DIXON, GUTIERREZ TAKE WINS AT CAVLACADE OF STARS

NORWALK, OH – Former NHRA Top Fuel World Champion Larry Dixon took home the win and the trophy in his NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol Funny Car debut at the wheel of the Bartone Bros. ’17 Camaro for this weekend’s Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser at Summit Motorsports Park.

Dixon, Avon, Ind., qualified in the No. 4 spot then defeated the No. 2 qualifier Andy Bohl in a close semi-final round match up with a 5.576, 261.57 to Bohl’s 5.616, 267.37 setting up a final round match up with Tony Bogolo. Dixon posted the quickest run of the event at 5.533 seconds at 265.90 mph to take the win over Bogolo who clocked in at 6.289, 178.45.

John Paul Gutierrez, Berkley, Mich., qualified in the No. 1 spot in Top Alcohol Dragster then knocked out reigning North Central Region Champion Mia Tedesco and Jared Dreher in rounds one and two. Gutierrez faced off with Brandon Greco in the final and laid down a lap of 5.527 seconds at 259.91 mph for the win as Greco slowed to a 6.172, 128.54 mph run. The win was the first for Gutierrez.

Joining Dixon and Gutierrez were four other first time winners including Pete D’agnolo, Tom Russell, Rick Schneider and Scott Sattler. D’agnolo, Rochester, N.Y., was better at both ends of the track to defeat John Frech in Super Stock posting a 9.252 at 132.10 and Russell, East Sparta, Ohio, took home the Stock Eliminator trophy in his ’98 Camaro when TC Morris left early with a red light foul start.

Schneider cut a stellar .008 second reaction time then ran an 8.905 on the 8.90 index for the win over Davy Markle in Super Comp. And in Super Street it was Sattler, Celina, Ohio, downing fellow Ohio racer Taylor Young (South Amherst, Ohio) for bragging rights.

On the other end of the win column, it was Jeff Lane, North Bend, Ore., in Comp Eliminator picking up his 51st NHRA Lucas Oil divisional event win as he won over Mike Farrell in his ’10 Cobalt.

In Top Sportsman, Jeff Brooks, Fredericksburg, Va., drove his ’51 Henry J to the winner’s circle in 6.736 seconds at 201.97 mph to Billy Thoman’s 6.747, 204.94 effort.

JB Strassweg, Evansville, Ind., and Jacob Elrod, Harrod, Ohio, rounded out the winners with Strassweg taking out Zach Sackman in Top Dragster running 6.188, 217.32 and Elrod finishing off Janice Swan, Mooresville, Ind., in Super Gas.

North Central Division racers head to Beech Bend Raceway Park, Bowling Green, Ky., for the NHRA JEGS SPORTSnationals presented by Quick Fuel, this weekend, May 26-28.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser at Summit Motorsports Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1

5) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.435, 264.23 def. 4) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.457, 270.21

6) Brandon Greco, Roscoe, Pa., 5.447, 259.46 def. 3) Dan Mercier, Saint-Michel, Quebec, 11.769, 83.80

9) Kirk Wolf, Marble Falls, Texas, 5.574, 266.58 def. 7) Bob Sargent, Indianapolis, 18.788, 50.76

1) John Paul Gutierrez, Berkley, Mich., 5.449, 262.28 def. 8) Mia Tedesco, Murrysville, Pa., 5.947, 203.28

Semifinals

Greco, 5.470, 259.66 def. Wolf, 5.546, 268.01

Gutierrez, 5.530, 260.81 def. Dreher, 5.570, 261.52

Final

Gutierrez, 5.527, 259.91 def. Greco, 6.172, 128.54

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1

4) Larry Dixon, Avon, Ind., ’17 Camaro, 5.616, 259.81 def. 3) Ray Drew, Hales Corners, Wis., ’14 Mustang, broke

6) Tony Bogolo, Hamilton, Ohio, ’01 Avenger, 5.805, 251.91 def. 1) Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, ’15 Mustang, 18.632, 43.08

2) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., ’16 Camaro, 5.719, 264.18 def. 5) Todd Robertson, Harrison Twp., Mich., ’12 Monte Carlo, foul

Semifinals

Dixon, 5.576, 261.57 def. Bohl, 5.616, 267.37

Bogolo, 19.428, 53.26 was unopposed

Final

Dixon, 5.533, 265.90 def. Bogolo, 6.289, 178.45

COMP ELIMINATOR

Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., ’10 Cobalt, B/SMA, 7.947, 158.04 def. Mike Farrell, Louisville, Ky.,

’34 Chevy, B/SR, 7.903, 141.39

SUPER STOCK

Pete D’agnolo, Rochester, N.Y., ’67 Camaro, SS/CM, 9.253, 132.10 def. John Frech, Cortland, Ohio,

’83 Z28, GT/LA, 10.981, 122.11

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Tom Russell, East Sparta, Ohio, ’98 Camaro, B/S, 10.312, 129.24 def. TC Morris, New Haven, Ky.,

’04 GTO, E/SA, foul

SUPER COMP

Rick Schneider, ’05 dragster, 8.905, 179.23 def. Davy Markle, Scottsville, N.Y., ’91 dragster,

8.882, 166.50

SUPER GAS

Jacob Elrod, Harrod, Ohio, ’92 Corvette, 9.893, 168.87 def. Janice Swan, Mooresville, Ind., ’73

Opel GT, foul

SUPER STREET

Scott Sattler, Celina, Ohio, ’78 Malibu, 10.925, 131.77 def. Taylor Young, South Amherst, Ohio,

’94 S-10, 10.905, 128.16

TOP SPORTSMAN

Jeff Brooks, Fredericksburg, Va., ’51 Henry J, 6.736, 201.97 def. Billy Thoman, Mt Washington,

Ky., ’63 Corvette, 6.747, 204.94

TOP DRAGSTER

JB Strassweg, Evansville, Ind., ’08 dragster, 6.188, 217.32 def. Zach Sackman, Channahon, Ill.,

’10 dragster, foul