MADISON, Ill. (June 7) – The almanac said nothing about an early harvest this year, But
there was a bumper crop brought in at Gateway International Raceway Saturday night
and early Sunday morning by Brett Arnett.
Arnett won the 1/8-Mile Open Class Money Race and $2,000, then went on to win the
annual Edelbrock Run for the Ring competition, which was part of the annual Drag News
Great River Bash competition blended into the night’s action. In addition, he also reached
the quarterfinals in Super Pro, earning another $200.
“I’m a farmer so I don’t get a chance to come out here much” said Arnett, whose farm is
in Palmyra, Ill., 65 miles north of Gateway.
His only other Gateway start was in the Citgo Megabucks Weekend in April. “Didn’t do
much that weekend at all,” he said. “This felt a lot better.”
Driving a ’98 Gebhardt Dragster, Arnett ran 5.392 seconds in the 1/8-Mile Ring final on
a 5.36 dial-in (127.67 mph) and got the win when John Baker of Bridgeton, Mo., who
won the Pro title, fouled in his ’67 Dart.
In the 1/8-Mile Open Money Race, Arnett defeated Steve Schneider of Collinsville, Ill.,
who drives an ’03 Gebhardt. Arnett went 5.364 seconds on the 5.36 dial-in (128.13)
while Schneider lit the red light at the starting line.
Other champions on Saturday were Brian Suhre of Worden, Ill. (Super Pro), Dave Scheer
of St. Louis (Street E.T.) while Chris Sullivan of Auburn, Ill., won a special Junior
Dragster competition sponsored by Drag News.
The regular Friday E.T. Bracket Series program of Pro and Street Bike, High School,
Junior Dragster and Trophy Class racing was rained out.
The E.T. Bracket Racing Series continues this Friday and Saturday with regular points
races. On Friday, the gates open at 4 p.m. with time trials at 6 and eliminations at 7:30
p.m. On Saturday, gates open at 1:30 p.m., with time trials at 3:30 p.m. and eliminations
at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, call (618) 482-2400.
Gateway E.T. Bracket Racing Series/Drag News Great River Bash
Saturday, June 7
Run for the Ring (1/8 Mile)
FINALS: Brian Arnett, Palmyra, Ill. (98 Gebhardt) 5.392 seconds (5.36 dial-in) 127.67 mph defeated John
Baker, Bridgeton, Mo. (67 Dart) FOUL
SEMIFINALISTS: Brian Suhre, Worden, Ill., Dave Scheer, St. Louis, Mo.
Super Pro (1/4 Mile)
FINALS: Brian Suhre, Worden, Ill. (96 Jesse Plant) 7.652 (7.63 dial-in) 171.73 mph defeated Tim Foley,
Florissant, Mo. (01 Gebhardt) FOUL
SEMIFINALIST: Brian Gardner, O'Fallon, Mo.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Corey Landolt, Hermann, Mo., Elo Amburn, New Baden, Ill., Brett Arnett,
Palmyra, Ill.
Pro E.T. (1/4 Mile)
FINALS: John Baker, Bridgeton, Mo. (67 Dart) 12.377 (12.37 dial-in) 104.71 mph defeated Jeremy Geltz,
Collinsville, Ill. (73 Vega) 10.730 (10.68 dial-in) 125.90 mph
SEMIFINALIST: Dave Demsko, St. Louis, Mo.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Rick Thomas, St. Louis, Mo., Ron Hendrixson, St. Louis, Mo.
Street E.T. (1/4 Mile)
FINALS: Dave Scheer, St. Louis, Mo. (73 Apollo) 16.230 (16.09 dial-in) 80.84 mph defeated Dennis
Gilliam, Staunton, Ill. (90 Grand Am) 18.344 (18.28 dial-in) 72.97 mph
SEMIFINALIST: Kenny Hollenbeck, St. Louis, Mo.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Jim Bouchaert, Arnold, Mo., Ron Rathgeb Jr., Godfrey, Ill., Ken Ladd, Arnold,
Mo.
Open Money Race (1/8 Mile)
FINALS: Brett Arnett, Palmyra, Ill. (98 Gebhardt) 5.364 128.13 mph defeated Steve Schneider,
Collinsville, Ill. (03 Gebhardt) FOUL
SEMIFINALIST: Brian Gardner, O'Fallon, Mo.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Angelo Belosi, Hillsboro, Mo., Larry Perland, Pinckneyville, Ill., Doug Brown,
Mattoon, Ill.
Junior Dragster Special Event
FINALS: Bradley Green, Davenport, Iowa (02 dragster) 9.042 (9.06 dial-in) 71.83 mph defeated Chris
Sullivan, Auburn, Ill. (00 Mike Bos) FOUL
SEMIFINALIST: Jeffery Matta, Mt. Olive, Ill.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Zack Kerr, St. Peters, Mo., Jerry Bonifield, Fairview Heights, Ill., Tyler Stine,
Springfield, Ill.
(NOTE: Friday night, June 6 E.T. Bracket Racing Series card of Pro and Street Bike, High School,
Junior Dragster and Trophy Class racing rained out)
there was a bumper crop brought in at Gateway International Raceway Saturday night
and early Sunday morning by Brett Arnett.
Arnett won the 1/8-Mile Open Class Money Race and $2,000, then went on to win the
annual Edelbrock Run for the Ring competition, which was part of the annual Drag News
Great River Bash competition blended into the night’s action. In addition, he also reached
the quarterfinals in Super Pro, earning another $200.
“I’m a farmer so I don’t get a chance to come out here much” said Arnett, whose farm is
in Palmyra, Ill., 65 miles north of Gateway.
His only other Gateway start was in the Citgo Megabucks Weekend in April. “Didn’t do
much that weekend at all,” he said. “This felt a lot better.”
Driving a ’98 Gebhardt Dragster, Arnett ran 5.392 seconds in the 1/8-Mile Ring final on
a 5.36 dial-in (127.67 mph) and got the win when John Baker of Bridgeton, Mo., who
won the Pro title, fouled in his ’67 Dart.
In the 1/8-Mile Open Money Race, Arnett defeated Steve Schneider of Collinsville, Ill.,
who drives an ’03 Gebhardt. Arnett went 5.364 seconds on the 5.36 dial-in (128.13)
while Schneider lit the red light at the starting line.
Other champions on Saturday were Brian Suhre of Worden, Ill. (Super Pro), Dave Scheer
of St. Louis (Street E.T.) while Chris Sullivan of Auburn, Ill., won a special Junior
Dragster competition sponsored by Drag News.
The regular Friday E.T. Bracket Series program of Pro and Street Bike, High School,
Junior Dragster and Trophy Class racing was rained out.
The E.T. Bracket Racing Series continues this Friday and Saturday with regular points
races. On Friday, the gates open at 4 p.m. with time trials at 6 and eliminations at 7:30
p.m. On Saturday, gates open at 1:30 p.m., with time trials at 3:30 p.m. and eliminations
at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, call (618) 482-2400.
Gateway E.T. Bracket Racing Series/Drag News Great River Bash
Saturday, June 7
Run for the Ring (1/8 Mile)
FINALS: Brian Arnett, Palmyra, Ill. (98 Gebhardt) 5.392 seconds (5.36 dial-in) 127.67 mph defeated John
Baker, Bridgeton, Mo. (67 Dart) FOUL
SEMIFINALISTS: Brian Suhre, Worden, Ill., Dave Scheer, St. Louis, Mo.
Super Pro (1/4 Mile)
FINALS: Brian Suhre, Worden, Ill. (96 Jesse Plant) 7.652 (7.63 dial-in) 171.73 mph defeated Tim Foley,
Florissant, Mo. (01 Gebhardt) FOUL
SEMIFINALIST: Brian Gardner, O'Fallon, Mo.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Corey Landolt, Hermann, Mo., Elo Amburn, New Baden, Ill., Brett Arnett,
Palmyra, Ill.
Pro E.T. (1/4 Mile)
FINALS: John Baker, Bridgeton, Mo. (67 Dart) 12.377 (12.37 dial-in) 104.71 mph defeated Jeremy Geltz,
Collinsville, Ill. (73 Vega) 10.730 (10.68 dial-in) 125.90 mph
SEMIFINALIST: Dave Demsko, St. Louis, Mo.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Rick Thomas, St. Louis, Mo., Ron Hendrixson, St. Louis, Mo.
Street E.T. (1/4 Mile)
FINALS: Dave Scheer, St. Louis, Mo. (73 Apollo) 16.230 (16.09 dial-in) 80.84 mph defeated Dennis
Gilliam, Staunton, Ill. (90 Grand Am) 18.344 (18.28 dial-in) 72.97 mph
SEMIFINALIST: Kenny Hollenbeck, St. Louis, Mo.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Jim Bouchaert, Arnold, Mo., Ron Rathgeb Jr., Godfrey, Ill., Ken Ladd, Arnold,
Mo.
Open Money Race (1/8 Mile)
FINALS: Brett Arnett, Palmyra, Ill. (98 Gebhardt) 5.364 128.13 mph defeated Steve Schneider,
Collinsville, Ill. (03 Gebhardt) FOUL
SEMIFINALIST: Brian Gardner, O'Fallon, Mo.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Angelo Belosi, Hillsboro, Mo., Larry Perland, Pinckneyville, Ill., Doug Brown,
Mattoon, Ill.
Junior Dragster Special Event
FINALS: Bradley Green, Davenport, Iowa (02 dragster) 9.042 (9.06 dial-in) 71.83 mph defeated Chris
Sullivan, Auburn, Ill. (00 Mike Bos) FOUL
SEMIFINALIST: Jeffery Matta, Mt. Olive, Ill.
QUARTERFINALISTS: Zack Kerr, St. Peters, Mo., Jerry Bonifield, Fairview Heights, Ill., Tyler Stine,
Springfield, Ill.
(NOTE: Friday night, June 6 E.T. Bracket Racing Series card of Pro and Street Bike, High School,
Junior Dragster and Trophy Class racing rained out)
