TEDESCO, MCVEY WIN; RECORDS FALL AT ALL-AMERICAN HOT ROD SHOWDOWN AT GATEWAY MOTORSPORTS PARK

MADISON, IL – More than 400 racers from the U.S. and Canada converged on Gateway Motorsports Park for the All American Hot Rod Showdown and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series with Mia Tedesco and Scott McVey taking home big wins.

Tedesco of Murrysville, Pa., won the final round of Top Alcohol Dragster eliminations over Megan Meyer of Spring Hill, Kan. Tedesco set a new track E.T. (elapsed time) record of 5.269 seconds during qualifying, then eclipsed that still-new mark with a pass of 5.230 seconds in the final round of eliminations. Tedesco began eliminations as the points leader as number two in points Brandon Booher failed to qualify for the eight-car field.

The GMP win was Tedesco’s second consecutive victory and her fifth of the 2016 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season. Tedesco also was entered in the Super Gas class and made it to the semifinal but was eliminated.

“Back-to-back wins is pretty cool. We’ve never done that before,” Tedesco said. “And getting to the semifinal in Super Gas felt pretty good. This is our third divisional win and I’ve won twice in Super Gas so that’s five this year.”

Tedesco was asked about women dominating the North Central Division Top Alcohol Dragster class after female drivers secured the top three positions in qualifying. A third track record was set by Rachel Meyer of Spring Hill, Kan., when she ran 273.72 mph during qualifying.

“Megan and Rachel, the Meyer family, they do an awesome job,” Tedesco said. “They have a stout team and always run well. It was lucky to get by her in the final. God’s blessed me a lot this year. It’s been phenomenal.”

Tedesco reached the final round of eliminations by defeating Jared Dreher in the first round and Rachel Meyer in the semifinal.

Scott McVey of Ile Des Chenes, Manit., CAN., defeated Andrew Bohl of Racine, Wis., in the Top Alcohol Funny Car finale, 5.613 second, 260.56 mph to 5.627, 263.62. To reach the final, McVey defeated Todd Robertson in the first round and Lance Van Hauen in the semifinal. During qualifying, McVey set new track E.T. and miles-per-hour records (5.591 seconds at 259.31 mph). His 260.56-mph pass in the final re-set the track record again.

Troy Galbraith took the holeshot and drove around Steve Ambrose for the win in Comp Eliminator while Nick Folk and Joe Fisher won close finals in Super Stock and Super Gas respectively. Galbraith, Indianapolis, went 6.821 at 178.47 in his dragster to beat out Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., with a 7.748, 167.84 in his ’23 Ford roadster. Folk, Durand, Ill., and Brett Speer, Little Falls, Minn., left the line nearly identical (.015 to .017 reaction times) as Folk ran 9.449 on his 9.44 dial for a .024 second package to Speer’s .032. The Super Gas final was even tighter as Fisher posted a .028 package to Robert Coleman, Columbia, Mo., with a .029, just one one-thousandth of a second behind.
Other winners this weekend were Bryan Merkle beating Daniel Condon in Stock Eliminator; Jeremy Demers knocking out Dusty Meyer in Super Comp; Corey Bentley won in Super Street over Marc Erickson; Les Feist defeated Shanna Snyder in the Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster; and Don O’Neal took out Joseph Mohana in the Brodix/Steve Schmidt Top Sportsman.

North Central Division racers head to Beech Bend Raceway Park for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, Aug. 26-28.

The following are final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division Illinois Lottery presents the NAPA All-American Hot Rod Showdown:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1

4) Ken Perry, Markham, Ont., 5.533, 231.32 def. 5) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., foul

1) Megan Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.276, 271.19 def. 8) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.396, 259.71

3) Rachel Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.386, 271.46 def. 6) Gary Cooper, Wichita, Kan., 12.175, 90.51
2) Mia Tedesco, Pittsburg, Pa., 5.438, 251.11 def. 7) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.522, 254.18
Semifinals

Tedesco, 5.364, 262.03 def. R. Meyer, 5.761, 254.90

M. Meyer, took the green light, def. Perry, broke
Final

Tedesco, 5.230, 269.46 def. M. Meyer, 5.320, 274.39

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1

1) Scott McVey, Ile Des Chenes, Manit., ’06 Monte Carlo, 5.612, 260.56 def. 8) Todd Robertson,
Harrison Township, Mich., ’12 Monte Carlo, 10.821, 80.05

2) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., ’16 Camaro, 5.625, 261.22 def. 7) Ray Drew, Hales Corners, Wis., ’14 Mustang, broke 6) Tony Bogolo, Hamilton, Ohio, ’01 Avenger, 5.698, 254.81 def. 3) Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, ’15 Mustang, 5.676, 256.89
5) Lance Van Hauen, Reinbeck, Iowa, ’15 Camaro, 5.739, 252.76 def. 4) Kirk Williams, Glenwood,
Iowa, ’04 Firebird, 12.255, 64.89
Semifinals

McVey, 5.591, 259.91 def. Van Hauen, 5.769, 256.94

Bohl, 5.644, 259.56 def. Bogolo, 5.777, 253.37

Final

McVey, 5.613, 260.56 def. Bohl, 5.627, 263.62

COMP ELIMINATOR
Troy Galbraith, Indianapolis, ’14 Spitzer, B/DA, 6.821, 178.47 def. Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., ’23 Ford, J/AA, 7.748, 167.84

SUPER STOCK
Nick Folk, Durand, Ill., ’05 Cobalt, GT/AA, 9.449, 134.04 def. Brett Speer, Little Falls, Minn., ’87 Camaro, GT/FA, 10.025, 129.55

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Bryan Merkle, Johnstown, Ohio, ’00 Firebird, AA/SA, 10.399, 122.41 def. Daniel Condon, Wilmington, Ill., ’15 Camaro, FS/G, 10.487, 127.68

SUPER COMP
Jeremy Demers, Carroll, Iowa, ’08 Worthy, 8.898, 181.81 def. Dusty Meyer, Lenexa, Kan., dragster, 8.864, 169.19

SUPER GAS
Joe Fisher, Clayton, Ohio, ’63 Corvette, 9.908, 163.69 def. Robert Coleman, Columbia, Mo., ’97 Davis, 9.914, 142.66

SUPER STREET
Corey Bentley, Fremont, Neb., ’66 Chevy II, 15.860, 63.89 def. Marc Erickson, Rockford, Ill., ’01 S10, foul

TOP DRAGSTER
Les Feist, Clearwater, Minn., ’13 Miller, 6.275, 221.60 def. Shanna Snyder, Elkhart, Ind., ’06 Spitzer, 6.084, 227.08

TOP SPORTSMAN
Don O Neal, Evansville, Ind., ’99 Monte Carlo, 7.405, 149.46 def. Joseph Mohana, Bourg, La., ’57 Belair, foul

DRAW/RFC SUPER COMP SHOOTOUT PRESENTED BY MOSER ENGINEERING
Tyler Bohannon, Louisville, Ky., ’13 Racecraft, 8.913, 159.87 def. George Caheely, LaFayette, Ga., ’02 Undercover, 8.936, 159.29.

DRAW/RFC SUPER GAS SHOOTOUT PRESENTED BY MOSER ENGINEERING
Steve Hoyt, Ft. Wayne, Ind., ’63 Corvette, 9.904, 167.12 def. Marcus Bush, Aledo, Ill., ’77 Nova, 9.918, 154.47.

DRAW/RFC SUPERSTREET SHOOTOUT PRESENTED BY MOSER ENGINEERING
Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., ’67 Camaro, 10.911, 142.06 def. Val Harmon, Luling, La., ’67 Chev II, 10.891, 142.45