NHRA Sportsman Classes at Topeka, Kansas

Cooler temps on Sunday make for close racing

Results courtesy NHRA

Photos by Rick Shute/Auto Imagery

Kohn (far lane) got the starting line advantage, but Bell had the difference made up by 150 feet and never trailed from there on.

Stephen Bell picked up his first win in more than a year when he defeated Arthur Kohn in the final round of the SAM Tech.edu Factory Stock Showdown in Topeka. Bell, the winner of the 2018 season opener in Gainesville, drove to low elapsed time of the event in the final with a 7.908 and needed most of it after Kohn left first and held his own with a 7.951. Both finalists drove COPO Camaro entries that are powered by engines built by former Pro Stock racer Greg Stanfield.

There were several notable upsets in the first round and Bell was responsible for one of them when he took out points leader and former Pro Stock driver Drew Skillman. Both cars spun the tires, but Bell was able to recover more quickly than Skillman and won with an off-pace 8.647.

A dramatic temperature cool-down on Sunday helped make life easier for Factory Stock teams and Bell was able to find his groove with a 7.997 to beat Joe Welch’s Dodge Challenger DragPak and he followed with an impressive win against Pro Stock points leader Bo Butner’s Summit Cobra Jet, 7.950 to 7.97.

OTHER SPORTSMAN CLASS FINALS

Top Alcohol Dragster: Shawn Cowie (near lane), 5.213, 279.15 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., 7.406, 118.32.

Top Alcohol Funny Car: Sean Bellemeur (near lane), Camaro, 5.446, 269.29 def. Jay Payne, Camaro, 5.592, 262.79.

Competition Eliminator: Bruno Massel, Dragster, 6.764, 177.95 def. Shaun Vincent, Chevy S-10, 8.404, 158.32.

Super Stock: Gene Mosbek (near lane), Plymouth Savoy, 10.234, 126.34 def. Vic Penrod, Chevy Camaro, 9.898, 130.67.

Stock Eliminator: Chris Chaney, Chevy Camaro, 10.215, 129.59 def. Scott Libersher, Camaro, Foul - Red Light.

Super Comp: Kyle Fickler, Dragster, 8.913, 161.63 def. Veron Rowland, Dragster, 8.899, 166.15.

Super Gas: Shawn Carter, Chevy Cavalier, 9.896, 166.31 def. Collin Becker, Chevy Camaro, 9.888, 164.45.

Super Street: Trevor Larson, Chevy Corvette, 10.853, 139.54 def. Mike Campbell, Chevy Malibu, Foul - Red Light.

Topeka sportsman SLIDESHOW