LOMBARDO REMAINS IN THE HUNT FOR NATIONAL TITLE

Final Results from the Short Line Express Gambler Shootout event Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – John Lombardo Jr. went three rounds in Top Alcohol Funny Car to keep his name in the running for the NHRA Lucas Oil National Championship at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Short Line Express Gambler Shootout event over the weekend. Lombardo Jr, Brea, Calif., had the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win as he earned his 15th divisional/regional win over Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., in his ’15 Camaro running 5.474 seconds at 269.35 mph. With the win Lombardo clinched the Pacific Division Top Alcohol Funny Car championship and is still in the hunt for the National title.

Taking the event win in Top Alcohol Dragster was Shawn Cowie, Surrey, B.C., who outran Bill Litton, La Jolla, Calif., at 5.352 seconds, 270.59 mph. This is Cowie’s 16th divisional/regional title. Bill Litton’s runner up finish helped Randy Meyer clinch the 2015 Central Region Top Alcohol Dragster championship by making it to the final round defeating Michael Manners in the semifinals.

Todd Frantz, Louisville, Ky., picked up an easy win in Comp Eliminator when Craig Bourgeois was unable to make it to the line in the final round. Frantz staged and made a simple pass down the track securing the win and the NHRA North Central division champion title in Comp. While Craig Bourgeois was unable to win the battle, he won the war by securing the Comp Eliminator National Championship.

Tom Nolan, Lacombe, Alb., picked up a big win in Super Stock by defeating Jody Lang, Puyallup, Wash. Nolan secured his first divisional victory as Lang ran too quick and broke out. Nolan scored the winning run of 9.473 seconds at 139.37 mph over Lang’s runner-up finish of 11.069 seconds at 117.39 mph.

In Super Comp, Jason Kenny, Kutztown, Pa., clinched the Northeast division championship. Kenny faced off against Keith Winers, Las Vegas, with both racers having trouble at the start. Kenny coasted down the track for the win, the 12th of his career. In Super Gas, Tommy Phillips won his 28th divisional trophy and clinched the South Central division championship with this final round appearance.

Other racers visiting the winner’s circle this weekend were Darrel Goheen, Hays, Kan. in Stock Eliminator who earned his first win and John Dexter, Morrison, Colo., in Super Street took home his fourth divisional trophy. In the division’s Top Sportsman class it was Jake Neibauer, Billings, Mont., taking the win while Todd Piper, Wamego, Kan., won in Top Dragster.

The Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson was also running in conjunction with this event. Taking the win in Top Fuel Harley was Rickey House of Humble, Texas defeating Len Darnell, Vancouver, Wash. Darnell had the starting line advantage and the lead down the lane, until his bike went silent and House was able to chase him down to take the win. House won with a great pass of 6.369 seconds at 227.00 mph for the win.

In Pro Fuel Harley, Johnny Vickers, Millers Creek, N.C. took the win over newly crowned National Champion Janette Thornley, Statesville, N.C., Vickers had the starting line advantage and scored a winning run of 7.259 seconds, 170.95 mph.

Taking the wins in the Sportsman Motorcycle categories presented by Harley-Davidson was Mike Burkhart, Huntington Beach, Calif., in Sportsman Motorcycle; Lance Bonham, Sunnyvale, Calif., in Pro Gas Harley; John Toth, Twilight, Pa., in Hot Street Harley; Darrell Schwalbach, Omaha, Neb., in Draggin Bagger Harley; Roberta Seaman, Emporia, Kan., in Screamin’ Eagle Performance Harley; and Donnie Doublesday, Superior, Colo., in Street Pro Harley.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Gambler Shootout event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1

4) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.342, 271.24 def. 5) Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., 5.762, 207.18; 2) Bill Litton, La Jolla, Calif., 7.921, 242.84 def. 7) Johnny Ahten, Santa Clarita, Calif., 8.401, 166.79; 3) Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, 13.088, 71.76 def. 6) Dan Mercier, LaPrairie, Quebec, foul; 8) Shawn Cowie, Surrey, B.C., 5.339, 265.74 def. 1) Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., 5.398, 265.38

Semifinals

Litton, 5.369, 267.96 def. Manners, 6.118, 256.89; Cowie, 5.362, 267.06 def. Shields, 5.343, 270.75

Final

Cowie, 5.352, 270.59 def. Litton, 5.432, 266.32.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1

2) Annie Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., ’15 Camaro, 5.511, 262.28 def. 7) Ulf Leanders, Viksjofors, Sweden, ’10 Monte Carlo, 6.269, 216.93; 4) Shane Westerfield, Anaheim, Calif., ’11 Monte Carlo, 5.589, 257.73 def. 5) Nick Januik, Las Vegas, Nev., ’09 Monte Carlo, 5.681, 248.25; 6) Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., ’11 Monte Carlo, 6.110, 253.75 def. 3) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., ’15 Camaro, 11.745, 80.52; 1) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 5.545,

268.06 def. 8) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ’14 Camaro, foul

Semifinals

Ruckman, 5.698, 255.24 def. Whiteley, 5.795, 256.50; Lombardo Jr., 5.523, 269.19 def. Westerfield, foul;

Final

Lombardo Jr., 5.474, 269.35 def. Ruckman, 5.821, 250.46.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Todd Frantz, Louisville, Ky., ’08 G5, D/SMA, 23.954, 48.06 def. Craig Bourgeois, Metarie, La., dragster, B/ND, broke.

SUPER STOCK

Tom Nolan, Lacombe, Alb., ’09 G5, GT/BA, 9.473, 139.37 def. Jody Lang, Puyallup, Wash., ’81 Malibu, GT/KA, 11.069, 117.39.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Darrel Goheen, Hays, Kan., ’70 Nova, D/SA, 11.006, 117.95 def. Joe Santangelo, Marlborough, Conn.,

’70 Camaro, E/SA, 11.121, 114.95.

SUPER COMP

Jason Kenny, Kutztown, Pa., dragster, 25.696, 55.86 def. Keith Winters, Las Vegas, Nev., dragster, 10.309, 114.26.

SUPER GAS

Tommy Phillips, Forney, Texas, ’68 Camaro, 10.166, 140.47 def. Dennis Hay, Golden, Colo., ’85 Corvette, 12.622, 87.45.

SUPER STREET

John Dexter, Morrison, Colo., ’68 Camaro, 11.039, 141.68 def. Matt Blodgett, Long Beach, Calif.,

’72 Vega, 11.038, 133.79.

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON Mike Burkhart, Huntington Beach, Calif., ’97 Suzuki, 8.121, 160.50 def. Augustine Herrera, Montebello, Calif., ’05 Suzuki, 8.482, 154.53.

TOP DRAGSTER

Todd Piper, Wamego, Kan., dragster, 7.297, 173.36 def. Michael Kile, Westlake, La., dragster, 6.473, 208.55.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Jake Neibauer, Billings, Mont., ’63 Corvette, 7.031, 191.19 def. Jeff Gillette, Benicia, Calif.,

’06 GTO, 7.032, 196.82.

TOP FUEL HARLEY

Rickey House, Humble, Texas, ’14 VTS, 6.369, 227.00 def. Len Darnell, Vancover, Wash., ’01 Harley, 6.504, 192.06.

PRO FUEL HARLEY

Johnny Vickers, Millers Creek, N.C., ’14 Hawaya, 7.259, 170.95 def. Janette Thornley, Statesville, N.C., ’15 HRP, 7.497, 174.03.

PRO GAS HARLEY

Lance Bonham, Sunnyvale, Calif., ’96 Kosman, 8.717, 147.75 def. John Toth, Charleroi, Pa., ’02 HD, 9.447, 149.36.

DRAGGIN BAGGER HARLEY

Darrell Schwalbach, Omaha, Neb., ’06 Road Glide, 11.159, 119.39 def. Shawn Gann, Stoneville, N.C.,

’12 Harley, 18.664, 35.61.

HOT STREET HARLEY

John Toth, Twilight, Pa., ’12 H-D, 9.927, 132.83 def. Augustine Herrera, Montebollo, Calif., ’08 V-Rod, 10.341, 131.88.

STREET PRO HARLEY

Donnie Doubleday, Superior, Colo., ’04 Harley, 9.176, 146.62 def. Greg Baugh, Hopwood, Pa., ’00 Road King, 9.360, 144.53.

SCREAMIN’ EAGLE PERFORMANCE HARLEY

Roberta Seaman, Emporia, Kan., ’97 Buell, 10.659, 123.05 def. Alex Smith, Kuna, Idaho, ’07 Destroyer, 10.573, 122.59.

TOP QUALIFIER SHOOTOUT RUNOFF

Ed Olpin, Pleasant Grove, Utah, dragster, 7.961, 123.71 def. Rodger Comstock, Bradbury, Calif., dragster, foul.

TOP QUALIFIER DRAGSTER SHOOTOUT

Rodger Comstock, Bradbury, Calif., dragster, 7.038, 187.73 def. David Morgan, Concord, Calif., dragster, 7.136, 191.57.

TOP QUALIFIER SPORTSMAN SHOOTOUT

Ed Olpin, Pleasant Grove, Utah, ’68 Camaro, 7.118, 183.42 def. Mera Silvia, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., ’04 Cavalier, 7.402, 184.65.