Tue, 1 Nov 2011, 01:26 AM Coming Up Aces

By Kelly Wade Photo copyright 2011 Auto Imagery, Inc.

LAS VEGAS --

Standing: Tony Bartone, Peter Biondo, Ed DeStaute and Jim Meador Kneeling: Billy Torrence and Chris Demke

Lucas Oil Series racers were turning over big hands at the Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with Super Comp racer Gary Stinnett leading the way by securing the national title and Chris Demke (Top Alcohol Dragster), Tony Bartone (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Peter Biondo (Super Stock), Jim Meador (Stock Eliminator), Billy Torrence (Super Comp) and Ed DeStaute (Super Gas) hitting the jackpot in their respective classes for event trophies.

While Top Alcohol Dragster points leader Duane Shields was, surprisingly, out in round one, Demke, the Division 7 front runner, drove his Peen-Rite Abrasive Finishing blown rail to the final, where he cut a swift .005 light and stopped the e.t. clock with a 5.385 to best Division 4 leader Mike Manners' .073 and 5.390 and earn his second national event victory of the season - Demke was also the winner earlier this year in Gainesville.

Demke, of Sunland, Calif., used back-to-back 5.34s to take out Alaskan Ray Martin in round one and Mark Taliaferro in the quarterfinals, and in the semifinals he came up against No. 1 qualifier Jim Whiteley, who he has been battling in the points chase at both the national and divisional levels.

Demke vs. Manners

Whiteley had won all three previous matches with Demke this season and was well-armed in their pre-final meeting at The Strip. He launched his J&A Service/Rator dragster with a lucky .003 green light to Demke's .031, but he lost traction and had to shut it off. Demke moved ahead on a 5.395 at 266.32 mph. The victory was his fifth at the national level.

Spring Las Vegas winner Bartone returned to the winner's circle in Sin City with a defeat of first-time finalist Shane Westerfield. It was certainly not a quiet victory; Bartone thundered to a low-of-the-meet, track record setting 5.547 at 260.41 mph after launching just a thousandth ahead of Westerfield, who recorded a 5.674, 255.10.

Bartone's Centre Pointe Mustang Top Alcohol Funny Car was immediately established as a threat after a rocket ship-like 5.560 reset the track record and held through the remaining sessions to stand as No. 1 going into eliminations. He also recorded top speed of the meet in qualifying, 261.37 mph.

Bartone vs. Westerfield

In the first round Bartone, with an improved 5.55, was awarded a nearly uncontested victory after Keeter Ray was stalled at the tree. Steve Gasparrelli was next to fall, 5.582 to 5.977, and in the semifinals it was Fred Tigges packing up for home, 5.609 to 5.787.

Jackie Alley arrived in the Super Stock final already in possession of the points lead thanks to a quarterfinals victory over Norm LaPointe that came with a bye run into the money round, where she was to race the guy she had taken the lead from: Biondo. GT/DA Firebird pilot Biondo was better at the tree, .011 to Alley's .037, and got the win light on a 9.946 (9.93 dial) to Division 6-based Alley's breakout 9.703 (9.76).

After tucking away a win over Bob Bales in the eliminations opener, Biondo was second-best in terms of starting line performances against Leonard Mattingly but closer to his dial at the top end to get the win. After recording a win over Glenn Snow, Biondo put together one of the best packages of eliminations to halt Pete Peery by just .004-second in the fourth round. He ran closer to his number in a quarterfinals match with Malibu grocery-getter wheeler Troy Olsonawski and was on the winning end of a double-breakout with David Bogner to earn a spot in the final.

Biondo vs. Alley

The national event title was the 42nd for Biondo and his third of the season, and it would count as his first Las Vegas win.

Stock Eliminator's Meador drew AA/SA '11 Challenger driver Andrew Durham in the fifth national event final of his career. Meador had the better reaction in his D/SA '67 Camaro, .022 to .033, and managed an 11.047 on his 11.03 dial to his opponent's breakout 9.693 (9.72).

Now a three-time national event titlist, Meador recovered from a .107 reaction in the first round and went dead-on his 10.96 dial with a 10.963 while Les Norton broke out by two-thousandths. He survived a double-breakout with Joe Sorensen in round two, and in a nail-biter third round, Meador was .013 at the tree and a dead-on 10.962 at the top end to put Dan Fletcher on the trailer despite a strong .023 and 11.361 on an 11.36 dial. The margin of victory was just .009-second.

Meador was closer to his target to get past Toby Lang and earn a quarterfinals bye run that set him up for a .008 start and 11.080 (11.06) in the semifinals to top Floyd Knobs, Ind., driver Bo Butner's .023 and 9.639 (9.60).

Meador vs. Durham

The Super Comp final was Bill vs. Bill, with Kilgore, Texas, driver Torrence winning in a double-breakout finish. Torrence was second to leave the starting line, .048 to the .021 clocked by Bill Dennis, but a 9.039 on the adjusted 9.05 index put the trophy in Torrence's hands over Dennis' 9.027. It was his first national event win in his third effort - both previous finals were in Memphis.

The path to the final consisted of a first-round defeat of Nicholas Saetes, who was unable to overcome a vast difference in starting line departure without crossing into the too-quick at the finish line zone. Round two challenger Frank Kohutek also broke out, and Kyle Rizzoli fouled by .007-second in the third round.

Torrence was better at both ends of the racetrack than Jack Freckmann and then came out on top in a double-breakout with Brian Preszler in the quarterfinals, which matched him with Greg Hicks in the semifinals. Unfortunately for Hicks, his dragster was leaking fluids on the starting line and had to be shut off - and on marched Torrence.

Torrence vs. Dennis

Former world champion DeStaute, in his Super Gas '62 Corvette, got the all-important last win light of the day by recording a better reaction than Michael Miller and carefully racing to a 10.057 on the adjusted 10.05 index to Miller's breakout 10.036 in the final.

DeStaute, the low qualifier, seemed destined for the win in his early steps. In the first round, the Rosemead, Calif., driver was perfectly on the index for the win over Justin Lamb. For his efforts was honored with the Perfectly Strange Award and a bye run into the third act, where he was .004 at the starting line and closer to the target at the top end to knock the wind out of the sails of fellow breakout-runner Derek Sanchez.

Larry Bradshaw's foul preceded the quarterfinals match that saw DeStaute leave the starting line first and manage the finish line more effectively than Frankie Muscia, and in the semis it was another dead-on (10.058) that would send DeStaute ahead over Division 4's Craig Anderson.

Lucas Oil Drag Racing and the Full Throttle Series will wrap up in two weeks at Auto Club Raceway Pomona, where the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals are scheduled to take place Nov. 10-13.

DeStaute vs. Miller

Sunday's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series final results from the 11th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Chris Demke, 5.385, 267.00 def. Michael Manners, 5.390, 270.05.

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Tony Bartone, Ford Mustang, 5.547, 260.41 def. Shane Westerfield, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.674, 255.10.

Super Stock -- Peter Biondo, Pontiac Firebird, 9.946, 117.92 def. Jackie Alley, Chevy Camaro, 9.703, 136.12.

Stock Eliminator -- Jim Meador, Chevy Camaro, 11.047, 108.81 def. Andy Durham, Dodge Challenger, 9.693, 139.16.

Super Comp -- Billy Torrence, Dragster, 9.039, 176.19 def. Bill Dennis, Dragster, 9.027, 174.80.

Super Gas -- Ed DeStaute, Chevy Corvette, 10.057, 148.49 def. Michael Miller, '27-T Ford, 10.036, 148.36.

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