PRO OPEN OUTLAW

In the brand-new Powershield Pro Open Outlaw class for roots-blown or turbocharged dragsters and altereds, Phil Esz of Amelia, OH, started on top of the eight-car field with a 3.64-second pass at 202.67 mph in his BAE Hemi-powered Spitzer dragster.

When eighth-place qualifier Latchman Nansraj failed to show for round one Esz simply broke the starting-line beam to advance to the semis. Once there he set low ET and top speed for the class with a 3.62 run at 204.32 mph.

He had another easy pass in the final round when number-two qualifier Eddie Lykins left before the tree was activated, handing the win to Esz, who still ran it through in 3.67 seconds at 203.80 mph.

Upon climbing from his car Esz immediately praised the tuning expertise of Rick Hickman for the win and thanked members of Todd Tutterow's GALOT team for their help in the pits.

"I hope this class really catches on and we get some more fast cars in here racing heads up and having a blast," Esz said. "I'm really having fun."

TOP SPORTSMAN/TOP DRAGSTER

Class rookie Tricia Musi made a real statement when she qualified her '09 Dodge Stratus on top of the 16-car MagnaFuel Top Sportsman field in Rockingham with the quickest and fastest eighth-mile pass in class history. In the same car campaigned by sister Lizzy Musi in Pro Nitrous last season, Tricia ran 3.909 seconds at 193.07 mph to earn the top spot, but lost in round one of eliminations with a red-light start against ninth-place starter Glenn Butcher.

Musi still left "The Rock" as a winner, though, after defeating 2014 class champion Dan Ferguson in the final of a special Chassis Engineering shootout for the top four Top Sportsman qualifiers. "This is only my second race so I'm pretty happy to already win something," she said. "Next race I'm going to go for the record, too."

In the meantime, 18th-place qualifier Ronnie Proctor was inserted into the 16-car field as an alternate for Barry Daniluk in the number-three slot after the Canadian had to withdraw with damage to his engine beyond trackside repair in the final qualifying session. Don Rudd also entered as an alternate for Cheyenne Stanley in 12th place after Stanley left the track following the sudden death of his grandfather.

Proctor, from Harpers Ferry, WV, made the most of his opportunity with wins over Randy Primozic, John Lassiter and Lester Johnson to reach Bruce Thrift in the final round. Proctor dialed in his '09 Mustang at 4.22 for the final and ran 4.223 at 168.68 to earn his first PDRA race title over the 4.165 at 168.37 by Thrift, who dialed in at 4.14 for his late-model GTO.

In only his second Top Sportsman event Lincolnton, NC's Zach Houser also won a six-car Top Sportsman Consolation race, beating Chad Morrison in the final round.

The Dart Machinery Top Dragster title in Rockingham went to number-eight qualifier Bo Upton. Upton beat Russ Whitlock in the semis to set up the final against fourth-place starter Barry Brown, who beat Angie Travis, Jimmy Sackuvich and Craig Sullivan to get there.

Upton ran 4.34 at 155.88 against a 4.33 dial in for the win thanks to a .013 light, as Brown went 4.072 at 173.05 against a 4.07 dial, but with a .037 reaction time.


The Top Jr. Dragster trophy went to Samuel Peterson after he ran 7.915 on a 7.90 dial in to Caleb Russell. (Gary Rowe/Raceworks photo)

Running on a 7.90 index, Preston Tanner of Rennselaer, IN, ran a dead-on 7.900/81.50 mph in the Pro Jr. Dragster class final to beat a 7.910 by Noah Johnson.