The Supercharged AA/Gassers of America ran at their hometown track in Lancaster, NY, last weekend.

 

During qualifying, Dan Szewczyk encountered a problem in the shut-down area that caused him to barrel roll “Calamity Jane” into the woods. Dan is hospitalized with a number of injuries from the crash and he will have a long road ahead of him. The Supercharged AA/Gasser of American are trying to help with his medical bills and have set up a fundraiser at https://www.facebook.com/donate/381313909066428/381320329065786/.

 

Despite the accident, the race went on. Jr. Ward, driving Jim Oddy’s “Junkyard Dog” got the win with a 4.97/132 against the 5.43/123 of Jeff Cryan in the “Ron Bizio” truck.

 

The Supercharged AA/Gassers of America next race with the PDRA at Galot Motorsports Park on Sept. 6-8.  (photo courtesy Supercharged AA/Gassers of America)     [08/13/18]

Joe Skok of Lancaster, NY, wrapped up quite a week on Friday night, Aug. 10, at Lancaster National Dragway. Skok took the win in McGard Mod ET on Friday for his third victory and fourth final round appearance in the past six days.

 

Skok’s hot streak started during last weekend’s Sunday Nostalgia event where he won Comp Eliminator on both Saturday on Sunday. He then advanced to the final round of a special Tuesday night Box/No-Box Shootout, but could not get his third win in a row. Skok’s “Head Knocker” Chevrolet Nova was back in a final round during Franco’s Pizza Friday Night Drag Racing as he defeated Eddie Semlitsch in the Mod ET finals for his third class victory in six days.

 

Mike Swinarski of Orchard Park, NY, scored his second win of the year in Top 8 Eliminator and his third win overall at Lancaster in 2018. He picked up the win after Wayne Cleveland triggered the red light in the finals. Swinarski was recently named to the 2018 class of the Lancaster National Dragway Wall of Fame. He’ll be inducted during the season awards banquet in November.

 

In Top ET, Paul Cochi of Amherst, NY, earned his first win of the season after a red light by his opponent, Dale Eckert. The only final round that wasn’t decided by a red light was Hebeler’s Sales Bikes & Sleds as Vic Puglia of Tonawanda, NY, scored his third win of the season. Puglia beat Patrick Vaughan despite Vaughan having nearly two second head start on the starting tree.

 

Tim Markle was going for his third win in a row in Tread City Tire Street, but Markle also fell victim to the dreaded red light. Markle left the starting line too soon and handed the victory to defending track champion Mason Fix.

Friday was also Alcohol Funny Car Night at Lancaster featuring a pair of match races. Vince Rastelli faced off against Chris Zagoda while John Kwasniewski’s Pol-Cal Corvette took on the “Total Insanity” Chevrolet Monza Funny Car of Chris Massarella. (file photo by Tom Schiltz)  [08/13/18]

The 47th Pepsi Nightfire Nationals at Firebird Raceway near Boise, ID, is in the books. In Top Fuel the run continued for Mendy Fry (shown) finishing at the top of the eight-car field.

 

In Fuel Funny Car Jason Rupert won the A field while three-time DRO AA/FC Challenge champion Shawn Bowen took the B field win. Ed Thornton drove his Camaro to the Pro Mod win, and Dan Hix took the Fuel Altered win. Brian Losness will bring us all the action later in the week.  (Brian Losness photo)   [08/13/18]

(Moto Lenz Photos)

 

This is the first time in its history that not one ticket remained as the 41st Annual Kelly Services Night Under Fire got underway on Saturday, Aug. 11, at Summit Motorsports Park.

 

The highly anticipated Funny Car final featured 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force, a longtime staple of this event, and his teammate, Robert Hight. Force drove his Peak Chevrolet Camaro to a 4.04 and a holeshot win over Hight, who turned in a close 4.02 in his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro.

In Top Alcohol Dragster, Corey Michalek motored to a 5.32 in his Energize dragster to defeat JP Gutierrez, who ran 5.45 in his MGM Grand Detroit dragster.  (Mary Lenzion photo)

 

In the North American Jet Car Championship, Scotty “Heat” Holdridge hauled to the win with a 5.24 in his Fifty Cal over Sarah Edwards, who had the better reaction time, but was a tick slower with a 5.43 in her Queen of Diamonds II.

 

The completely competitive R&R Auto Body and DeCerbo Construction Rumble Wars Extreme 8 saw Larry Higginbotham haul to the winner’s circle with a 3.89 in his Corvette when Kurt Steding turned on the red in his Corvette. Of the several Nostalgia Pro Stock cars that sailed down track, Kevin Prior emerged as the winner after pushing to a 7.73 in the Firenza famously piloted by Warren Johnson, while Rick Cassel was the runner-up with a 7.85 in the Arrow famously piloted by Bob Glidden.

 

In Nostalgia Drag Racing League’s Pro 7.0 category, Michael Sexton secured the win with a 7.11 over Jamie Palmer, who dipped under the index with a 6.98, and in the Whiskey Grade Fast 4, featuring the four quickest Edelbrock Super Series Wiseco/Cycle Tech Super Bike riders, Perry Paugh pushed to the win with a 7.83 on a 7.90 dial over Ted Harvey, who turned on the red.

 

In the high-stepping ScottRods AA/Gassers category, where the wheelies are wild, Micky Hale picked up the win with a quicker launch and a 5.63 in his Austin over Ed Kasicki, who clocked a 5.62 in his Willys.

 

Bear Motorsports Junior Dragster categories were included in the event, and in Novice Junior Dragster, Roman Iocoangeli rode out an 11.87 on an 11.90 to take the win over Alena Schafer, who also broke out with a 12.04 on a 12.08, while in Intermediate Junior Dragster, Brandon Buchanan used a better reaction time and a 9.03 on an 8.94 dial to win over Peyton Novak, who dipped under with a 9.09 on a 9.10. In Advanced Junior Dragster, MacKenzie Kerns won with a 7.96 on a 7.90 dial over Sarah Mitschke, who turned in a 7.94 on a 7.90.    [08/13/18]

A week before the NHRA pro traveling circus comes to town, the NHRA West Central division's Lucas Oil Drag Series event, Thunder at the Lakes at Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, MN, concluded Sunday evening, Aug. 12. Minnesota racers Chris Bishop, Christopher Hess, Larry Wiebusch, Henry Wiebusch, and Jimmy Paulson had trips to the winner's circle with their teams.

 

Bishop of Grand Rapids took the starting line against Kevin Burnett, Parker, CO, in the Super Comp final round. Burnett triggered the red light, handing Bishop the victory. Bishop ran 8.879 seconds, 157.34 mph.

 

In the Super Gas championship round, Hess, hailing from Spicer, went toe-to-toe with Devin Isenhower, Lebanon, IN. Hess got the win light running 9.916 seconds, 165.11 mph, as Isenhower broke out attempting to catch him.

 

Larry Wiebusch, of Anoka, had an easy route to victory in Super Street as his opponent Austin Siemers, Milaca, MN, had mechanical issues and was not able to make to the starting line. Wiebusch ran 11.088 seconds, 107.29 mph. Wiesbusch was joined in winner's circle by his uncle, Henry Wiebusch of Andover. Henry upended Ross Laris, Raceland, LA, in the Top Dragster final round running 7.631 seconds, 136.84 mph as Laris turned on the red light.

 

J.R. Lobner, Gardner, KS, edged out Royce Freeman, Lindsay, OK, in the Advanced Product Design Top Sportsman final round. Lobner scored a victory pass of 7.558 seconds, 179.28 mph.

 

In the Sportsman Motorcycle final round, Paulson of Stacy ran 9.170 seconds, 138.60 mph to win the divisional Wally trophy in a double breakout against Leonard Fox, Aurora, CO.

 

COMP ELIMINATOR: Doug Engels, Watertown, SD, dragster, D/ED, 7.447, 173.61 def. Jim Greenheck, Schofield, WI, '12 Camaro, D/AA, 7.672, 175.34.

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR: Jeff Adkinson, Damascus, GA, '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.334, 121.17 def. Ronald Prince, Tamarack, MN, '68 Firebird, D/SA, 11.027, 120.48.

 

SUPER COMP SHOOTOUT: Austin Sharpe, Omaha, NE, '07 Undercover, 8.875, 181.25 def. Tony Leonard, Hastings, MN, '06 M&M, foul.

 

SUPER GAS SHOOTOUT: Trevor Larson, Starbuck, MN, '08 Daren Erickson, 9.920, 160.33 def. Tom Carlson, Two Harbors, MN, '03 Corvette, 9.962, 140.25.

 

SUPER STREET SHOOTOUT: Scott Dugdale, Stacy, MN, '82 Camaro, 10.926, 116.47 def. Dan Smith, Buffalo, MN, '67 Camaro, 10.895, 148.89.

 

JR DRAGSTER 13-17: Madison Doffing, Cottage Grove, MN, dragster, 8.749, 74.08 def. Ryan Leonard, Inver Grove Heights, MN, dragster, foul.

 

JR DRAGSTER 10-12: Cam Giese, Kandiyohi, MN, dragster, 9.666, 62.91 def. Thomas Stickelmyer, Aberdeen, SD, dragster, 9.060, 73.37.

 

JR DRAGSTER 6-9: Lily Covington, Merrifield, MN, dragster, 14.194, 44.32 def. Shylar Klassen, Winkler, Manit., 'xx Motivational, foul.    [08/13/18]

After powering through an epic burnout that ended up pulling the chutes, Stevie “Fast” Jackson was named the winner of the Drag 965/Nitrous Outlet burnout contest on Friday, Aug. 10, at the DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod at Bandimere Speedway outside of Denver.

 

The burnout contest took place at the end of the second Summit Racing Equipment Shakedown runs, with Jackson winning the $5,000 prize against a talented field that included Todd Tutterow, Marc Caruso (who was deemed “The People’s Champ” by WSOPM officials), Clint Satterfield and Brandon Pesz. Jackson blasted through his burnout to nearly the 1,000-foot mark in his Bahrain 1 Racing Camaro before the chutes came out.  (Joe McHugh photo) [08/13/18]