Sunday

ENNIS, Texas – Alvie Merrill led the team from Thunder Valley Raceway Park to the Team Championships and pick up his own in the No-Electronics Quick class at this weekend’s NHRA Summit Racing Series South Central Division Finals at Texas Motorplex.  Merrill, from Edmond, Okla., used a hole-shot starting line advantage, and a 6.367 second run on a 6.36 dial-in in his ’94 Camaro, to edge out Michael “Drew” Porcher, Conroe, Texas, in an ’88 S-10 running 6.232 at 111.83 mph.  Merrill and his teammates from Thunder Valley, Noble, Okla., gather up 71 points to defend their team championship from a year ago with North Star Dragway and Royal Purple Raceway finishing 2nd and 3rd.

Tulsa Raceway Park had a pair of drivers race to the winner’s circle as Brian Hughes and Thomas Klemme took home trophies in the Pro and Motorcycle classes.  Hughes, Longview, Texas, powered his ’79 Firebird past Jack Mauldin Jr., Groesbeck, Texas, with a 6.435 second pass at 100.21 mph with Mauldin coming in at 6.402, 111.74 in his ’70 Nova.  Klemme, Davenport, Iowa, road his ’76 K2 900 to a lap of 5.544 at 121.67 mph in out running Jason Moody, Tomball, Texas, going 6.396, 105.36 on his ’77 Kawasaki.

Jeromy Hefler out of Kennedale, Texas, joined in on the fun picking up the win in No-Electronics Street over Brad Young, Ft. Worth, Texas.  Hefler drove the ’71 Capri that his brother Jeff won in last year, to a 7.843, 83.87 mph win with Young posting a 7.824, 80.33 in his ’67 Camaro.

In Super Pro it was Randell Reid running for Hobbs Raceway with a 0.019 second package in his ’07 dragster to defeat Dylan Lee, Austin, Texas.  Reid’s lap of 4.725, 144.47 mph was too much for Austin’s 5.096 at 134.16.  Reid went on to win the run off with the Pro winner Hughes and will advance to the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship next month at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona Calif., along with Merrill, Hefler, and Klemme where they will face the winner’s from the other six NHRA divisions for a purse of more than $100,000.

The following are the final results from the NHRA South Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals at Texas Motorplex:

Super Pro
Randell Reid, Bridgeport, Texas, ‘07 dragster, 4.725 seconds, 144.47 mph def.
Dylan Lee, Austin, Texas, '05 dragster, 5.096, 134.16

Pro
Brian Hughes, Longview, Texas, '79 Firebird, 6.435, 100.21 def.
Jack Mauldin Jr, Groesbeck, Texas, '70 Nova, 6.402, 111.74

Non-Electronics Quick
Alvie Merrill, Edmond, Okla., ’94 Camaro, 6.367, 106.65 def.
Michael “Drew” Porcher, Conroe, Texas, '88 S-10, 6.232, 111.83

No-Electronics Street
Jeromy Hefler, Kennedale, Texas '71 Capri, 7.843, 83.87 def.
Brad Young, Ft. Worth, Texas, '67 Camaro, 7.824, 80.33

Motorcycle
Thomas Klemme, Davenport, Iowa, '76 K2 900, 5.544, 121.67 def.
Jason Moody, Tomball, Texas, ‘77 Kawasaki, 6.396, 105.36

 

Saturday

ENNIS, Texas – A pair of Texas racers took home trophies today at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, at the NHRA Summit Racing Series South Central Division Finals.  Today’s Race of Champions, which matches up the top points earners from each track in the region, saw Derrick Patton and Jay Robinson taking the wins in the Electronics and Non-Electronics categories respectively.

Patton, Highlands, Texas, and running for Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas, went 6.757 seconds in his ’70 Maverick at 110.93 mph to hold off Cory Lytle, Oklahoma City, in his ’02 dragster.  Patton’s teammate Robinson, Santa Fe, Texas, followed with a final round win against David Olinde, Lakeland, La.  Robinson’s ’73 Nova clocked in at 7.273 seconds, 81.30 mph to Olinde’s ’66 Chevy at 7.655, 89.52

Taryn Greene and Ashley Kellough made it a clean sweep for Texas as Greene, Burleson, Texas, covered the filed in the High School class and out ran Micheal Martinez, Italy, Texas, in the final with an 8.267 second, 84.16 mph pass to Martinez, with a 10.154, 70.63.  Greene is running for North Star Dragway and Mansfield Legacy High School.  Kellough, from Texas Motorplex, won the annual Track Managers race over Dan Guterman from Tulsa Raceway Park running 10.154, 70.63

The following are the final results for the NHRA South Central Division Race of Champions Summit Racing Series event at Texas Motorplex:

FINALS
Electronics
Derrick Patton, Highlands, Texas, '70 Maverick, 6.757 seconds, 110.92 mph def.
Cory Lytle, Oklahoma City, '02 dragster, 4.774, 144.72

No Electronics
Jay Robinson, Santa Fe, Texas, '73 Nova, 7.273, 81.30 def.
David Olinde, Lakeland, La., 66 Chevy, 7.655, 89.52

High School 
Taryn Greene, Burleson, Texas, '01 Camaro, 8.267, 84.16 def.
Micheal Martinez, Italy, Texas, ‘67 Chevelle, 10.532, 68.64

Track Managers
Ashley Kellough, Texas Motorplex, 10.154, 70.63 def.
Dan Guterman, 8.629, 54.94


Preview
More than 400 racers took to the track today at Texas Motorplex for the NHRA Summit Racing Series South Central Division Finals with tracks from across the region sending teams in search of both individual and team championships.

Competitors in Super Pro, Pro, No-Electronics Quick, No-Electronics-Street, and Motorcycle made time-trials today in preparations for eliminations set to begin on Saturday afternoon.  Thunder Valley Raceway Park is looking to defend their Team Championship from a year ago as is Jeff Hefler who took home two trophies last year winning both the No-E Quick and the No-E Street classes.  Also on hand to defend their titles are Sandra Marshall in Super Pro, Brad Young in Pro, and Tony Davis in Motorcycle.

Saturday gets underway at 9 a.m. with final time trials followed by the Race of Champions competition and High School class time runs.  The Race of Champions pits the top points earners from each track in head to head competition.  Round 1 of the South Central Division Championship will follow the Race of Champions final rounds.

Texas Motorplex is located on Hwy. 287, two miles west of Ennis between Interstates 35 and 45.  For more information call the track (972) 878-2641 or visit www.TexasMotorplex.com