DEMKE, LINDBERG TAKE WINS AT SEASON OPENER
POMONA, Calif. – NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol Dragster National Champion Chris Demke began his title defense with a season opening win while Jonnie Lindberg grabbed his first national event win at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Demke, Tujunga, Calif., faced off with Shawn Cowie who got the early lead only to see Demke chase him down for his 16th NHRA national event win, posting his quickest pass of the weekend at 5.264 seconds, 273.88 mph. Demke had the lead by the 330’ mark and won by a tenth of a second as Cowie, Delta, B.C., crossed the finish line at 5.367, 268.33.
Demke ran in the 5.20’s all day on Sunday defeating No. 1 qualifier Don St. Arnaud and Joey Severance on his way to the final.
Lindberg became the 100th different driver to win an NHRA national event in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class. The Swedish driver had to run down Brian Hough, a former NHRA Northwest Division Champion, who was looking for his eighth win on the national circuit.
Lindberg ran 5.40’s and 5.50’s throughout eliminations defeating three local drivers in his earlier round match ups. The first time winner defeated Mike Drake, Glendora, Calif., in round 1; John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., in round 2; and Claremont, Calif., resident Jay Payne in the semifinals.
In Top Fuel Harley it was Len Darnell, Vancouver, Wash., leading from start to finish with a strong final round pass against Joey Stenotti, Naples, Fla. Darnell, the number three qualifier, ran 6.822 seconds at 174.87 to defeat Stenotti who suffered mechanical problems early in the run. This is the first of four stops in 2015 for the NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series at NHRA National events. The series also joins the NHRA Lucas Oil Series at ten events across the country.
Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, wheeled his ‘23 roadster past former national champion Dean Cater, Glendale, Ariz., for the win in Competition Eliminator. Ellis out ran Cater to earn his 7th national event win with a lap of 6.543, 205.72 mph. Carter, who has seven wins ran a strong 7.054, 190.06 in his nostalgia dragster.
Jody Lang, Puyallup, Wash., took the win over Jeff Jerome, Los Angeles, in Stock Eliminator as Steve Williams picked up his 9th win and his first at historic Auto Club Raceway. Lang earned his 24th win with a strong 12.202 second run on a 12.18 dial while Williams, Beaumont, Calif., drove his ’63 Corvette past Hollis Colleasure, San Dimas, Calif., and his ‘27 roadster for the win in Super Gas.
Rounding out the winners were Cody Lang, North Bend, Wash., and Dave Crawford, Deitt, Iowa, in Super Stock and Super Comp respectively. Lang bagged his second national win in a double breakout run with former Stock National Champion Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev. The two left the line together with Lang winning in his ‘05 Cavalier. This was Crawford’s second win as well as he outran 23-time Super Comp winner Jimmy Lewis, Forney, Texas, with an 8.910, 179.97 mph run.
The NHRA Lucas Oil Southeast Division kicks off this week at Orlando Speed World Dragway, while the west coast Lucas Oil racers head to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Chandler, Ariz., Feb. 20-22.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Chris Demke, 5.264, 273.88 def. Shawn Cowie, 5.367, 268.33.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Jonnie Lindberg, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.458, 267.27 def. Brian Hough, Chevy Camaro, 5.608, 260.41.
COMP ELIMINATOR
Alan Ellis, ’23-T Ford, 6.543, 205.72 def. Dean Carter, Dragster, 7.054, 190.06.
SUPER STOCK
Cody Lane, Chevy Cavalier, 8.884, 144.29 def. Justin Lamb, Chevy Cobalt, 8.623, 156.64.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jody Lang, Chevy Malibu, 12.202, 107.18 def. Jeff Jerome, Plymouth Savoy, foul.
SUPER COMP
Dave Crawford, Dragster, 8.910, 179.97 def. Jimmy Lewis, Dragster, 8.957, 162.33.
SUPER GAS
Steve Williams, Chevy Corvette, 9.923, 173.83 def. Hollis Colleasure, ’27-T Ford, foul.
TOP FUEL HARLEY
Len Darnell, Harley, 6.822, 174.87 def. Joey Stenotti, Harley, 9.890, 91.09.
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