Great Bend Saturday notes

PUTZ, JONES LEAD FIELDS IN GREAT BEND

GREAT BEND, Kan. - Richard Putz and Jimmy Jones picked up where they left off last year for this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Thunder on the Plains at S.R.C.A. Drag Strip in Great Bend, Kan. Both drivers took home the trophies in their respective classes last year and are qualified No. 1 for this year's event.

Putz of Earlville, Iowa, ran 5.564 seconds at 259.23 mph in his Top Alcohol Dragster. Putz is followed by Brandon Pierce of Moore, Okla., in second running 5.601 seconds, 252.28 mph.

Cleburen, Texas, resident and defending South Central Division Champion Jones clocked in at 5.928 seconds, 243.02 mph to lead the Top Alcohol Funny Car field with Californian Bernie Harrington in second at 5.936 seconds, 243.85 mph.

Local favorite Mike Newkirk of Great Bend, Kan., used the final qualifying session to make the eight-car field. Newkirk bumped out Ron Morrison with a lap of 6.357 seconds at 226.62 mph in his '02 Avenger funny car and will face Jones in round one of eliminations.

A pair of '34 Chevys lead the Comp Eliminator field with Lindstrom, Minn., resident Thomas Schmidt running 8.604 seconds in the No. 1 spot followed by defending event champion Todd Patterson of Augusta, Kan., in second.

Clif Balex of Canada, moved ahead of Dean Dubbing for the top spot in Top Dragster with a 6.376 second lap at 210.44 mph. Dubbing held on for second with a 6.521 second pass at 209.85 mph while McPhearson, Kan., runner Phil Unrich sits in fifth going into Sunday's eliminations.

In Top Sportsman it was Friday's qualifying times holding up with Jim White of Haysville, Kan., on the pole with a time of 7.476 seconds at 184.30 mph. Dave Slatten is second running 7.533 seconds at 181.18 mph and hometown racer Craig Amerine of Great Bend, Kan., in the eighth position with an 8.439 second lap at 159.61 mph.

Friday's number one and two qualifiers swapped places in Super Stock as Ronald Roddel of Sioux Falls, S.D., jumped to the top in his '02 Grand Am with a 10.950 second run leaving James Weakland in the No. 2 spot out of Morrison, Colo.

Robert Shaw and Alex Barmettler rounded out the top qualifiers. Shaw ran 14.086 seconds in his '79 Seville followed by Gregory Greening of Columbia, Mo., in Stock Eliminator. Barmettle recorded a .002 second reaction time in the Sportsman Motorcycle Class presented by Harley Davidson with Great Bend residents Michael Shelton and Michael Ziegler qualified eighth and tenth in sportsman motorcycle.

Racing continues Sunday at 8 a.m. Gates open at 7 a.m. Tickets are $20. The track is located at 455 W. Barton County Road, 2½ miles west of Great Bend on the old Air Force base. For more information, call S.R.C.A. Drag Strip, (785) 483-1980.

The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and Sunday's first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Thunder on the Plains at S.R.C.A. Drag Strip:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.564 seconds, 254.23 mph
2) Brandon Pierce, Moore, Okla., 5.601, 252.28
3) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.706, 247.97
4) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.762, 249.53
5) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.895, 235.15
6) Scott Peterson, Bellingham, Wash., 5.980, 237.88
7) John Haley, Wayzata, Minn., 7.543, 119.42

First round TAD pairings
1) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.564 seconds, 254.23 mph vs. Bye
2) Brandon Pierce, Moore, Okla., 5.601, 252.28 vs. 7) John Haley, Wayzata, Minn., 7.543, 119.42
3) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.706, 247.97 vs. 6) Scott Peterson, Bellingham, Wash., 5.980, 237.88
4) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.762, 249.53 vs. 5) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.895, 235.15

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '99 Camaro, 5.928 seconds, 243.02 mph
2) Bernie Harrington, Apple Valley, Calif., '00 Camaro, 5.936, 243.85
3) Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., '06 Stratus, 5.962, 239.10
4) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '04 Camaro, 5.973, 245.45
5) Mike Bell, Fulton, Mo., '05 Monte Carlo, 6.089, 234.21
6) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '99 Camaro, 6.100, 237.21
7) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '07 Mustang, 6.231, 235.02
8) Mike Newkirk, Great Bend, Kan., '02 Avenger, 6.357, 226.62 Not Qualified
9) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, '05 Monte Carlo, 6.379, 223.58
10) Shawn (Casey) Beal, Basehor, Kan., '99 Camaro, 6.733, 216.13

First round TAFC pairings
1) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '99 Camaro, 5.928 seconds, 243.02 mph vs. 8) Mike Newkirk, Great Bend, Kan., '02 Avenger, 6.357, 226.62
2) Bernie Harrington, Apple Valley, Calif., '00 Camaro, 5.936, 243.85 vs. 7) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '07 Mustang, 6.231, 235.02
3) Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., '06 Stratus, 5.962, 239.10 vs. 6) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '99 Camaro, 6.100, 237.21
4) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '04 Camaro, 5.973, 245.45 vs. 5) Mike Bell, Fulton, Mo., '05 Monte Carlo, 6.089, 234.21

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Thomas Schmidt, Lindstrom, Minn., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.604 seconds, -0.706 (under index)
2) Todd Patterson, Augusta, Kan., '34 Chevy, B/SR, 8.062, -0.648
3) Bill Morse, McKinney, Texas, '07 Cobalt, G/SM, 9.010, -0.620
4) Pat Nahan, St. Cloud, Minn., dragster, E/D, 7.672, -0.608
5) Scott Parks, Burlingame, Kan., dragster, A/ND, 7.002, -0.608
6) Lucky Snyder, Longmont, Colo., '62 Alpine, G/A, 8.589, -0.591
7) Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., dragster, B/D, 6.798, -0.582
8) Richard Freeman, Pauls Valley, Okla., '07 Cobalt, D/AA, 7.891, -0.579
9) Clark Smiley, Denver City, Texas, '04 Cavalier, B/SM, 8.315, -0.535
10) Lee Sharp, Louisville, Tenn., '04 Cavalier, G/SMA, 9.018, -0.532

SUPER STOCK
1) Ronald Roddel, Sioux Falls, S.D., '02 Grand Am, GT/MA, 10.950 seconds, -1.370 (under index)
2) James Weakland, Morrison, Colo., '68 Camaro, SS/GA, 9.764, -1.326
3) Carroll Warling, Arvada, Colo., '74 Grand Am, SS/MA, 11.205, -1.215
4) Tom Meyer, Pierce, Neb., '66 Chevy II, SS/LA, 10.815, -1.195
5) David Bogner, Kearney, Neb., '92 Daytona, SS/CS, 9.712, -1.178
6) Geoff Hanson, Omaha, Neb., '87 Regal, GT/HA, 10.442, -1.158
7) Mike Town, Paola, Kan., '84 Regal, GT/MA, 11.172, -1.148
8) Ron Parness, Conifer, Colo., '67 Chevy II, SS/HA, 9.996, -1.144
9) Tony Shaffer, Kingsville, Mo., '80 Malibu, GT/MA, 11.189, -1.131
10) Gene Bichlmeier, Norfolk, Neb., '66 Chevy II, GT/I, 10.386, -1.114

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Robert Shaw, Sedalia, Mo., '79 Seville, K/FIA, 14.086 seconds, -1.404 (under index)
2) Gregory Greening, Columbia, Mo., '96 S-10, I/FIA, 12.789, -1.271
3) Darell Wikle, Wichita, Kan., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.603, -1.207
4) Don Duke, Indianola, Iowa, '68 Camaro, B/S, 10.560, -1.200
5) Mike Koppien, Sioux Falls, S.D., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.666, -1.144
6) Scott Burton, Golden, Colo., '72 Firebird, E/SA, 11.131, -1.139
7) Steve Brack, Lawrence, Kan., '87 Camaro, E/FI, 11.652, -1.128
8) Tony Hernandez, Denver, '65 Corvette, H/S, 11.447, -1.123
9) Troy Henderson, Tecumseh, Kan., '68 Camaro, A/S, 10.406, -1.094
10) Anderson Schmitt, Wichita, Kan., '68 Camaro, E/S, 11.131, -1.089

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Jim White, Haysville, Kan., '04 Cavalier, 7.476 seconds, 184.42 mph
2) Dave Slatten, Fort Collins, Colo., '04 Grand Am, 7.533, 181.18
3) J.J. Heber, Centennial, Colo., '06 Mustang, 7.666, 180.14
4) Neal Schaffer, Tyrone, Okla., '89 Firebird, 7.681, 178.38
5) Mark Metrokotsas, Overland Park, Kan., '63 Corvette, 7.821, 175.39
6) Lou Rausch, Traer, Iowa, '95 Beretta, 7.856, 175.94
7) Ryan Julius, Frederick, Colo., '66 Chevelle, 7.956, 170.47
8) Craig Amerine, Great Bend, Kan., '88 Camaro, 8.439, 159.61

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Clif Balex, Kleefield, Manit., dragster, 6.376 seconds, 211.13 mph
2) Dean Dubbing, Royalton, Minn., dragster, 6.521, 210.73
3) Martin Schmidt, Oak Grove, Minn., dragster, 6.815, 193.85
4) Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., dragster, 6.847, 211.43
5) Phil Unruh, McPhearson, Kan., dragster, 7.041, 192.99
6) Mark Grame, Overland Park, Kan., dragster, 7.096, 190.27
7) Brent Camerlinck, Leonardsville, Kan., dragster, 7.128, 187.34
8) Max Tafoya Jr., Albuquerque, N.M., dragster, 7.190, 186.92
9) Les Feist, Clearwater, Minn., dragster, 7.250, 185.49
10) Kent Kroeker, Grant, Neb., dragster, 7.317, 187.34

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1) Alex Barmettler, Maplewood, Minn., '78 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.002 seconds reaction time
2) Tom Gilligan, Fremont, Neb., '00 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.007
3) Rich Gentili, Humble, Texas, '83 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.009
4) Mike Voss, Maplewood, Minn., '04 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.009
5) Robert Cooper, Plattsmouth, Neb., '89 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.010
6) Ryan Sparke, Hays, Kan., '05 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.017
7) Zachary Barta, Wilson, Kan., '77 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.026
8) Michael Shelton, Great Bend, Kan., '02 Honda, ETMX, 0.027
9) James Bloesser, Wilson, Kan., '84 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.078
10) Michael Ziegler, Great Bend, Kan., '88 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.299

-credit: nhra