LODRS
Runner-up finish caps Troy Coughlin Jr.’s huge weekend in home state of Ohio
NORWALK, OH – Reigning Pro Mod Rookie of the Year Troy Coughlin Jr. proved his return to the NHRA Lucas Oil 
Drag Racing Series was the right one with an epic weekend of drag racing at the Budweiser Cavalcade of Stars. Racing alongside his uncle Mike Coughlin, Troy Jr. recorded a runner-up and a semifinal finish in the two Division 3 Super Comp races contested.
“Drag racing is the most fun when everything is in sync like it was this weekend,” Troy Jr. said. “The car, the crew, and even the driver were all clicking and we had a bunch of fun. Big thanks to Justin Beaver and Tony Collier for keeping the JEGS.com dragster in perfect working order. All I had to do was drive.
“These were the first two races of the season, so it’s great to go that many rounds and collect some good points. I would have loved to close the deal and won, but going to a final round in one race and a semifinal in the other is pretty good. We are very happy.”
RACING POSTPONED IN SPOKANE
AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WA – Mother Nature brought both rain and cold temperatures to Spokane County Raceway 
that forced track and NHRA officials to postpone eliminations for this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. The event will be completed on Thursday, August 18, at the upcoming Northwest Division Lucas Oil Series event at Pacific Raceways. The Pacific Raceways event will begin on Friday and run as scheduled.
Fields were set on Saturday during final qualifying and time trials with Brian Hyerstay, Eugene, Ore., leading the class in Comp Eliminator, running 9.244 seconds, 0.666 under his index. Darrell Dietz and Larry McLanahan are on top in Super Stock and Stock with Dietz, Medicine Hat., Alb., posting a 9.074 second lap in his ’10 Cobra Jet. McLanahan, Kennewick, Wash., went 8.898 in his ’16 Mustang to lead Cal Method, also out of Kennewick in Stock.
Hullinger Honored as Cavalcade of Stars Grand Marshal
NHRA North Central Division 3 director Jay Hullinger was named grand marshal during pre-race ceremonies at the 
10th Annual Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser at Summit Motorsports Park on May 22, 2016.
During an impassioned speech delivered on the starting line just before drivers fired their engines for first round of eliminations, Summit Motorsports Park president Bill Bader, Jr. spoke of his longtime friendship with Hullinger, and how he has had a profound impact on members of the racing community on personal and professional levels.
He went on to talk about how Hullinger was introduced to the sport as a child, as his family operated Bunker Hill Drag Strip in Bunker Hill, Indiana, and how he literally – not figuratively – spent his mornings, afternoons and evenings there as he and his family actually lived on-site.
THACKER, MCVEY SCORE AT SPRING SPECTACLE OF SPEED
NORWALK, OH – Marty Thacker and Scott McVey out ran the competition to take the wins in Top Alcohol Dragster 
and Top Alcohol Funny Car for the postponed NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series North Central Division Ray Skillman Chevrolet Spring Spectacle of Speed. The event, originally schedule at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis was completed this weekend at Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio, during their Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser event.
Thacker, Robinson, Ill., laid down his best pass of the year with a 5.352 second run at 267.32 mph in defeating Gord Gingles who has problems right off the start and had to get out of the throttle. Thacker took out No. 2 qualifier Jared Drehar, Clinton, Ind., in round one and Krista Baldwin, Upland, Calif., in his semifinal match up.
AUTO CLUB DRAGWAY HOSTS NHRA PACIFIC DIVISION
FONTANA, CA – The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series arrives at the Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway 
on May 20-22. The event is one of 45 scheduled across the country where drivers earn points leading to divisional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division’s Pacific Division Top Sportsman Series, Top Dragster Series and Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will also run in conjunction with the event.
Gates open at 7 a.m. Friday and Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. Qualifying and time trials start Friday and Saturday at 8 a.m. Eliminations begin on Saturday at 2 p.m. with Top Sportsman and Top Dragster and continue on Sunday at 8:30 a.m.
FLETCHER, HIDALGO LEAD WINNERS IN ATLANTA
COMMERCE, GA – In the final results from Atlanta Dragway and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Summit 
Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals veteran racer Dan Fletcher led the list of sportsman winners with his first win in Super Street, and 97th event win overall. Hidalgo won in Super Stock, while Louisiana racer Richard Prince won in Top Dragster.
Ed Pauley, Shelby, N.C., faced off against the veteran multi event winner Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., in Super Street. Pauley had won this race in 2014, while Fletcher, with much more experience, 96 wins in five different classes went after his first win in Super Street. Pauley left too soon and gave Fletcher his 97th win. Fletcher now has 97 national event wins, in six different sportsman classes.
SPOKANE COUNTY RACEWAY HOSTS THE NHRA NORTHWEST DIVISION
SPOKANE, WA – The NHRA Northwest Division NAPA Auto Parts Lucas Oil Divisional Drag Race arrives at Spokane County Raceway on May 20-22. The event is one of 45 scheduled across the country where drivers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series earn points leading to divisional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division’s Top Sportsman Series, Rig Rentals Top Dragster Series and the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will also run in conjunction with the event.
Gates at Spokane County Raceway opens at 8 a.m. on each day. Qualifying and time trials start Friday and Saturday at 9 a.m. Comp Eliminator qualifies Friday at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eliminations start Sunday at 9 a.m.
NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION ARRIVES AT SUMMIT MOTORSPORTS PARK FOR THE CAVALCADE OF STARS
NORWALK, Ohio – Summit Motorsports Park will play host the Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser on May 20-22. The event is one of 45 scheduled across the country where drivers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series earn points leading to divisional, regional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division’s Brodix/Steve Schmidt Top Sportsman Series, Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster Series, and Pro Stock Snowmobile will be run in conjunction with the event as well as the NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series.
Gates at Summit Motorsports Park open at 7 a.m. each day. Qualifying and time trials start at 10 a.m. Friday and continue Saturday at 9 a.m. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman qualifying Friday at 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualify Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 4 and 8 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 8:30 a.m. with Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car running eliminations at 1 p.m.
SHIELDS, FURR SCORE BACK-TO-BACK WINS IN VIRGINA
PETERSBURG, VA – Duane Shields defended his title as he raced to victory at this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag 
Racing Series Power in the Park race at Virginia Motorsports Park. He was the number one qualifier going into eliminations and then captured the win at this race for the second year in a row. On his way to the final, the Boulder City, Nev., resident scored wins against Richard St. Pierre and Dan Mercier, before being paired against Rich McPhillips in the final round.
Joining Duane Shield as a back-to-back victor was Steve Furr, who earned the Wally trophy in Top Dragster presented by Select Performance. The Harrisburg, N.C., racer doubled-up on the weekend by also reaching the winner’s circle in Super Gas. He raced Anthony Bertozzi and Tom Stalba in the finals of each racing class.
WEATHER FORCES POSTPONEMENT OF INDIANAPOLIS LUCAS OIL SERIES EVENT
INDIANAPOLIS – Despite the best efforts of NHRA and track officials, final eliminations from the Ray Skillman Chevrolet NHRA Spring Spectacle of Speed at Lucas Oil Raceway Indianapolis were postponed late Sunday, due to rain.
All of Saturday’s scheduled qualifying and eliminations were lost to rain, but several rounds were completed on Sunday, including the first elimination rounds in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car.
In Top Alcohol Dragster, 2015 event runner-up Brandon Booher defeated Ken Perry. In the semifinals Booher is scheduled to race Gord Gingles, who eliminated defending event champion and low qualifier, Mia Tedesco. The other semifinal pairing will feature former North Central Division champion, Marty Thacker going against class newcomer Krista Baldwin. Baldwin, the granddaughter of Top Fuel legend Chris “the Greek” Karamesines, won the first round after opponent Robin Samsel smoked the tires, while Thacker earned his spot in the semifinals with a win against Jared Dreher.
