CONWAY, WILLIAMS, AND WRIGHT WIN IN THUNDER VALLEY
NOBLE, Okla. – Sean Conway, Kirk Williams, and Ed Wright all scored final victories Sunday at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, South Central Division, Thunder in the Heartland at Thunder Valley Raceway Park.
Conway, Spring, Texas, had an easy final round victory, cruising down the strip at 6.236 seconds, 168.95 mph. James Stevens, Gothenburg, Neb., had mechanical issues prior to the Top Alcohol Dragster final round and could not make the run.
The Top Alcohol Funny Car final round came down to the wire. Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, came out of the gate strong, recording his quickest pass of the weekend, 5.660 seconds, 254.09 mph to hold off a hard charging Doug Gordon of Paso Robles, Calif., for the holeshot victory. Gordon runner upped at 5.635 seconds, 261.32 mph.
Local Super Stock standout Wright of Sand Springs, met Jacob Pitt of Mansfield, Texas, in the final round. Wright took the starting line advantage and kept Pitt at bay for the holeshot win. Wright registered a victory pass of 10.325 seconds, 127.85 mph.
Native Top Sportsman runner Kirk Piepke of Pauls Valley, narrowly defeated Larry Demers of Carroll, Iowa, in a double breakout for the SDPC Raceshop Top Sportsman Wally trophy. Piepke ran his ’07 GTO to 7.199 seconds, 189.55 mph to edge Demers, who followed up at 7.208 seconds, 191.77 mph. In the SDPC Raceshop Top Dragster final round Bradley Thompson, Vernon, Texas, ran down Ross Laris, Raceland, La., for the win; running 6.313 seconds, 214.18 mph.
The other drivers visiting the winner’s circle were Kevin Self in Comp Eliminator, John McLaughlin in Stock Eliminator, Austin Williams in Super Comp, Luke Bogacki in Super Gas, Cory Lytle in Super Street, and William H. Keele Jr., in Sportsman Motorcycle.
The following are Sunday’s final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, South Central Division Thunder in the Heartland at Thunder Valley Raceway Park:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
5) Sean Conway, Spring, Texas, 5.379, 262.77 def. 4) Kirk Wolf, Ceadar Creek, Texas, 5.460, 267.30;
6) James Stevens, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.405, 264.08 def. 3) Monroe Guest, Bixby, Okla., 10.767, 93.39;
2) Rachel Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.277, 271.73 def. 7) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.324, 271.24;
1) Julie Nataas, Santa Barabara, Calif., 5.216, 277.77 def. 8) James Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 17.141, 45.32;
Semifinals
Stevens, 5.468, 234.43 def. Meyer, 5.851, 229.00
Conway, 5.437, 264.08 def. Nataas, broke;
Final
Conway, 6.236, 168.95 def. Stevens, broke.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
5) Mark Billington, Prosper, Texas, ’11 Mustang, 5.796, 249.86 def. 2) Kris Hool, Evansville, Wyo.,’16 Camaro, 5.988, 239.48;
3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 5.655, 258.76 def. 4) Steve Macklyn, Bountiful, Utah, ’13 Mustang, 6.384, 237.71;
1) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, ’04 Firebird, 5.664, 254.66 def. 6) Bryan Brown, Gainesville, Texas, ’16 Camaro, 6.568, 161.14;
Semifinals
Gordon, 5.616, 261.47 def. Billington, 5.918, 235.17
Williams, 5.672, 253.59 was unopposed;
Final
Williams, 5.660, 254.09 def. Gordon, 5.635, 261.32.
COMP ELIMINATOR
Kevin Self, Caddo, Okla., ’32 Bantam, H/EA, 8.963, 147.78 def. Chase Williams, Carthage, Texas, ’14 Spitzer, C/DA, 8.152, 152.54.
SUPER STOCK
Ed Wright, Sand Springs, Okla., ’96 Trans Am, SS/JA, 10.325, 127.85 def. Jacob Pitt, Mansfield, Texas, ’03 Stratus, FGT/H, 9.704, 136.44.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
John McLaughlin, Flagstaff, Ariz., ’70 Road Runner, H/S, 11.355, 116.88 def. Jeff Lopez, Irving, Texas, ’14 Copo, FS/C, 9.554, 134.95.
SUPER COMP
Austin Williams, Burleson, Texas, ’15 Miller Drgster, 8.945, 158.75 def. Chase Huffman, Burleson, Texas, ’05 Mullis, 8.937, 147.37.
SUPER GAS
Luke Bogacki, Centerville, Ill., ’15 Csrc, 9.921, 168.79 def. Gary Michell, Ennis, Texas, ’77 Pinto, 9.887, 135.21.
SUPER STREET
Cory Lytle, Mustang, Okla., ’67 Chevelle, 10.894, 119.84 def. Chris Vang, Parker, Colo., ’67 Chevelle, 10.875, 129.31.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
William H. Keele Jr., San Antonio, Texas, ’82 Kawasaki, 9.261, 137.95 def. Gene Hudel, San Antonio, Texas, ’07 Kawasaki, 9.271, 140.33.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Kirk Piepke, Pauls Valley, Okla., ’07 GTO, 7.199, 189.55 def. Larry Demers, Carroll, Iowa, ’06 Cobalt, 7.208, 191.77.
TOP DRAGSTER
Bradley Thompson, Vernon, Texas, ’16 Copeland, 6.313, 214.18 def. Ross Laris, Raceland, La., ’15 American, 6.450, 219.13.
