DragChamp Sportsman Racing Top 10 List 6/12/19

Welcome to the DragChamp Sportsman Drag Racing Top 10 List!

With racing season in full swing, racers are bringing their “A” game week in and week out. This week’s list includes some amazing racers who continue to perform at the highest levels in our sport.

The dedication, commitment, and sacrifice necessary to reach the pinnacle of our sport is what makes these racers accomplishments stand out. Due to this, DragChamp celebrates the top performers in sportsman drag racing each week.

This week’s list may be the most diverse we’ve had. It includes some names you know and love and several you may have never heard of. We have a professional bracket racer, a home built hot rod, a Jr. dragster racer or two, and more.

To insure we keep up with your success on the track, tag us or message us on Facebook at @dragchampmagazine or email us at garydon@dragchamp.com. Let us know if we got it right or who we missed.

DragChamp Top 10 List 6/12/19

1 – Henry Roberson

If anyone has earned their spot on the list, it’s this guy. Henry has been literally on fire this season. I’m not sure if his story or his race wins are more inspiring.

In case you don’t know, Henry runs a Fox body Mustang in a number of sportsman classes on the west coast. The cool thing is he tows it to the races on a two-wheel car dolly! At the races he sleeps in his truck and his Dad is always there cheering him on.

Last weekend, Henry won back-to-back NHRA Wally’s at the NHRA Heritage Series at Sacramento Raceway. He dominated the Hot Rod class earning wins on Saturday and Sunday. In the process he practically locked up the points championship.

Oh, did I mention his worst light through five rounds on Sunday was a .021! That’s off the bottom folks! Also, he’s won 5 Wally’s and 9 races in the first half of the 2019 racing season.

DragChamp will release a Racer Spotlight on Henry later this week! You won’t be disappointed.

2 – Brandon Umberger

Brandon had a great weekend at Western Colorado Dragway. In three races contested over two days, he managed to bring home two wins and a runner up.

One of the wins came in the Gunslinger Shootout where he claimed the $5,000 win. In addition to his three final rounds, Brandon also ran himself in the semifinals at one of the races.

Just for cool points, Brandon did all of this in a Chevy Chevette race car he calls Jelly Bean.

3 – Michael Carpenter

The talented Florida youngster had a weekend to remember at Bradenton Motorsports Park. In addition to a double-up in Jr. Advanced, Michael earned his first win in the “big” cars. His Top Bulb win looks to be the first of many to come.

4 – Vic Penrod

Just a week after winning Super Stock at the Route 66 Nationals, Penrod made a return appearance in the final round of the NHRA Heartland Nationals. Although he came up one round short of the double, the outstanding performance garnered him a top 5 spot on the list.

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5 – Chris Garretson

Driving one of the more unique cars in the class, Super Comp racer Chris Garretson made two NHRA finals recently. After winning Super Comp at the Virginia Nationals, Chris made the final at the Division 1 Lucas Oil race at Numidia Dragway over the weekend.

What makes his success so cool is he’s done it with an unconventional 130 MPH dragster. While his competitors typically run upwards of 180+ MPH, Chris slows his car down at the top end to make it hard for opponents to judge the stripe. The unique combination led him to a 6th place finish in the national points chase last season.

6 – Sugar

You must be a professional when you’re known by a one-word nickname. Shane Carr raced his way back on the list with a huge $20,000 triumph at the Summit Summer Slam at Dragway 42.

The win comes on the heels of Shane’s runner up finish at the Spring Fling Million earlier this season. In addition to his final round exploits, he’s gone deep at almost every big money bracket race this year.

7 – Curt Harvey

This guy just keeps making final rounds. After a killer weekend at the Texas Triple Tens in May, he won the Friday $10K at the Great American Bracket Race.

He followed that will a local bracket race win at Xtreme Raceway and then went to the finals at the Lone Star Summer Shootout last week. That’s an impressive tally in just four weeks of racing.

8 – Nick Bublitz

The announcer at Redding Dragstrip decided to drive his ’10 Corvette 540 miles to Top Gun Dragstrip in Fallon, NV for the Top Gun National Open. The decision worked out nicely as he won 3 races over the two-day event.

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Nick kicked off the weekend by winning the Sportsman ET class on Saturday. He wrapped up the weekend with a double taking down the Pro ET and Sportsman ET class wins.

An impressive effort in a 12-second street driven Corvette that’s 500 miles from home.

9 – Chet Dragon

In one of the feel good stories of the decade, Chet Dragon drove his modest roadster to a $20,000 win at the Summit Summer Slam at Dragway 42. While Dragon’s ride may not have the latest and greatest gadgets, it was deadly at the Summer Slam.

An incredible performance that was celebrated by a huge gathering of racers in the winners circle. Congrats on your win Chet!

10 – Cooper Chun

I’m hearing Cooper is a phenom in the Jr. ranks in the Northwest. Judging by his double last weekend at Woodburn Dragstrip, they may be right. Cooper, currently on a four-race win streak, collected two Wally’s at the Division 6 Junior Series event.

When Brad Plourd says you’re a stud, you make the list! Congrats Cooper!

Shout Outs

Once again we have several honorable mentions this week. Each of the following racers deserved some kudos for their hard work.

Michael Beard

While he spends most of his time putting on some of the best sportsman races in the country, Michael hasn’t forgotten how to turn on a win light. After some time off, he climbed behind the wheel of his trusty Volare and proceeded to drive the wheels of the thing.

Last weekend, Michael found the winners circle at the IHRA Summit Sportsman Spectacular at Keystone Raceway. Although it’s been a while, he’s definitely now stranger to the IHRA’s winners circle.

Casey Baugh

Baugh became the first motorcycle racer to win No Box at the Lone Star Summer Shootout. We are all too aware that the No Box scene in North Texas, but to win a big event like the LSSS on a bike, that’s amazing!

Stanfield Racing

After the Skillman Racing team dominated the first three Factory Stock Showdown events on the NHRA tour, Stanfield Racing owned the final at Topeka.

Stanfield customers Steven Bell and Arthur Kohn met in the final to make it an all-team, all-COPO final round. Steven Bell collected the win, his second in NHRA competition.

Kris Whitfield

We’re a little biased here since Kris is a team-member at DragChamp but he earned a shout out again this week. After a $20,000 win earlier in the season, he won another big race at Western Colorado Dragway. Kris earned the $10,000 Top Gun Shootout win on Saturday.

Thanks to all of you in DragChamp Nation for your help each week in putting together this list. Our followers are amazing and we appreciate each one of you. Top contribute to the list, comment on our Facebook post each week where we ask for your Top 10 List suggestions.

Remember, DragChamp is your source for sportsman drag racing!