Big Paydays, Family Success Highlight IHRA Summit Sportsman Spectacular at US131

MARTIN, MI — Four drivers raced to $5,000 victories, while a couple of families had weekends to remember at the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Summit Sportsman Spectacular event at US131 Motorsports Park.

John Linnaberry from Taylor, Mich., and Jason Ford from Beaver Creek, Ontario, Canada earned $5,000 top prizes for the Top and Mod divisions on Moser Engineering Saturday. David Sherbondy from Laporte, Ind., and Maverick Green from Grand Haven, Mich., captured the $5,000 wins during Battle Born Batteries Sunday.

Linnaberry had the fast reaction time of .004 coupled with a 5.811-second elapsed time at 111.28 mph against a 5.80 dial-in. His final-round opponent, Tom Aretakis Jr. from Ray, Mich., had 6.453 run at 105.49 mph against a 6.45 dial-in with a .017 reaction time.

Ford won on a holeshot with a .009 reaction time to deny Green in Saturday’s final. Ford’s winning pass was 6.382 seconds at 103.64 mph against a 6.37 dial-in. Green came off the line in .043 and then ran 5.863 seconds at 118.58. mph against a 5.84 dial-in.

It was also a weekend to remember for the Wanamaker family starting with hometown driver Kyle Wanamaker winning the Street division when final-round opponent Todd Rogers red-lighted. Wanamaker had a 9.280 elapsed time at 73.46 mph with a .029 reaction time. Rogers finished in 7.594 seconds at 90.18 mph.

Three Junior Dragster divisions were contested and Jake Foster of White Cloud, Mich., won Saturday’s Master race when his opponent, Hannah Yerrington from Waterview, Mich., failed to stage for the final round.

Connor Denbleyker from Zeeland, Mich., won on a holeshot against Hunter Scholten from West Olive, Mich., in the Advanced final. Denbleyker had a .006 reaction time to go along with his run of 8.999 seconds at 71.39 mph. Scholten went 8.934 seconds at 73.35 mph after a .044 light.

Mason Waikel from Ft. Wayne, Ind., had a red-light victory over Jaidyn Card from Delton. Mich., in the Beginner class. Waikel had a pass of 14.561-second pass at 42.23 mph, while Card went down the track in 12.263 seconds at 46.45 mph.

Sherbondy heads up the list of Sunday winners with a 5.041-second effort at 134.61 mph against a 5.00 dial-in. He also had a slightly better reaction time .014 to .018 against Jeff Ledford from Stanton, Mich. Ledford finished with a 5.343 elapsed time at 130.93 mph against a 5.30 dial-in.

Maverick Green got the best of his father, Jeff, in the Mod final. Maverick had a 5.812 elapsed time at 119.21 mph against a 5.82 dial-in with a .023 reaction time. Jeff was quicker at the start (.019) and finished with a 5.967 run at 115.80 mph against a 5.99 dial-in.

Todd Rogers from Plainwell, Mich., matched his dial-in with a 7.60-second run at 89.95 mph in Sunday’s Street final. Paul Filip from Kalamazoo, Mich., finished in 7.674 seconds at 86.96 mph.

The Junior Dragster finals saw Jake Foster from White Cloud, Mich., win the Master division after Katelyn Jones from Hamilton, Mich., red-lighted. Foster made it down the track in 11.369 seconds at 50.58 mph. Jones finished in 10.202 seconds at 51.68 mph.

It was an all-Wanamaker final in the Advanced division. Kassie from Martin, Mich., won on a red-light when Jase from Kalamazoo fouled by just -.004 of a second. Kassie had an 11.854-second run at 62.61 mph against an 11.90 dial-in. Jase finished in 8.949 seconds at 72.20 mph against an 8.90 dial-in.

Aliyah Pitsch from Dorr, Mich., was the Beginner victor with a 12.050 elapsed time at 54.03 mph. Kenzie Wanamaker from Kalamazoo fouled at the start to disqualify a run of 12.168 seconds at 54.22 mph.

The IHRA Summit Sportsman Spectacular heads to Xtreme Raceway Park, Trumbull, Texas, July 26-28.