Sunday

INDIANAPOLIS – Summit Motorsports Park racked up 58 points to capture its first Team Championship in the NHRA North Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis led by Super Pro Bike rider Kevin Adams.  Adams, Brunswick, Ohio, faced off against Summit Motorsports Park teammate Matt Short in the finals running 8.117 seconds at 155.67 mph on his Suzuki to Short who left early with a red-light start and a pass of 8.930 seconds.

Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio, was followed by Mid-Michigan Motorplex finishing second in the team standings by a tie breaker over Beech Bend Raceway Park who settled for third.  Both teams finished with 51 points.

Aaron Witsman, Bloomington, Ind., out of Lyons Raceway Park took home the Super Pro title with a 5.444 second lap in his ’81 Monza in defeating Cody Anderson, Prescott, Mich., who went 5.397 seconds at 126.22 mph in is ’00 dragster.

Edmond Richardson helped Beech Bend Raceway Park secure the third place finish by winning the Sportsman class in his ’69 Nova.  Richardson clocked in at 12.196 seconds on his 12.14 dial-in to beat James Ring, Sandusky, Ohio, and his ’72 Nova, while Tammy Lovitt, took the win in Pro.  The Edgewater Sports Park racer Lovitt, went 6.554 seconds at 102.73 mph in her ’64 Chevy II in knocking out Jeffrey Seither, Fairfield, Ohio, and Tri-State Dragway running his ’81 Chevette down the dragstrip in 6.874 seconds at 99.89 mph.

National Trail Raceway High School runner Austin Eveland, Nashport, Ohio, went 12.462 seconds at 101.15 mph for the victory over Whitney Lyons, Ashkum, Ill., Coles County Dragway in a ’98 Taurus.

Adams, Witsman, Richardson, and Lovitt will each advance to the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, in November where they will face off against the winners from the six other NHRA divisions for a purse of more than $100,000.

The following are the final results from the NHRA North Central Division Summit Racing Series event at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis:

SUPER PRO
Aaron Witsman, Bloomington, Ind., '81 Monza, 5.444, 127.75 def.
Cody Anderson, Prescott, Mich., '00 dragster, 5.397, 126.22

PRO
Tammy Lovitt, Batavia, Ohio, '64 Chevy II, 6.554, 102.73 def.
Jeffrey Seither, Fairfield, Ohio, '81 Chevette, 6.874, 99.89

SPORTSMAN
Edmond Richardson, Greenbrier, N.C., '69 Nova, 12.196, 97.46 def.
James Ring, Sandusky, Ohio, '72 Nova, 11.981,103.29

SUPER PRO BIKE
Kevin Adams, Brunswick, Ohio, 'Suzuki, 8.117, 155.67 def.
Matt Short, Cleveland, Ohio, 'Kawasaki, 8.930, 145.64

HIGH SCHOOL
Austin Eveland, Nashport, Ohio, '85 S-10, 12.462, 101.15 def.
Whitney Lyons, Ashkum,  Ill., '98 Taurus, 16.128, 85.44
 

Saturday

INDIANAPOLIS  –  NHRA North Central Division racers took to the track at Lucas Oil Raceway yesterday for day one of the division’s Summit Racing Series Finals.  Highlighting Friday’s action was the VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions featuring the top point’s earners from each track with Ryan McCann, Madison, Wis., leading the way with the victory in Super Pro over Nick Cryer of Manhattan, Ill.  McCann drove his ’08 dragster to a lap of 4.953 seconds at 139.83 mph to Cryer’s losing efforts with a 6.153, 89.29 mph.

Smithville, Ind., racer Eddie Kinner gave the home state something to cheer about in the Pro class taking his ’79 Camaro through eliminations and into the winner’s circle with a 6.850 second lap on the 6.84 second dial-in at nearly 100 mph.  Kinner beat fellow Indiana racer Mike McKinney, Richmond, Ind., who clocked in at 6.434, 104.43 in his ’72 Vega.

Douglas Thompson and Michael Nugent joined in as VP Racing Fuels Champions with Thompson, Columbus, Ohio, knocking out the ’68 Cuda of Ralph Bower, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, with a near perfect run of 13.393 seconds on the 13.39 dial-in to go along with a .004 second reaction time equating to a .007 second package for the win in Sportsman.  Bower put up a fight with a 12.150 second lap on his 12.13 dial.  Nugent, Medway, Ohio., took the honors in the 2-wheeled Super Pro Motorcycle class running 9.605 seconds on his ’79 Kawasaki at 132.02 mph to defeat Tyrone Greene, Princeton, Ind., ’08 Suzuki at 9.507, 140.39.

Friday also saw action in the Super Shootouts for each of the four classes in competition.  Winners in Super Pro included a pair of Ohio racers in Tim Buckley, Rossford, Ohio, and Matt Robbins, Fairfield, Ohio, joined by Craig Richardson, Shelbyville, Ind., and Robert Clark, Louisville, Ky.

Eastern Indiana racers Marty McKinney, Centerville, Ind., and Evan Shoopman, Redkey, Ind., won in the Pro Super Shootouts along with Rod Risner of Wixom, Mich., in his ’87 Mustang, and Ken Litschqui, Hamilton, Ohio, with a ’69 Camaro. 

Christi Yielding, Humboldt, Ill., was the lone female winner of the day leading the Sportsman Shootout winners past Mike Rehl, Heath, Ohio, in her ’07 Mustang while Randy Wolf, Bunker Hill, Ind; Jim Rouse, Hamilton, Ohio; and David Vaughn, Terre Haute, Ind., also took home trophies in the Sportsman class.

In Super Pro Bike, Matt Short and Roger Wilhelm Jr. rounded out the shootout winners as Short, Cleveland, ran down John Markham, Bowling Green, Ky., and Wilhelm, Lirbana, Ohio, held off Sean Robson, Gahanna, Ohio. 

Early elimination rounds for the North Central Division Summit Series Championship are scheduled for Saturday afternoon/evening and will continue on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. followed by winner’s circle and the awarding of champions Sunday afternoon.
 

The following are the final results from the NHRA Summit Racing Series VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions event and the Super Shootouts at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis:

VP RACING FUELS RACE OF CHAMPIONS
Super Pro
Ryan McCann, Madison, WI, 4.953 seconds, 139.83 mph def.
Nick Cryer, Manhattan, IL, 6.153, 89.29

Pro
Eddie Kinner, Smithville, IN, '79 Camaro, 6.850, 98.98 def.
Mike McKinney, Richmond, IN, '72 Vega, 6.434, 104.43

Sportsman
Douglas Thompson, Columbus, OH, '00 Trans Am, 13.393, 100.45 def.
Ralph Bower, Mt Vernon, OH, '68 Cuda, 12.150, 108.25

Super Pro Motorcycle
Michael Nugent, Medway, OH, '79 Kaw, 9.605, 132.02 def.
Tyrone Greene, Princeton IN, '08 Suzuki, 9.507, 140.39

SUPER SHOOTOUT FINALS
Super Pro (4 winners)
Tim Buckley, Rossford, OH, '93, 5.037, 122.51 def.
Josh Woods, Glasgow, KY, 6.684, 71.94

Craig Richardson, Shelbyville, IN, 4.833, 143.05 def.
Tim Louderback, Xenia, OH, 5.033, 135.29

Matt Robbins, Fairfield, OH, 5.152, 106.26 def.
Shorty Rader, Martinsville, IN, 5.395, 94.94

Robert Clark, Louisville, KY, 5.855, 114.56 def.
Bryan McDaniel, Evansville, IN, 4.998, 136.14

Pro (4 winners)
Marty McKinney, Centerville, IN, '68 Firebird, 6.588, 99.67 def.
Jerry Ashcraft, Mount Vernon, OH, '70 Dart, 6.730, 101.55

Evan Shoopman, Redkey, IN, '86 Cutlass, 6.819, 97.01 def.
Chase Batt, Muncie, IN, '67 Nova, 7.176, 93.07

Rod Risner, Wixom, MI, '87 Mustang, 6.433, 107.43 def.
Mike Heden, Evergreen Park, IL, '73 Camaro, 6.565, 104.15

Ken Litschqi, Hamilton, OH, '69 Camaro, 6.130, 111.35 def.
PJ Fouts, Gahanna, OH, '65 Chevelle, 6.445, 106.60

Sportsman (4 winners)
Christi Yielding, Humboldt, IL, '07 Mustang, 15.322, 87.10 def.
Mike Rehl, Heath, OH, '72 Vega, 12.453, 103.21

Randy Wolf, Bunker Hill, IN, '75 Nova, 13.776, 92.96 def.
Kassie Edwards-Wilson, Charleston, IL, '99 Camaro Z28, 12.971, 108.36

Jim Rouse, Hamilton, OH, '80 Chevette, 12.196, 103.95 def.
Matt Spradlin, Springfield, OH, '02 Cavalier, 17.685, 66.70

David Vaughn, Terre Haute, IND, '71 Torino, 12.155, 109.34 def.
Dustin Loynes, Novi, MI, '80 Firebird, 12.029, 111.60
 
Super Pro Motorcycle (2 winners)
Matt Short, Cleveland, OH, 'Kaw, 8.927, 145.97 def.
John Markham, Bowling Green, KY, 'Kawasaki, 9.249, 135.84

Roger Wilhelm Jr., Lirbana, OH, '72 Kawasaki, 9.967, 115.36 def.
Sean Robson, Gahanna, OH, '03 Suzuki, 9.860, 140.44

Preview: Summit Racing Series NHRA North Central Division Finals celebrates 35 years
INDIANAPOLIS – Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis will host the 35th Annual NHRA Summit Racing Series North Central Division Finals, Sept. 16-18.  The event will feature teams of the series’ best racers representing NHRA Member Tracks from across the region.  Top points earning drivers in five classes will be on hand to compete for team and individual honors.  Nearly 800 drivers are expected to compete in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Super Pro Bike, and High School categories.  Racers in the High School class will run for trophies while the others will compete for cash awards of more than $70,000.

Gates at Lucas Oil Raceway will open at 7 a.m. each day.  Time trials will start Friday morning at 9 and continue Saturday at 8 a.m.  Eliminations will start Saturday at 1 p.m. and continue Sunday at 8 a.m. 

Friday’s action will also feature the VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions, starting at 3 p.m., where the best of the best in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Super Pro Bike will compete for top honors.  Sunday’s winners will move on to compete for a national championship at the NHRA Auto Club of Southern California Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Calif., in November.  They’ll run against the winners from NHRA’s other six divisions for a $5,000 winner-take-all purse.

Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis is located on Indiana Highway 136, four miles west of I-465, exit 16.  For more information call the track, (317) 291-4090 or visit www.LucasOilRaceway.com.

SUMMIT RACING SERIES NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION FINALS: Fact Sheet

WHAT: NHRA Summit Racing Series North Central Division Finals, where top drivers from NHRA member tracks across the North Central division compete in five classes for individual and team honors.  Competing classes are: Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Super Pro Bike and High School. The Race of Champions, a race within a race where the top points earners from each participating track run head-to-head for individual honors, will run on Friday.  Event winners on Sunday in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Super Pro Bike will advance to a national run-off at the NHRA Auto Club of Southern California Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Calif.
 
WHERE: Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind.  Track is located on Indiana Highway 136, four miles west of Interstate 465 at exit 16.  For more information, please visit www.LucasOilRaceway.com or call (317) 291-4090.

WHEN:  Friday through Sunday, September 16-18, 2011.

SCHEDULE: Schedule for the Summit Racing Series North Central Division Finals:

FRIDAY, Sept. 16 -- Time trials begin at 9 a.m.  VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions starts at 3 p.m.

SATURDAY, Sept. 17 – Gates open at 7 a.m.  Time trials begin at 8 a.m.  Eliminations start at 1 p.m. 

SUNDAY, Sept. 18 – Gates open at 7 a.m.  Elimination continues at 8 a.m. 

PURSE: The Summit E.T. Racing Series competitors in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Super Pro Bike will compete for cash awards of more than $70,000. 

Event winners in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Super Pro Bike will advance to compete against winners from NHRA’s other six divisions at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., in November.  They will each receive $3,500 for competing in the Finals and the winner in each class will receive an additional $5,000.

Participants in the High School class compete for trophies.

2010 EVENT WINNERS: Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, team champion; Shorty Rader, Super Pro; Chase Batt, Pro; Chad Isley, Sportsman; Rick Poole, Super Pro Bike