Racers jockey for position in points standings during sixth of seven Bracket Drag Racing Series event

(Sept. 14, 2009) — With two races left in the Bracket Drag Racing Series, racers showed up for last weekend’s event knowing that series points were at a premium and every pass was critical, which made for some intense competition at Brainerd International Raceway.

More than 220 racers competed last weekend as they all are gunning for a track championship in their individual class. The final series race is scheduled for Oct. 3-4.

Mike Campbell is setting himself up for a strong finish in the Super Pro class. He entered the weekend sitting comfortably in third place in the points standings until the two racers above him lost in the early rounds Sunday. That opened the door for Campbell to take over first place.

Driving his ’07 TNT Dragster in a class that featured 56 other racers, Campbell made his way to the finals to face Myron Streit in his ’68 Camaro. Campbell was too tough, posting a time of 7.509 seconds and 174.98 mph for the win.

In the Pro class, which featured 51 racers, Will Young entered the weekend with little chance of gaining much ground from 20th place but he played the role of spoiler well by winning the class Sunday. He and his ’71 Chevelle ran 12.117 seconds and 106.95 mph to beat Wally Higby in the finals. Higby’s finish moved him into second place in the standings.

After finishing as runner up twice in previous races, KC Slyford was in fourth place in the Sportsman class prior to Sunday. Today, he’s in second place and nipping at the heals of first place after winning the class. He also got help when two of the three racers ahead of him lost in the first round of eliminations. Slyford, who hauls his ’67 Barracuda to BIR from Thunder Bay, Ontario, earned his way to the finals where he beat Brad Mickle by running 12.241 seconds and 107.08 mph.

In the Bike 1 class, Toby Giese continued to dominate by winning the class for the third time this season. The only racer who has a chance of catching him, Alex Barmettler, didn’t compete last weekend. Giese rode his ’83 Suzuki GS1100 to the finals, where he beat Jason Clampitt with a time of 9.328 seconds and 123.84 mph.

In Bike 2, nobody will catch Glenn Van Zee in the standings, and he proved why by winning the class Sunday for the fifth time this year. Joe Lieske made it easy for Van Zee in the finals when Lieske fouled at the starting line.

Terry Pease had an easy win in the finals of the Super Group class when Kayla Lundberg fouled at the starting line. The same was true for Don Wachholz in the Stock/Super Stock finals. Ron Mattson fouled at the starting line, handing Wachholz the easy win.

In Comp Trophy, Garry Reid rumbled to a finals win in his ’55 Chevy over Doug Hagle and his ’76 Firebird. Reid posted a 12.062-second run and 110.68 mph.

Amy Pogatchnik and her ’88 Corvette outlasted the Street Trophy field, winning the class by beating Andy Knebel and his ’71 Olds Cutlass in the finals with a winning time of 14.496 seconds and 96.22 mph.

In the Junior Dragster Novice class, Shelby Kastner beat Sydney Haben in the finals. Abby Haben beat Haley Heintzman in the finals of the Junior Dragster Intermediate class. And the Junior Dragster Advanced class featured Trish Hoover beating T.J. Hagle in the finals.

Last weekend’s event also featured drag racing by 11 diesel-powered racers as an exhibition. The Jags Pro class was won by Andy Thomas in his ’98 Dodge Ram 2500. Thomas’ time was 12.288 seconds and 109.13 mph. He beat Josh Guis.

Steve Anderson won the Jags ET class in his ‘02 Chevy K2500 by beating Tony Underwood in the finals. Anderson’s time was 15.045 seconds and 87.33 mph.

Below are the final results in each class:

SUPER PRO
Finals: Mike Campbell of Brooklyn Park def. Myron Streit of St. Cloud
Semifinals: Campbell def. Neil Bode of New Ulm; Streit def. Randy McFarland of Sabin

PRO
Finals: Will Young of Brainerd def. Wally Higby of Maple Grove
Semifinals: Young def. Jerry Heib of Maple Grove; Higby had a bye

SPORTSMAN
Finals: K.C. Slyford of Thunder Bay, Ont., def. Brad Mickle of Lino Lakes
Semifinals: Slyford def. Todd Emmans of Andover; Mickle had a bye

BIKE 1
Finals: Toby Giese of Kandiyohi def. Jason Clampitt of Lino Lakes
Semifinals: Giese def. Aaron Schrupp of Mound; Clampitt had a bye

BIKE 2
Finals: Glenn Van Zee of St. Cloud def. Joe Lieske of Prior Lake
Semifinals: Van Zee def. JD Berns of Brainerd; Lieske def. Aaron Schrupp of Mound

SUPER GROUP
Finals: Terry Pease of Blaine def. Kayla Lundberg of Isanti
Semifinals: Pease def. Amy Jo Luberda of Sauk Rapids; Lundberg def. Larry Wiebusch Jr. of Zimmerman

STOCK/SUPER STOCK
Finals: Don Wachholz of Mayer def. Ron Mattson of Cloquet
Semifinals: Wachholz def. Tom Barrett of Brainerd; Mattson had a bye

COMP TROPHY
Finals: Garry Reid of Thunder Bay, Ont., def. Doug Hagle of Hinkley
Semifinals: Reid def. Keith Larson of Brainerd; Hagle def. Josh Luberda of Foley

STREET TROPHY
Finals: Amy Pogatchnik of St. Stephen def. Andy Knebel of Pillager
Semifinals: Pogatchnik def. Brandon Schmall of Lino Lakes; Knebel def. Veronica Monti of Long Prairie

STREET BIKE TROPHY
Finals: John Peterson of St. Michael def. Robert Wgeishofski of Brainerd
Semifinals: None

JUNIOR DRAGSTER NOVICE
Finals: Shelby Kastner of Clearwater def. Sydney Haben of Hibbing
Semifinals: Kastner def. Emma McFarland of Sabin; Haben had a bye

JUNIOR DRAGSTER INTERMEDIATE
Finals: Abby Haben of Hibbing def. Haley Heintzman of Fargo, N.D.
Semifinals: Haben def. Christopher Takacs of Thunder Bay, Ont.; Heintzman def. Kalli Beaulieu of Cambridge

JUNIOR DRAGSTER ADVANCED
Finals: Trish Hoover of Andover def. T.J. Hagle of Wyoming
Semifinals: Hoover def. Kyle Lundberg of Isanti; Hagle def. Kellie Kastner of Clearwater

JAGS PRO – DIESEL
Finals: Andy Thomas of Rockford def. Josh Guis of Zimmerman

JAGS ET – DIESEL
Finals: Steve Anderson of Two Harbors def. Tony Underwood of Monticello
Semifinals: Anderson def. Matt Zych of Princeton; Underwood had a bye