‘No Problem’ for Bertozzi, Martel and Wescott

Words by Eric Lotz and Jeff Burk
Photos courtesy NHRA

JEGS Sportsnationals Champions were crowned in nine classes on Sunday, March 18, from more than 500 competitors who entered the NHRA JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La.  Winners of specialty races were decided on Friday and Saturday, March 16 and 17. 

Professional sportsman racer Anthony Bertozzi was the winner in the Suburban Chevrolet Top Dragster class beating Michelle Le Bleu in the finals with 6.777/186.92 mph pass to a much quicker and faster 6.575/ 206.32 The Ashland, Va., racer held off Michelle Le Bleu, Lake Charles, La., with a superior .027 RT to Bleu’s .087.

Ms. Bleu may have been intimidated by Bertozzi, who averaged an RT of .008 for the previous four rounds of eliminations. Both Bertozzi and Bleu had their worst reaction times of the race in the final round.

Arnie Martel won in Comp Eliminator driving a D/AA. The Tewksbury, Mass. veteran drove his ’07 GTO to a lap of 8.315 seconds for the win as No. 1 qualifier Kevin Self, Caddo, Okla., bulbed, breaking the start beam three thousands of a second too soon. Twenty-seven Comp Eliminator cars qualified for the race.

The Sunset RaceCraft Top Sportsman trophy will make its way back to Millington (Memphis), Tenn., with TJ Tracey who knocked off Mark Buehring in double-breakout final round. Tracy’s dragster ran a 7.260/175.50 on a 7.28 dial with a .022 RT. Buehring ‘07 GTO ran a 7.007/198.06 on 7.03 dial with a .023 dial is a losing effort.

Val Harmon, Luling, La., racing in the Super Street class was one of three Louisiana racers that had wins for the home state. He beat Stephen Funderburk, New Iberia, La., in a close race with a 10.918 on a 10.90 dial that easily covered Funderburk’s 10.933/128.31 losing effort.    Harmon drove his ’71 Nova for his first NHRA national event win.