GABR SDPC Raceshop Dream Team Challenge Never Disappoints
Team Bad Guys, Team Rick Baehr, and Team Kris Rachford conquer this year’s SDPC Raceshop Dream Team Challenge.
HOLLY SPRINGS, MS – The SDPC Raceshop Dream Team Challenge has become one of the most anticipated events of the season. Contested during the Moser Engineering Great American $20K Bracket Race, this event allows racers to put their money where their mouths are.
Anyone can create a team of five drivers that compete separately in either Top Bulb, No Box, or the Junior Dragster class. Each team is placed on a ladder where they face another team in a best of 5 match up. The winning team advances into the next round until one team is crowned the champions.
The Dream Team Challenge pays back 100% of the cash along with the bonus of massive bragging rights.
Top Bulb Dream Team Challenge
There were 32 Top Bulb teams ready to prove they had what it took to be called the 2021 SDPC Raceshop Dream Team Challenge winners.
At the end of the night four teams remained: Team Brody Quick, Team Matt Cooke, Team Hunter Burgess, and Team Larry Martin, aka the “Bad Guys.”
Semifinal
Team Bad Guys all ran dead on their respective dial ins with an intense 5-0 run, advancing into the final round over Team Cooke. Three of those passes included .00x packages put together by Larry Martin, Jared Pennington, and Nick Ross.
Team Quick edged out Team Burgess with an 4-1 record to move into the final. David Holcombe scored the only point for Team Burgess when he ran dead on his dial beside Brody Quick’s .0027 breakout.
Team Bad Guys was captained by Larry Martin and included Jared Pennington, Dewayne Martin, Nick Ross, and Tyler Roach. On the opposite side of the ladder was Team Brody Quick which included Bo Boatner, Danny Weaver, Heath Davis, and Hunter Whitehead alongside Brody Quick.
Photo credit: BME Photography
Top Bulb Final
In the final, Team Quick earns the first point as Bo Boatner is .012 and one above for the win over Dewayne Martin who runs .001 under his dial. Team Bad Guys ties the score as Jared Pennington lets go .002 and runs one above to eliminate the opposing team captain Quick who breaks out.
The remainder of the win lights illuminate in Team Bad Guys favor as they earn the 2021 Dream Team Top Bulb Championship with a 4-1 record.
Larry Martin defeats a red-lighting Heath Davis, followed by Nick Ross who lays down a .0035 package to officially seal the Dream Team title over Danny Weaver.
Tyler Roach finishes the round in style by letting go .0000 and running dead on, creating an .0053 package, which leaves Hunter Whitehead mathematically ineligible.
Jared Pennington, NIck Ross, Larry Martin, Dewayne Martine, and Tyler Roach
Photo credit: BME Photography
Bottom Bulb Dream Team Challenge
In the Bottom Bulb class, 14 teams were eager to prove that they had what it takes to be called Dream Team Challenge Champions. The semi-final round came down to Team Chad Axford, Team Derek Varner. Team Thomas Kleppin, and last year’s champions Team Rick Baehr.
Semifinal
With four pairs down and the score tied 2-2, it was up to the final pairing of Rick Baehr and Brady Mase to decide which team moved on. Team captain Baehr illuminated that final win light with an .025 package beside Mase, of Team Kleppin, who was .008 red. The defending champions advanced into the final round with a 3-2 record.
On the other side of the semifinal ladder, the score was tied after the first two pair of cars. This time both team captains would stage up beside one another. Chad Axford runs dead on his dial in, but Derek Varner had the starting line advantage and takes .006 at the stripe for the win. The next pair saw Billy Ray Land eliminate Bradley Sanders which advanced Team Varner into the final round.
Photo credit: BME Photography
Team Rick Baehr includes Nasty Nick Hastings, Gage Burch, Charlie Lockhart, Bobby Paul Arnett, and Baehr himself. Derek Varner created a team including Mitchell Reaves, Jeff Thompson, David Barone, Billy Ray Land, and himself.
Bottom Bulb Final
In the final, Team Baehr grabbed the first point when Charlie Lockhart took the double breakout win over Mitchell Reaves. Jeff Thompson used his .019 light to defeat Bobby Paul Arnett and claimed the first point for Team Varner.
During the next pair, Gage Burch left Derek Varner mathematically ineligible, which raised the score 2-1. David Barone is .010 red to turn on the championship win light in team captain Rick Baehr’s lane as he runs .0001 under his dial in.
Just for good measure, Nasty Nick Hastings is .001 on the tree beside Brady Mase who turned on the red bulb during the final pair.
Team Rick Baehr claims their second consecutive Dream Team Bottom Bulb Championship with a 4-1 record.
Photo credit: BME Photography
Junior Dragster Dream Team Challenge
Sixteen Junior Dragster teams gathered at Holly Springs Motorsports Park with hopes of becoming this year’s SDPC Raceshop Dream Team Challenge Champions. The final four included Team Cecil Whitaker, Team Kris Rachford, Team John Means #3, and two-time defending champions Team Ben Willis.
Semifinal
In the semifinal, Team Rachford was ahead of Team Whitaker 2-1 after the first three pairs. The Thursday gamblers rae winner, Jesse Fritts, leaves G. Wiggins mathematically ineligible to advance Team Rachford into the final round. During the last pairing, B. Whitaker takes the win over Gage Rachford leaving the final score 3-2 in Team Rachford’s favor.
On the other side of the ladder, Team Means #3 gets the jump over Team Willis going 2-0 with Graeme Rufenacht and T. Phann turning on the win lights over Carson Emmett and Lucas Ford, respectively. Curtis Peek earns the first win for Team Willis over A. Atkinson, followed by Shelby Thurman taking .001 at the stripe over H, Davis to tie the score. Similarly, Carlee Tapley takes .002 at the finish line over C. Green which sends Team Ben Willis into their third consecutive Dream Team Challenge Final round.
Photo credit: BME Photography
Junior Dragster Final
Team Kris Rachford includes Jesse Fritts, Alyssa Martin, Jesse Lasik, Gage Rachford, and Peyten Jiminez. Ben Willis brought together Carson Emmett, Curtis Peek, Carlee Tapley, Lucas Ford, and Shelby Thurman for his team.
Team Rachford claims the first point as Jesse Fritts is .039 green beside Carson Emmett who turns on the red light. Lucas Ford of Team Willis evens the score with his .023 reaction time beside Jesse Lasik’s .003 red light.
Alyssa Martin nearly packages up Curtis Peek with her .006 light and four above pass to put Team Rachford 2-1. Shelby Thurman is .002 red beside Gage Rachford’s .047 bulb which ends the competition.
Team Kris Rachford earns the 2021 Dream Team Challenge Champion title with a 3-1 score.
Jesse Fritts, Peyten Jimenez, Gage Rachford, Jesse Lasik, and Alyssa Martin
Photo credit: BME Photography
Be sure to check out the Great American Bracket Races Facebook page for a lot of interesting videos from the SDPC Raceshop Dream Team Challenge!
They have celebrations from the top end and even a gravity-defying junior dragster in the winner’s circle.
Don’t Miss the Next Great American Bracket Race Event
Are you jealous that you missed out on all the fun?
Make plans to attend the next GABR event June 25-27, 2021 at Holly Springs Motorsports Park. The SDPC Raceshop Red, White, and Blue $20K’s presented by Moser Engineering is guaranteed to be a great time! Find more information at the Great American Bracket Races website.
Stay tuned for the recap from the main event races during the 4th Annual Moser Engineering Great American $20K Bracket Race.
For the latest in bracket racing news from DragChamp, click here.
Jessica was born into a family of drag racers and fell in love with the sport at a young age. She began competing at 13 and has been hooked ever since! She even met her husband at the World Footbrake Challenge VII. Jessica works full time as an Ultrasound Technologist but spends almost every weekend chasing win lights at IHRA and NHRA bracket races.
You can contact her at Jessica@dragchamp.com or on her Facebook page.
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