SEVERANCE, GORDON LEAD WINNERS IN ARIZONA

CHANDLER, AZ. – In the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division event at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., and Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., took home wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.

Severance, defending event champion, came from the No. 2 qualifying position and worked his way through the field, running 6.879 seconds at 255.19 mph in his final round victory over No. 1 qualifier Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., who ran 6.933 seconds at 226.20 mph. Both racers experienced trouble in the final, and Demke had the advantage at the starting line, but Severance was able to run down the lane quicker earning his 20th Wally trophy.

Gordon was the No. 1 qualifier and faced off against the No. 2 qualifier and defending event champion, Shane Westerfield, Anaheim, Calif. Gordon posted a winning run of 5.535 seconds, 267.53 mph in his ’15 Camaro over Westerfield who had the advantage at the line. Gordon made a strong pass while Westerfield finished with a 5.622 second, 264.29 mph lap for his runner up finish.

Two series hitters faced off in the final of Comp Eliminator with Alan Ellis and Jeff Lane going to battle in a close race from start to finish. In the end it was Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, taking the win by 3 inches over defending event champion Lane, North Bend, Wash., in his ’10 Cobalt. It was Lane who took the starting line advantage, but was unable to hold off Ellis and his ’23 Ford. Ellis won with a lap of 6.568 seconds at 203.61 mph, and earned his 13th Wally trophy.

Brad Pierce, Riverside, Calif., capitalized on Val Torres’ red light foul start for the win in Super Gas. Pierce followed up his National Event win on this track last weekend, with his first Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event win and Wally trophy.

In Top Sportsman, Mike Federer, Buckley, Wash., defeated local racer David Armstrong, Mesa, Az., with a pass of 7.296 seconds at 178.52 mph earning his first Wally in Top Sportsman and his 39th Wally overall in four different categories.

Other winners in the Lucas Oil Series were Andrew Durham, Monrovia, Calif., over Kyle Rizzoli in Super Stock; Mike Hiatt, Fallon, Nev., over Sara Moldenhauer in Super Comp; Local racer Mike Decarolis, Chandler, Ariz., defeated Keith Downing in Super Street; and John Lobner, Desoto, Kan., took out Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., in the Top Dragster class. Winning in the Harley-Davidson Series was Denny Alves, El Cerrito, Calif., who won in the Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson.

Pacific Division racers head to Las Vegas for their next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, April, 8-10.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1

1) Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., 10.340, 76.51 was unopposed; 2) Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., 13.472, 73.37 def. 7) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, foul; 6) Megan McKernan, Sierra Madre, Calif., 5.307, 271.02 def. 3) Shawn Cowie, Surrey, B.C., 5.363, 270.05; 4) Johnny Ahten, Santa Clarita, Calif., 5.418, 264.75 def. 5) Derik Milanesio, Strathmore, Calif., 7.469, 187.57;

Semifinals

Demke, 5.276, 273.50 def. Ahten, broke; Severance, 5.330, 269.29 def. McKernan, 5.494, 269.46

Final

Severance, 6.879, 255.19 def. Demke, 6.933, 226.20

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1

1) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 5.509, 268.06 def. 8) Sean Bellemeur, Placentia, Calif., ’11 Monte Carlo, 5.979, 244.25; 2) Shane Westerfield, Anaheim, Calif., ’16 Camaro, 5.581,

265.01 def. 7) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ’14 Camaro, 5.860, 249.67; 3) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 5.569, 264.86 def. 6) Annie Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., ’15 Camaro, 5.651, 258.81; 5) Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., ’11 Monte Carlo, 5.605, 258.32 def.

4) Nick Januik, Las Vegas, Nev., ’11 Monte Carlo, 5.610, 258.17

Semifinals

Gordon, 5.523, 265.74 def. Ruckman, 5.666, 255.39; Westerfield, 5.539, 262.95 def. Gasparrelli, 5.615, 263.20;

Final

Gordon, 5.535, 267.53 def. Westerfield, 5.622, 264.29.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ’23 Ford, A/AP, 6.568, 203.61 def. Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., ’10 Cobalt, C/SMA, 8.071, 164.29.

SUPER STOCK

Andrew Durham, Monrovia, Calif., ’11 Challenger, FSS/E, 9.366, 140.02 def. Kyle Rizzoli, San Luis Obispo, Calif., ’69 Camaro, SS/CA, 9.672, 121.72.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Tibor Kadar, Phoenix, Ariz., ’64 Fairlane, A/SA, 10.285, 121.43 def. Bob Gullett, Calgary, Alb.,

’68 Chevy II, G/S, 11.017, 119.31.

SUPER COMP

Mike Hiatt, Fallon, Nev., ’02 Worthy, 8.898, 175.25 def. Sarah Moldenhauer, El Cajon, Calif., ’03 Undercover, 8.887, 169.19.

SUPER GAS

Brad Pierce, Riverside, Calif., ’58 Corvette, 9.903, 143.58 def. Val Torres, Valinda, Calif., ’63 Corvette, foul.

SUPER STREET

Mike Decarolis, Chandler, Ariz., ’72 Nova, 10.917, 130.94 def. Keith Downing, Glendale, Ariz., ’79 Arrow, 10.899, 132.36.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Mike Ferderer, Buckley, Wash., ’06 Grand AM, 7.296, 178.52 def. David Armstrong, Mesa, Ariz., ’88 Camaro, 7.584, 182.72.

TOP DRAGSTER

John Lobner, DeSoto, Kan., ’13 Mullis, 6.618, 208.36 def. Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., ’11 Spitzer, 6.376, 217.32.

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON Denny Alves, El Cerrito, Calif., ’83 Suzuki GS, 8.614, 143.34 def. Dan Nielsen, West Jordan, Utah, ’78 Kawasaki, 9.089, 141.47.