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DEMKE WINS, KEEPS NATIONAL TITLE HOPES ALIVE
McClanahan and Tatum Clinch Titles
LAS VEGAS – Chris Demke kept his title hopes alive with a win this weekend at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Short Line Express Market Gamblers Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Demke qualified No. 1 in Top Alcohol Dragster, ran 5.30’s throughout eliminations, then took out No. 2 qualifier Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, in the final with a 5.339 second pass at 268.97 mph.
Demke, Sunland, Calif., trails 4-time and reigning national champion Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., in the point’s battle going into next weekend’s final event of the season, the Automobile Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif. Reichert failed to qualify for the eight car field this weekend. Demke must reach the finals next weekend to over take Reichert who is sure to be in Pomona looking to block Demke and retain his title.
Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., took home a pair of championships in Super Stock locking up both the NHRA Lucas Oil National Championship and the Pacific Division Championship before falling in the final round to Eric Bell, Chandler, Ariz., and his ’70 Challenger. Bell went 137.34 mph in 9.540 seconds for the win.
David Tatum III, Palmetto, Ga., secured the Super Gas National Championship as Rock Haas, who was the last racer with a shot to over take Tatum, lost early on Sunday. Gary Stinnett took over the Super Comp points lead for the national championship but will have to wait for Pomona and the fate of Edmond Richardson for the title.
In Top Alcohol Funny Car competition it was Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., posting a run of 5.595 seconds at 257.48 mph for the win over former national champion Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., who lost traction and smoked the tires in the final round.
West Covina, Calif., resident and second generation driver Steve Gasparrelli wrapped up the Pacific Division Top Alcohol Funny Car Championship. Gasparrelli fell early in eliminations but so did Sean O’Bannon and John Lombardo Jr., Gasparrelli’s only threats to over take him in the point’s battle.
In the Comp Eliminator final it was Sal Biondo, Mespath, N.Y., taking the win when Steve Graham, South San Francisco, Calif., left early with a red light foul start and Kevin Kleinweber, Westlake, Calif., took the win in Top Sportsman out of the Hughes Performance camp. Mike De Palma’s quarter-finals finish should give him the Pacific Championship to take back to Glendale, Ariz..
The Super Gas final resulted in a pair of championships as Mike Ferderer, Buckley, Wash., won the event and the NHRA Northwest Division Championship while runner up Val Torres, Valinda, Calif., will go home with the Pacific Championship.
The Pacific Division Super Street Championship went to Nik Downing, Glendale, Ariz., who came up one round short of winning this weekend’s event as he fell to Jeff Jackson, Henderson, Ore.
Ed Schuck Jr., San Ramon, Calif., came from the 64th and final qualifying spot in the Hughes Performance Top Dragster class for the win with a lap of 7.271 seconds at 183.72 mph against Keith Raftery. The Pacific Division Championship went to Tony Jardion whose third round effort was enough for the championship.
Also winning this weekend were Brad Plourd, Covington, Wash., in Stock Eliminator over Bernie Cunningham, Riverside, Calif; Brad Hawk, Tucson, Ariz., in Super Comp against Eric Reyes; Jeff Lanoye, Zimmerman, Minn., in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson and NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series regular Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., in the Nitro Harley division. Horne went 213.43 mph for the win.
Most of this weekend’s participants will head to Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif., for the season ending national event and the last stop in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Short Line Express Market Gamblers Showdown event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
4) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, 5.310, 265.64 def. 5) Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, 5.353, 260.97
6) Shawn Cowie, Delta, B.C., 5.397, 266.53 def. 3) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.601, 260.91
1) Chase Copeland, Gainesville, Texas, 5.351, 273.33 def. 8) Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., 6.351, 183.97
2) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.353, 268.22 def. 7) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 6.898, 133.38
Semifinals
Demke, 5.330, 269.03 def. Cowie, 5.605, 210.90
Bradshaw, 6.192, 264.60 def. Copeland, 20.627, 33.54
Final
Demke, 5.339, 268.97 def. Bradshaw, 8.849, 94.90
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
3) Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., '09 Mustang, 5.613, 257.48 def. 6) Sean O'Bannon, Ontario, Calif., '08 Monte Carlo, foul
1) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.625, 255.73 def. 8) Steve Gasparrelli, W. Covina, Calif., '08 Mustang, 11.879, 70.93
7) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., '10 Monte Carlo, 6.987, 190.67 def. 2) Alexis De Joria, Sacramento, Calif., '09 Mustang, 8.759, 91.19
5) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '10 Monte Carlo, 5.678, 252.80 def. 4) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '07 Mustang, 5.689, 255.24
Semifinals
Ferro, 5.603, 257.14 def. Thompson, 5.705, 255.92
Bartone, 5.596, 256.84 def. Lombardo Jr., 9.060, 97.10
Final
Ferro, 5.595, 257.48 def. Bartone, 17.664, 93.45
COMP ELIMINATOR
Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., '93 Beretta, I/AA, 8.868, 120.26 def. Steve Graham, S. San Francisco, Calif., '06 Stratus, C/A, foul.
SUPER STOCK
Eric Bell, Chandler, Ariz., '70 Challenger, SS/EA, 9.540, 137.34 def. Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '08 Cobalt, SS/BM, 8.663, 159.80.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Brad Plourd, Covington, Wash., '68 Camaro, D/SA, 11.364, 114.40 def. Bernie Cunningham, Riverside, Calif., '98 Firebird, C/SA, 11.031, 119.26.
SUPER COMP
Brad Hawk, Tucson, Ariz., dragster, 9.191, 148.07 def. Eric Reyes, Petaluma, Calif., dragster, 9.287, 159.14.
SUPER GAS
Mike Ferderer, Buckley, Wash., '06 Grand Am, 10.045, 166.09 def. Val Torres, Valinda, Calif., '63 Corvette, 10.045, 162.35.
SUPER STREET
Jeff Jackson, Henderson, Ore., '68 Mustang, 11.027, 152.07 def. Nik Downing, Glendale, Ariz., '79 Arrow, 11.001, 129.14.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Jeff Lanoye, Zimmerman, Minn., '06 Suzuki, 7.933, 150.10 def. Jeff Zogg, Corinne, Utah, '81 ZX11, 8.703, 150.13.
TOP DRAGSTER
Ed Schuck Jr, San Ramon, Calif., dragster, 7.271, 183.72 def. Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., dragster, 6.794, 195.59.
TOP SPORTSMAN
Kevin Kleinweber, Westlake, Calif., '03 Grand Am, 7.566, 184.45 def. Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., '05 Cobalt, 6.959, 196.99.
NITRO HARLEY
Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., '10 Harley, 6.303, 213.43 def. Phil Schmidt, Orangevale, Calif., '06 Weekend, 7.956, 126.07.
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