Bill Skillman wins Factory Stock class at U.S. Nationals

Bill Skillman earned his second Factory Stock win of the season at the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway.

INDY – The Skillman Motorsports continued their strangle hold on the Factory Stock Showdown class when Bill Skillman claimed the U.S. Nationals title. Bill, and his son Drew, have dominated the class in 2019 with both earned multiple wins.

The latest victory can at the biggest drag race of the season, the U.S. Nationals. The annual “Big Go” at the famed INDY facility is one race every drag racer dreams of winning.

Skillman, of Indianapolis, struggled somewhat in qualifying posting a 20th best 8.038. Although it was not his best starting position of the season, Skillman admitted to playing the ladder game during qualifying.

Once eliminations began, Skillman picked up the pace outrunning the COPO of David Barton in round one. As eliminations progressed, Skillman’s Cobra Jet Mustang continued to post quicker times in each successive round.

His back-to-back 7.95 laps took out Leonard Libersher and David Janac in rounds two and three respectively. He followed that with an .008 light and a 7.947 to advance past a red-lighting Doug Hamp.

That win moved Skillman into his third final round of the season. There he would meet Texas-based Arthur Kohn. Kohn, using Stanfield Power, posted progressively faster laps as he made his run to the final.

After first round opponent Richard Bierie was a no-show, Kohn won on holeshots in his wins over Chris Holbrook and low-qualifier Mark Pawuk in rounds two and three.

Kohn’s semfinal race with teammate Steven Bell was a classic. Bell left first by .004 but Kohn drove around him by .001 at the stripe, 7.936 to 7.941 to reach the INDY final.

In an epic final round ran late Monday evening, Kohn grabbed the lead off the line .041 to .062. As they moved down track, Skillman’s Cobra Jet had just enough to power past Kohn’s COPO to take the .009-second win!

Skillman’s 7.888 outpaced Kohn’s 7.918 to extend the Skillman Motorsports domination on the Factory Stock Showdown class. The win was Bill’s first U.S. Nationals victory.

For more NHRA Lucas Oil sportsman results from the U.S. Nationals, click here.