S.R.C.A. WRAPS UP A GREAT WEEKEND OF DRAG RACING
GREAT BEND, Kan.(May 16, 2011) – The first race of the West Central Division NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series concluded over the weekend at S.R.C.A. Dragstrip. Following his runner-up finish at the NHRA Gatornationals earlier this year in Gainesville, Fla., Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., took home his first win of the season in Top Alcohol Dragster. His 5.466 second run at 259.21 mph was enough to defeat the number one qualifier, Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa. Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, won in the finals when Billy Davis, Rogers, Ark., failed to make the call to the line. In the first round of eliminations, Williams defeated Kris Hool, Casper, Wyo., and went on to defeat former division champion Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, in the second round with a run of 5.725 seconds at 248.48 mph.
Clint Neff will enjoy his ride back to Arvada, Colo., with his winner’s trophy in Comp Eliminator. Neff defeated William Hatcher, Satanta, Kan., in the finals when Hatcher red lighted. Super Stock and Stock Eliminator saw a similar situation in the finals. In Super Stock, Michael Mans, Rogers, Minn., took home a win in his ’00 Firebird against David Bogner, Kearney, Neb., and in Stock Eliminator, local racer Jimmy Holzman, Wichita, Kan., won in his ’08 Mustang when Don Duke, Indianola, Iowa, red lighted as well.
South Dakota driver, Travis, Nygaard, faced Rustin Mayse, Grandview, Texas, in the Super Comp finals. Nygaard, making the drive from Watertown, held off Mayse’s run of 9.026 seconds at 157.61 seconds for the win with a final pass of 9.037 seconds at 168.03 mph.
A pair of Texans faced off in the Super Gas finals. Tommy Phillips from Forney and his ’57 Corvette ran against Chris Burrell from Claude and his ’66 Fairlane. Phillips run for 10.070 seconds at 151.53 mph was enough to defeat Burrell’s final pass of 10.084 seconds at 158.07 mph.
In Super Street, Donnie Durenberger, Dayton, Minn., defeated Bill Chinn, Jr., Topeka, Kan., with a run at 11.088 seconds at 134.22 mph. The Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman class saw a close finish between Dustin Long, Mitchell, S.D., and Rich Smith, Wentzville, Mo. Long and his ’67 Camaro finished off the day with a victorious run of 7.186 seconds at 179.64 mph against Smith’s run at 6.969 seconds at 200.44 seconds.
J.R. Lobner, Garner, Kan., took home the win in Top Dragster against fellow Kansas racer, Tom Williams, Leonardville, with a run of 7.349 seconds at 179.90 mph. Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson had a pair of out of state racers face off in the finals. Tom Gilligan, Fremont, Neb., drove his ’77 Kawasaki to a win over Lisa Bennett, Lucas, Texas, and her ’95 Suzuki.
West Central Division racers head to Heartland Park Topeka for the NHRA Summer Nationals, May 20-22.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at S.R.C.A. Dragstrip:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.425, 259.86 was unopposed
2) Christine Chambless, Scott City, Kan., 5.537, 256.02 def. 7) Eugene Tumbarello, Denver, Colo., 5.659, 246.30
3) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.485, 256.41 def. 6) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.799, 236.30
5) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.461, 260.51 def. 4) Aaron Tatum, Oklahoma City, Okla., broke
Semifinals
Putz, 5.432, 260.76 def. Schmeeckle, 8.441, 105.90;
Meyer, 5.514, 256.99 def. Chambless, 14.700, 53.65
Final
Meyer, 5.466, 259.21 def. Putz, 5.480, 247.02
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
2) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '04 Camaro, 6.394, 161.54 def. 5) Kris Hool, Casper, Wyo., '10 Monte Carlo, no show
6) Billy Davis, Rogers, Ark., '06 Avenger, 6.292, 206.32 def. 1) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '10 Mustang, 8.402, 113.67
3) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '10 Mustang, 6.096, 209.10 def. 4) Robert Kanenwisher, Conifer, Colo., '05 Camaro, 10.983, 63.94
Semifinals
Davis, 6.591, 173.72 was unopposed;
Williams, 5.725, 248.48 def. Moats, 5.855, 247.25
Final
Williams, 12.866, 101.94 def. Davis, broke
COMP ELIMINATOR
Clint Neff, Arvada, Colo., '23 roadster, K/A, 8.910, 108.51 def. William Hatcher, Satanta, Kan., ChasCraft, A/DA, foul
SUPER STOCK
Michael Mans, Rogers, Minn., '00 Firebird, SS/CS, 9.991, 107.65 def. David Bogner, Kearney, Neb., '92 Daytona, SS/CS, foul
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jimmy Holzman, Wichita, Kan., '08 Mustang, AA/SA, 9.733, 138.68 def. Don Duke, Indianola, Iowa, '68 Camaro, B/S, foul
SUPER COMP
Travis Nygaard, Watertown, S.D., dragster, 9.037, 168.03 def. Rustin Mayse, Grandview, Texas, dragster, 9.026, 157.61
SUPER GAS
Tommy Phillips, Forney, Texas, '57 Corvette, 10.070, 151.53 def. Chris Burrell, Claude, Texas, '66 Fairlane, 10.084, 158.07
SUPER STREET
Donnie Durenberger, Dayton, Minn., '68 Camaro, 11.088, 134.22 def. Bill Chinn Jr., Topeka, Kan., '97 Mustang, 11.048, 130.47
TOP SPORTSMAN
Dustin Long, Mitchell, S.D., '67 Camaro, 7.186, 179.64 def. Rich Smith, Wentzville, Mo., '04 Cavalier, 6.969, 200.44
TOP DRAGSTER
J.R. Lobner, Garner, Kan., dragster, 7.349, 179.90 def. Tom Williams, Leonardville, Kan., dragster, 7.027, 191.84
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Tom Gilligan, Fremont, Neb., '77 Kawasaki, 9.200, 142.21 def. Lisa Bennett, Lucas, Texas, '95 Suzuki, foul
