TEDESCO, DREW WIN BIG AT THE BEND

BOWLING GREEN, KY – Mia Tedesco and Rey Drew raced to victory at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky., and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Tedesco, Murrysville, Pa., scored her second win of the year having won earlier this month in Indianapolis, then covered the field this weekend in Bowling Green taking out Marty Thacker in the final of Top Alcohol Dragster.  Tedesco qualified No. 1 and save her best run of the day for the final posting a 5.359 second lap at 269.19 mph.  Thacker, Robinson, Ill., qualified No. 4 and ran 5.40’s in rounds one and two to advance to the finals.

Drew came from the bottom half of the Top Alcohol Funny Car field having qualified sixth, and took out class hitters Andy Bohl and Annie Whitely on his way to the final against Phil Esz.  Drew left first and continued to pull away taking the win in 5.613 seconds at 256.84 mph to Esz’s pass of 5.694 at 252.99.  The win was Drew’s first of the year.

Troy Galbraith continued his hot streak in Comp Eliminator posting his third win in the last four races.  The Indianapolis racer drove his ’14 dragster to the win over Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., who left early with a red light foul start.

Philip Smida and JB Strassweg each grabbed their second North Central Division win of the year as Smida, Canfield, Ohio, knocked out Jeremy Jensen, Clarksville, Tenn., in Super Street and Strassweg, Evansville, Ind., ended Lynn Ellison’s day in the Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster class.  Jenson was out first on Smida but ran too quick as Smida posted a 10.908 on the 10.90 index while Strassweg left on Ellison and raced to a 6.282, 204.91 mph win.

Ellison’s daughter Madison, Central City, Ky., worked her way through the Super Comp class then met up with Tyler Bohannon, Louisville, Ky., in the final.  Bohannon got the holeshot and held on for the win at 8.925 to the quicker Ellison at 8.909.

In Saturday’s racing action, TC Morris took home the NHRA Moser Sportsman Shootout trophy with a final round win over Devin Isenhower.  Morris of New Haven, Ky., wheeled his ’04 GTO to a lap of 6.897 seconds on the eighth-mile to knock out Isenhower, Lebanon, Ind., and his 6.952 in his ’67 Camaro.

Rounding out the winner’s circle celebration was Tyler Caheely in Super Stock over Jeff Colvert; Gene Monahan beat Joseph Martens in Stock; Rusty Cook won in Super Gas over Ryan Bolin; and Jimmy Gallon beat Kynon Dinkel in the Brodix/Steve Schmidt Top Sportsman.

NHRA North Central Division racers head to Lucas Oil Raceway for the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals this week, August 30-Sept. 4 where they will meet up with the drivers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

The following are Sunday’s final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division event at Beech Bend Raceway Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Mia Tedesco, Murrysville, Pa., 5.359, 269.19  def. Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 17.093, 25.16.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

Ray Drew, Hales Corners, Wis., ’14 Mustang, 5.613, 256.84  def. Phil Esz, Amelia, Ohio, ’17 Camaro, 5.694, 252.99.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Troy Galbraith, Indianapolis, Ind., ’14 Spitzer, B/DA, 8.250, 105.22  def. Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., ’23 Ford, J/AA, foul.

SUPER STOCK

Tyler Caheely, Rock Springs, Ga., ’00 Chevy S10, SS/TB, 9.247, 137.71  def. Jeff Colvert, Arkadelphia, Ark., ’88 Mustang, GT/D, 9.018, 139.80.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Gene Monahan, Brockton, Mass., ’89 Formula, K/SA, 12.097, 102.66  def. Joseph Martens, N. Olmsted, Ohio, ’69 Camaro, B/S, 10.372, 129.38.

SUPER COMP

Tyler Bohannon, Louisville, Ky., ’13 Racecraft, 8.925, 169.40  def. Madison Ellison, Central City, Ky., ’08 American, 8.909, 177.00.

SUPER GAS

Rusty Cook, Cynthiana, Ky., ’99 Worthy, 9.954, 151.66  def. Ryan Bolin, Wilmington, Ill., ’93 Mustang, 9.939, 140.94.

SUPER STREET

Philip Smida, Canfield, Ohio, ’88 Cavalier, 10.908, 137.79  def. Jeremy Jensen, Clarksville, Tenn.,

’69 Corvette, 10.894, 142.19.

TOP DRAGSTER

JB Strassweg, Evansville, Ind., ’08 Undercover, 6.282, 204.91  def. Lynn Ellison, Central City, Ky., ’11 M & M, 6.373, 211.63.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Jimmy Fallon, Trenton, Ohio, ’63 Corvette, 7.072, 193.71  def. Kynon Dinkel, Terre Haute, Ind., ’04 Cavalier, 6.907, 202.79.

MOSER SPORTSMAN SHOOTOUT FINAL

TC Morris, New Haven, Ky. ’04 GTO,  6.897 seconds, 94.65 mph def Devin Isenhower, Lebanon, Ind. ’67 Camaro, 6.952, 128.18