6/12/2017
RacinBoys
Sanders declared winner of windy John Haas Memorial at Lake Lucas
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- Bryan Sanders and Nitrochondriac remained perfect in pursuit of a repeat Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series Top Fuel Hydro championship, but this celebration was a muted one.
"It's disappointing because we really wanted to put on a show for the fans," Sanders said Sunday at Lucas Oil Speedway after sustained strong winds forced the final run against Kevin Burgess in Locked and Loaded to be cancelled.
Sanders, on the basis of a 260 miles-per-hour run in the semifinals earlier in the day, was declared the winner at the 6th annual John Haas Memorial Drag Boat Classic. It gave the Houston, Texas, driver a third win in three attempts in 2017.
The final three pro divisions fell victim to the conditions that caused Lake Lucas to turn choppy with no forecast of a wind break until near nightfall. Travis Tuttle in Short Fuse was declared winner in Top Alcohol Hydro and Tony Scarlata in Shazam took the Top Alcohol Flat without a finals run.
The divisions that were able to make finals runs saw Shawn Reed in Top Secret capture the Pro Mods, Eric Dement in Real Bad Boy take the Pro Outlaw, Tim Connelly in Crazy Train won Pro Eliminator, Steve Prewitt in Hold My Beer & Watch take Quick Eliminator and Kelvin Perkins driving Blown Money take Top Eliminator.
Other winners included Bill Miles in Krazy Kracker (Modified Eliminator), Al Kirschner in Plum Krazy (Stock Eliminator), Tracy Lowe in Intimidator (River Racer) and Nate Stephenson driving Dominator (Personal Watercraft).
Sanders had a strong run earlier Sunday in the semifinals, going 260.4665 with a 3.56-second elapsed time at 1,000 feet. Burgess won his semifinal in Locked and Loaded at 184.8973 mph and a 4.237 ET after opponent Scott Compton in Liquid Voodoo was disqualified for not staying within its lane.
"We had a tuneup in the boat and we wanted to see what it would do," Sanders said of his anticipation for a finals run. "I wanted to run, but I understand. You have to go with safety.
"I think this boat was very capable of running a low 3.4 (ET) and above 260 (mph). Believe it or not, a couple of runs we made this weekend, it should have been way over the 260 range but that head wind was pushing the boat back and pushing the ET down. It the wind wasn't blowing, we would have tagged 270 (Saturday) we think."
Sanders said it was a weekend to celebrate, especially considering the big picture of the series title chase.
"It's a win and we'll take it. I really wanted to race for it, but we'll take them as we get them," Sanders said. "That's three in a row and hopefully we can carry the momentum into the next race and keep it going."
Tuttle had a 196.465 mph semifinal run in Short Fuse, strong enough for the Top Alcohol win. Scarlata went 164.233 in Shazam in the Top Alcohol Flat semifinal.
SUNDAY'S RESULTS, JOHN HAAS MEMORIAL
TOP FUEL HYDRO
Winner- NITROCHONDRIAC BRYAN SANDERS, HOUSTON, TX TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK
Runner-up - LOCKED AND LOADED KEVIN BURGESS, SPOKANE VALLEY, WA TOM SORCI, NEEDLES, CA
1 Qualifier: 246L NITROCHONDRIAC BRYAN SANDERS, HOUSTON, TX TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK 3.4665, 260.8402 (-0.1617)
TOP ALCOHOL HYDRO
Winner - SHORT FUSE TRAVIS TUTLE, RIO VISTA, TX SAME
Runner-up - BAD MOON RISING DALE RIGGS, TROUP, TX BUZZY BOASE, MAGNOLIA, TX
1 Qualifier: 414L RUNNING WITH SCISSOR ANDY REYNOLDS, LAKE WYLIE, SC SAME 4.4533, 199.2356 (0.0787)
TOP ALCOHOL FLAT
Winner - SHAZAM TONY SCARLATA, PERRIS, CA TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK
Runner-up PARTY TO THE MAX BILL MILLER, TAYLOR, TX MAX & LINDA DAVIS, MONTGOMERY, TX
1 Qualifier: 339L SHAZAM TONY SCARLATA, PERRIS, CA TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK 5.0896, 164.1918 (0.3392)
PRO MOD
Winner - TOP SECRET SHAWN REED, LAKE TAPPS,, WA SAME
Runner-up - LIVIN THE DREAM MARTY LOGAN, MIDLOTHIAN, TX SAME
6.9980, 172.7861 (0.0847)
7.0746, 167.8137 (-0.0012)
1 Qualifier: 326S CAN'T TOUCH THIS SHELBY EBERT, WAMEGO, KS TODD EBERT, WAMEGO, KS 7.0347, 179.1622 (-0.0140)
PRO OUTLAW
Winner - REAL BAD BOY ERIC DEMENT, LULING, TX SAME
Runner-up - A FEW DOLLARS MORE TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUST GROVE, OK SAME
5.9376, 111.9643 (0.2470)
5.4611, 158.4960 (1.1529)
1 Qualifier: 103L WILDFIRE ROBERT LEAS, CLIMAX SPRINGS, MO JEFF WOODRUFF, SUNRISE BEACH, MO 5.4163, 165.6474 (-0.0270)
PRO ELIMINATOR
Winner - CRAZY TRAIN TIM CONNELLY, ST. ANN, MO SAME
Runner-up - JUST ANOTHER QUICKIE DAVID SCHMIDT, SMITHTON, IL DAVID SCHMIDT, SMITHTON, IL
8.1505, 142.6499 (0.0702)
8.0570, 139.8681 (-0.0585)
1 Qualifier: 357L ON THE EDGE DARYL BUSBY, ST. LOUIS, MO SAME 8.0020, 0.0000 (0.4173)
QUICK ELIMINATOR
Winner - HOLD MY BEER & WATCH STEVE PREWIT, MIDLAND, TX SAME
Runner-up - PURE INSANITY ROCK GUTHRIE, CRUMP, TN SAME
6.0310, 136.4354 (0.0846)
5.9912, 137.4930 (0.2502)
1 Qualifier: 540K PURE INSANITY ROCK GUTHRIE, CRUMP, TN SAME 6.0045, 135.0065 (0.0754)
TOP ELIMINATOR
Winner - BLOWN MONEY KELVIN PERKINS, RUSSELLVILLE, KY SAME
Runner-up - WINKIN BLINKIN NOD GARRETT FARNSWORTH, BONNOTS MILL, MO SAME
9.2775, 114.0603 (0.0735)
8.9534, 126.8768 (0.3902)
1 Qualifier: 828S TEXAS HIGHRISK KEVIN CONKLIN, MIDLAND, TX JIM BURNS, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 9.0015, 112.9810 (0.2063)
MODIFIED ELIMINATOR
Winner - KRAZY KRACKER BILL MILES, IMPERIAL, MO SAME
Runner-up - AIN'T SCARED GREG CARR, SCHLATER, MS SAME
10.0801, 104.5486 (0.1488)
10.1034, 94.8671 (0.2061)
1 Qualifier: 053K GHOST RIDER TERRY OLSON, RICHMOND, KY SAME 10.0037, 102.5881 (0.1551)
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Winner - PLUM KRAZY AL KIRSCHNER, LAKE JACKSON, TX SAME
Runner-up - NUBY RIPPLES HARDY COLE, JOPLIN, MO SAME
11.0752, 88.9898 (0.1449)
10.9889, 100.5315 (-0.0465)
1 Qualifier: 327K NUBY RIPPLES HARDY COLE, JOPLIN, MO SAME 11.0065, 102.3874 (0.3141)
RIVER RACER
Winner - INTIMDATOR TRACY LOWE, ARKADELPHIA, AR SAME
Runner-up AQUATIC THERAPY DENISE HODGES, EMPORIA, KS SAME
12.3373, 92.3102 (-0.0422)
12.1267, 85.2981 (-0.1775)
1 Qualifier: 101S AQUATIC THERAPY DENISE HODGES, EMPORIA, KS SAME 12.0047, 86.1231 (0.0549)
PERSONAL WATERCRAFT
Winner - DOMINATOR NATE STEPHENSON, SHAWNEE, OK RANDY BALL, SHAWNEE, OK
Runner-up OHEEZY ON THE SHAMRO RYAN O'HARA, OLATHE, KS SAME
17.3732, 53.0995 (0.3230)
14.5740, 64.0381 (0.3947)
1 Qualifier: 996S JUST A LITTLE QUICKI HALEE MCINTYRE, BROKEN BOW, OK JOE MCINTYRE, BROKEN BOW, OK 17.7558, 53.6994 (0.1085)
Next on the dirt: Open-wheel action returns to the Lucas Oil Speedway dirt track next Saturday night. It will be the Lucas Oil ASCS National Winged Sprint Car Tour Presented by MAVTV Motorsports Network for the finale of ASCS Bob Westphal Memorial Cup Speedweek 2017.
In addition, the Lucas Oil POWRi WAR Sprint Car Series will be on hand. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:35.
For ticket information contact admission director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or by email at Nichole@LucasOilSpeedway.com.
For complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and the 2017 racing schedule, visit LucasOilSpeedway.com.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With its entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.
Click www.LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.
In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway.
CONTACT:
Dan Robinson
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Lucas Oil MLRA Series Director
Office: (417) 282-5984
Dan@lucasoil.com
About Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway is considered by fans, drivers and industry insiders to be one of the top five race tracks in the nation. Located in Wheatland, Missouri, approximately an hour from Springfield, Missouri, and just a quick hour and a half from the Kansas City metro area, dubbed the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks," Lucas Oil Speedway certainly lives up to the title.
Twenty-One VIP Luxury Suites, HD Jumbo-Tron Screen, Stadium Style Musco Sports Lighting, a Bose Sound System, Go-Kart Slick Track, The Diamond Bar, Track Treasures Gift Shop, the best track food in the country and paved pits are a few of the spectacular amenities setting the Diamond of Dirt apart. 2017 marks the 7th season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, Lake Lucas. Two nationally televised Drag Boat Races featuring the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series will be held in 2017. New for 2017 will be an all new purpose build Off Road Racing facility featuring the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series as well as a host of other regional events.
Lucas Oil Speedway hosts some of the largest and most popular events in the Midwest! National and regional touring series appear frequently for Special Events on the Diamond of Dirt Tracks. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, POWRi Midget National Series, Lucas Oil Pro-Pulling League, United States Modified Touring Series, ASCS Sprint Cars and the Lucas Oil MLRA.
In addition to the incredible Special Events, the Lucas Oil Speedway Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series features the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models, Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds, Big O Tires Street Stocks and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods, racing weekly.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
