LAS VEGAS – Nearly 400 of the best racers from the Western United States converged on The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for the NHRA JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals with nine champions being crowned today in a winner’s circle celebration.
Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, earned the Comp Eliminator win and trophy combining a perfect reaction time with a lap of 6.670 seconds at 202.76 mph to run down former NHRA Lucas Oil National Champion Dean Cater, Glendale, Ariz., and his front engine dragster.
Gregg Luneack and Leo Glasbrenner each scored trophies on Saturday during class eliminations and came back today to take the event wins in Super Stock and Stock respectively. Luneack, Vista, Calif., put his ’65 Nova Wagon in the winner’s circle taking the starting line advantage and a lap of 10.828 at 110.50 to beat Tibor Kadar, Peoria, Ariz. Glasbrenner, Chino, Calif., qualified third in his ’68 Firebird and took out Casey Plaizier, Edmonton, Alb., in the final.
Pahrump, Nev., resident Gary Reust ran down Al Alguire, Las Vegas, for the Super Street title in 11.065 seconds at 131.72 mph in his ’55 Belair. Alguire clocked in at 11.087 at 149.41 in his ’68 Barracuda.
The Top Sportsman crown went to Daryl Hemley out of Burley, Wash., while Art Hoover won in the Hughes Performance Top Dragster category. Hemley covered the quartermile in 7.579 at 182.16 ousting Chris Newman, Lancaster, Calif., with a quicker 7.056, 197.16. Hoover, Concord, Calif., over came the starting line advantage from Tom Pappas, Roseburg, Ore., with a lap of 6.845 at 192 mph to Pappas’ 7.185, 186.33
Pappas also advanced to the final in Super Comp to meet up with Aaron Kinard who also went deep into eliminations in two classes, Super Comp and Super Gas. Pappas left early with a red light foul start giving the win to Kinard, San Marcos, Calif. Kinard lost in the semifinals of Super Gas with Eddy Plaizier, Casey’s Dad, taking home the win to Edmonton, Alb. Eddy’s daughter Frankie Giroux is the crew chief for both Eddy and Casey’s cars.
Dakota Sun captured the win the trophy in the Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson for this first national event win. Sun, La Mirada, Calif., went 9.270 seconds at 146.83 mph on his ’09 Kawasaki to Las Vegas resident Dave Phillips at 8.991, 143.67
Special awards went out to Stefan Kondolay for Best Engineered Car driving a ’69 Lemans built and owned by Shane Molinari; Doug Watts, Syracuse, Utah for Best Appearing Crew; and Al Aguirre and his ’68 Barracuda for Best Appearing Car.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
COMP ELIMINATOR
Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ’23 Ford, 6.670, 202.76 def. Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., ’06 dragster, 7.231, 173.29
SUPER STOCK
Gregg Luneack, Vista, Calif., ’65 Nova Wagon, 10.828, 110.50 def., Tibor Kadar, Peoria, Ariz., ’02 Camaro, 8.964, 150.53
STOCK
Leo Glasbrenner, Chino, Calif., ’68 Firebird, 10.850, 117.36 def. Casey, Plaizier, Edmonton, Alb., ’96 Firebird, 10.871, 117.63
SUPER COMP
Aaron Kinard, San Marcos, Calif., ’08 dragster, 9.275, 139.65, Thomas Papas, Roseburg, Ore., ’05 dragster, 9.046, 165.54 foul
SUPER GAS
Eddy Plaizier, Edmonton, Alb., ’63 Corvette, 14.126, 69.47 def. Ashley Warn, Danville, Calif., ’03 S-10, 10.092, 157.43 foul
SUPER STREET
Gary Reust, Pahrump, Nev., ’55 Belair, 11.065, 131.72, Al Alguire, Las Vegas, ’68 Barracuda, 11.087, 149.41
TOP SPORTSMAN
Daryl Hemley, Burley, Wash., ’02 Cavalier, 7.579, 182.16 def. Chris, Newman, Lancaster, Calif., ’08 Cobalt, 7.056, 197.16
TOP DRAGSTER
Art Hoover, Concord, Calif., ’12 dragster, 6.845, 192.00 def. Tom Pappas, Roseburg, Ore., ’07 dragster, 7.185, 186.33
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Dakota Sun, La Mirada, Calif., ’09 Kawasaki, 9.270, 146.83 def. Dave Phillips, Las Vegas, ’77 Kawasaki, 8.991, 143.67