SC: Ennis final summary

WAHLE, HARKER WIN SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION LUCAS OIL SERIES SEASON OPENER AT TEXAS MOTORPLEX

ENNIS, Texas (April 5, 2009) -- The racing went into the wee hours on Saturday and the final rounds were completed sometime after midnight, but the first NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event on the South Central division's schedule is complete. The race was not originally slated to finish until today but with high winds forecasted in the area of the Texas Motorplex, NHRA and track officials opted to get it done early. In the end, Malcolm Wahle of Claremore, Okla., got the win in Top Alcohol Dragster and defending division Top Alcohol Funny Car champ Steve Harker picked up this year where he left off 2008 -- with a win. The Gainesville, Ga., resident is also the defending event champion.

Wahle was the No. 2 qualifier with a 5.347-second pass and was in the 5.3-second neighborhood all weekend. His best run of the day came in the semis when he faced off against Shayne Lawson, Broken Arrow, Okla. Wahle ran 5.330 seconds to Lawson's 5.420-second effort. In the final Wahle squared off against Dan Kracht, Gretna, Neb., and Wahle's 5.358-second, 259.21 mph pass was more than enough to cover Kracht's 5.568-second, 266.27 mph lap.

Harker was the Top Alcohol Funny Car's top qualifier. However, he saved his best run for last, unloading a 5.589-second, 256.75 mph pass in the final. No. 2 qualifier Kebin Kinsley of Kennedale, Texas, was in the other lane for Harker's blast, and his 5.768-second, 250.64 mph run was not enough.

Shane Gray, Artesia, N.M., outlasted the field in Comp Eliminator, beating Chase Williams, Carthage, Texas, in the final. New Orleans racer Mike Bryant drove his '91 Calais to the Super Stock win over Gary Emmons of Friendswood, Texas, in his '05 Cavalier. Sam Lusco Jr., Houma, La., ousted Jody Simoneaux, Napoleonville, La., for the Stock Eliminator win and David Warren, Jacksonville, Texas, outlasted Scooter Choate, Hubbard, Texas, to take the win in Super Comp. Super Gas racer Rick Prudhomme, George West, Texas, beat Jimmy Lewis of Forney, Texas, in the final while Jay Johnson, Benbrook, Texas, earned the Super Street win over Charlie Owens, White Oak, Texas, and Top Sportsman winner Chris Gulitti, Spring, Texas, beat out Vasil John, Folsom, La., in the final round. In Top Dragster, Collinsville, Okla., resident Jerry Holt scooped up the win over Larry Eidson of Mineral Wells, Texas, and in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson, Benji Gibson, Euless, Texas, beat out Conroe, Texas's Jerry Pomilla.

NHRA South Central division racers head to Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, April 24-26.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Texas Motorplex:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Round 1

9) Karl Brounkowski, Magnolia, Texas, 5.790, 235.80 def. 1) Kimmelyn Buff Pesz, The Woodlands, Texas, foul

2) Malcolm Wahle, Claremore, Okla., 5.399, 260.76 def. 7) Brandon Lewis, Broken Arrow, Okla., 5.542, 263.41

3) Shayne Lawson, Broken Arrow, Okla., 5.391, 260.36 def. 6) Darryl Hitchman, Greenville, Texas, broke

4) Dan Kracht, Gretna, Neb., 5.516, 261.12 def. 5) Chase Copeland, Ft. Worth, Texas, 5.521, 264.29

Semifinals

Wahle, 5.330, 263.87 def. Lawson, 5.420, 266.27

Kracht, 11.874, 65.68 def. K. Brounkowski, foul

Final

Wahle, 5.358, 259.21 def. Kracht, 5.568, 250.00

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

Round 1

1) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.636, 244.96 def. 8) Ro Yale, Houston, Texas, '98 Daytona, 7.069, 187.42

4) Burl Brown, Gainesville, Texas, '00 Avenger, 5.798, 247.07 def. 5) Steve Burck, Corpus Christi, Texas, '02 Camaro, 5.884, 244.56

2) Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale, Texas, '02 Camaro, 5.845, 252.28 def. 7) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '06 Monte Carlo, 7.236, 132.78

6) Paul Anderson, Firestone, Colo., '02 Camaro, 5.876, 247.88 def. 3) Lee Callaway, Baytown, Texas, '09 Mustang, 6.063, 238.38

Semifinals

Kinsley, 5.719, 251.95 def. Anderson, 5.895, 246.98

Harker, 5.635, 255.77 def. Brown, 5.715, 252.14

Final

Harker, 5.589, 256.75 def. Kinsley, 5.768, 250.64

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR

Shane Gray, Artesia, N.M., '06 Stratus, B/A, 7.051, 195.11 def. Chase Williams, Carthage, Texas, '01 S-10, 7.524, 178.87

SUPER STOCK

Mike Bryant, New Orleans, '91 Calais, GT/FA, 10.188, 127.44 def. Gary Emmons, Friendswood, Texas, '05 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.824, 132.22

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Sam Lusco Jr., Houma, La., '96 Dakota, H/SA, 11.602, 111.44 def. Jody Simoneaux, Napoleonville, La., '67 Nova, F/SA, 11.526, 92.68

SUPER COMP

David Warren, Jacksonville, Texas, dragster, 8.887, 166.48 def. Scooter Choate, Hubbard, Texas, dragster, broke

SUPER GAS

Rick Prudhomme, George West, Texas, '57 Corvette, 9.916, 162.45 def. Jimmy Lewis, Forney, Texas, '58 Corvette, 9.902, 164.75

SUPER STREET

Jazzy Jay Johnson, Benbrook, Texas, '67 Chevy II, 13.636, 79.10 def. Charlie Owens, White Oak, Texas, '67 Camaro, 10.830, 138.88

TOP SPORTSMAN

Chris Gulitti, Spring, Texas, '98 Firebird, 7.173, 191.43 def. Vasil John, Folsom, La., '07 GTO, 19.465, 53.42

TOP DRAGSTER

Jerry Holt, Collinsville, Okla., dragster, 6.851, 190.06 def. Larry Eidson, Mineral Wells, Texas, dragster, 6.922, 193.18

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

Benji Gibson, Euless, Texas, '05 Hayabusa, 8.227, 153.68 def. Jerry Pomilla, Conroe, Texas, '85 Suzuki, 8.590, 154.37

-credit: nhra