The first day of the final event on the 2024 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is in the books at the IN-N-Out NHRA Finals. Steve Graham (Competition Eliminator), Greg Stanfield (Super Stock), and Joe Sorenson (Stock), after two qualifying sessions, topped the NHRA’s traditional class racing divisions.
The Top Alcohol divisions got one attempt on Thursday, with Madison Payne (Dragster) and Sean Bellemuer (Funny Car) setting the early pace.
Graham, a past Pro Stock racer, obliterated the B/Altered index, running a 6.863, to go -.727 under. Taylor Chomiski also put some on the C/Super Modified index, dropping -.708 under the index, with an 8.082. Kurt Hugger (PST, -.0653), Royce Freeman (B/Altered Automatic, -.647), and Tom Mettler (PST, -.612).
Stanfield, fresh off of clinching the first NHRA Factory X title, drove his way to the top of Super Stock by running -1.046 under the GT/GA index. Len Schneider (-1.039, GT/JA), John Winslow (-0.990, FSS/D), and John Calvert (-0.973, FSS/B).
Sorenson held up the Bowtie brigade in the midst of a Mustang run for the top of Stock Eliminator. He ran a 10.667, which was -1.183 under the F/SA index. Paul Calvert’s U/Stock Automatic Mustang was second with a -1.178 run against the U/Stock Automatic standard. Rounding out the top five were Richie Pauley (10.318, -1.082, C/SA), Leo Glasbrenner, Walling TN, ’14 Camaro (FS/C, 9.265, -1.035), and Michael Williams (D/SA, 10.544, -1.006).
Third-generation alcohol racer Payne laid down the run on Thursday, putting a gap between her and Aaron Oliverez. She stopped the timers with an out-of-the-trailer run of 5.161, 277.37. Oliverez was second with a 5.240. Shawn Cowie was third with a 5.254.
Bellemeur was on top of the leaderboard for the Funny Car with a 5.455, 266.06, getting the edge on Brian Hough, who was second with a 5.466. Annie Whiteley was third with a 5.473.
Jennifer Wiens (above), set the pace for Top Dragster with a 6.101, 213.70 while 1 404M Florentino Martin Rodriguez, New Braunfel TX, 6.232 230.02 230.02
