First-time winners highlight Sportsman action at NHRA Midwest Nationals
![Ronnie Bohn](/sites/default/files/styles/news_gallery_big_image_920x518/public/2023-10/bphn.jpg?itok=leEYKlNd)
Six Sportsman drivers claimed huge victories in NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series action at the NHRA Midwest Nationals, led by Ronnie Bohn, a first-time winner in Comp.
A first-time Comp winner was crowned for the second straight event as Ronnie Bohn drove his J/Dragster Automatic entry to victory for the first time. Bohn, previously a runner-up in Norwalk in 2021, collected the win after six-time event titlist John Frech fouled by a thousandth of a second in the final. [video]
Jay Story, a runner-up in Denver the last two seasons, broke through for his first national event win when he topped Brenda Grubbs in a close double-breakout Super Stock final round. Story helped himself with a nearly-perfect .007 light. [video]
Racer and promoter Tyler Bohannon grabbed his third win of the season in Stock by driving his Corvette past veteran Lyn Smith in the final round. Bohannon used a .010 light and a 10.415 on his 10.41 dial to get the job done. [video]
Trene Cressonie, who just missed earlier in the season in Brainerd, added his second career national event victory in Super Comp, taking an easy final-round lap after 2019 world champ Jeremy Mason fouled by .005-second. [video]
Twenty years after his first final-round appearance, in Brainerd in 2003, Al Gavlovsky made good the second time around, wheeling his ’63 Corvette to the Super Gas title in a thrilling final round. Gavlovsky was a thousandth of a second from being perfect with a 9.901 while Phil Unruh was a thousandth of a second from perfection but on the wrong side and broke out with a 9.899. [video]
Chad Pekrul is now a three-time NHRA national event champion following his final-round win over Kyle Firestone in Right Trailers Top Sportsman. Pekrul posted a 6.61 on his 6.59 dial while Firestone broke out by four thousandths. [video]