(Words and Photos by David Whealon) Well it’s finally here. The yearlong wait for the 2017 NC State Fair is finally over. For me it’s not the longing for the Thanksgiving Dinner Eggrolls or the Deep Fried Bacon and Cheese Collard Bites. Or the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Roasted Corn on the Cob with a side of Deep Fried Dirty Rice. Not even the wild rides or age and weight guessers or the rigged games is what is what I’ve been missing and certainty not the nearly 100,000 daily visitors but the last NTPA hook of the season is what “The Fair” is all about for me. Although, I did brave the crowds between sessions to join the elbow to elbow fairgoers to browse the 344 acre site in search of some Al’s French Fries and finally finding my way back to the sanctuary of the Sam Rand Grandstand.
As it has been for many years the NTPA Region 4 runs their final event coupled with NTPA Grand National invitational classes of Two- and Four-Wheel-Drive Trucks and Light Four-Wheelers. Along with the national guys and girls the Region 4 regulars of Heavy Super Stock, Super Farm, Light Pro Stock, Modified Minis and Modifieds for a total of eight classes for the four session event spanning the three day weekend event. The local R4 classes had some extra competition as many of the NTPA superstars traveled to Raleigh to join in on the last hook of 2017. And once again we set a new record of the number of competitors hitting our North Carolina red dirt at the State Fair. Today we will be highlighting the Friday night session which had 62 entries for the session with a heavy dose of Mini’s (17) Light Pro (16) 2WD (15) followed by 4WD (14).
In the Mini Mod class New Yorker Joe Eder took home the trophy on his “Polar Air” minirod and doubled up with a 2nd place as well on his “Geico Jr.” machine. Light Pro Stock winner was the local NC Mark Garrett on his International 1066 “Southern Smoke”. Brooklyn, Michigan’s Teresa Roberts took her Ford 2WD to the winning hook. And the “Supernatural” Chevy of Jacob Cramer took the hardware home to Lothian, Md. in 4WD.
Stay tuned to Bangshift in the upcoming days for more action from the 2017 NTPA Southern Showdown.
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