Severance, Gasparrelli lead Mission wire to wire

Words by Eric Lotz
Photos courtesy NHRA

Joey Severance dominated Top Alcohol Dragster at the LORDCO Auto Parts BC Nationals, the Western Regional event at Mission Raceway, qualifying No. 1 and setting low ET of all three rounds en route to victory over the Memorial Day weekend. Defending division champ Steve Gasparrelli did likewise in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Joey Severence

Severance was the only driver in the 5.30s and the only one to crack to 270 mph in qualifying with a best of 5.35, 270.86, half a tenth ahead of eventual runner-up Ray Martin's 5.40. He established low ET of the meet on his first-round single with a 5.33.

Martin ran a competitive 5.44 in the opening round to take out Greg Sereda's 5.58, and Canadian Gord Gingles dipped into the 5.30s with a career-best 5.39 in a win over quick-leaving Greg Hunter. Gingles fouled away a 5.41 in the semi's opposite Severance's 5.369, and Martin moved to within striking distance of Severance with a 5.372 on his semifinal single.

Both drivers slowed in the final, but Severance got off the mark first and streaked to a 5.39 to cover Martin's solid 5.43, reversing the outcome of the 2011 Mission final, which Martin won in his Top Alcohol Dragster debut.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Gasparrelli duplicated Severance's qualifying feat by being the only driver in the 5.50s and putting five-hundredths between himself and the next closest driver. Clint Thompson, who once won the Mission event three years in a row, hit a 5.64 for the No. 2 spot, just ahead of John Evanchuk's 5.67 and six-time Division 6 champion Brian Hough's 5.68.