NHRA
LINDBERG VICTORIOUS IN NORWALK
NORWALK, OH – Reigning NHRA Lucas Oil World Champion Jonnie Lindberg, earned his second national event win this season, and 4h career win overall, in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the 10th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park.
Lindberg defeated Kris Hool, by being a tenth quicker combined with a hole shot at the start as both racers maintained a smooth run down the track. Lindberg ran a 5.546 second pass at 266.95 mph to Hool’s 5.646, 261.07. Lindberg lost earlier this season to Hool in the final round at Charlotte.
Rich Mc Phillips, Phoenixville, Pa., sailed to an easy win over Jeff Veale of Stoney Creak, Ontario. Veale was pulled off the starting line for a fuel leak as Mc Phillips made a clean pass in 5.434 seconds at 267.16 mph to take home his second national event Wally trophy this year, and his fifth career win.
Poe wins fourth; Ball brothers double up at Western Conference Finals
TULSA, OK — Last year, Cade Poe became the first driver in NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League history to win three Conference Finals/National Championships titles. The driver from Los Alamitos, Calif., didn’t take long to add to his record, winning a second straight and fourth overall title during this year’s NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Western Conference Finals presented by Huddleston Performance. Poe was joined in victory by the Ball brothers, Caden and Justin, who scored respective wins in the 6-9 age group and Jr. Comp. Other winners at the national-level event for Jr. Dragster competitors in Divisions 4, 5, 6, and 7 were Rylie Trumble (age 10), Madison Gordon (11), Kinley Wolfford (12), Aaron Jordan (13), Leslie Grissom (14), and Vernon Harris (16-17). Auto Club Famoso Raceway earned the team title.
Poe’s record fourth win came in a double-breakout final against Troy, Mich., racer Monica Roberts. Roberts, a member of the Tri-State Raceway team, got the jump at the starting line, but Poe, a Famoso competitor, was able to outmaneuver her at the stripe, winning on a 7.89 (7.90 dial) to 7.88 (7.90) count.
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES – WEST CENTRAL DIVISION
BANDIMERE, CO – Champions were recognized yesterday for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, West Central Division CARSTAR Thunder on the Mountain presented by NAPA Auto Parts as fans at Bandimere Speedway were treated to Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, and the rest of the classes that encompass the nationwide series.
In the Top Alcohol Dragster class, Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., went 5.476 seconds at 264.86 mph cruised past Dean Dubbin, Royalton, Minn., 5.702 seconds, 249.72 mph, for a resounding victory. Heading into round one, No. 1 qualifier Severance was the class favorite; and he surpassed expectations.
In the Top Alcohol Funny Car finals, attendees witnessed a bit of an upset. Fourth ranked Kris Hool, Evansville, Wyo., ’16 Camaro, 5.858, 246.66 toppled second ranked John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ’16 Camaro, 5.981, 255.63.
TAYLOR GAINS ANOTHER, MCDONALD WINS FIRST
BRISTOL, TN – John Taylor is a back to back national event winner in Bristol, while Mark McDonald captured his first ever win this weekend for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.
The Super Gas title went to Taylor of Naples, Fla., who had a great reaction time at the light, and never wavered as he went down the lane in 9.926 seconds at 159.49 mph. This is his fourth national event win.
It was McDonald’s second final round appearance in the Top Sportsman presented by Racing RV’s as he took out Ronnie Proctor, Harpers Ferry, W.V., for the win and his first national event trophy. McDonald, Boonville, Ind., ran a great race in his ’67 Mustang and was dead on for a 6.866 second pass at 194.38 mph.
NHRA JR. DRAG RACING WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
BRINGS THE BEST YOUNG DRAG RACERS TO TULSA RACEWAY PARK
TULSA, OK – Tulsa Raceway Park will host the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Western Conference Finals event presented by Huddleston Performance June 23-25. Nearly 300 racers from the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, ages 6 to 17 years, will compete for team and individual honors and a share of the event purse.
Teams of drivers in eight age categories drive half-scale dragsters powered by five-horsepower engines that may reach speeds up to 85 mph. They can cover the eighth-mile track in as quick as 7.90 seconds. Also in competition is the Jr. Comp class for racers 16 years and older, which run as fast as 110 mph in 6.90 seconds.
BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY ROARS WITH THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN
MORRISON, CO – Bandimere Speedway will host the NHRA West Central Division Thunder on the Mountain presented by CARSTAR on June 17-19. 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 Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman, Fineline Graphics & Madcap Racing Top Dragster and NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson as well as the NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series are also in competition.
Gates at Bandimere Speedway open at 8 a.m. each day. Qualifying and time trials start Friday at 9:30 a.m. and continue Saturday at 9 a.m. Top Dragster, Top Sportsman and Comp Eliminator qualify at 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at 2:45 and 5:30 p.m. Pro Fuel Harley qualify at 12:25 and 3:50 p.m. on Friday and 2:30 and 5:15 p.m. on Saturday. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualify on Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. Eliminations begin on Sunday.
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES – SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
TULSA, OK – Champions were crowned in Tulsa, Okla., yesterday for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, in the NHRA’s South Central Division at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park. The audience was treated to Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, and the rest of the classes that encompass the nationwide series.
In both alcohol classes, California drivers brought home victories. In TAD, Chris Demke of Tujunga, Calif., edged out Gord Gingles, who made the trek from Winnipeg, Manit. Demke ran 5.281 seconds, 266.85 mph to defeat Gingles, 5.307 seconds, 270.75 mph. In the TAFC final, John Lombardo Brea, Calif., handily defeated Lance Van Hauen of Reinbeck, Iowa. Lombardo hit 5.608 seconds, 266.85 mph defeating Van Hauen, 5.755 seconds, 250.60 mph.
HILL AND BARTON ARE BIG WINNERS IN ENGLISHTOWN
ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – In the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national event, Calvin Hill, Tamaqua, Pa., took home the trophy in Comp Eliminator, while David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., dominated in the School of Automotive Machinists & Technology Factory Stock Showdown series at the 47th Annual NHRA Summernationals.
Both drivers in Comp Eliminator had one national event win coming into this race as Peter Luciano, Malvern, Pa., took on Calvin Hill, Tamaqua, Pa., in the final round. Luciano got off the starting line first in his ’10 Cobalt, but Hill, who was the runner up here last year, made up the difference right away in his ’09 Grand Am and pulled ahead for the win. Hill had a final round run of 8.194 seconds, 164.61 mph. Luciano’s runner up pass clocked in at 8.653 seconds, 154.99 mph.
OSAGE CASINO TULSA RACEWAY PARK HOST NHRA SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
TULSA, OK – NHRA South Central Division arrives at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park on June 10-12. 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 Sunset Performance Top Sportsman Series, KPE Top Dragster Series and NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will also be run in conjunction with the event.
Gates at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park open at 8 a.m. each day. Time trials are 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Top Dragster, Top Sportsman and Comp Eliminator qualify Friday at 2 and 6 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. Top Dragster, Top Sportsman and Comp Eliminator start eliminations on Saturday at 3 p.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualify twice on Friday at 5 and 8 p.m. and eliminations Saturday at 4, 7 and 9 p.m. Eliminations resume Sunday for the remaining classes.
DOLL, SMYTH WIN IN EPPING
EPPING, NH – Multiple winners were crowned today at New England Dragway and the NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire. Doug Doll Jr., coming off a Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional victory in Maple Grove Raceway, was victorious again in Comp Eliminator. Doll ran 7.462 seconds, 170.82 mph to best Al Ackerman, 8.033, 166.27.
Doll was not the only winner from Reading, Pa., to repeat as Allison Smyth cruised to victory in her Pontiac Firebird in the Stock Eliminator class. Smyth ran 10.487, 123.56 to surpass Jerry Hatch and his Plymouth Duster, 10.678, 122.64.
In the Super Stock class, John Santangelo went back to back to back, winning for the third time in a row at the New England Nationals. Santangelo ran his Camaro to a 10.318, 121.88 pass to defeat. Ray Knight, Olds Calis, 10.067, 131.46.