TEXAS RACERS LEAD WINNERS AT MOTORPLEX
ENNIS, Texas – Four Texas racers were among the winners this past weekend for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Texas Motorplex including Dick Maris in Comp Eliminator and Danny Leibham in Top Sportsman.
Maris, Montgomery, Texas, took the easy win, and the trophy, when Rhett Fulton, St. Gabriel, La., fouled at the start handing the win to Maris while Leibham, Tomball, Texas, took out former division champion Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., in the division’s Suburban Chevrolet Top Sportsman class. Leibham drove his ’01 Camaro to a lap of 7.071, seconds at 194.77 mph to the quicker Raftery at 6.773 seconds.
John Slater and Benji Gibson were the two other Texas racers scoring wins at the Motorplex as Slater, Katy, Texas, beat Joe Collier, Clyde, Texas, in Super Gas and Gibson, Euless, Texas, won in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson. Slater went 168.72 mph in his ’03 Grand Am for the win and Gibson clocked in at 155.24 mph on his ’05 Hayabusa to defeat Kyle Olson, Moorland, Iowa.
The Sunset Racecraft Top Dragster class went to David Oenes, Henderson, Colo., running 6.294 seconds, 202.82 mph against Mike Weaver, Highlands, Texas, with a 6.912, 194.77 mph run.
Stock and Super Stock saw Louisiana residents Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. and Larry Cummings come out on top. Hidalgo won over Darrell Erwin, Kennedale, Texas, in 10.395 seconds with his ’02 Firebird and Cummings of Hammond, La., ran down Pete Perry, Bowie, Texas with an 8.471, 159.02 mph lap.
Defending Super Comp Lucas Oil National Champion Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., continued his winning ways taking the win over Westley Scott, Greenville, Texas, and Dan Clary, Mustang, Okla., rounded out the winners against Greg Parson in Super Street. Stinnett went 8.914, 180.36 for his first win of the year and Clary went 134.85 mph in his ’66 Nova also picking up his first win of 2012.
Lucas Oil South Central Division racers head south to Houston and Royal Purple Raceway for this weekend’s NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event April 27-29.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Texas Motorplex:
COMP ELIMINATOR
Dick Maris, Montgomery, Texas, ProStart, C/DA, 12.083, 71.93 def. Rhett Fulton, St. Gabriel, La., dragster, C/ED, foul.
SUPER STOCK
Larry Cummings, Hammond, La., '08 Cavalier, SS/BM, 8.471, 159.02 def. Pete Peery, Bowie, Texas, '91 Calais, GT/FA, 9.893, 132.00.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Donaldsonville, La., '02 Firebird, A/SA, 10.395, 117.53 def. Darrell Erwin, Kennedale, Texas, '69 Camaro, G/SA, 11.352, 113.17.
SUPER COMP
Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., dragster, 8.914, 180.36 def. Westley Scott, Greenville, Texas, dragster, 8.898, 171.47.
SUPER GAS
John Salter, Katy, Texas, '03 Grand Am, 9.931, 168.72 def. Joe Collier, Clyde, Texas, '01 Monte Carlo, 9.888, 153.67.
SUPER STREET
Dan Clary, Mustang, Okla., '66 Nova, 10.897, 134.85 def. Greg Parson, Whitehouse, Texas, '77 Nova, 10.891, 138.29.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Danny Leibham, Tomball, Texas, '01 Camaro, 7.071, 194.77 def. Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., '68 Camaro, 6.773, 194.27.
TOP DRAGSTER
David Oenes, Henderson, Colo., dragster, 6.294, 202.82 def. Mike Weaver, Highlands, Texas, dragster, 6.912, 194.77.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Benji Gibson, Euless, Texas, '05 Hayabusa, 8.153, 155.24 def. Kyle Olson, Moorland, Iowa, '07 Suzuki, foul.
