TOPEKA, Kan. – Rich McPhillips and Tony Bartone took home big wins this weekend at Heartland Park Topeka and the Dollar General NHRA Summernationals.
McPhillips saved his quickest pass of the weekend for his final round match up with No. 1 qualifier Randy Meyer as he covered the quarter-mile in 5.337 seconds at 264.55 mph for the win in Top Alcohol Dragster. The Phoenixville, Pa., racer qualified in the sixth position and took out James Thompson, Garrett Bateman, and Jim Whiteley on his way to the finals. The win was his first national event win since 2005. Meyer smoked the tires right off the starting line ending his hopes of a win.
Bartone picked up his second win of the year in three final round appearances as he outran Shane Westerfield for the Top Alcohol Funny Car title. Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., drove his ’09 Mustang to a lap of 5.616 seconds at 261.12 mph for the win after taking out defending national champion Frank Manzo in the semifinals with the quickest and fastest time of the event at 5.577 seconds, 262.90 mph. The win was Bartone’s 38th national event win.
Jeryka Lobner won one for the home state out of Manhattan, Kan., taking her first ever NHRA national event win when she beat Billy Torrence in Super Comp running 8.930 at 160.37 mph.
Two other racers grabbed their first NHRA National event wins with Eric Parsons, Stewartville, Minn., beating 22-time winner Gary Stinnett of Emporia, Kan., in Super Stock and Klye Ratcliff held on to beat Brett Speer in Stock. Ratcliff, Denton, Texas, went 10.548, 121.98 in his ’98 Firebird to Speer’s who went 10.198, 126.79 mph out of Little Falls, Minn.
Former Lucas Oil National Champion Bruno Massel, Woodridge, Ill., met up with another former champion and heavy hitter David Rampy in the final round of Comp Eliminator. Massel got the best of Rampy taking the win in his ’10 Cobalt running 7.068 seconds at 180.98 mph.
Dave Slatten and Terry Sullivan rounded out the winners as Slatten, Fort Collins, Colo., won his first in Top Sportsman with a lap of 7.086, 188.99 against J.J. Heber, Centenial, Colo., and the Richardson, Texas resident, Sullivan, went 9.920, 159.08 for the Super Gas win over Jeff Lopez.
The following are the final results from the Dollar General NHRA Summernationals event at Heartland Park Topeka:
Top Alcohol DragsterRich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.337, 264.55 def. Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 9.581, 92.41.
Top Alcohol Funny Car Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., Ford Mustang, 5.616, 261.12 def. Shane Westerfield, Lake Forest, Calif., Chevy Monte Carlo, 6.722, 140.09.
CompBruno Massel, Woodridge, Ill., Chevy Cobalt, 7.068, 180.98 def. David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., roadster, 7.248, 173.23.
Super StockEric Pearson, Stewartville, Minn., AMX, 10.660, 124.42 def. Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., Chevy Camaro, 10.476, 125.81.
StockKyle Ratcliff, Denton, Texas, Pontiac Firebird, 10.548, 121.98 def. Brett Speer, Little Falls, Minn., Chevy Nova, 10.198, 126.79.
Super CompJeryka Lobner, Manhatten, Kan., dragster, 8.930, 160.37 def. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, dragster, foul.
Super GasTerry Sullivan, Richardson, Texas, Chevy Camaro, 9.920, 159.08 def. Jeff Lopez, Bedford, Texas, Chevy Corvette, 9.886, 151.68.
Top SportsmanDave Slatten, Fort Collins, Colo., Grand Am, 7.086, 188.99 def. J.J. Heber, Centenial, Colo., Mustang, 6.946, 195.17.
