Rain shortened Thursday’s Sportsman qualifying at Brainerd International Raceway, but there was enough time for Pat Nahan, Brett Speer, Lance Line, Jim Thorp and Kevin Thorp to secure the top positions in their respective categories at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals.
With weather cutting into the program and more rain in Friday’s forecast, NHRA adjusted the schedule in an effort to complete the Sportsman portion of the event. Final eliminations are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Friday.
Nahan, of Sartell, Minnesota, emerged from Competition Eliminator qualifying with the No. 1 position after driving his E/DA Parks dragster to a 7.360-second run, .620 under the 7.98 index.
Doug Engels of Watertown, South Dakota, was close behind with a 7.367 in D/DA, .603 under the index. Seattle’s Cody Lane placed third with a 7.358 in his A/EA 1932 Bantam, .542 under the 7.90 standard.
Bruno Massel qualified fourth in CC/AT with a 7.036 in his 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, .524 under the index. Shane Heckel of Baytown, Texas, completed the top five with a 7.127, .463 under in C/DA.
The Speer family owned the top of the Super Stock qualifying sheet.
Brett Speer, of Fort Ripley, Minnesota, drove his SS/JA 1990 Chevrolet Camaro to a 10.000-second run against an 11.00 index, putting him exactly one second under and comfortably into the No. 1 position. Rylee Speer made it a family sweep of the first two spots with a 10.053 in his SS/JA 1998 Pontiac Firebird, .947 under the index.
Mike Johnston of Parker, Arizona, was only two-thousandths behind Rylee Speer against the index, qualifying third with a 9.255, .945 under in his FSS/F 2012 Camaro. Sean Marconette and Jay Storey completed the top five.
Minnesota racers controlled Stock Eliminator, taking five of the first seven positions and the top four spots overall.
Cromwell’s Lance Line led the field with a 10.226-second run in his C/S 1969 Ford Mustang, 1.124 seconds under the 11.35 index. Randy Mans of Rogers was second with a 9.906 in his A/S 2000 Pontiac Firebird, 1.044 under the index.
Larry Curtis of Bethel qualified third with a 9.943 in his FS/E 2010 Dodge Challenger, 1.007 under. Aitkin’s Tracy Fairchild followed with a 10.574 in his D/SA 1970 AMC AMX, .976 under, while Brad Koivisto of Cromwell was fifth.
Jim Thorp of Mertzon, Texas, set the pace in Top Sportsman with a 6.288-second run at 226.32 mph in his 2025 Camaro. Christopher Roe of Lecanto, Florida, was second with a 6.429 at 212.33, while Rich Smith qualified third with a 6.498 at 212.43.
Alan Hiebert was fourth at 6.526 and 217.88 mph, with Rob Meservier fifth after running 6.528 at 217.28.
The Thorp name also occupied the top of the Top Dragster qualifying sheet, this time with Kevin Thorp.
Thorp, of Knickerbocker, Texas, drove his TNT-Chevrolet dragster to a 6.125 at 225.26 mph. Prescott Dean followed with a 6.153 at 223.62, while Roland Rang was third with a 6.158 at 226.66.
Jim Thorp added the No. 4 Top Dragster position to his Top Sportsman No. 1 effort with a 6.175 at 209.04 mph. Matthew Kreft rounded out the top five at 6.185 and 220.91.
With Thursday’s rain already having compressed the Brainerd program, NHRA moved Friday’s schedule forward ahead of another rainy afternoon forecast. Final Sportsman eliminations are slated to begin at 8 a.m.
