WC: Bandimere final summary

WHITELEY, MOATS TOP WINNERS AT BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY

MORRISON, Colo. -- In the final rounds of the Grease Monkey Thunder on the Mountain NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Bandimere Speedway, Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., wheeled his Top Alcohol Dragster to his second win of the season and wily veteran Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, earned his first win of the year. The hometown crowd had plenty to cheer all the way to the final rounds of the other categories as well. In 11 classes, there were seven local racers making final-round appearances, and three of them took home the hardware. Denver's Tony Hernandez scored the win in Stock Eliminator; Longmont resident Kevin Wright won in Super Comp; and Jeff Taylor of Evans won in Super Gas.

Whiteley, the event's top qualifier who had a bye in the first round of eliminations, squared off against No. 2 qualifier Edwin Schmeeckle in the final. Whiteley laid down a 5.568-second, 259.86 mph pass in the final but Schmeeckle had rolled through the lights before the Christmas Tree was activated and so he did not receive a time, handing the win to Whiteley.

Moats, who has 15 West Central division titles to his credit, qualified in the No. 3 spot. His best run of the day was in the opening round of eliminations when he took out Apple Valley, Calif., resident Bernie Harrington with a 5.893-second, 244.47 mph pass. In the semis he beat No. 2 qualifier Roger Bateman of Calgary, Alb. Moats's final round opponent, Kirk Williams of Glenwood, Iowa, suffered engine damage in his semifinal round win and was unable to get it repaired in time to make the call.

Dennis Smiley, Denver City, Texas, earned the win in Comp Eliminator when he beat Lakewood resident Steve Holloway. The win in Super Stock went to Gary Stinnett of Emporia, Kan., who ousted Jeff Town, Paola, Kan. Hernandez drove his '65 Corvette to the winner's circle after defeating Stephen Hagberg, Berthoud, Colo., behind the wheel of his '64 Savoy. The Super Comp final was a battle between two local favorites but Wright got the win when Kevin Montoya of Brighton rolled through the lights before the Tree was activated. Super Gas winner Taylor grabbed the win over Don Nichols, Lincoln, Neb., and Justin Beaver, Montrose, Colo., won in Super Street beating out Golden's John Tripp. The Top Sportsman win went to Michael Chitty, Ames, Iowa, over Jim Costa of Albuquerque. Clif Bakx, Grunthal, Manit., took the win in Top Dragster, beating out Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan. In Sportsman Motorcycle, Alex Barmettler, Maplewood, Minn., beat Littleton racer Dave Olsen in the final.

NHRA West Central division racers head to Cordova (Ill.) Dragway Park for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, August 1-2.

The following are the final results from the Grease Monkey Thunder on the Mountain NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Bandimere Speedway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Round 1
1) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.511, 261.07 was unopposed

2) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.640, 256.06 def. 5) Eugene Tumbarello, Denver, Colo., broke

3) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.635, 249.72 def. 4) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.771, 249.49

Semifinals
Whiteley, 5.541, 259.21 def. Putz, 5.641, 249.81
Schmeeckle, 5.640, 255.82 was unopposed

Final
Whiteley, 5.568, 259.86 def. Schmeeckle, broke

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

Round 1
1) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '08 Mustang, 8.070, 107.55 was unopposed

2) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '08 Mustang, 5.936, 242.80 def. 7) Robert Kanenwisher, Conifer, Colo., '01 Camaro, 6.029, 235.35

3) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '08 Mustang, 5.893, 244.47 def. 6) Bernie Harrington, Apple Valley, Calif., '02 Firebird, 6.082, 235.43

4) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '02 Camaro, 5.915, 243.63 def. 5) Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., '07 Charger, 5.935, 242.50

Semifinals
Williams, 5.929, 243.41 def. Chesterman, 5.989, 245.49
Moats, 5.921, 244.12 def. Bateman, 7.760, 121.92

Final
Moats, 5.960, 243.02 def. Williams, broke

COMP ELIMINATOR

Dennis Smiley, Denver City, Texas, Frameworks, A/DA, 7.165, 162.72 def. Steve Holloway, Lakewood, Colo., '06 GTO, A/AA, foul

SUPER STOCK

Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., '92 Camaro, GT/AA, 10.206, 131.45 def. Jeff Town, Paola, Kan., '84 Regal, GT/LA, 11.708, 113.11

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Tony Hernandez, Denver, '65 Corvette, B/S, 11.334, 117.61 def. Stephen Hagberg, Berthoud, Colo., '64 Savoy, A/SA, 11.007, 117.31

SUPER COMP

Kevin Wright, Longmont, Colo., dragster, 9.617, 143.92 def. Kevin Montoya, Brighton, Colo., dragster, broke

SUPER GAS

Jeff Taylor, Evans, Colo., '90 Camaro, 10.505, 147.57 def. Don Nichols, Lincoln, Neb., '68 Camaro, 10.481, 144.58

SUPER STREET

Justin Beaver, Montrose, Colo., '65 Chevy II, 11.503, 118.12 def. John Tripp, Golden, Colo., '66 Chevy II, 11.516, 118.00

TOP SPORTSMAN

Michael Chitty, Ames, Iowa, '97 Firebird, 8.146, 171.29 def. Jim Costa, Albuquerque, N.M., '04 Corvette, 8.344, 165.13

TOP DRAGSTER

Clif Bakx, Grunthal, Manit., dragster, 6.573, 204.42 def. Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., dragster, 7.262, 189.60

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

Alex Barmettler, Maplewood, Minn., '78 Kawasaki, 9.966, 123.43 def. Dave Olsen, Littleton, Colo., '88 Kawasaki, foul

-credit: nhra