the Syn3 ET category.

DeGood scored a 11.52 on a 11.49 dial-in for the win against a 9.70 on a 9.63 dial-in from Bob Drapp who made two final round appearances in Virginia.

On the emotional win, DeGood (who is competing in his final season of racing) said, "this win probably meant the most".

Dan DeGood came away with the ET win.

The opening ceremonies proved to be worth the price of admission. All of the Top Fuel teams lined up at the base of the timing tower and the No. 1 qualifiers and all of the AHDRA staff formed two straight lines on the starting line.

The Hampton Roads H.O.G. Club arrives to honor McClure.

Doug Vancil and Ray Price join the Top Fuel field on the starting line for opening ceremonies.

Larry "Spiderman" McBride joined Jack Korpela and Aaron Green for commentary.

In honor of the late Jim McClure, the Hampton Roads Harley-Davidson H.O.G. club (that McClure belonged to) paraded up the return road on their bikes for the ceremony. After driver introductions and the invocation, the Ft. Lee Color Guard presented the American flag and Virginia State flag and a moment of silence was had for McClure and all of the United States military.

The Ft. Lee Color Guard presented Flag honors.

After the National Anthem, McClure's widow, Phyllis McClure was summoned to the head of the track to give the first pair of riders the call to "Light em' up".

"Jim would have been very proud of this," McClure said. "He lived for racing."

Jack Korpela speaks with Phyllis McClure prior to opening ceremonies.

Phyllis gives the signal to "Light em up"

Next up for the AHDRA Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts Championship Series is the Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts Nationals on October 14th and 15th in Rockingham, NC and the 2006 series finale in Las Vegas on November 11th and 12th at the JIMS Las Vegas Nationals.

Photos credits: David Elmeier, Arthur Norfolk, Jack Korpela