08/31/2026
⚙️⚙️⚙️WHAT A FREAKING WEEKEND IT WAS!!!! ⚙️⚙️⚙️
After starting Carolina Classic Modified Production in late 2023, our goal was always to get 8 cars at one event. We have struggled for the last 3 years to make that happen. I, Tabitha, have cried, gotten angry, & every emotion in between threatening to throw in the towel & be done with it because I simply wasn't getting the support & I don't accept failure very well. I have one heck of a support system behind me, mainly being my husband, Robbie Draughon, sister from another mister, Leigh Anne Flynt, race track dad/mentor Dave Ley, & son/employee, Caleb Beaman to keep hanging on. I am ecstatic to say this past Saturday at Farmington Dragway, CCMP presented by HGR's Truck & Trailer Sales, Inc. had 8️⃣ of the baddest CCMP, high winding, gear jamming cars there is out there & I personally think it was one heck of a show for everyone. I am proud of our racers & the team that we have to make these events run smoothly at each race we go to.
Starting the late morning on Saturday, we had 1 A/MP Robbie's Draughon's 66 Corvette, Terry Hiatt piloting the Joe & Jake Melton owned 80 Malibu in B/MP, 4️⃣ C/MP cars: Steve Johnson in his 66 Chevy II, Ronald Yopp Jr. in his 62 Corvette, Brodie McKee in the late Gary McKee 67 Corvette, & Darrell Lail in his 67 Camaro, 1 E/MP Joel Moreland's 83 Firebird, & Darrion Houston in his F/MP 85 Camaro.
We had 4 pairs of cars tackle the track during qualifying pass #1. First pair out was Draughon & Yopp. Draughon went a 5.3154 on his 5.90 index (-0.5846) & Yopp stopped the clocks at 5.6749 on his 6.20 index (-0.5251). Houston & Lail were next on the track. Houston made a full pull going 6.2779 on his 6.80 index (-0.5221) but Lail, out for the 1st time since September 2025, had transmission troubles & only ran a 11.3675 on his 6.20 index (+5.1675). 3rd pair found Johnson & McKee, both being C/MP cars with a 6.20 index. Johnson went a 5.5634 (-0.6366) & McKee went a 5.9010 (-0.299). Our final pair of Q1 was Moreland going a 5.8510 on his 6.50 index (-0.649) & Hiatt running a 6.0319 on his 6.01 index (+0.0219). After Q1, Moreland was sitting at the top of the sheet with his -0.649 under pass. I was intially told that Lail had also suffered engine damage during his Q1 pass but when I made my rounds to his trailer to find out it was only a transmission failure, of course I questioned why the transmission wasn't out of the car & in the repair status. I was told he didn't have the parts to fix it & he was exhausted. Remember, I have the no quit/no failure mentality so I rallying up a pit crew to assist with pulling the transmission & found not only an entire transmission but also parts to fix his transmission. Unfortunately the spare wouldn't work so once the transmission was out of the car, it went into the Draughon trailer for the repairs. Within about 30 minutes, the team was ready to put the transmission back in the car & Lail would be ready for his Q2 run. Thanks to all my guys that take orders from their "drill sergeant" & get right to work!!!! I love you all very much! I mean, remember, we had 8 cars on property for the 1st time ever!!!
Now brings our final qualifying round. Yopp & Draughon were the 1st pair out for this round. Neither driver improved over their Q1 efforts as Yopp went a 5.6845 (-0.5155) & Draughon went a 5.3328 (-0.5672). Houston & Lail were our next pair where Darrion went a 6.2896 (-0.5104) also not improving but Lail went a 6.8820 (+0.682). Although he didn't run index, he still improved over Q1. 3rd pair out was Johnson & Moreland, this would determine if Moreland hold onto the #1 spot for the 3rd time this season. Unfortunately for Joel, Steve went around him to claim the G-Force South Top Qualifier $200.00. This was also Johnson first showing for the 2026 season with the CCMP. Johnson went a 5.5438 (-0.6562) & Moreland went a 5.8787 (-0.6213). Our final pair of the Q2 session was Hiatt running a 5.860 (-0.0125) & McKee also improving over his Q1 running a 5.9975 (-0.324). This run would now allow us to set up the final qualifying #'s & the eliminations ladder. Johnson C/MP would take on Houston F/MP, Draughon A/MP would take on Hiatt B/MP, Moreland E/MP would run McKee C/MP, & we would have a C/MP heads up between Yopp & Lail.
It's finally time for eliminations to begin & let's crown our 3rd winner of the 2026 season. Steve & Darrion were our first pair out for round #1. This one was over early as Houston lit the dreaded 🔴 bulb handing the R1 win over to Johnson. Both went their fastest so far for the day. Steve went a 5.5160 (-0.684) & Darrion went a 6.2106 (-0.5894). Steve would also pick up the Dave Hunt Racecraft Bounty Hunter money on this run for taking out last race winner from Rockingham Dragway. Next up is our 1st round C/MP heads up between Darrell Lail & Ronnie Yopp. Yopp had the advantage at the tree & takes it all the way to the finish line running a 5.66.03 (-0.5397), running his fastest pass thus far & claiming the1st round win. Lail had troubles again & aborted the run. The 3rd pairings of this round is Moreland & McKee. McKee had the starting line advantage but Moreland ultimately took the round win. Moreland ran a 5.8708 (-0.6292) & McKee went a 5.6908 (-0.5092). Although Brodie took the round 1 loss, this was by far his fastest pass of the day. Our final pair of round #1 was Draughon taking on Hiatt. Hiatt had the starting line advantage but Draughon drove around him for the round win. Robbie went a 5.2662 (-0.6338) & Hiatt went a 5.8672 (-0.1428). This one was also the fastest pass of the day for both racers.
Round 2 pairings were Johnson C/MP running Draughon A/MP with Steve having lane choice & Moreland E/MP taking on Yopp C/MP with Joel having lane choice. Yopp & Moreland are the first pair out for R2. This one would be over early as Joel lit that dreaded red bulb by -.0073 & Ronnie also red lit behind him. Ronnie suffered troubles at the hit & aborted his run as well as Joel so neither one had a pass to right home about. Our other semi-final run was Johnson taking on Draughon. It was basically a coin flip at the hit with Steve having a .0535 RT & Robbie having a .0608 RT. Both made their best runs of the day in this pass with Steve claiming the R2 win. Johnson ran a 5.5098 (-0.6902) & Draughon running a 5.2454 (-.6546). Finals are now set for another C/MP heads up. It was getting late, the dew had set in & both racers opted to complete the race on Sunday.
It's now Sunday Fun Day & time to crown our 3rd race winner of the 2026 CCMP presented by HGR's Truck & Trailer Sales, Inc winner. Steve Johnson will have lane choice over Ronnie Yopp. Steve chose the left lane & Ronnie obviously goes to the right. There was a huge starting line advantage for Ronnie giving him a holeshot victory & claiming his 🥇CCMP Win (2nd straight finals). Ronnie used a .0662 RT & stopping the 1/8th mile clocks at 5.6495 (-0.5505) for this win. This is our 2nd 1st time winner for CCMP this season alone. Steve was .1381 on the tree & ran a 5.6216 (-0.5784). It was an emotional win for Ronnie has he is carrying on the Yopp legacy following in his dad's footsteps by running Modified Eliminator. His daughter, Breanne, has also recently announced her & her husband Johnny were expecting their 1st child, making Ronnie a grandpa!
Ronnie earned himself a nice payday of $1400.00, the iconic CCMP custom built Christmas tree trophy built by Caleb Beaman of Redline Speed Shop with racing parts donated by PBM Performance Parts/Erson Cams, a trailer check sponsored by MJ's Custom Printing & Graphics, Winner's hat sponsored by NC Elite RV Specialist as well as the following contingency certificates: Hippie Fabrication $250.00, Zamp Racing 50% off 1 item, Meziere Enterprises $50.00, 5 gallons of Fuel Factory F25 racing fuel, & Jesel Valvetrain Innovation 25% off. Steve received his race winnings, a smaller trailer check courtesty of MJ's Custom Printing & Graphics along with the following contingency certificates: $150.00 Hippie Fabrication, Altronics Inc $100.00, AutoMeter Products, Inc. $50.00, a pail of Renegade Racing Fuel-Ford’s Fuel South East Master Distributor PRO 116+ racing fuel, & $50.00 Meziere Enterprises.
Thank you to Farmington Dragway for once again allowing us to be part of their annual racing program! The track was great & we hope the action was even hotter. We look forward to seeing y'all again in 2027!!!
Our 4th stop of the season is less than 2 weeks away at Darana Motorsports Park - Benson, NC on Saturday, September 12th. We look forward to seeing everyone there very soon. Let's get 8 cars again!!!!
