NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

  SRCA drivers held off those from Brainerd International Raceway and Bandimere Speedway who finished in second and third with 50 and 41 points respectively.
 
Jaron Miller, Joe Marx, Brent Erickson and Beau Drexler each won their respective category and now advance to the National Championship in California where they will face off against the winners from NHRA’s six other divisions. Joining the four will be Tanner Asti who won Friday’s Race of Champions competition. In a special wild card drawing earlier this year, the West Central division was drawn to send their Sportsman ROC winner to the national championship and fill out the 8-car field.
 
Chris Livingood, Ottawa, Kan., was out first on Miller in the Super Pro Final but it was Miller, Chase, Kan., with the power to take the win and the trophy in his ’08 dragster.
 
Marx and Erickson won in Pro and Sportsman respectively. Marx got the holeshot on Bob Ingman in a Minnesota battle as Marx, St. Michael, Minn., drove his ’71 Duster to a 10.835 second, 121.61 mph lap in beating the quicker Ingman, Andover, Minn., and his ’70 Cougar at 10.372, 127.22. Erickson was better at both ends of the track as he faced off with Korbynn Stallbaumer. The Omaha, Neb., Erikson posted a 12.092 second run to Stallbaumer, Wakarusa, Kan., who went 12.192.
 
In ET Motorcycle, Drexler was .012 seconds off the start and then posted an 8.597 on the 8.59 dial for the win over Michael Shelton of team champions Great Bend, Kan.
 
Jesse Nelson rounded out Saturday’s winners taking home the bragging rights in the High School class. Garrett Nichols, Wichita, Kan., left early with a foul start as Nelson ran it out on his victory lap to a 12.362, 107.90 in his ’68 Mustang.
 
In the Race of Champions action Asti punched his ticket at the start as Kevin Nemitz left early giving the Henderson, Colo., racer the win and a chance at the NHRA Summit National Championship. Asti clocked in at 13.460 at 101.50 in his ’03 GTP.
 
Joining Asti in the ROC Winner’s Circle were Mike Secrest, Ernie Raile, Ryan Schlup and Devin Burger. Secrest took the early lead in Super Pro over Joe Wolf with a .008 second reaction time then drove around Wolf with a 10.7.071 at 184.22
 
Raile and Eric Johnson had identical great reaction times at .008 in Pro with Raile just a tick better at the top end to win by a hundredth of a second running 10.133 to Johnson’s 9.364. Schlup, Emporia, Kan., won on a double breakout in Motorcycle posting an 8.958, 134.86 mph run to Jimmy Paulson, Stacy, Minn., who clocked in at 9.166 134.91.
 
Burger took home the honors in the High School ROC as he was better at both ends of the track than Sadie Shriver, Auburn, Neb. Burger went 12.467 on the 12.46 dial to Shriver’s 112.322.
 
The following are Saturday's final results from the 2018 NHRA Summit Racing Series West Central Division Finals:
 
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

SRCA Dragstrip: 55
Brainerd Int'l Raceway 50
Bandimere Speedway: 41
Tri-State Raceway: 41
Cedar Falls Motorsports Park 39
Heartland Motorsports Park 39
Kansas Int'l Dragway: 39
Rock Falls Raceway: 37
Pueblo Motorsports Park 36
I29 Dragway: : 34
Kearney Raceway Park 25
Top End Dragways: 18
Grove Creek Raceway: 18
Julesburg Dragstrip: 14
Oahe Speedway: 7
 
SUPER PRO
Jaron Miller, Chase, Kan., '08 American, 7.654, 167.59 def. Chris Livingood, Ottawa, Kan., '81 Malibu, 10.092, 129.62.
 
PRO ET
Joe Marx, St Michael, Minn., '71 Duster, 10.835, 121.61 def. Bob Ingman, Andover, Minn., '70 Cougar, 10.372, 127.22.
 
SPORTSMAN
Brent Erickson, Omaha, Neb., '74 Dart, 12.092, 103.25 def. Korbynn Stallbaumer, Wakarusa, Kan., '83 Chevy, 12.192, 99.61.
 
ET MOTORCYCLE
Beau Drexler, Lakewood, Colo., '90 ZX9, 8.597, 146.53 def. Michael Shelton, Great Bend, Kan., '09 Busa, 9.451, 138.53.
 
HIGH SCHOOL
Jesse Nelson, Boeulus, Neb., '68 Mustang, 12.361, 107.90 def. Garrett Nichols, Wichita, Kan., '74 Cutlass, foul.
 
The following are Friday’s final results from the 2018 NHRA Summit Racing Series West Central Division Race of Champions:
 
SUPER PRO
Mike Secrest, Wichita, Kan., '11 White, 7.071, 184.22 def. Joe Wolf, Pierre, S.D., '08 Worthy, 7.531, 175.98.
 
PRO ET
Ernie Raile, Lakewood, Colo., '68 Firebird, 10.133, 132.28 def. Eric Johnson, North Bend, Neb., '72 Olds, 9.364, 144.19.
 
SPORTSMAN
Tanner Asti, Henderson, Colo., '03 GTP, 13.460, 101.50 def. Kevin Nemitz, Council Bluffs, Iowa, '66 Capri, foul.
 
ET MOTORCYCLE
Ryan Schlup, Emporia, Kan., '12 Kawazaki, 8.958, 134.86 def. Jimmy Paulson, Stacy, Minn., '13 Clampit, 9.166, 134.91.
 
HIGH SCHOOL
Devin Burger, '87 Dakota, 12.467, 102.05 def. Sadie Shriver, Auburn, Neb., '92 Dakota, 12.322, 99.59.

PREVIEW

NHRA’s top drag racers from tracks across the West Central division will be at Heartland Motorsports Park to square off in head-to-head competition at the NHRA Summit Racing Series West Central Division Finals, Sept. 14-16. Top points earning drivers in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Bike/Sled and High School will be on hand to compete for team and individual honors.

Friday’s action will feature the Race of Champions where top point earners from each track will face off in a best of the best battle in the five respective classes. Event eliminations kick off on Saturday with nearly 500 racers competing for top honors and a chance to compete for the Summit Racing Series National Championship at the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in November. They’ll run against the winners from NHRA’s other six divisions for a total purse of more than $100,000.

Gates at Heartland Motorsports Park will open at 8 a.m. Thursday, and 7 a.m. the rest of the weekend. Test and Tune will be held Thursday from 1-7 p.m. Friday’s and Saturday time trials begin at 8 a.m., with eliminations to follow. Sunday will play host to the inaugural Summit Sunday Sportsman Shootout, a three-class big dollar gambler race eligible for those who participated in the NHRA Summit ET Finals.

Heartland Motorsports Park is located at 7530 SW Topeka Boulevard, Topeka KS. For more information, please go to heartlandpark.com or call 785-861-7899