NHRA D5 LODRS Updated Results From Race 1
GREAT BEND, Kan. – After rain halted Friday’s action late into eliminations, the last few rounds were completed this morning. We don’t have detailed results at this time but we do know the winners in each class. Our original results posted earlier today were incorrect, final results are listed below.
Justin Lamb’s semifinal finish in Race #1 for the double-header all but guarantee’s him a second-straight Stock Eliminator national championship. It would take a herculean effort by his competitors to overcome Justin’s 700+ points total.
Tim Nicholson made it back-to-back final rounds in Super Gas with his 100 mph, stick-shifted, ’67 Camaro after winning last weekend’s AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals and taking runner-up honors in the first leg of the NHRA Division 5 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Great Bend. Nicholson has garnered a ton of national attention with his unconventional ride and continues to prove that you don’t need a high-mph car to win in Super Gas. Nicholson’s final round finish will move him closer to the top 5 nationally giving him a shot at a second-straight top 10 finish, he finished 7th nationally in 2017.
Other racers in the national championship chase were not as fortunate as Justin Lamb as most fell early in eliminations making their road to the national championship a little more difficult.
Don Nichols came into the double-header weekend with the most to gain as he could claim full points for the first event of the weekend towards the Super Comp championship. Nichols fell in round one which only added 30 points to his tally. To make matters worst, he had command of his round one race with a slower opponent but Nichols took a car length at the stripe to go -.007 under in the loss. Nichols will need a late round finish on Sunday to overtake current points leader Chris Garretson.
Austin McClure also needed a late round finish in Super Comp to challenge for the national points but like Nichols, lost in the first round.
In coming Super Stock national points leader Justin Lamb, yes he’s the reigning Super Stock and Stock world champion and he’s currently leading both classes again this season, fell into a great third round encounter with Chris Chaney. Chaney was .033 and dead two while Lamb was .026 and .01 above to make the margin of victory for Chaney .001. Lamb added 20 points to his national points lead but I’m sure he was looking to add more to distance himself from his challengers.
Chris Chaney’s fourth round finish in Super Stock added 20 points to his national score but he still needs a deep run on Sunday if he’s going to challenge Lamb for the Super Stock championship.
Brad Zaskowski, currently number 2 in the championship, did not make the trip to Great Bend. We’ll have to wait and see what his next event is as he chases Lamb in the championship battle.
In Top Sportsman, championship contender JR Lobner fell in round one. JR will need a better finish on Sunday if he’s going to pass current points leader Doug Crumlich.
Event winners from the first race of the D5 LODRS double-header included:
David Rampy – Competition Eliminator
Mike Town – Super Stock
Paul Merolla – Stock Eliminator
Mark Grame – Super Comp
Butch Kleewein – Super Gas
Rodger Sauder – Super Street
Monte Weaver – Top Sportsman
Kendra Larson – Top Dragster
Austin Sharpe – Super Comp Shootout
Trevor Larson – Super Gas Shootout
Dave Ash – Super Street Shootout
John Fitzpatrick – Sportsman Motorcycle
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