Division 2 Wins Coveted Jeg’s Allstars Race

Division 2 racers won their record sixth Jeg’s Allstars team championship in the annual best-of-the-best competition at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago. The $100,000 special event is the culmination of a yearlong points battle between drivers in each of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series’ eight categories (Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street) and features the top points earners from each division. Teams earn 100 points for each round win.

Division Director Bill Holt’s team, led by Comp representative Larry Pritchett’s victory and runner-ups by Jay Payne in Alcohol Funny Car, David Scott in Super Gas, Michael Ruff in Super Street, as well as a win by Super Comp blocker Jim Perry Jr. that prevented other teams from scoring, finished with 1,200 points, just 100 ahead of five-time former winner Division 4.

Division 2 clinched the team title with Pritchett’s win, the first final of the day, and needed it as Division 4 swept the alcohol categories with recent U.S. Nationals runner-up Shelly Howard winning in Alcohol Dragster and Jackie Stidham winning in Alcohol Funny Car. Division 4’s Jeff Hefler just fell short of saving the team but lost in the Super Stock final.

Other individual winners were Division 6’s Brad Plourd in Super Stock, Division 1’s Shane Carr in Stock, Division 3’s Steve Eckard in Super Gas, and Division 7’s Scott Rollins in Super Street.

Division 6 finished in third place with 900 points, followed by another five-time team champion, Division 3, with 700 points. Division 7 (600), Division 5 (400), and Division 1 (300) rounded out the scoring.

Drivers earned Allstars points by competing at Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events held within their home division. Defending Allstars champions in each category are automatically placed in the field as blockers. If a defending champion earns enough points to qualify, the previous year’s runner-up is placed in the field as a blocker. If both finalists qualify, the field is limited to seven competitors. Blockers cannot earn team points, but they may share in any team rewards.

Of the event’s $100,000 purse, $7,000 was awarded to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car winners, $6,000 to the Comp and Super Stock winners, and $4,500 to the winners in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street. The runner-up in each category will receive $2,000. Each competitor also will receive a share of a $20,000 towing fund to get to the event. An additional $20,000 will be awarded to the drivers in Division2 accumulates the most points.

Final-round results

Alcohol Dragster
W: Shelly Howard (Division 4)
R/U: Ed Schmeeckle (Division 5)

Alcohol Funny Car
W: Jackie Stidham (Division 4)
R/U: Jay Payne (Division 2)

Comp
W: Larry Pritchett (Division 2)
R/U: Rodger Brogdon (Division 4)

Super Stock
W: Brad Plourd (Division 6)
R/U: Jeff Heffler (Division 4)

Stock
W: Shane Carr (Division 1)
R/U: Kyle Riley (Division 3)

Super Comp
W: Jim Perry Jr. (Division 2 blocker)
R/U: Jack Beckman (Division 7)

Super Gas
W: Steve Eckard (Division 3)
R/U: David Scott (Division 2)

Super Street
Scott Rollins (Division 7)
Michael Ruff (Division 2)

As an added bonus this year, event sponsor Jeg’s Mail Order will double any Allstars winner’s prize money if that racer also wins the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals.