Fri, 3 Jun 2005, 02:25 PM NHRA West Central Division Racers Pursue Early-Season Points |
Courtesy of NHRA Field Marketing |
BRAINERD, Minn. --
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In the season-opener at S.R.C.A. Dragstrip in Great Bend, Kan., last month, defending division Top Alcohol Dragster champion, Randy Meyer, earned his second win of the young season, giving him the lead in the point standings. The Spring Hill, Kan., racer started the year in March at an out-of-division race in Houston where he made it to the semifinals. He then went to another out-of-division event in Ennis, Texas, and scored the win. In 2004, en route to his first division title, Meyer won four divisional events in five final-round appearances.
Racing veteran Ed Schmeeckle of Gothenburg, Neb., is currently second in the division's Top Alcohol Dragster point standings. He made it to the semis at out-of-division races in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., and lost in the first round in Great Bend. Former division champ David Wells is in third place in the point standings after being runner-up to Meyer in Great Bend. It was the first race of the season for the LeMars, Iowa, driver.
In Top Alcohol Funny Car, the division's defending champion, Cy Chesterman of Sioux City, Iowa, also scored the 2004 national championship in the class. Chesterman opened his divisional schedule in Great Bend where he went to the semis, which was enough to put him in second place in the early-season points standings behind Kirk Williams of Glendive, Mont., who was runner-up in Great Bend.
Last year, Chesterman won the five Lucas Oil events he attended in the division. He beat Shawn Jones in Great Bend, and Kirk Williams was runner-up here, at Nebraska Motorplex in Scribner, Neb., and at Heartland Park Topeka in Kansas. At Bandimere Speedway in Denver, Chesterman beat Pacific division racer Bernie Harrington.
Gates at BIR open at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday and qualifying and time trial begin at 9 a.m. both days. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Cars have one qualifying session Friday at 4:30 p.m., and two more on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. On Sunday, gates open at 7 a.m. and eliminations start at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car run first round of eliminations at noon.
Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event are $15 Friday, $25 Saturday, and $20 Sunday. An advance-sale Sunday ticket is $15. A three-day ticket is $55 at the gate and $50 in advance; a two-day pass is $45 at the gate and $40 in advance. Children 6 to 12 are half-price and kids 5 and under are admitted free.
BIR is located at 4343 Highway 371 North in Brainerd. For more information please call the track, (866) 444-4455.
The West Central division's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series continues June 17-19 at Bandimere Speedway in Denver.
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES FACT SHEET
WHAT: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where drivers earn points leading to divisional and national championships. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The event is the second of six in West Central Division competition. The division's Sportsman Motorcycle class will also run in conjunction with the event.
WHERE: Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn. Track is located at 4343 Highway 371 North in Brainerd.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, June 3-5, 2005
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, June 3 -- Gates open at 8 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol
Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 4:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 4 -- Gates open at 8 a.m. Final qualifying and time trials are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, June 5 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Eliminations begin at 9 a.m. Eliminations for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car begin at noon.
TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS -- $15 Friday, $25 Saturday, $20 Sunday. An advanced-sale ticket for Sunday is $15. A three-day ticket is $55 at the gate and $50 in advance; a two-day pass is $45 at the gate and $40 in advance. Children 6 to 12 are half-price and kids 5 and under are admitted free. For more information please call Brainerd Int'l Raceway, (866) 444-4455.
PURSE: The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will vie for cash and contingency awards of $149,440, as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $560,000.
2004 EVENT WINNERS: David Wells, Top Alcohol Dragster; Cy Chesterman, Top Alcohol Funny Car; Scott Benham, Comp Eliminator; Terry Johnson, Super Stock; Kevin Haugaard, Stock Eliminator; Jami Stoen, Super Comp; Curt Harshfield, Super Gas; Frank Nichols Jr., Super Street
BONUS PROGRAMS:
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND: a $561,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will
be shared by 2005 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional champions and national champions.
Divisional awards include $8,500 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car
champions; $3,000 to the champions in both Competition and Super Stock; $2,000 each to the
champions in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The seven national champions will
share a bonus of $135,000.
AEROMOTIVE LOW QUALIFIER BONUS: A $3,000 bonus fund paid to the low qualifiers in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator at each of the division's six races. The best qualifying driver in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock will each get $200 per event, while the best qualifier in Stock Eliminator will get $100 per race.
JEG'S ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA's seven divisions will compete for a share of the $100,000 point fund from Jeg's High Performance. The 2005 Jeg's Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' eight classes. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2005 Jeg's Allstars. Points are based on in-division races only.
The winning division's team will share $20,000 and individual awards include $7,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions, $6,000 to champions in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, and $4,500 to the Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street champions. Runners-up in all categories will earn $2,000 apiece. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $20,000 towing fund to get to the event.
This year, event sponsor, Jeg's High Performance, has offered a "double up" bonus to Allstars competitors. Winners in each individual class who go on to win the national event will have their Allstars prize money doubled.
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