WINNERS CROWNED FOR FIRST OF TWO EVENTS AT HEARTLAND PARK
TOPEKA, Kan. – Home state racers Phil Unruh, Jeff Koron and Mike Gordine led the list of winners for the first of two events this weekend at Heartland Park Topeka and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series presented by Aeromotive.
Unruh, McPherson, Kan., took the easy win in Super Stock over Dean Mesenbring who broke in the final allowing McPherson, the defending NHRA West Central Division Champion, to cruise to the win. Koron, Hays, Kan., outran James Ogden for the Fineline Graphics/Madcap Engines Top Dragster trophy. Koran went 6.435 seconds at 195.76 mph in his dragster to Ogden, League City, Texas, who crossed the finish line in 6.714, 165.42
Gordine, out of Salina, Kan., wheeled his ’66 Chevelle to a 10.923 second lap at 131.82 mph in Super Street to defeat John Kastner, Clearwater, Minn., who went 10.934, 130.97 in his ’86 Camaro.
Defending West Central division Stock Champion, Brett Speer, Little Falls, Minn., knocked out Tyler Wudarczyk, Wakarusa, Kan., in the final of Stock Eliminator. Speer’s ’70 Nova clocked in at 10.306, 119.93 for the win while Wudarczyk was 11.503, 102.65 in a ’69 Nova.
Darryle Modesto and Robby Lopez took home the Super Comp and Super Gas titles respectively. Modesto, Davis, Okla., out ran Austin Williams in the double breakout match-up with an 8.866 to an 8.865. Lopez, Grand Prairie, Texas, went 9.910 at 146.86 mph in his ’63 Corvette to end Dennis Hay’s day who went too quick at 8.865 out of Golden, Colo.
The Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson trophy went to River Ridge, La., racer Dave Gautreaux on his ’03 Suzuki with a 9.130 second lap at 145.02 mph over Robert Sanders, Cypress, Texas, 9.740, 132.84.
The final in Comp Eliminator was carried over to Saturday with Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, taking the win over Shaun Vincent, Omaha, Neb. Ellis clocked in at 6.564 at 201.88 in his roadster to Vincent’s 8.443, 156.66. The Jerry Haas Racecars Top Sportsman final will be run later in the day on Saturday during qualifying for racer #2.
Racers in Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car made qualifying runs on Friday that set their fields for Saturday’s eliminations with James Thompson and Jonnie Lindberg leading the fields. The alcohol classes will compete in a single event this weekend.
Thompson, Vernon, Texas, sits on top of the dragster field posting a run of 5.325 seconds at 264.91 mph and is followed by Gord Gingles, Winnipeg, Manit., CAN, 5.343, 265.80.
Lindberg, Upplands Vausby, Sweden, drove his ’10 Monte Carlo funny car to a 5.520, 264.86 mph run with reigning funny car national champion Steve Harker in second with a 5.543, 263.46.
The following are final results from the first of two events in the West Central Division Double-Header presented by Aeromotive and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, event at Heartland Park Topeka:
COMP
Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ’23 roadster, 6.564, 201.88 def. Shaun Vincent, Omaha, Neb., ’02 S-10, 8.443, 156.66
SUPER STOCK
Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., ’10 Cobalt, SS/CM, 20.389, 64.28 def. Dean Mesenbring, Rochester, Minn., ’92 Camaro, GT/JA, broke.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Brett Speer, Little Falls, Minn., ’70 Nova, A/SA, 10.306, 119.93 def. Tyler Wudarczyk, Wakarusa, Kan., ’69 Nova, G/SA, 11.503, 102.65.
SUPER COMP
Darryle Modesto, Davis, Okla., dragster, 8.866, 176.63 def. Austin Williams, Burleson, Texas, dragster, 8.865, 158.74.
SUPER GAS
Robby Lopez, Grand Prairie, Texas, ’63 Corvette, 9.910, 146.85 def. Dennis Hay, Golden, Colo., ’85 Corvette, 9.887, 162.55.
SUPER STREET
Mike Gordine, Salina, Kan., ’66 Chevelle, 10.923, 131.82 def. John Kastner, Clearwater, Minn., ’86 Camaro, 10.934, 130.97.
TOP DRAGSTER
Jeff Koron, Hays, Kan., dragster, 6.435, 195.76 def. James Ogden, League City, Texas, dragster, 6.714, 165.42.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON
Dave Gautreaux, River Ridge, La., ’03 Suzuki, 9.130, 145.02 def. Robert Sanders, Cypress, Texas, ’82 Suzuki, 9.740, 132.84.
The following are final qualifying results from the West Central Division the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, event presented by Aeromotive at Heartland Park Topeka:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) James Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 5.325 seconds, 264.91 mph
2) Gord Gingles, Winnipeg, Manit., 5.343, 265.80
3) Forrest Fair, Haughton, La., 5.373, 253.37
4) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.381, 269.24
5) Bradley Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 5.415, 264.13
6) Michael Manners, Houston, Texas, 5.428, 264.39
7) Megan Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.440, 265.69
8) Brandon Pierce, Cypress, Texas, 5.452, 274.11
Not Qualified
9) Gary Cooper, Wichita, Kan., 5.454, 261.72
10) Mike Newkirk, Great Bend, Kan., 5.480, 257.97
11) David Brounkowski, Cypress, Texas, 5.492, 248.20
12) James Stevens, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.808, 254.62
13) Dean Dubbin, Royalton, Minn., 10.358, 79.29
First round TAD pairings
1) James Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 5.325 seconds, 264.91 mph vs. 8) Brandon Pierce, Cypress, Texas, 5.452, 274.11
2) Gord Gingles, Winnipeg, Manit., 5.343, 265.80 vs. 7) Megan Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.440, 265.69
3) Forrest Fair, Haughton, La., 5.373, 253.37 vs. 6) Michael Manners, Houston, Texas, 5.428, 264.39
4) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.381, 269.24 vs. 5) Bradley Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 5.415, 264.13
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Jonnie Lindberg, Upplands Vausby, Sweden, ’10 Monte Carlo, 5.520 seconds, 264.86 mph
2) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., ’13 Monte Carlo, 5.543, 263.46
3) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ’14 Mustang, 5.583, 264.55
4) Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manit., ’06 Monte Carlo, 5.634, 258.07
5) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ’14 Camaro, 5.671, 258.02
6) Kris Hool, Evansville, Wyo., ’10 Monte Carlo, 5.676, 255.00
7) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, ’04 Camaro, 5.721, 250.04
8) Lance Van Hauen, Reinbeck, Iowa, ’15 Camaro, 5.821, 247.79
Not Qualified
9) Mark Billington, Prosper, Texas, ’05 Monte Carlo, 5.898, 238.93
10) Bill Bernard, Littleton, Colo., ’09 Mustang, 7.765, 100.39
First round TAFC pairings
1) Jonnie Lindberg, Upplands Vausby, Sweden, ’10 Monte Carlo, 5.520 seconds, 264.86 mph vs. 8) Lance Van Hauen, Reinbeck, Iowa,
’15 Camaro, 5.821, 247.79
2) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., ’13 Monte Carlo, 5.543, 263.46 vs. 7) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, ’04 Camaro, 5.721,
250.04
3) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ’14 Mustang, 5.583, 264.55 vs. 6) Kris Hool, Evansville, Wyo., ’10 Monte Carlo, 5.676,
255.00
4) Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manit., ’06 Monte Carlo, 5.634, 258.07 vs. 5) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ’14 Camaro, 5.671, 258.02
