LAS VEGAS – Jon Bradford and Joe Roubicek led qualifying in today’s opening round of the NHRA JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
Bradford recorded the event’s top speed clocking in at over 234 mph in his ’13 dragster in 6.059 seconds to lead the Top Dragster class. The Tucson, Ariz., runner is followed by Denver Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., running 6.162 seconds at 219.97 mph and Jesse Adams, Yuba City, Calif., 6.213, 218.80.
Westlake Village, Calif., racer Roubicek qualified No. 1 in Top Sportsman with a lap of 6.734 seconds at 204.98 mph in his ’68 Camaro. Dean Bethenson and Greg Lair are second and third at 6.736 and 6.755 respectively. Bethenson runs a ’57 Chevy and Lair sits in a ’14 Camaro.
A pair of Barracudas paced the fields in Stock and Super Stock as local favorite Earl Blake drove his ’68 to an 11.052 second pass to lead Stock while Mike Cotton made the trip from Broken Arrow, Okla., and put his ’70 Barracuda on top in Super Stock with a pass of 9.924. Cotton is followed by Ken Etter, Jurupa Valley, Calif., and Tom Noan from Canada in Super Stock. Alvin Williamson, Moreno, Valley, Calif., and Don Morris, Golden, Colo., sit behind Blake in Stock.
Comp Eliminator is led by Joshua Lee and Ross Wilson in the top two spots. Lee went 9.095 in his ’32 roadster, 0.635 under his index with Wilson, Alta Loma, Calif., sitting in second at 8.358, 0.522 under.
Rounding out the day’s leaders was the father-son team of Ron and Denny Alves in the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson. Ron recorded a perfect reaction time of 0.000 seconds on his ’80 Kawasaki early in the day for the No. 1 spot. Then Denny, the defending Pacific Division champion, posted his own perfect reaction time in the third session for the No. 2 spot. Dakota Sun and Mike Burkhart landed in the number three and four spots with 0.008 and 0.016 second reaction times.
All racers will make final qualifying runs and time trials tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m. Also on tap for Saturday is heads-up class racing in Stock and Super Stock along with the specialty Shootout events in Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street.
Eliminations kick off on Sunday and will run throughout the day, culminating with the JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals winner’s circle celebration.
The following are the final qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Joshua Lee, Palmdale, Calif., ’32 roadster, 9.095 seconds, 0.635 under the index
2. Ross Wilson, Alta Loma, Calif., ’05 Sunfire, 8.358, 0.522
3. Aaron Strong, Auburn, Wash., ’98 S-10, 8.315, 0.515
4. Ralph Van Paepeghem, Garden Valley, Idaho, ’32 roadster, 7.405, 0.515
5. John Edwards, La Verne, Calif., ’99 Neon, 7.492, 0.478
6. Dale Giroux, Canyon Creek, Alb., CAN, ’04 Cavalier, 7.539, 0.431
7. Tony Mandella, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., ’00 S-10, 8.730, 0.410
8. Jeff Isbell, Salt Lake City, ’00 dragster, 7.062, 0.408
9. Joe Mozeris, Phoenix, ’13 dragster, 7.264, 0.296
10. Ed Sigmon, Chatsworth, Calif., ’34 Chevrolet, 9.145, 0.015
SUPER STOCK
1. Mike Cotton, Broken Arrow, Okla., ’70 Barracuda, 9.924, 0.966
2. Ken Etter, Jurupa Valley, Calif., ’93 Shadow, 10.288, 0.952
3. Tom Nolan, Lacombe, Alb., CAN, ’09 G5, 9.485, 0.945
4. Don Keen, Palmdale, Calif., ’65 Mustang, 10.558, 0.882
5. Sean Cour, Bruch Prairie, Wash., ’09 Cobalt, 9.714, 0.866
6. Eric Bell, Chandler, Ariz., ’70 Challenger, 9.676, 0.854
7. Andrew Durham, Arcadia, Calif., ’11 Challenger, 9.549, 0.831
8. Larry Zavala, Montebello, Calif., ’91 Calais, 9.786, 0.794
9. Keith Lynch, West Jordon, Utah, ’10 Challenger, 10.402, 0.788
10. Leo Glasbrenner, Chino, Calif., ’97 Firebird, 9.900, 0.780
STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Earl Blake, Las Vegas, ’68 Barracuda, 11.052, 1.008
2. Alvin Williamson, Moreno Valley, Calif., ’72 Mustang, 10.918, 0.982
3. Don Morris, Golden, Colo., ’66 Coronet, 10.465, 0.975
4. Lindy Lindholm, Newport Beach, Calif., ’74 Firebird, 11.172, 0.958
5. Bill O’Connor, Huntington Beach, Calif., ’80 Horizon, 16.794, 0.956
6. Brad Burton, Snohomish, Wash., ’72 Formula, 10.794, 0.956
7. Mark Lelchook, Forresthill, Calif., ’69 Barracuda, 11.106, 0.954
8. Tibor Kadar, Peoria, Ariz., ’64 Fairlane, 10.249, 0.941
9. Brent Calvert, Lancaster, Calif., ’14 Mustang, 8.956, 0.914
10. John Cooper, La Porte, Colo., ’64 Fairlane, 10.278, 0.912
TOP DRAGSTER
1. Jon Bradford, Tucson, Ariz., 6.059, 234.09
2. Denver Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., 6.162, 219.97
3. Jesse Adams, Yuba City, Calif., 6.213, 218.80
4. Paul Snell, Sandy, Utah, 6.530, 207.50
5. Stephanie Crifasi, Henderson, Nev., 6.532, 207.53
6. Brian Fitzpatrick, Lake Havasu, Ariz., 6.536, 210.01
7. Lyle Burnham, Henderson, Nev., 6.672, 205.19
8. Bob Button, Winters, Calif., 6.709, 199.17
9. George Slatten, Santa Fe, N.M., 6.730, 198.35
10. Dan Provost, Abbotsford, B.C., CAN, 6.743, 199.58
TOP SPORTSMAN
1. Joe Roubieck, Westlake Village, Calif., ’68 Camaro, 6.734, 204.98
2. Dean Bethenson, Red Deer, Alb., CAN, ’57 Chevy, 6.736, 203.65
3. Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, ’14 Camaro, 6.755, 207.18
4. Daryl Hemley, Burley, Wash., ’02 Cavalier, 6.830, 204.73
5. JJ Heber, Centennial, Colo., ‘06 Mustang, 6.918, 197.19
6. Monte Green, Haxtun, Colo., ’08 Mustang, 6.967, 195.39
7. Dave Slatten, Fort Collins, Colo., ’05 Grand Am, 7.020, 197.19
8. Raul Perez, Buena Park, Calif., ’05 Grand Am, 7.044, 197.19
9. Rod Hymas, Standard, Alb., CAN, ’69 Camaro, 7.079, 194.44
10. David Cook, Novato, Calif., ’03 Mustang, 7.079, 192.74
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE PRESENTED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON
1. Ron Alves, Colusa, Calif., ’80 Kawasaki, 0.000 second reaction time
2. Denny Alves, El Cerrito, Calif., ’83 Suzuki, 0.000
3. Dakota Sun, La Miranda, Calif., ’12 Kawasaki, 0.008
4. Mike Burkhart, Huntington Beach, Calif., ’97 Suzuki, 0.016
5. Steve Harrison, American Park, Utah, ’96 Harley-Davidson, 0.017
6. Sean Conner, Boulder City, Nev., ’98 Suzuki, 0.017
7. Rick Newport, Buffalo, Utah, ’95 Suzuki, 0.023
8. Bill Burkhart, Anaheim, Calif., ’98 GSXR, 0.018
9. Eric Jaquith, Sun Tan Valley, Ariz., ’06 Hayabusa, 0.20
10. Gaige Herrera, La Mirada, Calif., ’05 Suzuki, 0.026
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