Summit Race of Champions Crowned in Topeka, Cedar Falls Takes Team Championship

Words by Eric Lotz

Five racers took home the Race of Champions trophies late Saturday night, Sept. 15, at Heartland Park Topeka for the NHRA Summit Racing Series West Central Division led by Super Pro winner Anthony Layne of Cool Valley, Ill.,

Layne worked his way thought eliminations for the ‘race within a race’ that pits top points earners from each of the 20 tracks represented this weekend. Layne, in a ’06 dragster, went 172 mph in 7.610 to defeat Cal Belden, Abendeen, S.D., in a ’99 dragster clocking in at 8.903, 164 mph.

Home state racers Josh Peterson, Munjor, Kan., and Darrel Goheen, Hays, Kan., took the wins in Pro and Sportsman respectively. Peterson beat Kurt Mullen out of Manchester, Iowa, with a lap of 10.448 at 123 mph in his ’67 Chevelle to Mullen’s 10.830 at 123 in a ’68 Barracuda. Goheen, who has won the division championship three years in a row, took the Sportsman Race of Champions trophy as he knocked out Iowa racer Rick Pitzer. Goheen covered the quartermile track in 12.002 seconds at 110 mph with Pitzer close behind at 12.171, 109 mph.

Rounding out Saturday’s winners were Steve Klemme and Drew Beale. Klemme, Taylor Ridge, Ill., won the Pro Bike class aboard his ’73 Kawasaki running 9.017 at 135 in beating Curtis Spracklin, Omaha, Neb., who went quicker at 8.699, 140 mph. Beale won in the High School class with his ’70 Camaro over Austin Mohr, Mitchell, S.D. Beale, Hillsdale, Ill., ran 12.102 at 107 mph to Mohr’s 12.663, 106 in his ’71 Chevelle.

RACE OF CHAMPIONS

Super Pro
Anthony Layne, Cool Valley, Ill., '06 Dragster, 7.610, 172.87 def. Cal Belden, Abendeen, S.D., '99 dragster, 8.903, 164.39

Pro
Josh Peterson, Munjor, Kan., '68 Camaro, 10.448, 123.86 def. Kurt Mullen, Manchester, Iowa, '68 Barracuda, 10.830, 123.00

Sportsman
Darrel Goheen, Hays, Kan., '67 Chevelle, 12.002, 110.81 def. Rick Pitzer, Glenwood, Iowa, '74 Duster, 12.171, 109.17

Pro Bike
Steve Klemme, Taylor Ridge, Ill., '73 Kawasaki, 9.017, 135.58 def. Curtis Spracklin, Omaha, Neb., '05 Kawasaki, 8.699, 140.42

High School
Drew Beale, Hillsdale, Ill., '70 Camaro, 12.102, 107.54 def. Austin Mohr, Mitchell, S.D., '71 Chevelle 12.663, 106.03