The annual Mid-West Pro Mods, PSCA Heads-up Hootenanny and Super Chevy Show Weekend was held April 27-28 World Wide Technology Raceway, the drag strip formerly known as Gateway Motorsports Park.

Rob Moser of Portland, IN, won the Mid-West Top Dragster class Sunday, Apr. 28, by defeating Al Peavler of Olney, IL, in the final round of eliminations. The pair posted nearly identical reaction times, but Moser arrived at the finish line first with an elapsed time of 3.918 seconds and a top speed of 187.55 mph. (John Bisci photo)

Kevin Maddux of Nixa, MO, won Sunday’s Summit Racing Mid-West Pro Mods finale. Maddux singled in the final round of eliminations after his opponent’s car (Aaron Wells) was disqualified for leakage on the starting line. Maddux qualified 10th in a 16-car field that saw 24 entries.  (John Bisci photo)

 

Slammers Class: Frankie Taylor, Dickinson, TX, ’05 Coevette, 3.691, 204.05 def. Mike Recchia, Rosella, IL, ’69 Camaro, 3.942, 160.02

 

Mid-West Top Sportsman: Earl Folse, Raceland, LA, ’68 Camarp, 4.217, 170.54 def. Mark McDonald, Boonville, IN, ’67 Mustang, 4.219, 165.62

 

PSCA Outlaw 8.5: Brandon Carter, Maryland Heights, MO, ’03 Cobra, 5.836, 142.58 def. Derek Cooper, Littleton, CO, ’89 Mustang, No time

 

Friday Box Bonus: Jason McKague, Ballwin, MO, 6.406, 104.90 def. Shannon Micheletto, Worden, IL, red light

 

Friday No-Box Bonus: Jon Tignor, St. Louis, MO, ’79 Malibua, 6.039, 111.17 def. Danny Ratulowski, Highland, IL, ’77 Vega, 6.433, 102/93

 

Super Pro: Scott McCardle, Troy, MO, 4.918, 139.37 def. Rod Schaeffer, Trenton, IL, ’68 Camaro, 5.968, 115.60

 

Pro: Travis Kallmeyer, Hermann, MO, ’67 Camaro, 6.586, 104.10 def. Frankie Radake, St. Louis, ’68 Camaro, 5.828, 111.50

 

SCS Sportsman: Gary Lewis, St. Ann, MO, ’69 Skylark def. David Smith, Hermann, MO, ’56 Bel Air

 

Chevy vs. World: Jeremy McKague, Chamois, MO, ’69 Nova def. Tim Foley, Dardenne Prairie, MO, ’18 Danny Nelson

 

SCS Jr. Dragster: Bailey Whitaker, Dexter, MO, def. Christian Smith, Woodlawn, IL

 

Battle Brands Super Pro: Tommy Barbero, Wentzville, MO, ’78 Malibu def. Jason Grams, St. Peters, MO, ’00 RED

 

Battle Brands Pro: Jeremy McKague def. Tommy Barbero

 

Battle Brands Sportsman: Richard Thomas, St. Louis, ’87 SS Dime, 11.991, 112.48 def. Craig Powell, St. Louis, ’85 Monte Carlo, 12.309, 110.20

 

Battle Brands Motorcycle: Phil Humphrey, Collinsville, IL, ’12 Kawasaki, 8.745, 147.52 def. Marcus Taylor Sr., St. Louis, ’08 Suzuki, 9.162, 150.01

 

Battle Brands Jr. Dragster: Sarah Stewart, Washington, MO, ’15 JR def. Sam Stewart, Washington, MO, ’18 Half Scale   [04/30/19]

Paul Lee did some testing on Monday, Apr. 29, after the Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. After a heart attack two years ago, the veteran driver retired from racing, but after surgery and rehab, he announced his return to the sport.

 

Represented by the Straightline Strategy Group, which owns Clay Millican’s Top Fuel dragster, Lee will be tuned by Jim Oberhofer, who also assists crew chief Mike Kloeber on Millican’s car. Lee is set to race this week in the Arby’s NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.  (Ron Lewis photos)  [04/30/19]

The Gulf Western Oil-supported Team Bray Racing hasn’t competed in the 400 Thunder Pro Slammer bracket since January but has been making the most of this time to undertake major changes to the transmission, diff gear ratios and gearbox ratios in the Slammers of both Victor Bray and Ben Bray.

 

“I am looking forward to getting aboard the Gulf Western Oil TBR Corvette and smoking it up for the race fans on Sydney Dragway’s burnout pad across the event, because who doesn’t love a bit of a burnout show alongside their drag racing?” Ben Bray said, shown above doing a burnout for the fans.

 

The Nitro Thunder event at Sydney Dragway on May 3-4 is the penultimate event of the Australian season for the Pro Slammers.   [04/30/19]

The Xtreme Dragbike Association opened its 2019 season on April 26-28 at Maryland International Raceway with the PFR Spring Nationals.

Pro Street: Rodney Williford, Rougemont, NC, ’19 Suzuki, 6.543, 223.88 mph def. Richard Gadson, Palm City, FL, ’80 Suzuki, 6.594, 208.20 mph.  (XDA photo)

 

Pro Street B Class: Luis Hornedo, Orlando, FL, ’17 Suz, 6.872, 209.65 def. Ryan Hable, Roberts, WI, ’13 Suz, 7.206, 196.96

 

Pro Street Shootout: Rodney Williford, ’19 Suz, 6.572, 228.69 def. Jason Dunigah, Jackson, MI, ’15 Suz, 6.675, 218.44

 

Real Street: Mark Hylton, Edon, NC, ‘00 Suz, 7.723, 176.44 def. Anibal Merced, Harrisburg, NC, ’09 Kaw, 7.750, 183.59

 

Real Street B Class: Brad Stinnett, Lexington, KY, ’08 Suz, 8.206, 181.08 def. Jason Herron, Lexington, SC, ’99 Suz, 8.330, 179.71

 

Real Street Shootout: Mark Hylton, 7.714, 175.39 def. Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, TN, ’11 Suz, 8.854, 112.48

 

Pro Xtreme: Kevin Clarke, Virginia Beach, VA, ’18 Suz, 3.974, 187.00 def. Rob Garcia, Pottstown, PA, ’13 Suz, 3.975, 183.29

 

Nitrous Bulls: Lavar Delee, Dorchester, SC, “High Roller” def. Richard Gadson, Palm City, FL, “Dead Man Walking”

 

Monster Bulls: Rendolf Torbed, Curacao, “Kastigala” def. David Page, Charlotte, SC, “Pickin’ Pockets”

 

Brahma Bulls: Nichols Mazeika, Deptford Twnshp, NJ, “Clockwork”

4.60 Index: Ronald Procopio, Wake Forest, NC, ’12 Suz, .029 RT, 4.661 ET, 141.25 def. Tyler Cammock, Middletown, DE, ’16 Suz, .147 RT, 4.598 ET, 147.25 (XDA photo)

 

4.60 Big Money Shootout: Michael Thyen, Denver, NC, ’11 Suz, 4.564, 150.00 def. Tyler Cammock, red light

 

5.60 Index: Daniel Joyce, Pfafftown, NC, ’96 Kaw, 5.712, 101.54 def. Dustin Lee, Morristown, TN, ’08 Suz, no time

 

Crazy 8’s: Nick Hamlett, Waynesboro, VA, ’07 Suz, .029 RT, 8.892 ET, 133.87 def. Spencer Claycomb, Rockford, TN, ’12 Suz, .93 RT, 8.837 ET, 140.94

 

Top Sportsman: Jim Shifflett, Waynesboro, VA, ’07 Suz, 7.96 dial, 7.969, 159.17 def. Mac McAdams, Dunkirk, MD, ’18 Suz, red light

 

Due to rain, the purses for the Saturday Pro E.T. class and Street E.T. class were split among competitors left.

 

Pro E.T. Sunday: Jimmie Miller III, Gambrills, MD, ’04 Suz, .044 RT, 8.48 dial, 8.812 ET, 118.23 def. Jim Shifflett, Waynesboro, VA, ’07 Suz, .063 RT, 7.94 dial, 10.775, 60.43

 

Street E.T. Sunday: Derrick Milbourne, Warrenton, VA, ’05 Kaw, .028 RT, 8.92 dial, 8.955 ET, 148.48 def. David Pague, Manassas, VA, ’00 Suz, .102 RT, 8.68 dial, 8.665 ET, 152.42   [04/30/19]

Lapeer International Dragway in northeastern Michigan has joined the IHRA member tracks.

 

Bill Jennings, who bought the track prior to the 2018 season, spent over $2.5 million in renovations, including tearing up the old surface on the 50-year-old track and replacing with concrete for an eighth mile and then asphalt to the quarter-mile finish.

 

Other upgrades include a repaved return road, new pavements in the pits, and concrete retaining walls all the way down the track. New fencing, lighting, and electrical including an upgraded Accutime system, have been installed with some construction projects still going on.

 

The track was built by brothers Mike and Ed Vakula and operated with an AHRA sanction before turning outlaw in the late 1970s. Keeping the track somewhat in the family, Matt Vakula now is the track’s director of operations.   [04/30/19]

Here’s an idea to keep high school students racing in a safe environment and helping their college careers at the same time.

 

Students can climb into their street cars and race down track at the 31st Annual B’laster High School Nationals presented by Patriot 500 Racing on Sunday, May 5, at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

The winner of the fun-filled race for students from area schools will receive a $5,000 University of Northwestern Ohio scholarship as well as a tall trophy. The runner-up will receive a $3,000 scholarship, and the semifinalists will receive $2,000 scholarships while quarterfinalists will receive $1,500 scholarships.

 

Additionally, as students win rounds, they earn points for their schools, and the winning school will receive a trophy. There also will be separate races for instructors, parents and alumni, and Team Spirit and Best Appearing awards are up for grabs.   [04/30/19]

As you might expect for an event held in Ohio, the Coughlin family will be taking part in this weekend’s 17th annual NHRA Buckeye Nationals. With Jeg Jr. at the Mello Yello national event in Atlanta, Mike, Troy Jr., and Paige Coughlin will be competing in the Top Dragster and Super Comp categories for Team JEGS.

 

"I made my first ever passes at National Trail and I've definitely been down that quarter-mile more than any other one in the world,” said Mike (shown), who will be racing his Top Dragster, along with nephew Troy Jr, who will step away from his Top Alcohol Dragster for this event.

 

"It's an extra big weekend for me personally because my wife Brenna is graduating from nursing school Saturday so I'll be really busy between the races and her ceremony.,” said Troy Jr. “She's worked so hard at getting her BSN. I'm very proud of her and looking forward to celebrating this accomplishment with her."

 

Troy Jr’s sister Paige hasn't driven her JEGS.com Super Comp dragster since starting her collegiate career at the University of Miami-Ohio last August, but says a recent test session at National Trail Raceway helped get her back into competition mode.

 

“They changed some things on the car over the winter to make it more consistent and it ran really well so we're all excited to get back to real racing. We have lots of plans for the summer race season and it all starts now," she said.  (JEGS photo)  [04/30/19]