WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Alan Ellis raced to a pair of wins as he swept the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Night of Fire at Rocky Mountain Raceways outside Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ellis, a local racer out of Mapleton, Utah, drove his ’23 Ford roadster to wins 10 and 11 in 23 final round appearances. In Friday’s final round action for the first of two events, Ellis defeated Ralph Van Paepeghem, Garden Valley, Idaho, who fouled with a red light start handing Ellis his first win of the weekend.
Ellis then came back on Sunday, after taking his second No. 1 qualifying spot of the weekend, to face off with Cody Lane, North Bend, Wash. Both drivers had great reaction times (.009 to a .006) with Lane taking the slight advantage only to have Ellis drive around him to collect his second NHRA Wally trophy of the weekend with a 6.816 second 179.60 mph run.
Two other Utah racers found the winner’s circle on Friday for the opening event as Steve Priest, Mountain Green, Utah, won in Top Dragster and Mike Cragun, Sandy, Utah, took the trophy in the Sportsman Motorcycle class presented by Harley-Davidson.
Priest posted a lap of 7.787 seconds, 174.11 mph in his ’09 dragster in defeating Steve Cook who fouled at the start and Cragun beat fellow Utah rider Dan Nielsen, West Jordan, Utah, for his first win of his career. Cragun went 10.529 seconds at 123.96 mph on his ’79 Kawasaki.
A pair of Brads won in Super Stock and Stock with Reno, Nev., resident Brad Rounds knocking out Mark Faul in Super Stock for his third win and Brad Burton, Snohomish, Wash., used a .008 second package to end Steve Wann’s day in Stock. Faul took the early lead, but Rounds was better at the strip, and Burton was better at both ends of the track to gather up his 8th win.
In the closest final round of the weekend it was George Garbiso, Las Vegas who downed Marko Perivolaris, Petaluma, Calif., by three inches as Garbiso was 9.395, 160.71 to Perivolaris’ 9.363, 158.73.
Other winners on Friday included Mike Wiblishouser, Laveen, Ariz., over Terry Keddington, Bluffdale, Utah, in Super Gas; Wayde Samuel, Morrison, Colo., taking out James Shepherd in Super Street; and Doug Crumlich, Irvine, Calif. using a .024 second package to beat Ken Phillips out of Las Vegas.
In Sunday’s winner’s circle, Randy Loge, Antioch, Calif., and Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., joined Ellis as they celebrated victories in Super Stock and Stock respectively. Loge was better at both ends of the track to knock out Les Norton, South Jordan, Utah, and McClanahan won his eighth when Mick Alley, Eagle, Idaho, left early with a foul start.
In Top Sportsman it was Darryn O’Conner, Fort St. John, B.C., running down first time finalists Brian Leibee, for his fifth win and Riverton, Utah, racer Tracy Holt held off Jesse Adams in a great Top Dragster final round. O’Conner clocked in a 7.874 with a .002 second reaction time for the win while Holt and Adams were close at the start and at the strip with Holt taking the win by .004 seconds.
In the super index classes it was Michael Dalrymple, Sunnyside, Wash., leading the way with a .012 second package in Super Comp. Fred Jaramillo, Peralta, N.M., was out first on Dalrymple with a perfect .000 second reaction time but then broke out by .028. Bradley Johnson, Morrison, Colo., won over Ed Langan, Whittier, Calif., in a Super Gas double breakout final and John Dexter, also of Morrison, Colo., ran down Tony Brothers, Graham, Wash., in Super Street.
Sunday’s Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson was ensured a first time winner as both Rick Newport, Bluffdale, Utah, and Ron Alves, Colusa, Calif., advanced to their first final round. Newport took the holeshot and the win posting a time of 8.774 at 134.83 mph.
Pacific Division racers head to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, Nov. 5-8.
The following are Friday’s final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division event 1 at Rocky Mountain Raceway:
COMP ELIMINATOR
Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ’23 Ford, A/AP, 7.583, 119.69 def. Ralph Van Paepeghem, Garden Valley, Idaho, ’32 Bantam, A/EA, foul.
SUPER STOCK
Brad Rounds, Reno, Nev., ’02 S-10, SS/TB, 9.673, 137.17 def. Mark Faul, Tacoma, Wash., ’98 Grand AM, GT/DA, 10.615, 126.08.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Brad Burton, Snohomish, Wash., ’72 Firebird, D/SA, 11.154, 114.66 def. Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., ’62 Fury, A/SA, 10.664, 115.91.
SUPER COMP
George Garbiso, Las Vegas, Nev., ’14 Yancer, 9.395, 160.71 def. Marko Perivolaris, Petaluma, Calif., ’09 Sarmento, 9.363, 158.73.
SUPER GAS
Mike Wiblishouser, Laveen, Ariz., ’07 Corvette, 10.379, 151.71 def. Terry Keddington, Bluffdale, Utah, ’57 Corvette, 10.349, 155.25.
SUPER STREET
Wayde Samuel, Morrison, Colo., ’65 Chevelle, 11.327, 138.29 def. James Shepherd, ’74 LUV, 11.304, 131.90.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Doug Crumlich, Irvine, Calif., ’96 Corvette, 7.747, 166.42 def. Ken Phillips, Las Vegas, Nev., ’69 AMX, 7.748, 175.88.
TOP DRAGSTER
Steve Priest, Mountain Green, Utah, ’09 MP, 7.787, 174.11 def. Steve Cook, Rexburg, Idaho, ’00 Gebhardt, foul.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON
Mike Cragun, Sandy, Utah, ’79 Kawasaki, 10.529, 123.96 def. Dan Nielsen, West Jordan, Utah, ’78 Kawasaki, 9.466, 127.64.
The following are Sunday’s final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division event 2 at Rocky Mountain Raceway:
COMP ELIMINATOR
Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ’23 Ford, A/AP, 6.816, 179.60 def. Cody Lane, North Bend, Wash., ’10 Cobalt, B/SMA, 8.376, 163.16.
SUPER STOCK
Randy Loge, Antioch, Calif., ’72 Demon, SS/KA, 11.154, 116.53 def. Les Norton, South Jordan, Utah, ’11 Challenger, FSS/E, 9.702, 135.31.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., ’69 Camaro, AA/SA, 11.970, 80.93 def. Mick Alley, Eagle, Idaho, ’69 Camaro, A/SA, foul.
SUPER COMP
Michael Dalrymple, Sunnyside, Wash., ’09 Mullis, 9.354, 166.60 def. Fred Jaramillo, Peralta, N.M., ’02 Davis, 9.322, 150.30.
SUPER GAS
Bradley Johnson, Morrison, Colo., ’67 Camaro, 10.344, 149.72 def. Ed Langan, Whittier, Calif., ’27 Ford, 10.343, 139.90.
SUPER STREET
John Dexter, Morrison, Colo., ’68 Camaro, 11.336, 141.64 def. Tony Brothers, Graham, Wash., ’68 Cougar, 11.327, 120.69.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Darryn O’Connor, Fort St. John, B.C., ’11 Cobalt, 7.874, 170.71 def. Brian Leibee, Rock Springs, Wyo., ’03 Grand AM, 8.046, 171.59.
TOP DRAGSTER
Tracy Holt, Riverton, Utah, ’08 Racetech, 7.418, 175.64 def. Jesse Adams, Yuba City, Calif., ’02 Davis, 6.278, 221.40.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON
Rick Newport, Bluffdale, Utah, ’95 Suzuki GSXR, 8.774, 134.83 def. Ron Alves, Colusa, Calif., ’80 Kawasaki, 8.676, 155.81.
Discover more from Drag Racing List
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
