NC: Series Columbus final summary

Thacker, Foster Victorious at National Trail Raceway

HEBRON, Ohio. (July 26, 2009) - Eliminations are complete from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event held at National Trail Raceway. Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Marty Thacker of Robinson, Ill., and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Chris Foster from Davenport, Iowa, took home the hardware. This event concludes the fifth of six in North Central division competition in which racers earn points towards divisional and national championships.

Thacker, last year's Top Alcohol Dragster divisional champ, knocked out the current points leader Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., in the first round on his way to the winner's circle. In the final, he posted a perfect light and ran a 5.434 second, 262.85 mph pass to beat Ken Perry from Richmond Hill, Ont., to pick up the holeshot win. This is Thacker's first victory of the season.

Foster is making a run for the points lead by picking up his second win of the year. The No.1 qualifier of the weekend posted a 5.748 second, 249.03 mph lap to eliminate Andy Bohl of Racine, Wis., in the money round.

Other top winners included Bruno Massel of Woodbridge, Ill., who picked up his third win of the season in Comp Eliminator; Gene McBean, Chardon, Ohio, was victorious in Super Stock; and Stock Eliminator honors went to Jason McCormack from Oxford, Mich. James Antonette out of Valley Stream, N.Y., captured the top spot in Super Comp; Larry Bernshausen, Manito, Ill., won the Super Gas class, and Josh VanHorne, Orient, Ohio, went to the Super Street winner's circle.

The Dart Top Sportsman honors went to Thomas Turner Jr., Naples, Fla., and the Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster Series title went to Rick Forish, New Palestine, Ind.

The next North Central division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event is at Beech Bend Raceway Park. The race is slated for August 28-30.

The following are Sunday's final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division event at National Trail Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1
4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.444, 264.91 def. 5) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.464, 266.42;

2) Ken Perry, Richmond Hill, Ont., 5.465, 254.66 def. 7) Denny Hummel, Clinton Twnshp, Mich., 5.609, 238.43;

8) Brian Mans, Godfrey, Ill., 5.693, 255.58 def. 1) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., broke;

3) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.452, 264.18 def. 6) Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., 5.573, 260.76;

Semifinals
Perry, 5.470, 239.14 def. Samsel, 8.232, 106.38; Thacker, 5.541, 263.62 def. Mans, 5.704, 251.25;

Final
Thacker, 5.434, 262.85 def. Perry, 5.409, 260.76.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1
1) Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, '07 Monte Carlo, 5.838, 248.61 def. 8) Tim Stevens, Dorr, Mich., '06 Stratus, 6.288, 193.90;

4) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '08 Charger, 5.737, 250.88 def. 5) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '09 Monte Carlo, broke;

3) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '07 Mustang, 5.833, 247.34 def. 6) Brian Harvanek, Cheswick, Pa., '02 Camaro, 5.828, 245.09;

2) Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., '09 Mustang, 5.781, 248.89 def. 7) Terry Munroe, Beaver, Pa., '05 Monte Carlo, 11.677, 90.76;

Semifinals
Foster, 5.732, 251.11 def. Martin, 5.759, 248.39; Bohl, 5.741, 251.44 def. Bartone, 6.148, 234.37;

Final
Foster, 5.748, 249.03 def. Bohl, 5.765, 251.95.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Bruno Massel, Woodbridge, Ill., '08 Cobalt, DD/AT, 12.713, 67.36 def. Rick Brown, Lebanon, Ohio, '00 S-10, B/TA, 8.134, 138.41.

SUPER STOCK

Gene McBean, Chardon, Ohio, '95 Mustang, GT/BA, 9.476, 139.24 def. Brad Zaskowski, Belmont, Mich., '87 Camaro, GT/G, foul.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Jason McCormack, Oxford, Mich., '67 Belvedere, A/S, 10.456, 116.51 def. Dave Edwards, Washington C.H., Ohio, '94 Camaro, C/SA, 10.818, 118.96.

SUPER COMP

James Antonette, Valley Stream, N.Y., dragster, 8.926, 165.27 def. Jack Swan, Gahanna, Ohio, dragster, 8.879, 163.77.

SUPER GAS

Larry Bernshausen, Manito, Ill., '77 Vega Wgn, 9.902, 148.28 def. Tom Stalba, Williamstown, N.J., '63 Corvette, 9.935, 142.19.

SUPER STREET

Josh VanHorne, Orient, Ohio, '72 Nova, 13.359, 98.22 def. Bryan Corbin, Sunbury, Ohio, '67 Camaro, 10.948, 131.92.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Thomas Turner Jr., Naples, Fla., '08 GTO, 6.920, 201.58 def. Jeffrey Barker, Warner-Robins, Ga., '06 Cobalt, foul.

TOP DRAGSTER

Rick Forish, New Palestine, Ind., dragster, 7.054, 167.55 def. Steve Furr, Harrisburg, N.C., dragster, 7.266, 184.35.

-credit: nhra