TJ Pruitt
Greensboro, AL – Drag Racing is a family affair for the Roberts Motorsports Team and when they show up, they come to win.
Photos below by Hobbie Lee
Doug Roberts and his 19-year old son Ric Roberts have kicked off the 2019 season with much success. The team debuted a Jerry Bickel 1968 Camaro powered by a Sonny’s 903 Cubic Inch engine at the beginning of the year and has already won two Southern Nitrous Racing Association (SNRA) events, back-to-back.
Ric now pilots Doug’s previous Promod 1963 Corvette in the 4.70 Class and managed to grab his first win at Radial Fest earlier this year at Huntsville Dragway.
“It was really my first big win and it felt really good,” Ric said.
Ric started in Jr. Dragster at an early age and after the Jr. ranks his dad placed him straight into a fast door car, competing in the 5.30 class, 5.00 class, and now 4.70 Quick Door Slammers.
Although there’s so much to talk about when it comes to the youngster Ric Roberts, let’s focus on Doug and his 1968 Camaro for now. As I stated, it has a 903 Cubic Inch Sonny’s motor that was used by Shannon Jenkins during NHRA Promod competition. It has an EFI Technology Fuel System with Speedtech Nitrous. Other aspects include a Mark Micke Turbo 400 Transmission and Converter, non-lockup by the way, Hoosier Tires, and an MSD Grid system.
Rick Elgin with Racewire Technology wired the complete car.
What’s even more impressive is that this team debuted the car at the first SNRA race without even testing and managed to take the number 1 qualifying spot with a 3.94.
That event was cancelled due to track conditions but since then the team has won two races back to back; SNRA at Emerald Coast Dragway and SNRA at Edmund Hall’s Memorial Day Promod Shootout, Montgomery Raceway Park.
This team continues to impress and the list goes on and on. Not only are they competitive in the Nitrous Promod category but simultaneously in the 4.70 class. That’s right, this team runs two cars during competition.
When asked “how do you do it?” Doug quickly responded with “well, it’s a team effort.” Doug thanked a lot of friends and family for his success, which included his dad Richie Roberts, son Ric Roberts, Shannon Jenkins, Wayne Davis, and Roy Bayliss. He also thanked Jonathan Pearce, Alan Phillips, Pete Barnette, Michelle Roberts, Kayla Ayala, Karlee Roberts and Christine Roberts.
“We have a good crew and great team work. Ric knows how to work on his own car for the 4.70 class so that helps a lot,” Doug added.
(Photo above: A fan asked if he could sit in Doug’s Promod. As you can see, this made his day!)
Lookout for this great team at the next SNRA Promod event and tell them “great job.”
