Strickland Clinches Second National Championship in Pomona

Pomona, CA – The 2016 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series came to a close in the Pacific Division Race at Pomona Auto Club Raceway Sunday. Event champions and National Champions were crowned in the series finale. Top Alcohol Dragster, Funny Car, Comp, Super Stock, and the rest of the classes that encompass the Lucas Oil Series were in action.

Top Alcohol Dragster 2016 Lucas Oil Champion Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., further solidified his status as the best in the division with his fastest run of the weekend. The Woodburn racer registered his victory pass at 5.212 seconds, 275.96 mph. Cody Perkin, Bluffdale, Utah did not show up for the final round. The victory marks Severance’s 16th career National event win and the sixth of the 2016 season.

California Native Doug Gordon wrapped up 2016 with a hard fought Alcohol Funny Car National victory. The Paso Robles driver faced off against fellow Californian Shane Westerfield. Gordon edged out the Anaheim funny car driver, running 5.462 seconds, 270.43 mph, to Westerfield’s runner pass of 5.522 seconds, 267.91 mph.

Jeff Strickland of Red Bay, Ala., became just the second racer in NHRA history to clinch two championships in the same season, a feat that was only accomplished by Scotty Richardson in 1994. Strickland claimed the Top Dragster Presented by Racing RV’s National Championship in the second Las Vegas Lucas Oil racing divisional series the previous weekend. In the third round of Stock eliminations in Pomona, Strickland knocked off Stock contender, Brad Burton to secure the 2016 Lucas Oil Stock Eliminator Championship.

The other drivers visiting the Lucas Oil winners’ circle capping off the season were; Brian Hyerstay in Comp Eliminator; Dan Fletcher in Super Stock; Bob Gullett; Zach Meziere in Super Comp; and Brad Pierce in Super Gas.

The following are final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division at the Auto Club Raceway in Pomona:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Joey Severance, 5.212, 275.96 def. Cody Perkins

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

Doug Gordon, 5.462, 270.43 def. Shane Westerfield, 5.522, 267.91

COMP ELIMINATOR

Brain Hyerstay, 8.865, 145.02 def. Ralph Van Paepeghem, 7.262, 182.65

SUPER STOCK

Dan Fletcher, 10.954, 98.59 def. Bill Skillman, 10.972, 88.15

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Bob Gullett, 10.869, 119.71 def. Jeff Strickland, 9.470, 137.99

SUPER COMP

Zach Meziere, 8.911, 172.19 def. Dick VandeerMeer, 8.917, 176.51

SUPER GAS

Brad Pierce, 9.901, 142.28 def. Ed Olpin, 9.896, 166.76