MERRILL LEADS THUNDER VALLEY TO CHAMPIONSHIP
ENNIS, Texas – Alvie Merrill led the team from Thunder Valley Raceway Park to the Team Championships and pick up his own in the No-Electronics Quick class at this weekend’s NHRA Summit Racing Series South Central Division Finals at Texas Motorplex. Merrill, from Edmond, Okla., used a hole-shot starting line advantage, and a 6.367 second run on a 6.36 dial-in in his ’94 Camaro, to edge out Michael “Drew” Porcher, Conroe, Texas, in an ’88 S-10 running 6.232 at 111.83 mph. Merrill and his teammates from Thunder Valley, Noble, Okla., gather up 71 points to defend their team championship from a year ago with North Star Dragway and Royal Purple Raceway finishing 2nd and 3rd.
Tulsa Raceway Park had a pair of drivers race to the winner’s circle as Brian Hughes and Thomas Klemme took home trophies in the Pro and Motorcycle classes. Hughes, Longview, Texas, powered his ’79 Firebird past Jack Mauldin Jr., Groesbeck, Texas, with a 6.435 second pass at 100.21 mph with Mauldin coming in at 6.402, 111.74 in his ’70 Nova. Klemme, Davenport, Iowa, road his ’76 K2 900 to a lap of 5.544 at 121.67 mph in out running Jason Moody, Tomball, Texas, going 6.396, 105.36 on his ’77 Kawasaki.
Jeromy Hefler out of Kennedale, Texas, joined in on the fun picking up the win in No-Electronics Street over Brad Young, Ft. Worth, Texas. Hefler drove the ’71 Capri that his brother Jeff won in last year, to a 7.843, 83.87 mph win with Young posting a 7.824, 80.33 in his ’67 Camaro.
In Super Pro it was Randell Reid running for Hobbs Raceway with a 0.019 second package in his ’07 dragster to defeat Dylan Lee, Austin, Texas. Reid’s lap of 4.725, 144.47 mph was too much for Austin’s 5.096 at 134.16. Reid went on to win the run off with the Pro winner Hughes and will advance to the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship next month at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona Calif., along with Merrill, Hefler, and Klemme where they will face the winner’s from the other six NHRA divisions for a purse of more than $100,000.
The following are the final results from the NHRA South Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals at Texas Motorplex:
Team Championship
Thunder Valley Raceway Park 71
Texas Raceway 61
North Star Dragway 52
Royal Purple Raceway 51
Tulsa Raceway Park 42
Hobbs Motorsports Park 40
Texas Motorplex 37
No Problem Raceway 34
Paris Dragstrip 29
Edinburg Int’l Raceway 19
Super Pro
Randell Reid, Bridgeport, Texas, ‘07 dragster, 4.725 seconds, 144.47 mph def. Dylan Lee, Austin, Texas, '05 dragster, 5.096, 134.16
Pro
Brian Hughes, Longview, Texas, '79 Firebird, 6.435, 100.21 def. Jack Mauldin Jr, Groesbeck, Texas, '70 Nova, 6.402, 111.74
Non-Electronics Quick
Alvie Merrill, Edmond, Okla., ’94 Camaro, 6.367, 106.65 def. Michael “Drew” Porcher, Conroe, Texas, '88 S-10, 6.232, 111.83
No-Electronics Street
Jeromy Hefler, Kennedale, Texas '71 Capri, 7.843, 83.87 def. Brad Young, Ft. Worth, Texas, '67 Camaro, 7.824, 80.33
Motorcycle
Thomas Klemme, Davenport, Iowa, '76 K2 900, 5.544, 121.67 def. Jason Moody, Tomball, Texas, ‘77 Kawasaki, 6.396, 105.36
