NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Sean Bellemeur and the Bartone Bros. “Killer B’s” team continued their near total domination of the Top Alcohol Funny Car category by clinching their fifth world title in the last eight years on Saturday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Bellemeur came into the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals with a commanding lead in the standings, but still needed to withstand a late season charge from Brian Hough. The high drama ended quickly when Hough lost a close race to Steve Gasparrelli in round one, clinching the title in Bellemeur’s favor.

The championship capped a stellar season for Bellemeur, team owner Tony Bartone, and their longtime crew chief, Steve Boggs. The team has so far combined for seven wins in nine final rounds including national event victories in Gainesville, Charlotte, Norwalk, Brainerd, and Dallas. Bellemeur added regional victories in Indianapolis and St. Louis to build a sizable mid-season lead in the standings.

Bellemeur began the season in the team's injected nitro entry, and later switched to the more conventional supercharged methanol combination. Both cars proved to be equally effective with multiple victories.

"It’s been a different kind of season with the addition of the injected nitro car, starting the year with kind of an unproven combination, for us anyway," he said. "And so to start out so strong -- maybe too strong -- and then as the year progressed, to make the decision to go back to the blown alcohol car. That’s our bread and butter, and the car that I'm more comfortable in and feel like I'm a better driver in, but Steve [Boggs] was on a mission to prove that no matter what kind of car we have or combination, that we're going to try to be as tough to beat as possible.

“The season had a different feel this time around. You know, look at the players that hung in there all the way to the end, Brian [Hough] and Maddi [Gordon] Shane [Westerfield] has been running really good, and Jim Whiteley, so just because there's fewer cars out there, doesn't mean the competition is any less difficult

“I’m so happy for the team; they deserve this through their hard work. From what Tony [Bartone] provides, and Steve's wizardry behind the knobs. It's just fun to be a part of.

“It’s been a dream and I'd love for the dream to never end. So many races are one before you ever hit the racetrack, and it's the camaraderie with the team, it's Steve's tuning, which is so compatible with my driving style and vice versa. It all just works. So many men and women are part of this, and I consider them all family, and I'm just so proud for all of them.”

With a fifth alcohol championship, Bellemeur joins exclusive company including Frank Manzo, who leads the way with 17 titles. Joey Severance, Bill Reichert, and Rick Santos also have five title in Top Alcohol Dragster.

For Bellemeur, there is more history to be made. He is currently sitting on 48 national event wins, making him the third winningest driver in the category behind Manzo and Pat Austin. With two more victories, Bellemeur would join the list of just 25 racers who have accumulated 50 or more NHRA national event titles.