2016 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Las Vegas Results

SEVERANCE, COWIE LEAD WINNERS IN VEGAS

Las Vegas, Nev. – Champions were recognized yesterday for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division Race number one at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Top Alcohol Dragster, Funny Car, Comp, Super Stock, Super Gas, Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson, and the rest of the classes that encompass the nationwide series were all in action for the rain delayed event from earlier this year. Racers in all classes will now begin qualifying and time trials for the second half of the double header weekend.

Two time Top Alcohol Dragster Champion Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., solidified his top standing in the TAD class with a resounding victory over Shawn Cowie, Surrey, B.C. Severance registered a winning pass of 5.327 seconds, 269.67 mph, Cowie finished second at 5.493 seconds, 222.51 mph.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car finale, Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., 5.527 seconds, 264.96 mph narrowly defeated Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.571 seconds, 264.13 mph.

Alan Ellis of Mapleton, Utah., faced off against Doug Lambeck of Irvine, Calif., in Comp Eliminator. Lambeck got the advantage off the line but Ellis was able to run him down and grab the victory. Ellis made a winning pass of 6.662 196.64. Lambeck made a runner up pass of 8.530, 142.48.

Lambeck was not done yet though as he also advanced to the final in Stock Eliminator against fellow Californian Larry Gilley of Hilmar. Gilley gained the starting line advantage, but took too much stripe to give Lambeck the win. Lambeck wins his 19th Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Wally and his first in Stock. Lambeck registered a winning pass of 10.352, 120.03 to Gilley’s 11.007, 117.71.

In Super Comp, Steve Williams kept his Lucas Oil World Championship hopes alive by knocking out Marko Pervolaris with a pass of 9.381, 159.61 to Perivolaris’s., 9.419, 166.33 out of Petaluma, Calif.

The Top Sportsman final round was Ed Olpin, Pleasant Grove, Utah who took a small advantage off the line but Mike Williams, Tilley, Alb., was able to go by him and take the stripe for the win. Williams clocked in at 7.058, 192.38, as Olpin made a runner up pass of 7.155, 193.71. Meghan Molinari, Battleground, Wash., scored her first career victory as she ran down Jeremy Rapp, Las Vegas, in the Top Dragster final round. Molinari came in at 6.760, 194.49 as Rapp followed up with 7.455, 177.16.

The audience at Las Vegas Motor Speedway saw hometown racer, Leo Shaver out run Eric Jaquith, Queen Creek, Ariz., in the Sportsman Motorcycle final round presented by Harley-Davidson. Shaver hit 8.915, 147.84 as Jaquith followed with 9.531, 136.10.

The other drivers visiting the Lucas Oil winner’s circle were Ed DeStaute in Super Gas; Jody Lang in Super Stock; and John Dexter in Super Street.

The following are final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division event number one at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1

4) Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., 8.125, 104.35 def. 5) Derik Milanesio, Strathmore, Calif., broke;

1) Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., 5.370, 266.21 def. 8) Don St. Arnaud, Edmonton, Alb., foul;

3) Shawn Cowie, Surrey, B.C., 5.360, 268.22 def. 6) Johnny Ahten, Santa Clarita, Calif., 7.640, 116.72;

2) Ashley Sanford, Fullerton, Calif., 5.506, 267.96 def. 7) Megan McKernan, Sierra Madre, Calif., 5.722, 230.69;

Semifinals

Severance, 5.366, 267.96 def. Demke, 5.399, 266.27

Cowie, 5.372, 267.75 def. Sanford, 5.432, 261.12

Finals

Severance, 5.327, 269.67 def. Cowie, 5.493, 222.51.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1

3) Annie Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., ’15 Camaro, 5.551, 267.64 def. 6) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 6.100, 158.45;

5) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 5.569, 262.08 def. 4) Shane Westerfield, Anaheim, Calif., ’16 Camaro, 5.619, 263.56;

1) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ’15 Camaro, 5.510, 266.79 def. 8) Jirka Kaplan, Calgary, Alb., ’16 Camaro, broke;

7) Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., ’11 Monte Carlo, 5.675, 259.46 def. 9) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., ’16 Camaro, 10.163, 83.58;

Semifinals

Ruckman, 5.617, 261.98 def. Whiteley, 5.603, 232.99

Gordon, 5.556, 265.43 def. Lombardo Jr., 5.703, 265.33;

Finals

Gordon, 5.527, 264.96 def. Ruckman, 5.571, 264.13.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ’23 roadster, A/AP, 6.662, 196.64 def. Doug Lambeck, Irvine, Calif., ’08 Sunfire, D/SMA, 8.530, 142.48.

SUPER STOCK

Jody Lang, Puyallup, Wash., ’81 Malibu, GT/KA, 11.855, 86.96 def. Leo Glasbrenner, Chino, Calif., ’96 Pontiac, GT/CA, foul.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Doug Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., ’69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.352, 120.03 def. Larry Gilley, Hilmar, Calif., ’69 Dart, E/SA, 11.007, 117.71.

SUPER COMP

Steve Williams, Beaumont, Calif., dragster, 9.381, 159.61 def. Marko Perivolaris, Petaluma, Calif., dragster, 9.419, 166.33.

SUPER GAS

Ed DeStaute, Rosemead, Calif., ’62 Corvette, 10.057, 130.00 def. Clint Fishel, Phoenix, Ariz., ’88 Beretta, foul.

SUPER STREET

John Dexter, Morrison, Colo., ’68 Camaro, 11.066, 139.08 def. Ryan Herem, Canyon Country, Calif., ’69 Camaro, 11.034, 146.37.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Mike Williams, Tilley, Alb., ’09 GXP, 7.058, 192.38 def. Ed Olpin, Pleasant Grove, Utah, ’68 Camaro, 7.155, 193.71.

TOP DRAGSTER

Meghan Molinari, Battle Ground, Wash., ’12 M&M, 6.760, 194.49 def. Jeremy Rapp, Las Vegas, Nev., dragster, 7.455, 177.16.

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON

Leo Shaver, Las Vegas, Nev., ’87 Kawasaki, 8.915, 147.84 def. Eric Jaquith, Queen Creek, Ariz., ’06 Suzuki, 9.531, 136.10.