RAMPY GRABS 75TH NHRA NATIONAL EVENT AT JEGS SPORTSNATIONALS
BELLE ROSE, La. – The 8th Annual JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals saw more than 500 racers make the trip to No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La., to do battle on the quarter mile with nine champions being crowned today during the winner’s circle ceremony including David Rampy taking home his 75th NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series National event win.
Rampy went deep into elimination rounds in both Comp and Super Stock taking his ’32 roadster to the Comp final, and then to winner’s circle when Russell Joly’s car would not start for the final round. Rampy took out class hitter Arnie Martel in the semi-finals with a lap of 7.279 at 174.26 mph. Joly made the show as an alternate and beat Grant Lewis and Kevin Self on his road to the finals.
Lucas Oil racer Terry Emmons, League City, Texas, beat Mark Faul for the Super Stock win and Kevin Helms, Schriever, La., held off Jerry Bennett, Hickory, Ky., for the win in Stock Eliminator. Emmons drove his ’69 Chevrolet to a lap of 10.018 seconds at 136.14 mph and Helms went 10.234, 129.18 in his ’69 Camaro.
In the TCI Comp Cams Top Dragster class Louisiana racer Mark Jones from Morrero, La., beat fellow La., racer Shane Vicknair of Metaire while former Super Gas World Champion Todd Stewart took the trophy in the Suburban Chevrolet Top Sportsman class. Stewart, Kilgore, Texas, raced to a 7.212 second, 180.81 mph final round against Royce Freeman, Lindsay, Okla. Lindsay got out of shape right off the starting line and could only watch as Stewart drove away.
No Problem Raceway regular James Enloe, Praireville, La., won for the local fans in the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson. Enloe went 9.714, 132.22 mph against Jason Clampit, Lind Lakes, Minn.
Three Texas racers combined for wins to sweep the super classes with Jeff Lopez leading the way in Super Comp. Lopez, Bedford, Texas, won over James Carter, Forney, Texas, at 8.889 seconds, 162.37 mph. The Super Gas trophy went to Rustin Mayse, Grandview, Texas, and Chris Le Blanc, Pearland, Texas, won in Super Street to round out the weekend winners.
South Central Division racers head to Texas Motorplex next month for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. There are two more JEGS SPORTSnationals events this year with the JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals at Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., May 13-15 and the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, Sept. 23-25.
The following are the final results from the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at No Problem Raceway:
COMP ELIMINATOR
David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.521, 138.97 def. Russell Joly, Louisa, Va., '07 Cobalt, C/AA, broke.
SUPER STOCK
Terry Emmons, League City, Texas, '69 Camaro, SS/FA, 10.018, 126.14 def. Mark Faul, Tacoma, Wash., '98 Grand Am, GT/FA, 10.631, 117.60.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Kevin Helms, Schriever, La., '69 Camaro, A/S, 10.234, 129.18 def. Jerry Bennett, Hickory, Ky., '62 Savoy, D/SA, 10.620, 120.72.
SUPER COMP
Jeff Lopez, Bedford, Texas, dragster, 8.889, 162.37 def. James Carter, Forney, Texas, dragster, 8.872, 172.54.
SUPER GAS
Rustin Mayse, Grandview, Texas, '03 Corvette, 9.915, 157.43 def. Audie Wood, Dallas, Texas, '69 Chevelle, 9.871, 168.47.
SUPER STREET
Chris LeBlanc, Pearland, Texas, '67 Corvette, 10.904, 145.19 def. Mike DeSio, Seminole, Fla., '67 Chevy II, 10.932, 137.78.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Todd Stewart, Kilgore, Texas, '67 Camaro, 7.212, 180.81 def. Royce Freeman, Lindsay, Okla., '10 GXP, 11.753, 74.73.
TOP DRAGSTER
Mark Jones, Marrero, La., dragster, 8.248, 100.98 def. Shane Vicknair, Metairie, La., dragster, foul.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
James Enloe, Prairieville, La., '00 Bandit, 9.714, 132.22 def. Jason Clampit, Lino Lakes, Minn., '11 Hayabusa, 9.070, 135.88.
