Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals Top Sportsman winner Dusty Meyer
The event’s other first-time champion was Dusty Meyer, who prevailed in the Top Sportsman presented by Racing RVs class. Meyer, in his Chevy S-10, got a free pass in the final after Phil Dion, who was also a semifinal finisher in Top Dragster, broke and couldn’t make the round. Meyer also had a bye run in the semifinals but earlier he stopped Jeff Staub, Todd Stallbaumer, and Monte Green. Meyer was able to adjust to the changing conditions in Topeka by lowering his dial from 7.04 in the first round to 6.91 in the second and matching that number with a 6.912 in his win against Stallbaumer.