COWIE, LOMBARDO LEAD WINNERS IN POMONA

POMONA, CA – Shawn Cowie and John Lombardo Jr. led the list of winners for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Cowie, Surrey, B.C., picked up career win number ten in Top Alcohol Dragster as he took out Julie Nataas of Santa Barbara, Calif., in the final round.  Nataas was out first but Cowie quickly made up the difference and raced to a 5.272 second lap at 274.72 mph.  Nataas qualified No. 1 with a great 5.115, 280.49 mph lap but slowed in the final clocking in at 5.481, 272.50.  The win was Cowie’s fourth of the year.

Brea, Calif., racer Lombardo grabbed his third win in 2017 by knocking out Annie Whiteley in the Top Alcohol Funny Car final. Lombardo won on a hole shot crossing the finish line in 5.420 seconds, 271.41 mph to the quicker Whiteley at 5.417, 273.22.

Austin Williams, who had already clinched the NHRA Lucas Oil Super Comp World Championship, raced to the win in Stock Eliminator in his ’72 Duster.  Williams, Burleson, Texas, went 11.080 at 109.61 to end Chris Stephenson’s day who ran 10.620, 122.56 in his ’68 Firebird.

Robert Cruzen bagged his first career win at the NHRA national event level as he beat out former world champion Jimmy DeFrank in the Super Stock final.  Cruzen, of Cleveland, Okla., had a great .007 second reaction time then ran 9.344, 142.81 for the win and the trophy.

Bobby Dye and Steve Parsons each won their third NHRA national event Wally trophy as Dye won in Super Comp and Parsons in Super Gas.  Dye, Ontario, Calif., and Tanner Theobald, Saint George, Utah, left the line together with Dye running 8.904 on the 8.90 index for the win.  Parsons, Ridgecrest, Calif. won at the start when Mike Wiblishouser, Laveen, Ariz., left early with a red light.  Parsons ran it out to a 9.895, 171.62 in his ’63 Corvette.

Veteran racer Dan Fletcher rounded out the winners as he collected his 102 NHRA national event win.  The Churchville, N.Y., racer beat out Tom Mettler, Tehachapi, Calif., in Comp Eliminator with a lap of 8.022, 168.11.

The following are final round results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Shawn Cowie, 5.272, 274.72 def. Julie Nataas, 5.481, 272.50.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

John Lombardo Jr., Chevy Camaro, 5.420, 271.41 def. Annie Whiteley, Camaro, 5.417, 273.22.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Dan Fletcher, Chevy Cobalt, 8.022, 168.11 def. Tom Mettler, Dodge Dakota, 7.399, 183.34.

SUPER STOCK

Robert Cruzen, Chevy Cobalt, 9.344, 142.81 def. Jimmy DeFrank, Cobalt, 8.825, 151.70.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Austin Williams, Plymouth Duster, 11.080, 109.61 def. Chris Stephenson, Pontiac Firebird, 10.620, 122.56.

SUPER COMP

Bobby Dye Jr., Dragster, 8.904, 167.51 def. Tanner Theobald, Dragster, 8.884, 167.45.

SUPER GAS

Steve Parsons, Chevy Corvette, 9.895, 171.62 def. Mike Wiblishouser, Corvette, Foul – Red Light