MEYER, BRAND WIN IN CORDOVA
CORDOVA, Ill. – In the final results from Cordova Dragway and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Summer Showdown event presented by Matco Tools it was Randy Meyer, Top Alcohol Dragster, and Dale Brand, Top Alcohol Funny Car, qualifying No. 1 in their respective classes and taking the wins on Saturday night.
Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., ran consistent 5.30’s throughout eliminations with a 5.387 second pass at 260.21 mph in the final against Brandon Booher, Tolono, Ill., for the win and his second of the year. Meyer beat Christine Chambless, Scott City, Kan., and Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., in rounds one and two as he extended his points lead in the NHRA West Central Division. Booher, who qualified second, posted a 5.470 second lap at 260.26 mph.
The win for Brand was his first of the year as the Sully, Iowa, racer went 5.668 seconds at 252.80 mph to defeat multi-division champion and veteran racer Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa. Brand was also very consistent in his ’10 Monte Carlo with runs of 5.679 seconds and 5.660 seconds in rounds one and two knocking out Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN, and Ray Drew, Hales Corner, Wis.
Illinois home state racers David Billingsley and Pat Fitzpatrick each took home trophies with Billingsley, Decatur, Ill., winning in Comp Eliminator over former NHRA National Champion Bruno Massel, Woodridge, Ill., in his ’93 Cutlass. Fitzpatrick, Peoria, Ill., won in Super Comp at 165.54 mph over Jim LaBorde, Hibbing, Minn.
Michael Mans scored his second win of the year in Super Stock ousting Fred Bartoli going 9.488, 136.30 mph in his ’00 Firebird. Mans picked up a win at the season opening event at S.R.C.A. Dragstrip in Great Bend, Kan., as was also the division’s 2011 JEGS Allstar representative.
Grimes, Iowa, resident Chris Knudsen joined in on the celebration running down Daryl Bureski, Elgin, Ill., to win Stock Eliminator while Pat Martin, London, Ohio, and John Miller, Waterloo, Iowa, took the Super Gas and Super Street titles respectively. Martin won in his ’27 roadster against Todd Nielsen, Fremont, Neb., and Miller pushed Craig Pfanenstiel to breakout with a 10.889 second run on the 10.90 dial-in.
Other winners included Curtis Spracklin, Omaha, Neb., in the Sportsman Motorcycle class presented by Harley Davidson; Don Speer, Davenport, Iowa, in Top Dragster; and John Scali, Louisville, Ky., in the Jerry Haas Top Sportsman series.
West Central Division racers head to Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kan., for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, August 26-27.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Summer Showdown event presented by Matco Tools at Cordova Dragway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
1) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.383, 262.23 def. 8) Christine Chambless, Scott City, Kan., broke
6) Jerry Powell, Kokomo, Ind., 5.622, 245.18 def. 3) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 6.482, 246.17
5) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.484, 259.96 def. 4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.619, 257.9
2) Brandon Booher, Tolono, Ill., 5.482, 257.63 def. 7) Dean Dubbin, Royalton, Minn., foul
Semifinals
Meyer, 5.354, 263.36 def. Hirata, 5.731, 250.74
Booher, 5.474, 259.31 def. Powell, broke
Final
Meyer, 5.387, 260.21 def. Booher, 5.470, 260.26
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
1) Dale Brand, Sully, Iowa, '10 Monte Carlo, 5.679, 252.52 def. 8) Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manit., '06 Monte Carlo, 11.656, 88.50
7) Wayne Butler, Forest City, Ill., '02 Firebird, 8.469, 119.31 def. 2) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '04 Camaro, broke
3) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '10 Mustang, 6.019, 236.75 def. 6) Kevin Newburgh, Rock Falls, Ill., '06 Stratus, 6.395, 176.77
5) Ray Drew, Hales Corner, Wis., '04 Firebird, 5.754, 252.61 def. 4) Lance Van Hauen, Reinbeck, Iowa, '05 Firebird, 6.443, 162.20
Semifinals
Brand, 5.660, 253.66 def. Drew, 5.847, 250.04
Moats, 5.698, 250.69 def. Butler, 10.958, 77.04
Final
Brand, 5.668, 252.80 def. Moats, 29.783, 35.36
COMP ELIMINATOR
David Billingsley, Decatur, Ill., '93 Cutlass, L/AA, 8.846, 149.50 def. Bruno Massel, Woodridge, Ill., '10 Cobalt, DD/AT, 7.231, 166.81
SUPER STOCK
Michael Mans, Rogers, Minn., '00 Firebird, SS/CS, 9.488, 136.30 def. Fred Bartoli, Elk Grove Village, Ill., '98 Firebird, SS/IA, 9.841, 134.73
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Chris Knudsen, Grimes, Iowa, '69 Camaro, C/SA, 12.112, 82.36 def. Daryl Bureski, Elgin, Ill., '70 4-4-2, F/SA, 16.104,41.25
SUPER COMP
Pat Fitzpatrick, Peoria, Ill., dragster, 9.014, 165.54 def. Jim LaBorde, Hibbing, Minn., dragster, 9.068, 143.19
SUPER GAS
Pat Martin, London, Ohio, '27 roadster, 9.924, 156.08 def. Todd Nielsen, Fremont, Neb., '90 Firebird, 9.899, 150.41
SUPER STREET
John Miller, Waterloo, Iowa, '80 Trans Am, 10.906, 139.49 def. Craig Pfanenstiel, Hays, Kan., '67 Camaro, 10.889,141.12
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Curtis Spracklin, Omaha, Neb., '05 Kawasaki, 8.763, 141.40 def. Tom Klemme, Davenport, Iowa, '86 Kawasaki, 8.843, 141.85
TOP DRAGSTER
Don Speer, Davenport, Iowa, dragster, 6.842, 195.31 def. Troy Galbraith, Indianapolis, dragster, foul
TOP SPORTSMAN
John Scali, Louisville, Ky., '67 Camaro, 7.027, 193.60 def. Doug Woody, Independence, Mo., '67 Camaro, broke
