LANGDON, BECKMAN, LAUGHLIN, SAVOIE EARN MIDWEST NATIONALS CROWNS
Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Alex Laughlin (Pro Stock) and Jerry Savoie (Pro Stock Motorcycle) grabbed wins Sunday at the second stop in the NHRA’s Countdown in St. Louis.
NHRA Midwest Nationals
Sophomore Pro Stock racer Alex Laughlin stole the show at the NHRA’s Midwest Nationals at the Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis on Sunday, denying Bo Butner and the rest of the 10-car Countdown to the Championship field by earning his first career victory in a 6.61 to 6.63, wire-to-wire win over Butner. In Top Fuel, Shawn Langdon powered past teammate Tony Schumacher to earn his third crown this season, 3.79 to a quicker 3.78, while Jack Beckman ousted Tommy Johnson, Jr. in another all-DSR finale, 3.92 to a slowing 4.18. And in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Jerry Savoie charged to his first win of 2016 after fellow Louisiana resident Angelle Sampey fouled out on the starting line in the final.
Top Fuel: Shawn Langdon
Funny Car: Jack Beckman
Pro Stock: Alex Laughlin
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Jerry Savoie
Competition Eliminator: Terry Smith
Super Stock: Larry Cummings
Stock: Jacob Pitt
Super Comp: Christopher Dodd
Super Gas: Koy Collier
Top Sportsman: Tom Schmidt
Top Dragster: Matt Driskell
Radial Fest: Fall Edition
Eric LaFerriere and car owner Paul Major cruised to some career best performances on their way to the Radial vs The World crown at the Radial Fest at Alabama’s Huntsville Dragway on Saturday night, as LaFerriere took down Jamie Hancock in the finale, 4.10 to a 4.28. In Limited Drag Radial, Mustang Mike Modeste claimed the hardware at an off-pace 5.26-seconds after opponent Matt Bell fouled out at the tree, while Shane Fisher drove his KBX Mustang to the X275 title over the nitrous car of Cecil Whitaker, 4.49 to 4.57.
Radial vs The World: Eric LaFerriere
Limited Drag Radial: Mike Modeste
X275: Shane Fisher
King of the Streets: Andrew Lavender
6.00 Index: Jared Pennington
7.00 Index: Ricky Pennington
NHRA Division 7
Utah’s Rocky Mountain Raceways played host to the NHRA’s Pacific division Lucas Oil Series with a doubleheader event as part of the Night of Fire over the weekend. In Competition Eliminator, Alan Ellis and Ralph Van Paepeghem traded final round blows, with Van Paepeghem taking race one with a better lap on both ends of the race track, while Ellis got the better of him in race two when Van Paepeghem slowed at the top end. In Super Stock, Caitlin Setters earned his first-ever NHRA Wally with a .005 light-aided defeat of Kyle Rizzoli, while Gary Miserva did likewise in Sunday’s Top Sportsman contest by forcing opponent Brian Leibee under the dial in the finale.