NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Final Results from Auto Club Raceway at Pomona

DEMKE, OLIVER WIN IN POMONA

            POMONA, Calif. – Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., and Daniel Oliver, Whittier, Calif., grabbed wins and the early points lead at the season opening O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.  Three time national event winner Demke, who finished fifth in the world last year, qualified No. 4 and recorded the quickest run of the event in the final round of Top Alcohol Dragster with a 5.281 second, 270.32 mph lap.  Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., advanced to the final round against Demke clocking in at 5.503 seconds, 267.27.

            Oliver beat out fellow Southern California local Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., in the final of Top Alcohol Funny Car.  Payne won the 2011 season final here at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona but did not have enough for Oliver who covered the quarter mile in 5.531 seconds at 258.67 mph to Payne’s 5.548, 260.36.  The win put Oliver’s owner Randy Goodwin in his first Pomona winner’s circle after attending one of his first drag races here 42 years ago.  In addition to Payne who finished No. 3 last year, Oliver beat the No. 2 finisher in 2011 Tony Bartone in his semifinal match up.

            Garden Grove, Calif., racer Greg Ventura knocked out Jimmy Lewis for the Super Gas title in his ’66 Nova running 9.926 seconds at 141.12 mph while former Lucas Oil world champion Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., won in the Comp Eliminator category against Randy Jones, Monarch Beach, Calif.

            Joining in on the winner’s circle celebration were Mike Cotton, Broken Arrow, Okla., in Super Stock over Jody Lang, Puyallup, Wash; Brad Burton, Kirkland, Wash., who beat Don Keen, Palmdale, Calif., in Stock; and Longmont, Colo., racer Kevin Wright, defeating Tommy Phillips, Forney, Texas, in Super Comp. 

            The Lucas Oil Series heads to Phoenix this weekend and Firebird International Raceway for the NHRA Arizona Nationals.