Noble, Okla., – The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series crowned champions for the Thunder in the Heartland event at Thunder Valley Raceway Park. Randy Meyer and Jonnie Lindberg took the honors in the alcohol classes.
Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., took down local racer Shayne Lawson, Broken Arrow, Okla., in the Top Alcohol Dragster class for the win. There was not much difference between the two at the light, but then it was Meyer who steadily pulled away as Lawson fell back. Meyer ran a lap of 5.436 seconds at 268.09.
Lindberg, from Upplands Vausby, Sweden, defeated Jay Payne in the final round of Top Alcohol Funny Car. Payne left first, and immediately had traction problems and never did get back in the race. Lindberg clocked in at 5.619 seconds at 258.02 miles per hour with Payne, Claremont, Calif., trailing behind at 10.281 seconds at 104.83 mph. This is Lindberg’s first divisional Wally trophy, in his third final round appearance to go along with two national event wins.
In Comp Eliminator it was the first time in the final round and a solid win for John Keilers of Colorado Springs, Colo. Keilers who wheeled his ’10 Monte Carlo to win over Craig Bourgeois, Metarie, La., running 6.691 seconds at 203.66 mph to Bourgeois lap of 7.064, 185.45. Other first timers in the winner circle were Troy Ross, Emporia, Kan., capturing his first win in Super Stock, and Lyle Owens, White Oak, Texas, taking home his first win in Super Street. Ross knocked out division hitter Harvey Emmons and Owens won over John Kastner.
In Stock Eliminator Ryan Montford, Wichita, Kan., picked up his second division win in his fourth-ever final round, breaking an eleven-year drought. Montford had a run of 9.909 at 107.16 mph in his ’13 Camaro, while Travis Salter, Baytown, Texas, clinched his second win of the season in Super Gas in his second final round appearance.
Local racer Jay Bunce, Piedmont, Okla., brought in a win for the home state in Super Comp. Bunce, ran a near perfect run at 8.911 seconds on an 8.90 dial-in with a .016-second reaction time to knock out Jim Cappiello, Willis, Texas, who ran 8.891, 166.85.
Rounding out the winners at Thunder Valley were Ross Laris, Raceland, La., in the KPE Top Dragster class; Sean Dodd, Double Oak, Texas, won in the Sunset Performance Top Sportsman class in his ’05 Cobalt; and John Fitzpatrick, Park City, Kan., won in NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson.
The following are 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
1) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.349, 270.51 def. 8) Lee Callaway, Baytown, Texas, foul; 2) Brandon Booher, Urbana, Ill., 5.339, 266.90 def. 7) Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, 6.040, 194.67; 6) Shayne Lawson, Broken Arrow, Okla., 5.446, 264.31 def. 3) Brandon Pierce, Cypress, Texas, 5.458, 241.35; 5) Gord Gingles, Winnipeg, Manit., 5.303, 269.29 def. 4) Chase Copeland, Gainesville, Texas, 5.380, 265.64
Semifinals
Lawson, 5.412, 262.85 def. Booher, broke
Meyer, 5.364, 269.21 def. Gingles, 5.365, 265.25;
Final
Meyer, 5.436, 268.09 def. Lawson, 5.551, 257.58.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
1) Jonnie Lindberg, Upplands Vausby, Sweden, ’10 Monte Carlo, 5.523, 259.59 def. 9) Bryan Brown, Gainesville, Texas, ’09 Monte Carlo, 5.769, 226.01; 7) Scott McVey, Ile Des Chenes, Manit., ’06 Monte Carlo, 5.650, 256.33 def. 2) Kris Hool, Evansville, Wyo.,’10 Monte Carlo, 5.619, 258.84; 4) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 5.592, 262.23 def. 5) Ray Drew, Hales Corners, Wis., ’14 Mustang, 5.639, 251.88; 6) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ’14 Camaro, 5.691, 257.73 def. 3) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., ’15 Camaro, 6.468, 165.74;
Semifinals
Lindberg, 5.542, 259.29 def. Gasparrelli, 5.620, 258.32
Payne, 5.699, 256.70 def. McVey, 5.827, 255.17
Final
Lindberg, 5.619, 258.02 def. Payne, 10.281, 104.83.
COMP ELIMINATOR
John Keilers, Colorado Springs, Colo., Spitzer, A/DA, 6.691, 203.66 def. Craig Bourgeois, Metarie, La., dragster, B/ND, 7.064, 185.45.
SUPER STOCK
Troy Ross, Emporia, Kan., ’87 Camaro, SS/AS, 9.203, 141.08 def. Harvey Emmons, Friendswood, Texas, ’05 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.677, 135.46.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Ryan Montford, Wichita, Kan., ’13 Camaro, FS/C, 9.909, 107.16 def. Jane Braswell, Weatherford, Texas, ’69 Camaro, G/SA, foul.
SUPER COMP
Jay Bunce, Piedmont, Okla., ’03 Worthy, 8.911, 166.82 def. Jim Cappiello, Willis, Texas, ’68 Camaro, 8.891, 166.85.
SUPER GAS
Travis Salter, Baytown, Texas, ’67 Camaro, 9.906, 148.41 def. Frank Nichols, Grand Island, Neb., ’57 Corvette, 9.885, 158.47.
SUPER STREET
Lyle Owens, White Oak, Texas, ’00 Firebird, 10.931, 156.73 def. John Kastner, Clearwater, Minn., ’86 Camaro, foul.
TOP DRAGSTER
Ross Laris, Raceland, La., dragster, 6.367, 217.18 def. Mark Jones, Marrero, La., dragster, 6.578, 207.18.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Sean Dodd, Double Oak, Texas, ’05 Cobalt, 7.389, 187.07 def. Jim White, Haysville, Kan., ’09 Cobalt, 6.763, 207.94.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON
John Fitzpatrick, Park City, Kan., ’82 Suzuki, 8.756, 146.53 def. Patric Roetto, Wichita, Kan., ’09 Hayabusa, 9.402, 139.94.
