COLES COUNTY WINS FIRST TEAM TITLE, FOUR HEADED TO NATINAL CHAMPIONSHIP

INDIANAPOLIS – Coles County Dragway of Charleston, Ill., scored its first Team Championship at the 40th Anniversary of the NHRA North Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. Joining the Coles County Dragway team in the celebration were individual winners including Tim Buckley who took home the trophy in Super Pro.

Coles County tallied up 49 points to hold off Kil-Kare Dragway and Summit Motorsports Park who tied for second at 44. Over 600 racers from 19 tracks competed in the event which celebrated its 40th year of competition.

Chad Isley helped secure the team championship for Coles County as he advanced to the final round in both the Pro and Sportsman classes in hopes of the elusive double-up. He got the job done in Pro with a near perfect 6.271 second pass on the 6.27 dial-in as he beat Dustin Brenton who was nearly as impressive with a 6.607 on the 6.60.

In Sportsman, Isley faced off with Marlon Howes who had his own championship dreams. The pair pushed each other to a double breakout with Howes getting the best of Isley posting a 12.496 second, 101.22 mph run to Isley’s 12.129, 109.80. Howes earned his first ever NHRA Wally trophy for the win.

Buckley went up against Aaron Witsman in a great final round. Buckley was .003 seconds off the start combined with a 4.743 (4.74 dial) for the win to Witsman’s 5.597 on his 5.59 dial with a nice .017 reaction time of his own.

The Bike final follow suit as Kyle Dolamore beat out Rick Haupt by about two inches to grab his first division championship. The pair left the line together with Haupt .002 seconds quicker but Dolamore was .003 seconds better at the strip taking the win in 5.421, 124.36 to Haupt’s 5.504, 124.52.

Buckley, Isley, Howes and Dolamore are all headed to Pomona, Calif., for the NHRA Summit National Championship. Buckley is making his second trip to the big show while this year will be number four for Isley.

Jacob Youngblood, Rosedale, Ind., scored the win in the High School class as Chris Dovenbarger left early with a red light foul start. Youngblood ran it out to a 16.764 at 83.30 mph in his ’06 Z71.

In the Sunoco Race of Champions competition, which pits the top points earners from each track against each other, Todd Clark, Wes Buckley, Larry Shupperd and Joe Novak took home the honors.

Home state racers Clark and Shupperd won in Super Pro and Sportsman respectively. Clark, Albany, Ind., drove his ’79 Malibu to victory over Allen Moore posting an eighth mile lap of 6.544 seconds at 103.53 mph to Moore’s quicker 4.909, 133.16. Shupperd, Windfall, Ind., went 12.178 at 114.05 in his ’72 Vega to knock out Bill Crutcher and his ’67 Nova.

Buckley, Rossford, Ohio, ran down Kim Sparks, Cutler, Ind., for the Race of Champions Pro title posting a 6.000 second 110.15 mph lap in his ’86 Z28 to Sparks’ 6.230, 109.13 in a ’68 Firebird.

The Bike trophy went to Novak of Michigan as his ’87 Kawasaki went 5.277 at 130.92 to end Kurt Clark’s championship run out of Oak, Iowa. Clark clocked in at 5.403, 125.27 on his ’76 Kawasaki.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Summit Racing Series North Central Division Finals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis:

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Coles County Dragway USA 49

Kil-Kare Dragway 44

Summit Motorsports Park 44

Route 66 Raceway 39

Milan Dragway 37

Lucas Oil Raceway 36

Crossroads Dragway 36

Gateway Motorsports Park 34

Muncie Dragway 32

Beech Bend Raceway Park 30

Lyons Raceway Park 30

Byron Dragway 29

Ohio Valley Dragway 26

National Trail Raceway 24

Edgewater Sports Park 23

Bunker Hill Dragstrip 22

Pacemakers Dragway Park 21

Beacon Dragway 18

Mid-Michigan Motorplex 14

SUPER PRO

Tim Buckley, Rossford, Ohio, ’93 Advanced, 4.743, 144.55 def. Aaron Witsman, Bloomington, Ind., ’81 Monza, 5.597, 125.74.

PRO ET

Chad Isley, Charleston, Ill., ’67 Camaro, 6.271, 105.53 def. Dustin Brenton, Rosedale, Ind., ’69 Nova, 6.607, 99.68.

SPORTSMAN

Marlon Howes, Livonia, Mich., ’02 Firebird, 12.496, 101.22 def. Chad Isley, Charleston, Ill., ’84 Mustang, 12.129, 109.80.

BIKE

Kyle Dolamore, Wellington, Ohio, dragster, 5.421, 124.36 def. Rick Haupt, Farmersville, Ohio, ’86 Kawaski, 5.504, 124.52.

HIGH SCHOOL

Jacob Youngblood, Rosedale, Ind., ’06 Z71, 16.764, 83.30 def. Chris Dovenbarger, Caldwell, Ohio, ’75 Duster, foul.

RACE OF CHAMPIONS

SUPER PRO

Todd Clark, Albany, Ind., ’79 Malibu, 6.544, 103.52 def. Allen Moore, Brunswick, Ohio, ’10 Mac Sherrill, 4.909, 133.16.

PRO ET

Wes Buckley, Rossford, Ohio, ’86 Z28, 6.000, 110.15 def. Kim Sparks, Cutler, Ind., ’68 Firebird, 6.230, 109.13.

SPORTSMAN

Larry Shupperd, Windfall, Ind., ’72 Vega, 12.178, 114.05 def. Bill Crutcher, Cedar Hill, Tenn., ’67 Nova, foul.

BIKE

Joe Novak, Carleton, Mich., ’87 Kawasaki, 5.277, 130.92 def. Kurt Clark, Oak, Iowa, ’76 Kawasaki, 5.403, 125.27.