NHRA Summit Racing Series – North Central Division

Beech Bend Claims First Team Championship

Words by Eric Lotz

The VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions featuring the top point’s earners from each track saw four champions being crowned on Sept. 16 in Indianapolis.

In Super Pro Jason Phillips, Granite City, Ill., drove his ’10 dragster to a 4.809 second lap on a 4.80 dial at 142 mph to defeat Dave Ancel who led early with a .004 second reaction time holeshot. Ancel, Morris, Ill., broke out by just .001 seconds with a 5.249 second run on the 5.25 dial as he tried to hold off Phillips. 

Clayton Clark, out of Bowling Green, Ky., and running for Beech Bend Raceway Park, used his starting line advantage and parlayed it into a win in the Pro class running 6.347 seconds at 110.58 mph in his ‘85 Calais to beat Ken Laker. Laker, Cecil, Ohio, went 6.467 at 105 mph in his ’63 Chevy II.

The Sportsman championship round went down to a pair of Ford Mustangs and a double breakout as Chris Little took the win and the trophy.  The Farmer City, Ill., racer clocked in at 11.993 at 110 mph in his ’84 Mustang in knocking out James Pearson II, Portage Des Sioux, Mo., and his ’89 Mustang. Pearson got the early lead running 12.377 at 106 mph on his 12.45 dial.

The final VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions trophy went to Rick Poole, Akron, Ohio, and his ’83 Suzuki. Poole won over Bob Foster Jr., Lansing, Ill., in 9.118 seconds at 140.34 mph although it was over at the starting line when Foster left early with a red-light foul start.

VP RACING FUELS RACE OF CHAMPIONS

FINALS

Super Pro
Jason Phillips, Granite City, Ill., '10 dragster, 4.809 seconds, 142.24 mph def. Dave Ancel, Morris, Ill., '00 Camaro, 5.249, 130.51

Pro
Clayton Clark, Bowling Green, Ky., '85 Calais, 6.347, 110.58 def. Ken Laker, Cecil, Ohio, '63 Chevy II, 6.467,105.02

Sportsman
Chris Little, Farmer City, Ill., '84 Mustang, 11.993, 110.42 def. James Pearson II, Portage Des Sioux, Mo., '89 Mustang, 12.377, 106.55

Super Pro Bike
Rick Poole, Akron, Ohio, '83 Suzuki, 9.118, 140.34 def. Bob Foster Jr., Lansing, Ill., '06 Kawasaki, 8.062, 165.11

SUMMIT SHOOTOUT (Winners)

Super Pro
Tom Parton, Crestview Hills Ky.
Kevin Adams, Terre Haute, Ind.
Monty Fisher (Ms), Rockford, Ill.
Jeff Ledford, Stanton, Mich.		 Pro
Frankie Morris, Bardstown, Ky.
Warren Smith, Temperance,
Steve Obertanec, Lodi, Ohio,
Doug Caplinger, Xenia, Ohio
Sportsman
Jim Kincaid, Kirkersville, Ohio 
John Koenig, Columbus, Ohio 
Mike Glanacy Jr, Hamilton, Ohio
Ellis Buth, Warrensburg, Ill.		 Super Pro Bike
Troy Russell, Kenney, Ill.
Freddie Castle, Reynoldsburg, Ohio