Sunday

Division 4’s McNeal made the tow from Paris, Texas, pay off when he turned on the win light against Division 5 runner Tom Williams in the Super Pro final. McNeal got off the starting line first, .015 to .044, and carried the advantage all the way through the quarter-mile, winning with a 7.703 (7.67 dial). Williams settled for runner-up honors with a 7.640 (7.52).

Kadar, the Division 7 titlist, added the Pro national title to an impressive resume that includes two national event wins in Stock. In the final, both Kadar and Division 1 champ Andy Anderson broke out with Kadar’s 10.746 (10.76) getting the nod over Anderson’s 9.706 (9.73).

Crutcher added the Sportsman national championship to the one he earned in Division 3 when he bested Darrel Goheen, the Division 5 champ. Crutcher scored the title at the Tree when he jumped to a huge .011 to .102 lead. That allowed Crutcher to slow to a 12.226 (12.19) and win. Goheen ran closer to the dial with a 12.021 (12.00), but it wasn’t enough to move him around Crutcher.

Herrera, the Division 7 champion, defeated Division 3 ace Bruce Damewood to claim the Super Pro Motorcycle national championship. Herrera paired a .013 reaction with an on-the-dial 8.498 to claim the crown over Damewood, who cut a game .019 light and clocked an 8.960 (8.90). 

Preview

POMONA — The top Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, and Super Pro Motorcycle racers from NHRA’s seven geographical divisions will journey to Auto Club Raceway at Pomona to vie for a national title in the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship. Summit Racing Series national champions will be decided in each of the four classes following three-round eliminators held during the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals.

Event sponsor Summit Racing Equipment is an industry leader in the distribution of racing parts and equipment through catalogs and the Internet. The company also sponsors the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, and several Pro and Sportsman drag racers, including Pro Stock drivers Greg Anderson and Jason Line.

This year, bracket racers competed for points and cash awards during qualifying events at NHRA’s 140 member tracks throughout North America. Each track’s top drivers then moved on to compete for individual and team honors at the NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals, which were held in each of NHRA’s seven divisions. Twenty-eight champions — seven each from Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, and Super Pro Motorcycle — were determined and will compete for national titles in Pomona.

Each of the 2009 national champions will receive $5,000, an NHRA Gold Card, a champion’s trophy, and a jacket. All qualifiers who attend the Pomona event are guaranteed a minimum of $3,500.

Indexes for the classes are as follows: Super Pro (7.00-11.99 seconds), Pro (10.00-13.99), Sportsman (12.00-19.99), and Super Pro Motorcycle (7.50-15.99). Competitors in Super Pro and Super Pro Motorcycle are permitted to use delay boxes; those in the Pro class are limited to a transbrake, two-step ignition, and four-wheel line-loc. Competitors in Sportsman are not permitted to use any electronics and must employ mufflers. All racing is done on a five-tenths full Tree; the Compulink Cross Talk feature will be used in Super Pro and Super Pro Motorcycle.