Lucas sets track record on way to Infineon Lucas Series win

SONOMA, Calif. – Morgan Lucas grabbed his third win of the year and defended his NHRA Pacific Division Top Alcohol Dragster win for one year ago in this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Cal-Steam/Kohler event.

Lucas saved his best run of the weekend knocking off Jim Whiteley in the final round with a track record 5.169 seconds at 275.06 mph. The Brownsburg, Ind., resident and 2003 Pacific Division Champion qualified No. 1 then beat Larry Miersch and Shawn Cowie on his way to his fourth final round of the season. Lucas beat Ashley Force in last year's dragster final.

Lucas was joined by Von Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn., who won in Top Alcohol Funny Car running 5.592, at 254.52 mph. Smith was handed the win when Ken Kraus left early with a red-light. The win is Smith's second of the season in fourth final round appearances.

A pair of local racers won in Super Comp and Super Street with Greg Boutte of Stockton, Calif., taking out Travis Theobald for the Super Comp title running 8.934, 171.29. In Super Street it was Ted Kellner of San Jose, Calif., winning over Joe Greco, also of San Jose, Calif., with a 10.932 second, 147.88 mph pass.

In Comp Eliminator it was former National Champion Dean Carter scoring his first win of the season running 7.205 seconds at 152.71 in his nostalgia dragster.

In the Hughes Performance Top Dragster final it was Ron Hartzell of Modesto, Calif., barely hanging on for the win at 7.346 seconds, 176.21 mph over Will Boxold while Rick Takahashi won over Mike Stickland in the Sunset Racecraft Top Sportsman class.

Billy Wilson matched Lucas in defending his event championship in the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson. Wilson ran his '78 Kawasaki to a lap of 8.429 at 153.21 mph to beat Pete Miclette.

Other racers taking home wins this weekend were Tim Smith of Rocklin, Calif., in Super Stock; Bernie Cunningham over Rusty Hall in Stock Eliminator; and Ken Heard of Ridgefield, Wash., beating Robert Naber in Super Gas.

Pacific Division racers head to Auto Club Famoso Raceway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, Sept. 7-8.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Cal-Steam/Kohler event at Infineon Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
3) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.239, 270.75 def.
6) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.370, 256.50

4) Shawn Cowie, Richmond, B.C., 5.422, 262.39 def.
5) Randy Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 11.714, 90.75

1) Morgan Lucas, Brownsburg, Ind., 5.225, 273.94 def.
9) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 14.423, 78.94

2) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.330, 264.91 def.
7) Mark Niver, Scottsdale, Ariz., broke

Semifinals
Whiteley, 5.306, 264.44 def. Shields, 11.999, 65.38
Lucas, 5.226, 274.44 def. Cowie, 5.387, 264.70

Final
Lucas, 5.169, 275.06 def. Whiteley, 5.304, 265.90

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
8) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.682, 256.21 def.
1) Jason Rupert, Yorba Linda, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.776, 247.84

4) Ken Kraus, Great Falls, Mont., '05 Camaro, 5.632, 253.90 def.
5) Ron August Jr, Pleasanton, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.810, 224.77

6) Sean Bellemeur, Newport Beach, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.645, 254.86 def.
3) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '02 Firebird, 5.620, 253.90

7) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '02 Camaro, 5.630, 252.28 def.
2) Don Hudson, Stockton, Calif., '02 Camaro, foul

Semifinals
Kraus, 5.614, 254.71 def. Gordon, 5.710, 256.16
Smith, 5.606, 255.29 def. Bellemeur, 5.601, 256.75

Final
Smith, 5.592, 254.52 def. Kraus, broke

COMP ELIMINATOR
Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., dragster, B/ND, 7.205, 152.71 def.
Doug Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., '06 Sunfire, D/SMA, 8.471, 147.36

SUPER STOCK
Tim Smith, Rocklin, Calif., '87 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.779, 132.76 def.
Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '07 Cobalt, SS/BM, 8.492, 158.07


STOCK ELIMINATOR
Bernie Cunningham, Riverside, Calif., '98 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.991, 113.16 def.
Rusty Hall, Aiken, S.C., '67 Mustang, C/SA, 10.846, 116.92


SUPER COMP
Greg Boutte, Stockton, Calif., dragster, 8.934, 171.29 def.
Travis Theobald, St. George, Utah, dragster, 8.948, 173.67

SUPER STREET
Ted Kellner, San Jose, Calif., '75 Vega, 10.932, 147.88 def.
Joe Greco, San Jose, Calif., '69 AMX, 10.911, 143.66

SUPER GAS
Ken Heard, Ridgefield, Wash., '86 Mustang, 9.902, 149.95 def.
Robert Naber, Ontario, Calif., '01 S-10, 9.929, 143.37

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Billy Wilson, Phoenix, '78 Kawasaki, 8.429, 153.21 def.
Pete Miclette, Garberville, Calif., '97 Suzuki, 8.944, 144.74

TOP SPORTSMAN
Rick Takahashi, San Gabriel, Calif., '00 Pontiac, 7.857, 165.44 def.
Mike Strickland, Moses Lake, Wash., '04 Grand Am, 7.190, 187.26

TOP DRAGSTER
Ron Hartzell, Modesto, Calif., dragster, 7.346, 176.21 def.
Will Boxold, Orangevale, Calif., dragster, 6.992, 189.02