BEALKO LEADS NITRO JAM WINNERS IN MARTIN

Pro Stock racer Kevin Bealko was among the victors Saturday night at the IHRA’s Nitro Jam Northern Nationals at the U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan. He was joined by Dom Lagana, Ron Maroney, Randal Andras, and Marisha Falk atop the podium.

Nitro Jam Northern Nationals

After nearly a decade of competing in Mountain Motor Pro Stock racing, Kevin Bealko finally broke through for his first victory Saturday night in front of the U.S. 131 Motorsports Park crowd at the IHRA’s Nitro Jam Northern Nationals. Bealko motored though eliminations and took down top qualifier Scott Hintz in the final round on a holeshot, a 6.289 defeating a quicker 6.280. In Nitro Altered, Ron Maroney took out Kyle Hough in the final, 6.38 to 6.89, and Randal Andras carded a 6.85 for the win in Nitro Harley. As a special treat, brothers Dom and Bobby Lagana scored off in a four-race Top Fuel match race, with Dom taking all four contests between them, running a 4.83 on the final pass of the night.

Event Winners:

Top Fuel: Dom Lagana
Pro Stock: Kevin Bealko
Nitro Harley: Randal Andras
Nitro Harley: Ron Maroney
Jet Dragster: Marisha Falk

Nightfire Nationals

Mike Maggio has been an absolute terror on the west coast this season, and over the weekend, he added another win to his resume at the heralded Pepsi Nightfire Nationals at the Firebird Raceway in Idaho. Maggio, in his supercharged Camaro, outran Rod Burbage in the final round of the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod portion of the annual event, running 5.89 to Burbages’ 6.16. Tony Bartone took a decisive victory in Nostalgia Top Fuel with a 5.76-second defeat of No. 1 qualifier Jim Young in the final (with an all-time record speed of 276 MPH), and Dan Horan Jr. ousted a slowing Kris Krabill in Nostalgia Funny Car with a 6.38 in the money round.

Event Winners:

Nostalgia Top Fuel: Tony Bartone
Nostalgia Funny Car: Dan Horan Jr.
Pro Modified: Mike Maggio
Pro: Nicholas Shepherd
Bracketeer: Greg Hicks
Bracketeer Consolation: Kacey Laeger
Top Tire: Blu Hayball
Top Tire Full Bodied: Paul Eddins
Sled/Bike: Gerard Stanberry

NHRA Division 3

Jared Dreher headlined the winners list at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series All American Showdown at the Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis with his victory in Top Alcohol Dragster. Under the lights Saturday evening, Dreher bested a red-lighting Marty Thacker in the final, running 5.36 to cement the regional series victory. In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Steve Harker and opponent Dale Brand both ran into troubles in the final, but Harker was able to get the stripe under power first, running an off-pace 6.29 for the win.

Event Winners:

Top Alcohol Dragster: Jared Dreher
Top Alcohol Funny Car: Steve Harker
Competition Eliminator: Shaun Vincent
Super Stock: Ricky Decker
Stock: Chuck Weber
Super Comp: Edmond Richardson
Super Gas: Luke Bogacki
Super Street: Scotty Rienschield
Top Dragster: Christopher Carrico
Top Sportsman: Scott Haas