WC: Brainerd Saturday summary

Harker Takes Top Spot at BIR

BRAINERD, Minn. -- Qualifying is complete at Brainerd International Raceway for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event presented by Grand Casino with Diana Harker taking the No. 1 spot in Top Alcohol Dragster.

Harker, of Gainesville, Ga., clocked in at 5.309 seconds at 256.21 mph. Harker comes from a drag racing family and is driving for former West Central Division Champion Randy Meyer who owns and tunes the car. Dad, Steve Harker, and sister, Kate, also compete in the alcohol classes. Dad runs a funny car and Kate drives a dragster but both run out of different divisions within NHRA and are not competing at this weekend's event.

Harker is followed by Scott Murray of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Richard Putz of Earlville, Iowa, in second and third.

Veteran Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Vern Moats of Des Moines, Iowa, bettered his No. 1 qualifying effort from Friday with a lap of 5.619 seconds at 255.53 mph. Current Division Champion Paul Anderson sits in the No. 2 spot out of Erie, Colo., running 5.659, 251.44 mph.

In Comp Eliminator it was Bruno Massel of Woodbridge, Ill., leading the field with Minnesota racer Brian Antony of Lonsdale landing in second in his '00 Avenger. Michael Mans of Rogers, Minn., is on top in Super Stock followed by Tom Meyer of Pierce, Neb., while Stan Kopejtka of Atkinson, Neb., is No. 1 in Stock.

Reaching a speed of 216.06 mph in 6.271 seconds was Cliff Bakx to lead the division's Ethanol Top Dragster class. The Canadian racer held off Dean Dubbin of Royalton, Minn., and Les Feist of Clearwater, Minn., who are second and third going into tomorrow's eliminations.

Rounding out the leaders are Jeff Lanoue of Zimmerman, Minn., in the Sportsman Motorcycle class presented by Harley Davidson and Jamie Schwartzkopf of Torrington, Wyo., in the Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman category with a 6.989 second, 195.90 mph run in his '63 Corvette.

Racing continues Sunday at 9 a.m. Gates open at 7 a.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, children 6-12 are half price and kids 5 and under are free. Brainerd International Raceway is located 5523 Birchdale Road in Brainerd. For more information, call (866) 444-4455 or visit www.brainerdraceway.com.

The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and Sunday's first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Brainerd International Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Diana Harker, Gainesville, Ga., 5.309 seconds, 256.21 mph
2) Scott Murray, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 5.395, 266.16
3) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.464, 259.36
4) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.537, 261.32
5) Jeff Hamelink, Savage, Minn., 5.645, 258.47
6) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Iowa, 6.299, 169.93

First round TAD pairings
1) Diana Harker, Gainesville, Ga., 5.309 seconds, 256.21 mph vs. 6) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Iowa, 6.299, 169.93

2) Scott Murray, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 5.395, 266.16 vs. 5) Jeff Hamelink, Savage, Minn., 5.645, 258.47

3) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.464, 259.36 vs. 4) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.537, 261.32

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '08 Mustang, 5.619 seconds, 255.53 mph
2) Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., '07 Charger, 5.659, 251.44
3) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '08 Mustang, 5.696, 251.95
4) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '08 Mustang, 5.703, 250.69
5) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '99 Camaro, 5.764, 248.16
6) Hank Coolidge, Sunbrst, Mont., '02 Firebird, 5.776, 246.48
7) Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manitoba, '00 Avenger, 5.786, 250.27
8) Bruce Carlson, Prior Lake, Minn., '06 Corvette, 6.028, 241.76

First round TAFC pairings
1) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '08 Mustang, 5.619 seconds, 255.53 mph vs. 8) Bruce Carlson, Prior Lake, Minn., '06 Corvette, 6.028, 241.76

2) Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., '07 Charger, 5.659, 251.44 vs. 7) Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manitoba, '00 Avenger, 5.786, 250.27

3) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '08 Mustang, 5.696, 251.95 vs. 6) Hank Coolidge, Sunbrst, Mont., '02 Firebird, 5.776, 246.48

4) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '08 Mustang, 5.703, 250.69 vs. 5) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '99 Camaro, 5.764, 248.16

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Bruno Massel, Woodbridge, Ill., '08 Cobalt, DD/AT, 7.372 seconds, -0.678 (under index)
2) Brian Antony, Lonsdale, Minn., '00 Avenger, B/AP, 7.389, -0.591
3) Matt Harris, Nebraska City, Neb., '04 Grand Am, E/A, 7.781, -0.579
4) Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., dragster, B/DA, 6.869, -0.521
5) Bill Riemenapp, La Crosse, Wis., '06 GTO, C/EA, 8.209, -0.511
6) Paul Pittman, Bloomington, Minn., '07 Cobalt, B/AA, 7.134, -0.506
7) Shaun Vincent, Omaha, Neb., '02 S-10, C/TA, 8.736, -0.434
8) Tom Schmidt, Lindstrom, Minn., '03 S-10, C/T, 8.570, -0.400
9) Bub Miller, Overland Park, Kan., '08 Cobalt, I/SMA, 9.345, -0.395
10) Doug Engels, Watertown, S.D., dragster, D/ED, 7.660, -0.330

SUPER STOCK
1) Michael Mans, Rogers, Minn., '00 Firebird, SS/CS, 9.342 seconds, -1.308 (under index)
2) Tom Meyer, Pierce, Neb., '66 Chevy II, SS/LA, 10.671, -1.079
3) Randall Klein, Lincoln, Neb., '56 Nomad, SS/NA, 11.418, -1.032
4) Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., '92 Camaro, GT/AA, 9.428, -0.972
5) Jim Langer, Forest Lake, Minn., '72 Mustang, SS/I, 9.891, -0.959
6) Terry Johnson, Maple Grove, Minn., '93 Mustang, GT/M, 10.859, -0.941
7) Ernie Penner, Pembina, Manitoba, '99 Firebird, GT/HA, 10.423, -0.927
8) Brian Ebert, Elk River, Minn., '02 Firebird, SS/IA, 10.081, -0.919
9) Brian Zenzen, St. Cloud, Minn., '87 Camaro, GT/FA, 10.225, -0.875
10) Todd Curtis, Elk River, Minn., '66 Chevy II, SS/LA, 10.880, -0.870

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Stan Kopejtka, Atkinson, Neb., '80 Omni, EF/S, 16.574 seconds, -1.176 (under index)
2) Ron Glowa, St. Andrews, Manitoba, '71 Demon, E/SA, 10.933, -1.067
3) Al Corda, Elk Mound, Wis., '02 Corvette, B/SA, 10.511, -1.039
4) Charles Blossom, Woodbury, Minn., '03 Neon, AF/S, 13.112, -1.038
5) Randy Shepard, Holmen, Wis., '69 Camaro, A/S, 10.213, -1.037
6) Lance Line, Cromwell, Minn., '69 Mustang, A/SA, 10.319, -0.981
7) Scott Dugdale, Circle Pines, Minn., '67 Chevelle, I/S, 11.520, -0.980
8) Dirk Olson, LaCrosse, Wis., '69 Nova, B/S, 10.533, -0.967
9) Kelly Petterson, Sioux Falls, S.D., '68 Chevelle, C/SA, 10.739, -0.961
10) Nick Seibert, Wamego, Kan., '85 Camaro, I/SA, 11.657, -0.943

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Jamie Schwartzkopf, Torrington, Wyo., '63 Corvette, 6.989 seconds, 195.90 mph
2) Matt Braun, Dennison, Minn., '63 Corvette, 7.007, 195.82
3) Jim White, Haysville, Kan., '05 Cavalier, 7.038, 196.44
4) Charley Whittenburg, Spencer, Iowa, '63 Corvette, 7.065, 198.32
5) J.J. Heber, Aurora, Colo., '06 Mustang, 7.216, 185.43
6) Rob Meservier, Thunder Bay, Ont., '68 Chevelle, 7.240, 190.35
7) Bill Goldhammer, Mitchell, S.D., '96 Cutlass, 7.520, 181.45
8) Gary Loeffelholz, Shafer, Minn., '04 Mustang, 7.541, 179.28
9) Michael Freischel, Cottage Grove, Minn., '01 Firebird, 7.649, 179.92
10) Larry Demers, Carroll, Iowa, '88 Corvette, 7.702, 178.40

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Cliff Bakx, Grunthal, Manitoba, dragster, 6.271 seconds, 216.06 mph
2) Dean Dubbin, Royalton, Minn., dragster, 6.581, 208.30
3) Les Feist, Clearwater, Minn., dragster, 6.776, 199.88
4) Martin Schmidt, Oak Grove, Minn., dragster, 6.855, 191.65
5) Darin Long, Mitchell, S.D., dragster, 6.930, 192.47
6) Jeremy Siffring, Fremont, Neb., dragster, 7.039, 189.07
7) Clarence Mayo, Manly, Iowa, dragster, 7.092, 186.00
8) Jeff Riegger, Brooklyn Park, Minn., dragster, 7.106, 186.10
9) Jami Stoen, Owatonna, Minn., dragster, 7.128, 187.29
10) Ray Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo., dragster, 7.296, 182.03

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1) Jeff Lanoue, Zimmerman, Minn., '05 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.000 seconds reaction time
2) Ken Niesen, Brooklyn Park, Minn., '90 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.000
3) Mark Gode, Bloomington, Minn., '94 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.001
4) Curtis Spracklin, Omaha, Neb., '00 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.002
5) Brian Johnson, Anoka, Minn., '05 Suzuki, 0.004
6) Dave Kieffer, Spring Lake Park, Minn., '86 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.004
7) Alex Barmettler, Maplewood, Minn., '78 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.004
8) Cary Hoover, Andover, Minn., '75 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.005
9) Mike Voss, Maplewood, Minn., '06 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.005
10) Jason Clampitt, Lino Lakes, Minn., '93 Harley, ETMX, 0.008

-credit: nhra