FONTANA, Calif. – Five racers visited the winner’s circle today taking home trophies in the specialty shootouts for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals at Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway.
Riverside, Calif., resident Randy Bowers lead the list of winner’s knocking out Dave Meziere of Escondido, Calif., in the Super Gas Shootout along with Gaige Herrera, La Mirada, Calif., over Tom Medlin, La Mirada in the Sportsman Motorcycle Shootout. Bowers and Meziere had identical 9.909 second runs but Bowers left first for the holeshot win. Herrera went 8.879 seconds at 147.79 mph on his ’06 Kawasaki.
Thomas Bayer and Matt Hartzell won in Super Comp and Super Street respectively. Bayer, Alta Loma, Calif., won on a holeshot as well posting an 8.966 at 166.70 in defeating Ryen Lamb, Henderson, Nev. Hartzell, Modesto, Calif., drove his ’65 El Camino past Brian Griffey, Glendale, Ariz., with a 10.956 at 128.81.
In Top Sportsman it was David Armstrong winning over Joe Roubicek in a matchup of new Camaro vs. old Camaro. Armstrong, Mesa, Ariz., went 7.550 seconds at 186.74 mph to Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., and his ’68 Camaro.
The Top Dragster Shootout final will be run during round one of the JEGS SPORTSnationals eliminations on Sunday morning. Jesse Adams will face off with Kyle Seipel
Fields were also set for Sunday’s eliminations with former national champion Alan Ellis leading the way in Comp Eliminator. Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, put his ’23 Ford on top of the field covering the quarter mile in 6.529 seconds, 0.601 seconds under the index followed by last week’s winner Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., at 7.978, 0.582 under.
Gary Ross, Trabuco, Calif., bettered his qualifying time from Friday to remain in the No. 1 spot with a 6.557 second lap at 206.89 mph in his ’69 Camaro while Jesse Adams’ 6.064 second run from Friday held on to the top spot in Top Dragster. The Yuba City, Calif., racer is followed by Lyle Burnham, Henderson, Nev., with a 6.420, 208.94.
Eric Bell continues to lead the Super Stock class while Paul Wong jumped to the top in Stock Eliminator. Bell went 9.216 seconds in his ’70 Challenger with Jack Bystrom, Rancho Cucamonga in second at 9.601 with his ’68 Camaro. Wong, Las Vegas, powered his ’65 Belvedere to a 13.611 second pass, 1.039 seconds under the index. BJ Graham is second out of Tempe, Ariz.
In Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson, Steve Kaplan, Acton, Calif., will lead the class into eliminations with a reaction time of .003 seconds on his ’04 Suzuki.
Eliminations kick off Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. with Top Dragster, Top Sportsman and Comp eliminator taking the track for round one at 10 a.m.
The following are Saturday’s final round results for the Specialty Shootouts and final qualifying from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals event at Auto Club Raceway at Auto Club Speedway:
SUPER COMP
Thomas Bayer, Alta Loma, Calif., 8.966, 166.70 def., Ryen Lamb, Henderson, Nev., 8.907, 179,78
SUPER GAS
Randy Bowers, Riverside, Calif., ’69 Camaro, 9.909, 155.52 def., Dave Meziere, Escondido, Calif., ’05 Cavalier, 9.909, 160.06
SUPER STREET
Matt Hartzell, Modesto, Calif., ’65 El Camino, 10.956, 128.81 def., Brian Griffey, Glendale, Ariz., ’70 Charger, 10.944, 128.14
TOP SPORTSMAN
David Armstrong, Mesa, Ariz., ’88 Camaro, 7.550, 186.74 def., Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., ’68 Camaro, 6.727, 206.48
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Gaige Herrera, La Mirada, Calif., ’06 Kawasaki, 8.879, 147.79 def., Tom Medlin, La Mirada, Calif., ’93 Suzuki, no time.
COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ’23 Ford, 6.529, 0.601 seconds under the index
2. Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., ’10 Cobalt, 7.978, 0.582
3. Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., ’06 dragster, 6.992, 0.568
4. Tony Mandella, Riverside, Calif., ’01 S-10, 8.450, 0.490
5. Ross Wilson, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., ’05 Sunfire, 8.275, 0.475
6. Joe Mozeris, Phoenix, ’13 dragster, 6.934, 0.456
7. John Edwards, La Verne, Calif., ’99 Neon, 7.443, 0.427
8. Tyler Hogan, Santa Maria, Calif., ’07 Sarmento, 7.164, 0.366
9. Don Bevers, Tucson, Ariz., ’89 Probe, 8.102, 0.338
10. Randy jones, Monarch Beach, Calif., ’92 Camaro, 8.377, 0.027
SUPER STOCK
1. Eric Bell, Chandler, Ariz., ’70 Challenger, 9.216, 0.884 under the index
2. Jack Bystrom, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., ’68 Camaro, 9.601, 0.849
3. Fred Moreno, La Verne, Calif., ’69 Mustang, 9.710, 0.840
4. Rodger Comstock, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., ’14, Camaro, 9.072, 0.828
5. Jack Sacchett, Santa Ana, Calif., ’56 Beetle, 10.777, 0.823
6. Kayla Mozeris, Phoenix, ’93 Daytona, 10.230, 0.820
7. Andrew Durham, Monrovia, Calif., 11 Challenger, 9.238, 0.812
8. Ken Etter, Jurupa Valley, Calif., ’93 Shadow, 10.405, 0.795
9. Eddie Leabo, Alta Loma, Calif., ’98 Firebird, 10.227, 0.773
10. Jim Grossi, Jr., Brentwood, Calif., ’95 Achieva, 9.498, 0.752
STOCK
1. Paul Wong, Las Vegas, ’65 Belvedere, 13.611, 1.039 under the indes
2. BJ Graham, Tempe, Ariz., ’75 Maverick, 13.815, 1.035
3. Clark Holroyd, Chino, Calif., ’70 Nova, 10.014, 0.936
4. Earl Blake, Las Vegas, .68 Barracuda, 10.917, 0.933
5. Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., ’62 Fury, 10.078, 0.922
6. Leo Glasbrenner, Chino, Calif., ’68 Firebird, 10.508, 0.892
7. Paul Haszlauer, Las Vegas, ’71 Duster, 10.830, 0.870
8. Bob Gullett, Calgary, AB, ’68 Nova, 10.931, 0.869
9. Tina Summerton, Los Angeles, ’72 Cutlass, 11.782, 0.868
10. Chris Whitney, Sun Valley, Calif., ’67 Fairlane, 10.343, 0.857
TOP DRAGSTER
1. Jesse Adams, Yuba City, Calif., 6.064 seconds, 226.73 mph
2. Lyle Burnham, Henderson, Nev., 6.420, 208.94
3. Russell Suyenaga, Wildomar, Calif., 6.510, 211.99
4. Gary Vellenoweth, Napa, Calif., 6.631, 202.09
5. Andy Spiegel, Acton, Calif., 6.664, 198.32
6. Paul Snell, Sandy, Utah, 6.678, 205.69
7. Ryan Priddy, Chino, Calif., 6.692, 200.80
8. Mike MacBrair, Napa, Calif., 6.703, 198.61
9. Moe Trujillo, Happy Valley, Ore., 6.721, 201.13
10. Bob Button, Winters, Calif., 6.761, 201.88
TOP SPORTSMAN
1. Gary Ross, Trabuco, Calif., ’69 Camaro, 6.557, 206.89
2. Dean Bettenson, Red Deer, AB, ’14 Camaro, 6.604, 210.41
3. Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., ’68 Camaro, 6.674, 206.70
4. Phil Dion, Paradise Valley, Ariz., ’12 Avenger, 6.932, 201.76
5. Paul Snell, Sandy, Utah, ’63 Corvette, 6.994, 212.39
6. Raul Perez, Buena Park, Calif., ’05 Grand Am, 7.002, 196.59
7. Jeff Gillette, Bencia., Calif., ’06 GTO, 7.016, 194.83
8. David Cook, Novato, Calif., ’03 Mustang, 7.048, 192.96
9. Chris Newman, Lancaster, Calif., ’08 Cobalt, 7.064, 196.47
10. Brad Wagner, Las Vegas, ’97 Cutlass, 7.111, 194.20
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1. Steve Kaplan, Action, Calif., ’04 Suzuki, 0.003 reaction time
2. Mike Burkhart, Huntington Beach, Calif., ’97 Suzuki, 0.008
3. Bill Burkhart, Anaheim, Calif., ’98 Suzuki, 0.019
4. Leo Shaver, Las Vegas, ’87 Kawasaki, 0.025
5. Augustine Herrera, Montebello, Calif., ’05 Hayabusa, 0.037
6. Gaige Herrera, La Mirada, Calif., ’06 Kawasaki, 0.040
7. Aaron Pine, La Mirada, Calif., ’08 Suzuki, 0.048
8. Tom Medlin, La Mirada, Calif., ’93 Suzuki, 0.050
9. Gary Oaks, Las Vegas, ’78 Kawasaki, 0.051
10. Brockman Roberts, Rancho Cucamonga, ’08 Hayabuse, 0.056