THACKER, GIPSON, AND DAHLEM WIN BIG IN JOILET

JOILET, IL – Illinois standouts; Top Alcohol Dragster driver Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., Stock Eliminator driver Bob Gipson, Port Byron, Ill., and Dave Dahlem, Tremont, Ill., in Super Gas all took home Wally trophies in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division Burndown at Sundown, at Route 66 Raceway.

Thacker had an easy day in the office as Kirk Wolf, Ceadar Creek, Texas, broke shortly after takeoff in the Top Alcohol Dragster final round. Thacker, coasted to victory at 7.686 seconds, 117.40 mph.

The Stock Eliminator final round came down to the wire as Gipson had the .001 reaction time advantage to eke out the victory over Steven Dziorny, Leonard, Mich., 11.892 seconds, 110.94 mph. Gipson finished at 11.700 seconds, 111.90 mph.

Devin Isenhower ,,, hit his index on the head, 9.900 seconds, 164.09 mph, but couldn’t catch up to Dave Dahlem and fell short. Dahlem yielded an excellent reaction time of .004, and registered his victory pass at 9.919 seconds, 155.24 mph.

California Top Alcohol Funny Car champion John Lombardo, Brea, Calif., chased down Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, in the final round for the victory. Foster had mechanical issues and had to coast to the finish line. Lombardo finished at 5.590 seconds, 268.06 mph. Foster, 9.882 seconds, 89.16 mph.

Wayne Sleger, Manitowoc, Wis., is 1-0 in the Top Dragster final round after defeating Tom Martino, Youngstown, Ohio. Sleger finished at 6.560 seconds, 209.72 mph to Martino’s runner up pass of 6.380 seconds, 215.07 mph. Badeye Brinegar, Middletown, Ohio, built a huge starting line advantage with a strong 0.005 reaction time and held off a charging Alex Bosak, Chicago, Ill., for the hole shot win. Brinegar finished at 6.962 seconds, 194.49 mph, Bosak, 6.825 seconds, 204.14 mph.

The other drivers visiting the Lucas Oil winner’s circle were Troy Galbraith in Comp Eliminator; Jeff Dona in Super Stock; Jacob Elrod in Super Comp and; Mark Smith in Super Street.

The following drivers visited the specialty events winner’s circle; Glenn Hall in Pro Stock Snowmobile; Pat Martin in Super Comp Shootout; Larry Roedel in Super Gas Shootout; and Joe Petersen in Super Street Shootout.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is scheduled to visit the North Central division next on July 21-22 at Gateway Motorsports Park.

The following are Sunday’s final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division Burndown at Sundown at Route 66 Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1

4) Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., 5.563, 269.73 def. 5) Bob Sargent, Indianapolis, Ind., 9.232, 87.65

6) John Paul Gutierrez, Berkley, Mich., 5.443, 261.32 def. 3) Mia Tedesco, Pittsburgh, Pa., 5.519, 248.98

2) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.362, 269.73 def. 7) Krista Baldwin, Upland, Calif., 5.587, 247.29

1) Kirk Wolf, Ceadar Creek, Texas, 5.327, 271.08 def. 8) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.632, 253.80

Semifinals

Thacker, 5.469, 267.75 def. Gutierrez, foul

Wolf, 5.553, 260.41 def. Crampton, 5.743, 267.27

Finals

Thacker, 7.686, 117.40 def. Wolf, broke

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1

4) Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, ’15 Mustang, 5.680, 257.58 def. 5) Rick Cortino, Wheaton, Ill., ’97 Firebird, 5.932, 241.84

3) Scott McVey, Ile Des Chenes, Manit., ’06 Monte Carlo, 5.568, 263.51 def. 6) Tony Bogolo, Hamilton, Ohio, ’01 Avenger, 5.895, 239.78

7) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ’16 Camaro, 5.569, 269.03 def. 2) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., ’10 Mustang, 5.896, 256.26

8) Todd Robertson, Harrison Twp., Mich., ’12 Mustang, 6.244, 221.60 def. 1) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ’17 Camaro, 7.674, 114.96

Semifinals

Foster, 5.883, 254.38 def. Robertson, 6.011, 242.98

Lombardo Jr., 5.765, 267.37 def. McVey, 8.749, 102.45

Finals

Lombardo Jr., 5.590, 268.06 def. Foster, 9.882, 89.16

COMP ELIMINATOR

Troy Galbraith, Indianapolis, Ind., ’14 Spitzer, B/DA, 6.811, 182.03 def. Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., ’23 Ford T, J/AA, 7.743, 168.09.

SUPER STOCK

Jeff Dona, Gordonville, Mo., ’98 Formula, SS/HA, 9.865, 128.53 def. Nick Morris, Louisville, Ky.,

’98 Mustang, FGT/J, 9.767, 128.65.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Bob Gipson, Port Byron, Ill., ’68 Nova, H/SA, 11.700, 111.90 def. Steven Dziorny, Leonard, Mich.,

’03 Dakota, K/SA, 11.892, 110.94.

SUPER COMP

Jacob Elrod, Lima, Ohio, ’14 American, 8.894, 170.51 def. Pat Martin, London, Ohio, ’08 American, 8.884, 184.07.

SUPER GAS

Dave Dahlem, Tremont, Ill., ’57 Corvette, 9.919, 155.24 def. Devin Isenhower ,,,’67 Camaro, 9.900, 164.09.

SUPER STREET

Mark Smith, Bowling Green, Ky., ’82 Mustang, 10.923, 127.59 def. Scott Mackie, Milford, Mich., ’66 Chevy II, 10.867, 148.67.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Badeye Brinegar, Middletown, Ohio, ’03 Mustang, 6.962, 194.49 def. Alex Bosak, Chicago, Ill., ’02 Neon, 6.825, 204.14.

TOP DRAGSTER

Wayne Sleger, Manitowoc, Wis., ’10 Sleger, 6.560, 209.72 def. Tom Martino, Youngstown, Ohio, ’13 MacSherrill, 6.380, 215.07.

PROSTOCK SNOWMOBILE

Glenn Hall, Gordon, Wis., ’17 Arctic CAT, 8.288, 156.08 def. Louie Wirbel, Marion, Mich., ’04 Ski DOO, 8.346, 153.77.

SUPER COMP SHOOTOUT

Pat Martin, London, Ohio, ’08 American, 8.910, 178.54 def. Rick Schneider, , , ’14 Diamond, 8.941, 176.05.

SUPER GAS SHOOTOUT

Larry Roedel, Evansville, Ind., ’27 Don Davis, 9.901, 153.56 def. Rock Haas, Commerce, Mich., ’05 Don Davis, 9.885, 162.31.

SUPERSTREET SHOOTOUT

Joe Petersen, Elkhorm, Neb., ’04 Chevy, 10.944, 141.02 def. Jim Noben, , , ’68 Camaro, 10.926,

141.82.