WHITELEY AND DEFRANK GO BACK TO BACK IN VEGAS
LAS VEGAS – In the final results from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., and Annie Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., took home the wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.
Demke, worked his way through the field and ran 5.416 seconds at 268.87 mph in his final round victory over Megan McKernan, Sierra Madre, Calif., who clocked in at 5.542 seconds, 266.79 mph. McKernan was looking to take the win this weekend since she was runner-up last weekend at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals. McKernan was slow off the line and the car ended up getting out of the groove. Demke had the starting line advantage and took his dragster straight down the track past McKernan to take the win. This is Demke’s second win of the season. His first win was at the Phoenix Regional event earlier this year.
Whiteley faced off against Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., and posted a winning run of 5.660 seconds, 260.11 mph in her ’15 Camaro. Ruckman drove to a 7.188 second, 139.60 mph lap for his runner up finish. Las Vegas has been Whiteley’s lucky track as she won here last weekend at the Summit Racing.com NHRA Nationals. Ruckman had the starting line advantage but got loose before the 330 foot marker and had to lift. Whiteley had a strong, clean pass and was able to take her funny car to the winner’s circle again.
In Super Stock, Jimmy DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., faced off against Dave Bridgewater, Devore, Calif. DeFrank also won here last week in Super Stock and Stock Eliminator. DeFrank had the starting line advantage over Bridgewater and had the better pass down the track and posted a winning run of 9.099 seconds, 140.97 mph. Bridgewater had the runner-up finish of 9.928 seconds at 134.36 mph. DeFrank’s back to back winning weekends included three Wallys that he will take back home to California.
Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., took on Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, in the Competition Eliminator final. Ellis was looking for the win this weekend after he was in the final last weekend here in Vegas. Lane had the better light off the line and took his ’10 Cobalt down the track to take the win. Lane posted a winning run of 8.192 seconds at 164.51 mph over Ellis’ runner-up finish of 8.295 seconds, 121.59 mph.
In Top Dragster, Kyle Seipel, Pleasanton, Calif., went against Ryan Priddy, Chino, Calif., in the final. Priddy red lit (-0.008) to give Seipel the win. Seipel had a great reaction time off the line of 0.003 and had a winning run of 6.928 seconds, 197.33 mph. Seipel was also in the Stock Eliminator final against Tina Summerton, Los Angeles, Calif., but was not successful in getting the double up the on weekend.
Other racers visiting the winner’s circle this weekend were Justin Morgan, Concord, Calif., in Super Comp; Dave Meziere, Escondido, Calif., in Super Gas; Brian Griffey, Glendale, Ariz., in Super Street; Darryn O’Connor, Fort St. John, B.C. in Top Sportsman; and in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson, Rick Newport, Bluffdale, Utah., took the win.
Pacific Division racers head to Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, May 22-24.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1:
1) Megan McKernan, Sierra Madre, Calif., 5.344, 271.24 def. 8) Shawn Cowie, Surry, B.C., 5.512, 264.18;
4) Ashley Sanford, Fullerton, Calif., 5.513, 266.69 def. 5) Bill Litton, La Jolla, Calif., 6.673, 166.64;
3) Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., 5.513,265.06 def. 6) Randy Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 12.011, 70.92;
7) Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., 5.405, 264.23 def. 2) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.403, 268.92;
SEMI-FINALS:
McKernan, 5.405, 266.79 def. Sanford, foul;
Demke, 5.415, 265.90 def. Severance, 5.429, 264.03;
FINALS:
Demke, 5.416, 268.87 def. McKernan, 5.542, 266.79.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
8) Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., ’06 Monte Carlo, 5.703, 254.18 def. 1) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ’14 Mustang, 12.560, 62.38;
4) Mike Doushgounian, San Martin, Calif., ’06 Monte Carlo, 6.033, 251.39 def. 5) Nick Januik, Las Vegas, Nev., ’06 Monte Carlo, 6.679, 245.90;
3) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 9.866, 144.16 def. 6) Jirka Kaplan, Calgary, Alb., ’09 Mustang, foul;
2) Annie Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., ’15 Camaro, 5.647, 261.27 def. 7) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 5.784, 256.84;
SEMI-FINALS:
Ruckman, 5.703, 253.61 def. Doushgounian, 6.607, 186.33;
Whiteley, 5.636, 261.32 def. Payne, broke;
FINALS:
Whiteley, 5.660, 260.11 def. Ruckman, 7.188, 139.60.
COMP ELIMINATOR:
Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., ’10 Cobalt, B/SMA, 8.192, 164.51 def. Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ’23 roadster, A/AP, 8.295, 121.59.
SUPER STOCK:
Jimmy DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., ’10 Cobalt, SS/CM, 9.099, 140.97 def. Dave Bridgewater, Devore, Calif., ’12 Camaro, FSS/F, 9.928, 134.36.
STOCK ELIMINATOR:
Tina Summerton, Los Angeles, Calif., ’72 Cutlass, K/SA, 11.938, 106.61 def. Kyle Seipel, Pleasanton, Calif., ’70 Camaro, E/SA, 11.216, 107.19.
SUPER COMP:
Justin Morgan, Concord, Calif., dragster, 9.154, 150.85 def. Greg Boutte, Loma Linda, Calif., dragster, foul.
SUPER GAS:
Dave Meziere, Escondido, Calif., ’05 Cavalier, 10.087, 159.31 def. Barry Willoughby, Eagle, Idaho, ’67 Camaro, 10.077, 148.09.
SUPER STREET:
Brian Griffey, Glendale, Ariz., ’70 Charger, 11.065, 125.61 def. Bernie Polvadore, Sun City, Ariz., ’93 Grand Prix, 11.083, 152.85.
TOP DRAGSTER:
Kyle Seipel, Pleasanton, Calif., dragster, 6.928, 197.33 def. Ryan Priddy, Chino, Calif., dragster, foul.
TOP SPORTSMAN:
Darryn O’Connor, Fort St. John, B.C., ’04 Cavalier, 7.320, 178.10 def. Mike Ferderer, Buckley, Wash., ’06 Grand Am, 7.391, 187.00.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON:
Rick Newport, Bluffdale, Utah, ’95 Suzuki, 8.316, 163.91 def. Gary Oaks, Las Vegas, Nev., ’78 Kawasaki, 8.902, 152.90.
