NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Jake Howard doubled up in Dallas, taking home to top honors in both Pro ET and Sportsman while the team from Hobbs Motorsports Park captured the Team Championship at the NHRA Summit Racing Series South Central Division Finals at Texas Motorplex.
 
Howard, out of Ardmore Dragway, jumped out to a hundredth of a second lead in the Sportsman final and held on for the win over Adam Martinez with a lap of 7.598 on the 7.59 dial to Martinez’s 7.897 (7.89 dial) for his first of two final round victories. He would then match up with Donna Lummus, China, Texas, in the Pro ET final where he recorded a .008 second reaction time and a lap of 6.681 seconds at 106.60 mph for the win and the double after Lummus left early with a foul start.
 
Hobbs Motorsports Park gathered up 57 points to lead the team standings followed up Ardmore Dragway with 55 and Houston Raceway Park at 54. Houston Raceway Park won the Team Spirit Award.
 
Randell Reid and Tony Davis grabbed the wins in Super Pro and Motorcycle; and will join Howard in advancing to the Summit National Championship at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif., in November. They will each face off against the Summit Division Finals winners in each of the other six NHRA Divisions.
 
Reid, Iowa Park, Texas, (Hobbs Motorsports Park) had a .018 second combined package to oust Jeremy Hefler of Kennedale, Texas, running 4.741 on the 4.73 dial. Hefler was right with Reid off the line with his own .009 reaction time but ran too quick at the top end. Davis, Houston, (Houston Raceway Park) grabbed the early lead on Rickey Bobby Kay and was better at the finish as well with a 5.390, 121.88 mph lap to Kay’s 5,727, 119.34.
 
The High School Summit Division Championship went to Laci Brown, Paris, Texas, as she defeated Dalton Lummas with a big starting line advantage. Brown went 9.986 at 71.68 mph to Lummas’ 10.930, 60.49. Clay Thompson, Laporte, Texas, took home honors in Jr. Street in beating out Trent Augustyn, Midlothian, Texas, and Cody Pollage from No Problem Raceway took out Eric McLelland of host track Texas Motorplex in the Track Managers race.
 
Kevin Martin grabbed the trophy in the Alternate Super Pro in beating David Bates and Steve Boles won over Tripp West III in Alternate No Electronics.
 
In the Race of Champions’ action it was Eric Works, Iowa Park, Texas, with a perfect .000 second reaction time for the win in the Electronics class when Daryl Patton, Highlands, Texas, fouled at the start. Works went 7.382 seconds in his ’76 Vega. In No Electronics, Kris Gassaway, Norman, Okla., grabbed a big lead at the start that pushed Lane Jones to break out. 
 
Where Kay fell in the event eliminations in motorcycle, he did not go home empty handed as he won the Motorcycle ROC over Mike Hudson with a 6.102 second run to Hudson’s 9.009.
 
The following are final results from the 2018 NHRA Summit Racing Series South Central Division Finals:
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Hobbs Motorsports Park: 57
Ardmore Dragway: 55
Houston Raceway Park: 54
Paris Dragstrip: 52
Big Country Raceway: 42
Texas Motorplex: 42
Tulsa Raceway Park: 42
Thunder Valley Raceway Park: 38
No Problem Raceway: 17

 
SUPER PRO
Randell Reid, Iowa Park, Texas, '13 American, 4.741, 144.72 def. Jeremy Hefler, Kennedale, Texas, dragster, 5.049, 134.73.
 
PRO ET
Jake Howard, Lavon, Texas, '76 Pontiac, 6.681, 106.60 def. Donna Lummus, China, Texas, '66 Chevy II, foul.
 
SPORTSMAN
Jake Howard, Lavon, Texas, '76 Pontiac, 7.598, 86.73 def. Adam Martinez, Pearland, Texas, dragster, 7.897, 84.29.
 
ET MOTORCYCLE
Tony Davis, Houston, Texas, '86 Suzuki, 5.390, 121.88 def. Rickey Bobby KAY, Humble tx., , '92 Gsxr, 5.727, 119.34.
 
HIGH SCHOOL
Laci Brown, Paris, Texas, dragster, 9.986, 71.68 def. Dalton Lummas, China, Texas, '86 Monte Carlo, 10.930, 60.49.
 
JR STREET
Clay Thompson, Laporte, Texas, '08 Charger, 9.413, 75.46 def. Trent Augustyn, Midlothian, Texas, dragster, 11.119, 63.33.
 
TRACK MANAGERS
Cody Pollage, Plaquermine, La., '94 Calais, 10.657, 57.19 def. Eric McLelland, Ennis, Texas, dragster, 10.071, 68.57.
 
The following are final results from the 2018 NHRA Summit Racing Series South Central Division Race of Champions:
 
ROC ELECTRONICS
Eric Works, Iowa Park, Texas, '76 Vega, 7.382, 66.66 def. Daryl Patton, Highlands, Texas, '06 Dragster, foul.
 
ROC NO ELECTRONICS
Kris Gassaway, Norman, Okla., '92 Mustang, 6.191, 112.00 def. Lane Jones, Mt Pleasant, , '81 Mustang, 7.139, 89.50.
 
ROC MOTORCYCLE
Rickey Kay, Humble, Texas, '84 Mustang, 6.102, 91.50 def. Mike Hudson, , , dragster, 9.009, 48.49.

PREVIEW

Texas Motorplex will host the 2018 NHRA South Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals, Sept. 14-16. Top drivers from NHRA member tracks across the South Central division will compete in four classes for individual and team honors. 

Individual champions in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Motorcycle will advance to the NHRA Summit National Championship and will compete against the winners from NHRA’s other six divisions at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., in November. 

Participants in the top classes will compete for cash awards of more than $20,000 who advance to Pomona will each receive an additional $3,000 with a $5,000 winner take all purse going to the National Champion. Competitors in the High School class and Jr. Street will earn trophies.

Time trials at Texas Motorplex are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Friday with the Gamblers race to follow. Saturday time trials for all classes will begin at 9a.m. The Race of Champions, a race within a race where the top points earning drivers from each track square off in head-to-head competition, will start Saturday at 1 p.m. Round 1 of the event eliminations will follow in the afternoon, and continue Sunday at 9 a.m. 

For more information contact the Texas Motorplex, (972) 878-2641 or visit www.TexasMotorplex.com or www.nhradiv4.com