MOTHER NATURE CLAIMS NO MERCY VI, BUT NOT BEFORE RECORDS ARE OBLITERATED

Jeff Sitton’s scintillating 3.90-second record-setting run in Radial versus The World highlighted the No Mercy VI event at the South Georgia Motorsports Park, as inclement weather forced an early end to eliminations on Sunday afternoon.

No Mercy VI

Popular promoter Donald Long’s annual fall race at the South Georgia Motorsports Park more than lived up to the billing over the weekend, as a barrage of 3-second runs were made in the headlining Radial versus The World category, including an all-time-quick 3.90 laid down by nitrous racer Jeff Sitton during qualifying. Jamie Stanton led the x275 field with a stout 4.46 from his nitrous-fed Camaro, Barry Mitchell headed up the Outlaw Drag Radial field with a 4.18, and Phil Hines and Shawn Pevlor paced the Outlaw 275 and Ultimate Street fields, respectively. Unfortunately, steady rain showers moved into the area following the second round of eliminations on Sunday morning, leaving Long and company to call the remainder of the event and split the purse amongst those still in contention.

NHRA Midwest Nationals

Antron Brown scored an impressive fourth straight victory at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at the Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis, defeating Dave Connolly, 3.72 to 3.75, to pad his Countdown points lead. Del Worsham, the winner in Funny Car a week ago in Charlotte, remained undefeated in the Countdown, taking a wild, fiery win over Matt Hagan, 3.96 to 3.98, to likewise increase his lead in the points. Drew Skillman defeated teammate Erica Enders to claim his very first Pro Stock victory, and Hector Arana Jr. defeated his father, Hector Sr., in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final round. Mike Knowles was also victorious in Pro Modified, winning for the second year in a row at St. Louis with a final round defeat of Rickie Smith.

Top Fuel: Antron Brown
Funny Car: Del Worsham
Pro Stock: Drew Skillman
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Hector Arana Jr.
Pro Modified: Mike Knowles
Competition Eliminator: Craig Bourgeois
Super Stock: Brina Splingaire
Stock: Britt Cummings
Super Comp: Luke Bogacki
Super Gas: Jacob Elrod
Top Sportsman: Lester Johnson
Top Dragster: Marco Abruzzi

PSCA West Coast Shootout

The Pacific Street Car Association rolled back into the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway over the weekend for the West Coast Shootout, with racers vying for championship points as the season winds to a close. In Outlaw 10.5, top qualifier Troy Cafaro took a convincing win over Casey Van Tol with a 4.43 in the money round, while Scott Bieschke took Outlaw 8.5 honors over Anthony Smith, 5.27 to 5.30. Smith, however, was able to reverse his fortunes in Xtreeme Drag Radial/True 10.5, ousting Johnny Coleman in the final round.

Outlaw 10.5: Troy Cafaro
Outlaw 10.5: Scott Bieschke
Xtreeme Drag Radial/True 10.5: Anthony Smith
Wild Street: George Raygoza
235 Limited: Ron Shaw
Super Index: Jaclyn Generalo
Triple Index: George Mattie
Open Comp: Justen Spencer
Mustang Madness: D.W. Cress
Bracket 1: Mel Uechi
Street Muscle: Jeff Dudgeon
Junior Dragster 8-12: Ethan Cerny
Junior Dragster 13-18: Gabriel LaBum

IHRA Nitro Jam

The stars of the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series rolled into the San Antonio Raceway over the weekend for the penultimate race in the 2015 schedule, with a number of championship points battles headed right down to the wire. In Nitro Funny Car, championship contender Mike McIntire Jr. failed to qualify for the first time all season long, while points leader Jason Rupert lost in the opening round of eliminations. John Smith went on to claim the San Antonio Nationals title, downing Paul Romine with a 5.75 in the final. In Pro Stock, Cary Goforth assumed the points lead with a final round holeshot defeat of Scott Hintz, 6.36 to 6.33, and Shea Holbrook won her first IHRA race in Jet Dragster, downing newly-crowned champion Elaine Larsen in the final round.

Nitro Funny Car: John Smith
Pro Stock: Cary Goforth
Jet Dragster: Shea Holbrook
Fuel Altered: Donnie Massey

NHRA Division 2

Don Eckel earned his third Competition Eliminator victory of the season at the NHRA’s Southeast division event at the Bristol Dragway, defeating Glen Treadwell, who slowed, in the final. In Super Stock, Ed Longhany won his first career Lucas Oil Series divisional title with a final round win over Joel Warren, while Kevin Helms cruised to a 9.24-second win in the Stock final over Jegg Longhany.

Competition Eliminator: Don Eckel
Super Stock: Ed Longhany
Stock: Kevin Helms
Super Comp: Jeremy Mason
Super Gas: Steve Hoyt
Super Street: Lamar Stevenson
Top Sportsman: Ryan Ondrejko
Top Dragster: Mike Trauth
Pro Fuel Harley: Janette Thorley
Pro Gas Harley: Jay Wagner
Hot Street Harley: Troy Young
Draggin Bagger Harley: Ken Winsor
Street Pro Harley: Joe Perry
Screamin’ Eagle Performance Harley: William Rowe Jr.

NHRA Division 7

Alan Ellis claimed his second win of the doubleheader weekend and propelled himself a step closer to the Competition Eliminator national championship on Sunday at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Utah, defeating Cody Lane in a great final round that saw both drivers in the double-oh range on the tree. Randy Loge took Sunday’s Super Stock honors, while Ryan McClanahan did likewise in Stock.

Competition Eliminator: Alan Ellis
Super Stock: Brad Rounds/Randy Loge
Stock: Brad Burton/Ryan McClanahan
Super Comp: George Garbiso/Michael Dalrymple
Super Gas: Mike Wiblishouser/Bradley Johnson
Super Street: Wayde Samuel/John Dexter
Top Sportsman: Doug Crumlich/Darryn O’Connor
Top Dragster: Steve Priest/Tracy Holt
Sportsman Motorcycle: Mike Cragun/Rick Newport