Thunder at the Lakes Results

Kracht, Bateman visit winner's circle for the first time in '09 at BIR's Thunder at the Lakes NHRA Divisional Race

(May 24, 2009) - Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Dan Kracht, Gretna, Neb., scored his first win of the season at the Thunder on the Lakes event Memorial Day weekend, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Brainerd International Raceway. Roger Bateman, a Calgary, Alb., racer, made his way to the winner’s circle for the first time this year in his Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Kracht, who was in the final round at an out-of-division race in Dallas in April, scored the win in his second race of the year. Starting from the No. 1 qualifying spot, he laid down a 5.434-second, 242.58 mph pass against runner-up Jared Dreher of Clinton, Ind. Dreher red-lighted in the final round.

Bateman squared off against Prior Lake, Minn.’s Bruce Carlson in the first round of eliminations and had a bye run in the semis. In the final he was slated to run against Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manit. However, in his win over Vern Moats in the semis, McVey damaged his motor and was unable to make the call in the final, handing the win to Bateman.

Bub Miller, Overland Park, Kan., earned the win in Comp Eliminator, beating out Matthew Harris, Nebraska, City, Neb. Super Stock racer Justin Jenkins, Beatrice, Neb., wheeled his ’09 Cobalt to the winner’s circle over veteran racer Gary Stinnett of Emporia, Kan. In Stock Eliminator, Brad Haugaard, North Branch, Minn., drove his ’72 Demon to the win over Curtis Hieb, Chamberlain, S.D. The Super Comp win went to Kevin Dyck, Winnipeg, Manit., who ousted Gillette, Wyo., racer Mark Potts. Todd Nielsen, Fremont, Neb., beat Chuck Rose, South Sioux City, Neb., for the Super Gas win and the Super Street champion was Troy Luberda, Foley, Minn., who beat Steve Domingues, Derby, Kan. Rob Meservier, Thunder Bay, Ont., grabbed the win in Top Sportsman over Vern Laurin Jr. of Duluth, Minn. The Top Dragster winner, Manly, Iowa’s Clarence May, took the win over Brad Basgall, Hays, Kan. Nowthen, Minn., racer Brian Johnson rode his ’05 Suzuki to the winner’s circle in the Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson class. Johnson beat out Zach Schrupp, Mound, Minn.

NHRA West Central division racers head to Denver for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. Bandimere Speedway will host the series June 19-21.

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

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1) Dan Kracht, Gretna, Neb., no time def. bye
4) Scott Murray, Winnipeg, Manit., 5.516, 250.32 def. 3) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.926, 245.27
5) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 9.825, 140.33 def. 2) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 11.262, 73.25

Semifinals
Dreher, no time def. bye
Kracht, 5.406, 258.32 def. Murray, 8.568, 130.53

Final
Kracht, 5.434, 242.58 def. Dreher, foul

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '08 Mustang, 5.948, 248.57 def. 6) Bruce Carlson, Prior Lake, Minn., '06 Corvette, 6.072, 244.74
2) Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manit., '05 Monte Carlo, 7.244, 237.21 def. 5) Lance Van Hauen, Reinbeck, Iowa, '04 Firebird, 7.717, 209.98
3) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '08 Mustang, 5.761, 246.03 def. 4) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa,
'04 Camaro, 6.054, 217.98

Semifinals
Bateman, 5.604, 251.72 def. bye
McVey, 5.747, 249.44 def. Moats, 5.897, 252.80

Final
Bateman, 8.126, 105.23 def. McVey, broke

COMP ELIMINATOR
Bub Miller, Overland Park, Kan., '08 Cobalt, I/SMA, 9.158, 146.43 def. Matthew Harris, Nebraska City, Neb., '05 Grand Am, E/A, 7.767, 174.57

SUPER STOCK
Justin Jenkins, Beatrice, Neb., '09 Cobalt, GT/CA, 9.737, 128.36 def. Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., '92 Camaro, GT/AA, 9.461, 146.07

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Brad Haugaard, North Branch, Minn., '72 Demon, F/SA, 11.158, 116.90 def. Curtis Hieb, Chamberlain, S.D., '98 Firebird, F/SA, 11.672, 114.13

SUPER COMP
Kevin Dyck, Winnipeg, Manit., dragster, 9.903, 138.66 def. Mark Potts, Gillette, Wyo., dragster, 9.956, 162.82

SUPER GAS
Todd Nielsen, Fremont, Neb., '90 Firebird, 9.900, 151.15 def. Chuck Rose, S. Sioux City, Neb., '71 Challenger, 9.908, 153.74

SUPER STREET
Troy Luberda, Foley, Minn., '73 Corvette, 10.910, 140.27 def. Steve Domingues, Derby, Kan., '67 Camaro, foul

TOP SPORTSMAN
Rob Meservier, Thunder Bay, Ont., '68 Chevelle, 7.315, 184.80 def. Vern Laurin Jr., Duluth, Minn., '93 Daytona, 7.908, 174.03

TOP DRAGSTER
Clarence Mayo, Manly, Iowa, dragster, 6.887, 194.24 def. Brad Basgall, Hays, Kan., dragster, 7.081, 189.68

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Brian Johnson, Nowthen, Minn., '05 Suzuki, 9.097, 130.97 def. Zach Schrupp, Mound, Minn., '06 Kawasaki, 8.647, 154.53