Much More than a Comeback! « DragRaceCanada.com

Much More than a Comeback!

by editor on Jul.17, 2013, under Hotzone

Much More than a Comeback!

Unreal and gratifying are the two words to come to mind when describing the spectacular comeback and accomplishment for Canadian Top Alcohol Dragster Shawn Cowie last weekend….

Cowie, from British Columbia, critically injured in a motorcycle accident two years ago in Nashville and told repeatedly that he’d never race again, won the Les Schwab Tires Challenge Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Woodburn Dragstrip (in Oregon) his first time back in the seat, qualifying No. 1 and defeating red-hot Chris Demke in the final.

Cowie’s triumphant return began with a 5.45 test run on Thursday that was a victory in itself. Just getting the car down the track would have been a major accomplishment, but Cowie qualified No. 1 with a 5.33 that held up throughout eliminations for low e.t. and ran low e.t. of two of three rounds, including the final, where he edged Demke, 5.41 to 5.43, to cap a fairytale weekend.

Cowie capped his fairy tale ending with a 5.41 to 5.43 win over Chris Demke in the TAD final round.

Demke, coming off a win at the Route 66 Nationals, qualified No. 2 behind Cowie with a 5.39 and advanced to his seventh final already this season with back-to-back 5.38s against Megan McKernan, who backpedaled into a wheelstand, and track co-owner Joey Severance, who banged the blower.

Cowie’s Mundie’s Towing team took out defending event champ Gregg Lawrence in the opening round with a 5.37 and Norwalk runner-up Ray Martin in the semi’s with a 5.41. Demke and Cowie left simultaneously in the final with .054 reaction times, and Cowie pulled ahead to win by half a car, 5.41, 267 to 5.43, 268 as Demke fell out of the 5.30s and the 270-mph zone for the first time all day.