PAC: Bakersfield Saturday summary

Champions Crowned at NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Auto Club Famoso Raceway

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series wrapped up this weekend at Auto Club Famoso Raceway. Racers completed the two day event, which was the sixth of seven events on the division calendar. The event featured drivers in eleven categories vying for last-minute points leading to divisional and national championships. Winning the hardware were Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., and Von Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn., in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class.

Demke, claiming his second divisional win of the year, took a trip to the winner's circle over Joey Severance of Spanaway, Wash. Demke's run of 5.414 seconds, 265.01 mph., was more than enough to defeat Severance's pass of 5.546 seconds, 254.38 mph.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car action, Smith was able to obtain back to back championships at Auto Club Famoso Raceway. Due to the fouling Terry Ruckman of Grand Junction, Colo., Smith's pass of 8.936 seconds, 92.39 mph. was enough to grab the title. This is Smith's second victory of the season, winning last month at Infineon Raceway.

Other top honors were awarded to Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., winning his fourth Comp Eliminator divisional of the season; Justin Lamb of Henderson, Nev., claimed the Super Stock trophy; and Jimmy DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., won in Stock Eliminator. Super Comp honors went to Steve Williams, Loma Linda, Calif.; Val Torres Jr, Valinda, Calif., won in Super Gas; and Keith Manogue of Phoenix, beat out Bakersfield local Joe Lokhang. Top Dragster honors went to Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif.; Larry Scarth, Manhatten Beach, Calif., won the Top Sportsman class; and the Sportsman Motorcycle title went to Aaron Pine, La Mirada, Calif.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on November 6-9 to wrap up the series.

The following are Saturday's final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division event at Auto Club Famoso Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1
4) Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 5.507, 250.83 def. 5) Mark Niver, Phoenix, 5.545, 261.09;

2) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.507, 269.70 def. 7) Johnny Ahten, Santa Clarita, Calif., 5.563, 233.10;

1) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.383, 269..29 def. 8) Del Cox Jr., Downey, Calif., 5.725, 224.55;

3) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.445, 268.09 def. 6) Randy Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 5.768, 257.58;

Semifinals
Demke, 5.416, 258.39 def. Shields, 5.542, 269.62; Severance, 5.391, 264.39 def. Whiteley, 5.388, 266.90;

Final
Demke, 5.414, 265.01 def. Severance, 5.546, 254.38.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1
3) Larry Miner, Woodbridge, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.941, 244.69 def. 6) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '07 Mustang, 13.901, 58.16;

5) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.950, 251.46 def. 4) Alexis De Joria, Venice, Calif., '08 Charger, 5.808, 248.55;

2) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '08 Mustang, 5.768, 251.81 def. 7) Mark Woznichak, Ontario, Calif., '02 Camaro, 6.040, 214.84;

1) Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., '01 Firebird, 5.647, 254.52 def. 8) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 6.051, 227.38;

Semifinals
V. Smith, 5.703, 253.44 def. Miner, broke;
Ruckman, 5.688, 251.46 def. Gordon, 6.097, 202.79;

Final
V. Smith, 8.936, 92.39 def. Ruckman, foul.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., '08 Cobalt, C/EA, 8.111, 167.19 def. Jim Cowan, Dewey, Ariz., '08 Cobalt, I/AA, 8.252, 164.68.

SUPER STOCK

Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., '08 Cobalt, SS/AS, 9.054, 146.08 def. Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '08 Cobalt, SS/BM, 8.566, 158.87.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Jimmy DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.302, 127.69 def. Mark Faul, Tacoma, Wash., '69 Chevelle, C/SA, 11.052, 119.30.

SUPER COMP

Steve Williams, Loma Linda, Calif., dragster, 8.908, 178.00 def. Ed Johnson, Seuman, Ariz., dragster, 8.884, 171.10.

SUPER GAS

Val Torres Jr, Valinda, Calif., '98 Firebird, 9.912, 155.73 def. Randy Bowers, Riverside, Calif., '69 Camaro, 9.896, 139.64.

SUPER STREET

Keith Manogue, Phoenix, '63 Nova, 10.906, 139.77 def. Joe Lokhang, Bakersfield, Calif., '68 Camaro, 11.034, 140.47.

TOP DRAGSTER

Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., dragster, 6.755, 199.51 def. Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, foul.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Larry Scarth, Manhatten Beach, Calif., '05 Cavalier, 7.767, 172.77 def. Rich Takahashi, San Gabriel, Calif., '04 Cavalier, 7.629, 184.57.

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

Aaron Pine, La Mirada, Calif., '94 GSX-R, 8..336, 153.58 def. Tom Medlin, La Mirada, Calif., '86 GSXR, 8.772, 146.38.

-credit: nhra