Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

Topeka: David Wells summary

Plain Vanilla Racing Blue Bunny Ice Cream Wells nets runner-up finish in Topeka. TOPEKA, Kan. - The defending three-time NHRA Division 5 Top Alcohol Dragster Champion David Wells started his title defense with a runner-up finish at the Division ...

Plain Vanilla Racing
Blue Bunny Ice Cream

Wells nets runner-up finish in Topeka.

TOPEKA, Kan. - The defending three-time NHRA Division 5 Top Alcohol Dragster Champion David Wells started his title defense with a runner-up finish at the Division 5 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series opener at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kan. In the final round, Wells' burst panels blew out in the burnout, causing him to lose the race.

Wells, from LeMars, Iowa, cites a new combination for part of his success. Wells qualified his Blue Bunny Ice Cream/ "Plain Vanilla" entry third in the eight car field with a 5.610 at 254.57 mph. In round one, he defeated Kent Nuckols with a 5.585 at 252.61 mph, then received a bye run in the semifinals when his opponent Ed Schmeekle was shut off at the line, running a 5.719 at 248.16 mph on his bye. In the final, Wells had the engine's burst panels (pressure relief device to prevent explosions) blow out when he hit the throttle for his burnout, handing the win to Paul Jones, who ran a 5.634 at 257.73 mph.

"We tried getting aggressive in qualifying, but it ended up getting worse as we did," said Wells. "We calmed it down a bit for the first round, and the track was starting to come around, and it went right on down the track and ran a 5.58. After we found that we were going to have a bye in the second round, we tried a couple of things, and they didn't work real well, and ran a 5.71. In the final, we had some real bad luck. We started the car, and then I went to make the burnout, I stopped like I usually do, and just touched the throttle, and it backfired and knocked the burst panel out. We aren't real sure why at this point. We are still trying to search and find the problem. We kind of got beat by default in the final round."

The Blue Bunny Ice Cream/ "Plain Vanilla" team's next event will be right back at Heartland Park for the O'Reilly Summer Nationals Memorial Day Weekend. With some more refinement of his new engine program, Wells hopes to run even better at the national event.

"The track will be a little bit different because it is a national event," cited Wells. "NHRA will come in and dress it up a little bit better. We'll probably come in about where we were just to get it down the track and see how the track is. The fuel cars will run after us, and we'll try to get after it a little bit harder."

For the latest news in the world of alcohol racing, stay tuned to InsideTopAlcohol.com

-pvr-

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Jeff Wilson race summary
Next article Jim Dunn Racing hires Bob Brooks

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA