91°µÍø

Jackie Fricke and Doug Gordon were among the 10 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series champions crowned during the Texas 91°µÍø FallNationals Stampede of Speed at Texas Motorplex near Dallas in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, respectively. The big winner’s circle celebration also featured Don Thomas (Comp), Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. (Super Stock), Brenda Grubbs (Stock), Steve Evans (Super Comp), Austin Williams (Super Gas), Scooter Wilkins (Super Street), Ross Laris (Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers), and Jimmy Lewis (Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers).

Fricke, still one of the leading contenders for the Top Alcohol Dragster championship, now has six wins in 11 finals this season following her narrow 5.20 to 5.24 win against Matt Cummings. Fricke reached the final by beating Madison Payne, and Cummings took out Aaron Cooper in the other half of the semifinals. [video]

Reigning world champ Gordon is back on top of the standings after driving his Beta Motorcycles Camaro past Brian Hough in the Top Alcohol Funny Car final, 5.51 to 5.56. Gordon now has seven wins this season and hasn’t lost a round since the Topeka event in August. He has won his last four races, including the Dodge//SRT NHRA U.S. Nationals. [video]

Following a runner-up finish at the Division 5 Lucas Oil Series event in Denver, Thomas won his first Comp race of the season when he topped Keith Mawhee in the final. Thomas drove his C/DA dragster to a (-.526) 7.074 for the win against Mawhee’s (-.463) 7.777 in his Cavalier. Thomas also topped Keith Hall and Greg Kamplain on his way to the final round. [video]

Hidalgo collected his eighth national event title and third in Super Stock when he outlasted Harvey Emmons III in the Super Stock final. Hidalgo left first and turned on the win light in a close double breakout with a 9.78 on his 9.82 dial to a .04-under 9.72 for Emmons in his Lucas Oil-backed entry. In six elimination rounds, Hidalgo had just one light worse than a .017, including a .004 on his semifinal bye. [video]

Grubbs is now a three-time national event champ following another double-breakout win over championship contender Jerry Emmons in Stock. Grubbs left on time with a .004 light in her AA/SA ’69 Camaro and ran just two-thousandths under her 10.02 dial, and Emmons broke out by nearly five hundredths. Despite the loss, Emmons is a leading contender for the world championship. [video]

Evans got a free pass in the Super Comp final after Jeromy Hefler rolled the beams and received a red-light. Evans, a winner at the 2010 Dallas event, got to the final on the strength of consistent and quick reaction times, including a .002 in his win over four-time world champ Gary Stinnett. [video]

Williams can’t catch Luke Bogacki for the lead in Super Gas, but he’s got a decent shot at the No. 2 spot following his third win of the season. Williams drove to a 9.93 to 9.94 win against Jerry DeBusk in the final round to seal the win. DeBusk was seeking his second win of the week following his victory in the rain-delayed Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals Presented By Pennzoil from Houston. [video]

Wilkins made it to his first national event final round and made it count with a nearly perfect .002 light and a 10.945 that was enough to hold off John Liebham’s 10.903 effort in Super Street. Wilkins also had a great light on his semifinal bye run. Wilkins also overcame Dwight Allen’s .001 light in round two. [video]

Laris also grabbed his third win of the season in Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers following his final-round victory against Wayne Landra. Laris, now a five-time national event winner, eased to a 6.285 from his 6.15 dial after Landry slowed. Laris, now ranked No. 2 in the championship standings, had a tough path to the final, including races against current Factory Stock Showdown and Pro Stock contender Aaron Stanfield and former champ and current points leader Danny Nelson. [video]

For the third time this season, former Super Gas world champ Jimmy Lewis scored in Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers. Lewis, a winner in Denver and Indy, drove his Pontiac to a slowing 6.529 on his 6.40 dial in the final round after reigning world champ Darian Boesch got loose and had to lift. Lewis still has a shot at a second world title, and Boesch is currently ranked No. 2 in the Top Sportsman class. [video]
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