NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

INDIANAPOLIS – The team from Milan Dragway combined for a total of 53 points to win the Team Championship for the 2017 NHRA North Central Division Summit Finals at Lucas Oil Raceway with individual winners led by local racer Boyd Butcher in Pro ET. Host track Lucas Oil Raceway finished second in the team standings at 52 with Summit Motor Sports Park coming in third at 48 points.

Butcher, Beech Grove, Ind., took the win with his ’73 Nova, and ran 6.773 seconds at 101.21 mph against Jim Laughlin, Albany, Wis., in his ‘78 Malibu.  Laughlin left early with a red light handing the win to Butcher. 

Carli Keil, Rossford, Ohio, faced off with Bill Swain, Ionia, Mich., in the Super Pro final with Keil taking the early lead. Keil’s final time was 4.911 seconds at 139.39 mph with Swain close behind with a time of 4.833 at 138.96 mph. 

Johnnie Cook, Howell, Mich., defeated Blake Hopper, Mattoon, Ill., in the Sportsman finals where Cook had the advantage off the line and got around Hopper to take the win.

Thomas Ewig, South Milwaukee, Wis., and Mike Krueger, Lowell Ind., went head to head in the Motorcycle Finals. Ewig came in with the win at 9.037 seconds and 143.70 mph. 

Butcher, Keil, Cook and Ewig will all advance to the NHRA Summit National Championship at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in November where they will face off with the winners of the other six NHRA Division Finals.

In the Sunoco Race of Champions Indiana racers Josh Rogers in Super Pro and Wesley Wells in ET Motorcycle took home wins. 

Rogers won against Kenneth King with a time of 5.305 seconds at 128.53 mph. Wesley defeated Chad Isley, Charleston, Ill., coming in at 8.269 seconds and a speed at 156.10 mph in ET Motorcycle. 

The Pro ET winner was Jason Ford, Kettering, Ohio. Ford put quite a bit of distance between him and John Haunt from Grant Park, Ill., taking the win with a time of 6.490 seconds and at 100.82 mph. 

In Sportsman Chad Eaton, Paris, Ill., ran a 12.010 second at 110.71 mph to Ellis Buth, Warrensburg, Ill., who fouled. 

The following are the final results from the 2017 NHRA Summit Racing Series North Central Division Finals:

SUPER PRO
Carl Keil, Rossford, Ohio, '15 Diamond, 4.911, 139.39 def. 
Bill Swain, Ionia, Mich., '15 American, 4.833, 138.96. 

PRO ET
Boyd Butcher, Beech Grove, Ind., '73 Nova, 6.773, 101.21 def. 
Jim Laughlin, Albany, Wis., '78 Malibu, foul. 

SPORTSMAN
Johnnie Cook, Howell, Mich., '95 Camaro, 13.459, 97.11 def. 
Blake Hopper, Mattoon, Ill., '12 Challenger, 13.995, 86.24. 

ET MOTORCYCLE
Thomas Ewig, S Milwaukee, Wis., '95 Kawasaki, 9.037, 143.70 def. 
Mike Krueger, Lowell, Ind., '86 Ninja, 8.464, 156.32. 

RACE OF CHAMPIONS
SUPER PRO
Josh Rogers, Reelsville, Ind., '96 Gebhardt, 5.305, 128.53 def. 
Kenneth King, Lacon, '02 Miller, 4.794, 142.58. 

PRO ET
Jason Ford, Kettering, Ohio, '72 Vega, 6.490, 100.82 def. 
John Haut, Grant Park, Ill., '66 Chev II, 5.819, 116.96. 

SPORTSMAN
Chad Eaton, Paris, Ill., '85 Monte Carlo, 12.010, 110.71 def. 
Ellis Buth, Warrensburg, Ill., '72 Lemans, foul. 

ET MOTORCYCLE
Wesley Wells, Greenwood, Ind., '00 Suzuki, 8.269, 156.10 def. 
Chad Isley, Charleston, Ill., '00 Suzuki, 8.835, 141.94.

PREVIEW

INDIANAPOLIS – Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis will be hosting the 42nd annual NHRA Summit Racing Series North Central Division Finals, Sept.15-17. The event will feature teams of the series’ best racers representing NHRA member tracks from across the region. Top points earning drivers in five classes will be on hand to compete for team and individual honors. Nearly 700 drivers are expected to compete in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Super Pro Bike, and High School categories. Racers in the High School class will run for trophies while the others will compete for cash awards of more than $60,000.

Gates at Lucas Oil Raceway will open at 7 a.m. each day. Time trials will start Friday morning at 9 and continue Saturday at 8 a.m. Eliminations will start Saturday at 1 p.m. and continue Sunday at 8 a.m.  

Friday’s action will also feature the Sunoco Race of Champions, starting at 3 p.m., where the best of the best in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Super Pro Bike will compete for top honors. Sunday’s winners will move on to compete for a national championship at the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Calif., in November. They will run against the winners from NHRA’s other six divisions for more than $100,000 in prize money.

Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis is located on Indiana Highway 136, four miles west of I-465, exit 16.  For more information call the track, (317) 291-4090 or visit www.LucasOilRaceway.com.