WILLIAMS LOCKS UP CHAMPIONSHIP WITH WIN

Words by Eric Lotz

Kirk Williams raced to his fourth win of the year and the 2010 NHRA West Central Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol Funny Car Championship this past weekend at the Lucas Oil series event at Tri-State Raceway.  Shawn Cowie grabbed his second Top Alcohol Dragster win to go along with his NHRA national event win back in April in Las Vegas.
           
Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, qualified number one and took out Billy Davis, Rogers, Ark., and Ray Drew, Hales Corner, Wis., in the first two rounds with runs of 5.654 seconds, 255.24 mph and 5.691, 254.09.  In the final, he was to face off against No. 3 qualifier Any Bohl, Racine, Wis., but Bohl broke giving Williams the win.
           
Cowie, Delta, B.C., CAN., started the day from the No. 2 qualifying spot and recorded the low elapsed time in each of the three rounds of eliminations with a 5.426 second run at 263.62 mph in defeating No. 1 qualifier Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., in the final.  Cowie runs out of the NHRA Northwest division where he is currently tied for the points lead with Mike Austin.
           
Joining Williams with a home state win was Top Dragster runner Larry Demers, Carroll, Iowa, who held off Les Feist, Clearwater, Minn., with a lap of 6.902 seconds at 195.68 mph. Harlan, Iowa, resident Michael Shea advanced to the final of Super Gas but fell short of the win to Craig Anderson, Waxahachie, Texas, and his ’63 Corvette.
           
Larry Hodge and Lance Line won in the Super Stock and Stock classes respectively.  Hodge, La Place, Ill., beat Fred Bartoli, Elk Grove Village, Ill., and Line, Cromwell, Minn., won over Randy Shepard of Holmen, Wis.
           
Comp Eliminator racer Chad Voges, St. Peters, Mo., took the win against Will Hatcher, Satanta, Kan., in his ’32 roadster while John Scali won in the divisions Jerry Haas Top Sportsman class.  Scali went 193.90 mph in 7.005 seconds for the win.
           
Rounding out the rest of the winners were Ken Griffiths, Eden Prairie, Minn., in Super Comp; Gary Horstmann, Festus, Mo., in Super Street; and Jeff Lanoue, Zimmerman, Minn., in the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson.
           
This was the last event in the NHRA West Central Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. However, racers can continue to earn championship points at both NHRA national and divisional events outside their division.

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1
3) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.573, 259.16 def. 6) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.634, 244.87; 2) Shawn Cowie, Delta, B.C., 5.382, 265.22 def. 7) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.435, 260.81; 5) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.481, 261.42 def. 4) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 13.456, 74.31; 1) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.386, 265.01 def. 8) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, foul