National: Series Pomona final report

DEMKE SCROES FIRST NATIONAL EVENT WIN, O'BANNON - TWO IN A ROW IN POMONA

GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 15, 2009) -- NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Chris Demke grabbed his first national event win at one of the most prestigious events in history, the 50th Anniversary Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals this past weekend at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Demke, Sunland, Calif., out ran Joey Severance, Woodburn , Ore., in the Top Alcohol Dragster final with a lap of 5.223 seconds at 269.67 mph for the win and the trophy. Demke, who runs the Peen-Rite dragster owned by Jerry and Dixie Madern, has been in eight previous national event final rounds.

Sean O'Bannon, Ontario, Calif., picked up where he left off at last year's Automobile Club of Southern California Finals taking his second win in as many events at Pomona. O'Bannon clocked in with the quickest run of the event at 5.541 seconds, 259.96 mph in the final of Top Alcohol Funny Car against Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif. Gordon had the lead early but was a tenth of a second slower than O'Bannon with a 5.643 second, 159.16 mph lap.

Lou Ficco Jr., Weatridge, Colo., took an easy final round victory when former National Champion Dean Cater fouled with an early start handing the win to Ficco. Two other Colorado racers made the trip worth wild as Brad Burton, Golden, Colo., and Kevin Wright, Longmont Colo., won in Stock Eliminator and Super Comp respectively. Burton beat local racer Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., while Wright took out Ed Olpin.

Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., and Brad Peirce, Riverside, Calif., rounded out the 50th Anniversary Winternationals winners. Lane held off reigning Super Stock National Champion Jimmy De Frank, Chatsworth, Calif., in Super Stock and Pierce beat Jimmy Lewis, Forney, Texas, in Super Gas.

Many of these Lucas Oil Drag Racing competitors will held over to Phoenix and Firebird International Raceway for this weekend's Arizona Nationals.

-source: nhra