That time of year has come again, where the colors start to change, leaves are falling, and the weather turns seasonably cool. This can only mean one thing: the end of another racing season is near and Byron Dragway is hosting their world famous Power Wheelstanding Competition! This year marked the 19th running of the world-famous wheelstand competition and every year the wheelstands get higher, longer and crazier, attracting more and more fans.
But this event is not just a group of crazy drivers doing wheelies for your enjoyment, as the track also has a couple groups of index racers. The first group was the Midwest Index Shootout Series which hosts their races at Byron. They had a large car count this weekend in their various 8.60, 9.50, 10.20 and 10.80 index classes. The second group of index racers on the property this weekend was the Victory Nostalgia Super Stock Series, which races locally at the Midwest tracks and had put together a small group of 16 cars as a non-points race just to help put on a show for this weekend. For some of the faster cars on the property this weekend was the Top Sportsman racers and MDRA (Midwest Drag Radial Association). The MDRA had a group of eight cars in the pits giving the fans some fast heads-up action!
Event Winner – Best Overall Wheel Stand & Longest Wheel Stand
Winner of 2 Categories Ricky Kirkpatrick of Redkey, IN with his ’81 Chevy Malibu Wagon
Event Runner-Up – Overall Wheel Stand & Best Ford
Winner of 2 Categories: J. D. Drissel of Kenosha, WI with his ’86 Mustang
3rd Place Overall Wheel Stand: Brian Ambrosini of Kenosha, WI with his ’74 AMC Gremlin
4th Place Overall Wheel Stand: Rob Lacroix of Okotoles Alberta Canada 2006 Sunfire
Highest Wheel Stand & Best Mopar
Winner of 2 Categories: A J Fiorelli of Mackinaw, IL with his ’68 Plymouth Barracuda
Most Photogenic Wheel Stand: Jeff Wild of Palos Hills, IL ’70 Buick Skylark Convertable
Most Violent Wheel Stand: Greg Broshous of Stockton, IL with his ’63 Chevy II
2nd Place Ford Wheel Stand: Cory Heckenlaible of Utica, South Dakota with his ’73 Pinto
Best General Motors Wheel Stand: Tim Shamblin Elizabethtown, NC with his ’70 Chevy Luv Pickup
2nd Place General Motors Wheel Stand: Steve Penrod of Hobart,IN with his ’69 Camaro
Weirdest Wheel Stand: Rick Johnson of Fond Du Lac, WI with his ’60 Chevy Belair
Other Winners on the Day.
Top Sportsman:
Winner: Scott Haas Stillman Valley, IL Reaction Time .015 Dialed 7.35 ran 11.396 81.36 mph
Runner Up: Larry Dumke Grand Ridge, IL Reaction Time red light -.002 Dialed 6.71 ran 7.269 160.63 mph
Tog Dog:
Winner: Hector Laracuente Beach Park, IL Ran 4.418 166.64 mph
RunnerUp: Mike Recchia, Roselle, IL Ran 4.774 138.80 mph
Index Classes
Street Limited: 10.80 Class
Winner: Gary Erickson Carol Stream, IL Reaction time .080 Ran 10.602 124.02 mph
Runner Up: Robert Gerent, Byron, IL Reaction time Red Light Ran & Broke
Pro Avenger – 10.20 Class
Winner: Brian Fenlon Chicago,IL Reaction time .246 ran 10.517 113.07 mph
Runner Up: Jeff Carver Woodale, IL Reaction time .393 ran 10.402 113.39 mph
Pro Dominator 9.50 Class
Winner: Scott Fletcher West Chicago, IL Reaction Time .015 ran 9.494 131.61 mph
Runner Up: Bud Schwebke Garden Prairie, IL Reaction time .022 ran 9.487 132.88 mph
Pro Extreme 8.60 Class
Winner: Jim Pydo Elk Grove Village, IL ran 8.614 148.51 mph
Runner Up: Ken Kendall Spring Grove, IL ran 8.592 154.56 mph
Nostalgia Super Stocks:
Winner: Jeff Frees Menesha, WI Dialed 9.75 ran 9.775 136.76 mph
Runner Up: Tom Hoffman Lake Elmo, MN Dialed 11.00 ran 10.960 120.77 mph
MDRA 275 Drag Radial:
Winner: David Purlee Bloomington, IL ran 5.173 147.13 mph
Runner Up: Georgina Buckley Lake Villa, IL Broke on line
CHECK OUT THE HUGE PHOTO GALLERY BELOW!
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