Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Sportsman Classes Dominated by Home Track Racers at the 2023 Lucas Oil Nationals
With 3 of the 4 semi-finalist in Stock Eliminator calling BIR their home track there was a 75% chance the Wally would stay at home. In a double break out win Scott Dugdale defeated Tracy Fairchild and Ben Line used a significant reaction time advantage to win his race with Lenny Lottig assuring a National Event win to a BIR racer. Dugdale had a slight starting line advantage but was unable to run the number giving Ben Line another home track Wally to add to his collection.
Super Stock was assured another home track winner with Mike Mans hoping for a repeat of his 2022 Lucas Oil Nationals win faced David Goldie who also has a Lucas Oil Nationals win to his credit. Mans who typically is deadly on the tree was late giving the advantage to Goldie who broke out giving Mike Mans back-to-back wins at the track he got his start racing in The BIR Jr Dragster Program.
Super Gas was dominated by the home town racers as all 7 of the quarter-finalist call BIR their home track. In the semi-finals Duan Westra defeated Trevor Larson and Donnie Durenberger defeated Tom Carlson. In the finals Durenberger overcame Westra’s .007 light to win the race by that same margin .007 giving him his first National Event win at the track he has been racing at for over 30 years.
The Top Sportsman Wally was also going to a home track racer with the 3-semifinalists being BIR regulars. Rob Meservier had a bye to the finals and was paired against Steve Stockton who defeated last year’s Lucas Oil Nationals Top Sportsman champ Brian Antony. In the finals Stockton who grew up playing with his hot wheels in the pits at BIR achieved a lifelong dream earning his first National Event win.
In Super Comp James Glenn carrying the number 1 on his car as last year’s national Super Comp champion defeated Trene Cressonie who had the starting line advantage but was unable to run the number due to a mechanical issue with his dragster.
Top Dragster saw Clint Geise victorious over Bob Fuller in a double break out race.
The Competition Eliminator Wally almost stayed at home with Brett Speer who as last years winner was hoping to repeat faced off against former National Champion Bruno Massel who was able to edge Brett out for the win.
Top Alcohol Dragster winner was Matt Cummings who defeated Mike Lewis who posted the fastest ET of eliminations with a 5.174 at 276.24 but turned the red light on with a -.049 reaction time giving Cummings the trophy.
Top Alcohol Funny Car was decided by inches at the stripe with Doug Gordon overcoming Bob McCosh’s starting line advantage to claim the win by .009 with a 5.438 at 267.85 mph to 5.489 at 265.12 mph.
Pro Mod Snowmobile’s final round was a family affair with Mitchell Moeller riding Travis Neyssen’s 2023 Proline defeating Courtney Moeller on her 2018 Sidewinder to take the Wally in the husband-wife match up.
Pro Mod was won by Jason Lee when Jason Scruggs was shut off on the line due to mechanical issues giving Lee his first NHRA Pro Mod Wally.
Pro Stock Winner: Dallas Glenn- .038 RT- 6.566 @ 207.56 Runner Up: Kyle Koretsky- .023 RT- 11.229 @ 78.42
Top Fuel Funny Car: Number 1 Qualifier Ron Capps defeated the Number 2 Qualifier Robert Hight 3.887 at 332.75 mph to a losing 3.900 at 324.90 mph.
Top Fuel Dragster: Antron Brown defeated Leah Pruett 3.715 @ 326.08 mph to 3.757 @ 331.12 mph.
Congratulations also go out to Mike Salinas who in Round 2 of Top Fuel reset the BIR MPH record with a run of 338.26 MPH, the third fastest all time run and the only one in the top 10 fastest passes not belonging to Brittany Force.