Tue, 6 May 2008, 12:40 PM 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals Special Awards

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

MADISON, Ill. -- Special awards from the 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals.

U.S. Smokeless Showdown award ($4,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car) - Tim Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., Levy, Ray & Shoup Chevy Impala SS, 4.744 seconds, 326.16 mph.

K&N Filters Horsepower Challenge award ($3,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock) - Jason Line, Troutman, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, 6.571 seconds, 209.23 mph.

Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle award ($1,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock Motorcycle) - Matt Smith, King, N.C., NitroFish Wear Buell, 6.901 seconds, 190.32 mph.

Strange Engineering "Perfectly Strange" performance award ($250 bonus to the first racer in Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street who wins an elimination round by running dead-on their dial-in or index) - Super Stock: Wes Lepold, Bridgeville, Pa. Stock Eliminator: Ron Mattson, Cloquet, Minn. Super Comp: Not contested. Super Gas: Marvin Benoit, Alvaton, Ky. Super Street: Not contested.

Hedman Hedders Best Engineered Vehicle ($1,000 to the best engineered vehicle) - Heads Up Cylinder Heads Super Stock entry. Driver: Dave Layer, Dayton, Ohio.

NHRA Best Appearing Crew - Darrell Russell tribute dragster. Driver: Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas

NHRA Best Appearing Car - Indiana Johns/Suburban Towing Super Stock entry. Driver: Irvin Johns, Charleston, Ind.

Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship ($3,000 each to Top Fuel and Funny Car's top crew, $1,500 to Pro Stock's top crew, and $750 to Pro Stock Motorcycle's top crew) Driver/crew chief: Top Fuel: Hillary Will/Jim Oberhofer, KB Racing dragster Funny Car: Tim Wilkerson/Fred Mandoline, Levy Ray & Shoup Chevy Impala SS crew Pro Stock: Kurt Johnson/Kurt Johnson, ACDelco Chevy Cobalt crew Pro Stock Motorcycle: Matt Smith/Matt Smith, NitroFish Wear Buell