ST. LOUIS – Gateway Int’l Raceway’s inaugural NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event proved to be fruitful for Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Bill Reichert and Top Alcohol Funny Car’s Mick Snyder. The race, which opened Friday with two days of qualifying and time trials, was the fourth of six in NHRA North Central division competition.
Reichert, an Owosso, Mich., resident, set the bar on Friday when he broke the track’s elapsed time record with a 5.305-second run at 274.27 mph and reminded his competitors of his car’s power in the first round of eliminations when he made a 5.306-second pass at 274.89 mph taking out Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., who slowed to a 14.493-second run. In the semis Reichert beat Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., and in the final he defeated reigning division champion Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., with a 5.346-second, 271.35 mph pass to Thacker’s 5.981-second, 188.89 mph effort. This was Reichert’s fourth straight win in division competition, increasing his already impressive points lead for the division championship.
Snyder qualified in the No. 2 position this weekend and knocked off Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., in the first round and former division Top Alcohol Dragster champion Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., in the semifinals. In the final round, the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League graduate beat the weekend’s top qualifier, Jeff Burnett of Brownsburg, Ind. Snyder laid down a 5.852-second, 249.63 mph to cover Burnett’s, 5.895-second, 250.04 mph lap. The win at Gateway was Snyder’s third in four consecutive final-round appearances helping him to maintain his division points lead.
In a marquee match-up in the Comp Eliminator final, David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., beat defending national champion Jeff Taylor of Floyds Knobs, Ind. There were three Camaros in the winner’s circle as Jeff Gillman, Marne, Mich., drove his ’90 Camaro to the win in Super Stock; Kevin Suiter, St. Charles, Mo., won the Stock Eliminator title behind the wheel of his ’69 Camaro; and Paul Queen, Coulterville, Ill., wheeled his ’82 Camaro to the title in Super Street. Mike Barrett, Maylene, Ala., earned the win in Super Comp, Chuck Siegler, Villa Park, Ill., won in Super Gas, and the Top Sportsman trophy went to Rick Corn, Benton, Ill.
NHRA North Central division racers head to Kentucky for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky., will host the Lucas Oil Series August 25-27.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Gateway Int’l Raceway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.306, 274.89 def. 8) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 14.493, 75.32
7) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.538, 256.21 def. 2) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.564, 258.17
6) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.681, 232.79 def. 3) Dave Heitzman, Grand Rapids, Ohio, 13.569, 63.64
5) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.994, 252.95 def. 4) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 6.479, 246.26
Semifinals
Thacker, 5.594, 259.96 def. Perry, foul
Reichert, 5.376, 272.67 def. Condo, 9.878, 80.25
Final
Reichert, 5.346, 271.35 def. Thacker, 5.981, 188.89
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1) Jeff Burnett, Brownsburg, Ind., '00 Avenger, 5.844, 247.66 def. 8) Will Hanna, Richwood Village, Texas, '06 Monte Carlo, foul
2) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.846, 250.78 def. 7) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '00 Firebird, 6.759, 150.01
6) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.840, 222.77 def. 3) Todd Veney, Indianapolis, '06 Monte Carlo, 5.948, 218.19
4) Danny Townsend, Muncie, Ind., '05 Stratus, 5.798, 251.67 def. 5) Jonathan Johnson, Beaumont, Texas, '05 Stratus, 5.890, 244.92
Semifinals
Snyder, 5.831, 249.95 def. Wilson, 5.928, 238.01
Burnett, 5.895, 246.03 def. Townsend, 5.964, 244.34
Final
Snyder, 5.852, 249.63 def. Burnett, 5.797, 250.04
COMP ELIMINATOR
David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.355, 179.42 def. Jeff Taylor, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '99 Grand Am, E/SM, 8.613, 150.66
SUPER STOCK
Jeff Gillman, Marne, Mich., '90 Camaro, SS/BS, 9.216, 136.37 def. Trevor Boyd, Hattiesburg, Miss., '95 Achieva, GT/CA, 9.951, 134.16
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Kevin Suiter, St. Charles, Mo., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.540, 123.28 def. Tommy Mattingly IV, Louisville, Ky., '65 Belair, O/SA, 13.035, 100.79
SUPER COMP
Mike Barrett, Maylene, Ala., dragster, 8.896, 170.04 def. Rock Haas, White Lake, Mich., dragster, 8.894, 169.17
SUPER GAS
Chuck Siegler, Villa Park, Ill., '04 Corvette, 12.407, 78.36 def. Eric Jacques, Marysville, Kan., '98 Grand Prix, 10.707, 96.41
SUPER STREET
Paul Queen, Coulterville, Ill., '82 Camaro, 10.886, 135.01 def. George Maxson, Dayton, Ohio, '68 Camaro, 10.872, 130.48
TOP SPORTSMAN
Rick Corn, Benton, Ill., '05 Stratus, 7.448, 187.73 def. Don Peden, Edinburg, Ill., '06 Cobalt, 7.229, 19
Reichert, an Owosso, Mich., resident, set the bar on Friday when he broke the track’s elapsed time record with a 5.305-second run at 274.27 mph and reminded his competitors of his car’s power in the first round of eliminations when he made a 5.306-second pass at 274.89 mph taking out Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., who slowed to a 14.493-second run. In the semis Reichert beat Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., and in the final he defeated reigning division champion Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., with a 5.346-second, 271.35 mph pass to Thacker’s 5.981-second, 188.89 mph effort. This was Reichert’s fourth straight win in division competition, increasing his already impressive points lead for the division championship.
Snyder qualified in the No. 2 position this weekend and knocked off Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., in the first round and former division Top Alcohol Dragster champion Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., in the semifinals. In the final round, the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League graduate beat the weekend’s top qualifier, Jeff Burnett of Brownsburg, Ind. Snyder laid down a 5.852-second, 249.63 mph to cover Burnett’s, 5.895-second, 250.04 mph lap. The win at Gateway was Snyder’s third in four consecutive final-round appearances helping him to maintain his division points lead.
In a marquee match-up in the Comp Eliminator final, David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., beat defending national champion Jeff Taylor of Floyds Knobs, Ind. There were three Camaros in the winner’s circle as Jeff Gillman, Marne, Mich., drove his ’90 Camaro to the win in Super Stock; Kevin Suiter, St. Charles, Mo., won the Stock Eliminator title behind the wheel of his ’69 Camaro; and Paul Queen, Coulterville, Ill., wheeled his ’82 Camaro to the title in Super Street. Mike Barrett, Maylene, Ala., earned the win in Super Comp, Chuck Siegler, Villa Park, Ill., won in Super Gas, and the Top Sportsman trophy went to Rick Corn, Benton, Ill.
NHRA North Central division racers head to Kentucky for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky., will host the Lucas Oil Series August 25-27.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Gateway Int’l Raceway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.306, 274.89 def. 8) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 14.493, 75.32
7) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.538, 256.21 def. 2) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.564, 258.17
6) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.681, 232.79 def. 3) Dave Heitzman, Grand Rapids, Ohio, 13.569, 63.64
5) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.994, 252.95 def. 4) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 6.479, 246.26
Semifinals
Thacker, 5.594, 259.96 def. Perry, foul
Reichert, 5.376, 272.67 def. Condo, 9.878, 80.25
Final
Reichert, 5.346, 271.35 def. Thacker, 5.981, 188.89
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1) Jeff Burnett, Brownsburg, Ind., '00 Avenger, 5.844, 247.66 def. 8) Will Hanna, Richwood Village, Texas, '06 Monte Carlo, foul
2) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.846, 250.78 def. 7) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '00 Firebird, 6.759, 150.01
6) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.840, 222.77 def. 3) Todd Veney, Indianapolis, '06 Monte Carlo, 5.948, 218.19
4) Danny Townsend, Muncie, Ind., '05 Stratus, 5.798, 251.67 def. 5) Jonathan Johnson, Beaumont, Texas, '05 Stratus, 5.890, 244.92
Semifinals
Snyder, 5.831, 249.95 def. Wilson, 5.928, 238.01
Burnett, 5.895, 246.03 def. Townsend, 5.964, 244.34
Final
Snyder, 5.852, 249.63 def. Burnett, 5.797, 250.04
COMP ELIMINATOR
David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.355, 179.42 def. Jeff Taylor, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '99 Grand Am, E/SM, 8.613, 150.66
SUPER STOCK
Jeff Gillman, Marne, Mich., '90 Camaro, SS/BS, 9.216, 136.37 def. Trevor Boyd, Hattiesburg, Miss., '95 Achieva, GT/CA, 9.951, 134.16
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Kevin Suiter, St. Charles, Mo., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.540, 123.28 def. Tommy Mattingly IV, Louisville, Ky., '65 Belair, O/SA, 13.035, 100.79
SUPER COMP
Mike Barrett, Maylene, Ala., dragster, 8.896, 170.04 def. Rock Haas, White Lake, Mich., dragster, 8.894, 169.17
SUPER GAS
Chuck Siegler, Villa Park, Ill., '04 Corvette, 12.407, 78.36 def. Eric Jacques, Marysville, Kan., '98 Grand Prix, 10.707, 96.41
SUPER STREET
Paul Queen, Coulterville, Ill., '82 Camaro, 10.886, 135.01 def. George Maxson, Dayton, Ohio, '68 Camaro, 10.872, 130.48
TOP SPORTSMAN
Rick Corn, Benton, Ill., '05 Stratus, 7.448, 187.73 def. Don Peden, Edinburg, Ill., '06 Cobalt, 7.229, 19
