Hastings Hoists $100,000 Check on Saturday during the BTE Labor Day $250K

Nasty Nick Hastings becomes the winningest driver in Coalburg Racing Promotions history when he claims Saturday’s $100,000 victory over Anthony Blackburn at the BTE Labor Day $250K.

Feature photo credit: Hobbie Lee Photography

BRISTOL, TN – One year removed from the highest paying Footbrake event in drag racing history, the Coalburg Racing Promotions gang is back at it again for the 3rd Annual BTE Labor Day $250K.

A light breeze rolled through Thunder Valley as Saturday began with one time trial session. The invocation and the playing of our national anthem took place before the first burnout of eliminations.

BTE Labor Day $250K Main Event

You may think drivers would be worn down on Day Three due to early mornings and late nights filled with laps down the racetrack, but this crowd brought their A game. The fierce competition was crystal-clear as early as the second pair of eliminations, when Todd Berry lays down .011 total for an unexpected loss beside Ryan Butler’s .009 package.

What kind of event would bring out the ruthless racing that we’ve witnessed today at Bristol Dragway? Only the BTE Labor Day $250K where racers were eager to get their hands on a six-figure big check.

The official car count for Saturday’s Main Event would come in at 253, which kept the payout at an even $100,000.

Quarterfinal

By seventh round there were only six drivers left chasing the huge payout: Devin Dudley, Anthony Blackburn, Trey Scharf, Jesse Betterton, Nasty Nick Hastings, and Justin Hardman.

In the first quarterfinal match up both drivers light up the red bulb, but Scharf does it first to send Blackburn into the next round. Hardman launches with an .012 reaction time and runs two above to package up Betterton, who is uncharacteristically behind on the tree.

Hastings has a 3 thou advantage at the hit and takes the 9 thou margin of victory over Dudley as they both run two above their respective dial ins.

Devin Dudley and Trey Scharf

Semifinal

In the semifinal, Blackburn is .018 and runs dead on with a two and creates and .020 package where Hardman’s .025 light has no room to win. Hastings was finally able to use the bye run he had carried for a couple rounds and gets set up for the final round.

Final

Both drivers are looking to add another Coalburg Racing Promotions win to their resume as Blackburn advances to his second final round and Hastings is looking at his number seven. Blackburn has a 9 thou advantage on the starting line but breaks out 5 thou beside Hasting’s finish line drop.

Nasty Nick Hastings earns his fifth Coalburg Racing Promotions victory, which makes him the winningest driver in history, but also earns $100,000.

Two Round Challenge

In an effort to keep race cars rolling down the eighth mile, the popular Two Round Challenge returned on Saturday evening. Drivers paid $125 to enter and those who were able to illuminate two win lights would win their choice of either a weekend entry into the BTE World Footbrake Challenge XVII or a deposit for the 4th Annual BTE Labor Day $250K.

Six drivers were able to get it done during the Two Round Challenge and will be back at Bristol Dragway next year. They were Trish Witt, John Stelly, Caden Stites, David Bell, Daniel Riddle, and Wyatt Palmatier.

Although the most profitable race of the weekend has been completed, there is still one more prestigious victory up for grabs! Sunday will host the final $10,000 race of the 3rd Annual BTE Labor Day $250K with only new entries receiving one time run at 8:45 AM.

You can watch all the action live on MotorManiaTV.com thanks to the support of JEGS Performance and Environmental Oil Recovery, Inc.. For more information on the BTE Labor Day $250K or Coalburg Racing Promotions, visit www.worldfootbrakechallenge.com.

DragChamp has the daily results from the BTE Labor Day $250K, so check out Thursday and Friday’s winners.