DRISKELL HEADLINES NHRA DIV. 5 LODRS WINNERS
Matt Driskell paired up with fellow Kansas racer Todd Piper in the Fineline / Madcap Top Dragster final with Driskell, Wellsville, Kan., taking the win at Heartland Park Topeka and his second in a row in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. John Fitzpatrick from Park City, Kan., took the win in the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson while a three other home state racers advanced to the final rounds. Driskell, who recently won at Bandimere Speedway near Denver, clocked in at 6.727 seconds, 194.10 mph for the win as Piper, Wamego, Kan., was out front early but broke out by just .002 seconds.
John Fitzpatrick beat out Ricky Martin, Coweta, Okla., as both riders were too quick at the strip with Fitzpatrick running closer to his dial for the win at 9.246 (9.25 dial) to Martin’s 9.612 (9.66).
Matt Driskell paired up with fellow Kansas racer Todd Piper in the Fineline / Madcap Top Dragster final with Driskell, Wellsville, Kan., taking the win at Heartland Park Topeka and his second in a row in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. John Fitzpatrick from Park City, Kan., took the win in the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson while a three other home state racers advanced to the final rounds. Driskell, who recently won at Bandimere Speedway near Denver, clocked in at 6.727 seconds, 194.10 mph for the win as Piper, Wamego, Kan., was out front early but broke out by just .002 seconds.
John Fitzpatrick beat out Ricky Martin, Coweta, Okla., as both riders were too quick at the strip with Fitzpatrick running closer to his dial for the win at 9.246 (9.25 dial) to Martin’s 9.612 (9.66).
Local runner Bruce Wiedmaier, Topeka, Kan., Jason Wettstein, Garnett, Kan., and A.J. Patterson, Augusta, Kan., each advanced to their respective final but fell short of taking home the hardware. Wiedmaier met up with Kevin Dyck, East St. Paul, Manti., in Super Comp that was close at the start with Dyck taking the win light in 8.911, 182.70. Wiedmaier was too quick at 8.898 on the 8.90 dial as was Wettstein by .005 seconds in his Super Street final round match up with Jeff Landholm. Landholm covered the quarter mile in 10.923 at 147.46 for the win. The Super Stock final saw Patterson and Jared Swinehart, Piedmont, Okla., square off with Swinehart taking the starting line advantage and never looking back running 9.782, 131.47 mph to Patterson’s 10.149, 128.27.
Bruno Massel picked up his first win of the year in Comp Eliminator when Clark Smiley hurt his car in the semifinal as was unable to make the final round. Massel won this event last year and had a runner-up finish in Brainerd, Minn., earlier this year. Brainerd’s Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman winner J.J. Heber, Centennial, Colo., returned to the winner’s circle with his ’06 Mustang with a 6.892 second lap at 197.80 mph to defeat Larry Larson, Oak Grove, Mo.
Austin Williams advanced to his fourth final round of the year and took home his second trophy in Stock as he knocked out California racer Duane Dickens, and Steve Collier, Benton, La., was better at both ends of the track in his ’72 Vegas to down Dale Evens, St. Cloud, Minn., in Super Gas.
West Central Division racers are back here at Heartland Park Topeka for their next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, August 22-23, when they will be joined by the 260 mph Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars of the Central Region Lucas Oil Series.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Heartland Park Topeka:
COMP ELIMINATOR
Bruno Massel, Woodridge, Ill., '10 Cobalt, DD/AT, broke def. Clark Smiley, Denver City, Texas, '09 GXP, BB/A, broke.
SUPER STOCK
Jared Swinehart, Piedmont, Okla., '92 Camaro, GT/AA, 9.782, 131.47 def. A.J. Patterson, Augusta, Kan., '67 Nova, SS/HA, 10.149, 128.27.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Austin Williams, Burleson, Texas, '72 Duster, F/SA, 11.473, 109.19 def. Duane Dickens, San Clemente, Calif., '66 Chevy II, K/SA, 11.822, 109.95.
SUPER COMP
Kevin Dyck, E. St. Paul, Manit., dragster, 8.911, 182.70 def. Bruce Wiedmaier, Topeka, Kan., dragster, 8.898, 155.17.
SUPER GAS
Steve Collier, Benton, La., '72 Vega, 9.904, 158.84 def. Dale Evens, St. Cloud, Minn., '91 Daytona, 9.906, 157.89.
SUPER STREET
Jeff Landholm, Oakland, Neb., '68 Camaro, 10.923, 147.46 def. Jason Wettstein, Garnett, Kan., '66 Chevy II, 10.895, 126.30.
TOP DRAGSTER
Matt Driskell, Wellsville, Kan., dragster, 6.727, 194.10 def. Todd Piper, Wamego, Kan., dragster, 6.948, 185.23.
TOP SPORTSMAN
J.J. Heber, Centennial, Colo., '06 Mustang, 6.892, 197.80 def. Larry Larson, Oak Grove, Mo., '00 Firebird, 7.167, 190.54.
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON
John Fitzpatrick, Park City, Kan., '10 Kawasaki, 9.246, 141.92 def. Ricky Martin, Coweta, Okla., '80 Kawasaki, 9.612, 134.78.