Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties Stock winner Jeff Lopez
Jeff Lopez, the 2012 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Super Gas champion, won his fifth national event title when he stopped Randi Lyn Shipp in the Stock final. Lopez, behind the wheel of his COPO Camaro, defeated Shipp’s vintage ’68 Firebird. Lopez gave up a slight lead at the start, .033 to .014, but got the best of a double-breakout race with a (-.020) 9.200 to Shipp’s (-.041) 10.519. Lopez, who was appearing in just his second event of the season in Stock, also scored wins against John Cooper’s vintage ’64 Thunderbolt and Verne Buchanan’s equally classic G/SA ’73 Mustang in the semifinals. For Shipp, the loss marked her first in a national event final after four victories.