Coca-Cola Muscle Car Shootout provides grand finale for Outlaw Drag Racing Series , BIR race season

(Sept. 6, 2009) — The Coca-Cola Muscle Car Shootout, regarded as the grand finale of Brainerd International Raceway’s race season, didn’t disappoint again this year as more than 400 cars competed under clear skies and mild temperatures.

The event was also the final leg of the three-race Outlaw Drag Racing Series, which featured the “fast five” Outlaw classes: Pro Outlaw, Outlaw, King Street, Real Street Natural and Real Street Unlimited. Racers in those classes were competing for series points and a track championship. Final points standings and track champions will be announced soon.

In the Pro Outlaw Class, Dick Malik made it easy for Brian Carpentor in the finals by fouling at the starting line. Carpentor and his ’03 Mustang Cobra still finished with a 7.091 ET and 208.75 mph. He was the No. 1 qualifier with lowest time (6.868 seconds) and top speed (212.49 mph). It was Carpentor’s and Malik’s first trip to the Pro Outlaw finals in the series.

In the Outlaw Class, Mike Bauerly made his bid for a track championship by winning the class this weekend, his second finals win during the series. Bauerly was the No. 1 qualifier and finished with the low time a scorching 7.163-second run in his ’05 Corvette. In the finals, he was matched up with Eric Wourms, who won the class during the previous series event. Bauerly beat Wourms off the line and at the finish line (7.163 seconds to 7.192 seconds, respectively) for the win. Bauerly’s speed was 191.16 mph; Wourms clocked 190.92 mph.

Mike Sterling was going for a sweep of the King Street Class but ran up against Brian Mahnke, who was looking to avenge his loss to Sterling in the finals of the previous series event. Driving a ’66 Chevelle, Sterling blew Mahnke off the starting line but Mahnke and his ’72 Camaro chased him down at the finish line, winning with a time of 8.118 seconds and 173.47 mph to Sterling’s 8.453 seconds and 158.87 mph.

Travis Knowlton was the No. 1 qualifier in the Real Street Natural Class and showed why by beating David Senderhauf Jr. in the finals. Driving a ’66 Plymouth Satellite, Knowlton was slower off the line but finished strong with a time of 9.305 seconds and 145.23 mph. Senderhauf ran 9.699 seconds and 140.23 mph.

Aaron Van Heel finished runner-up in the Real Street Unlimited Class during the first two Outlaw series events and found himself in the finals again this weekend, this time against Jim Ripley. Van Heel and his ’91 Mustang Turbo saved their best for last as they won the match-up. Van Heel’s time was 8.849 seconds at 162.72 mph.

Troy Lowry claimed the title of Index Class Champion this weekend, an honor that goes to the racer who first wins his or her Index Class and then wins the showdown between all eight Index Class winners. Lowry won the 13.00 Index Class and then knocked off Eric Baker and Gary Olson before facing off against 11.00 Index Class winner Jesse Haugesag for the title. Lowry was quicker off the starting line and beat Haugesag by more than a half second.

Below are the final standings in each class:

PRO OUTLAW
Finals: Brian Carpentor of Forest Lakes def. Dick Malik of Blaine
Semifinals: Carpentor def. Craig Braun of Hampton; Malik had a bye

OUTLAW
Finals: Mike Bauerly of Rice def. Eric Wourms of Grand Rapids
Semifinals: Bauerly def. Jason Waste of Ramsey; Wourms def. Jason Rolow of Anoka

KING STREET
Finals: Brian Mahnke of Saginaw def. Mike Sterling of Oak Grove
Semifinals: Mahnke def. Tim Vnuk of Elk River; Sterling had a bye

REAL STREET NATURAL
Finals: Travis Knowlton of Bethel def. David Senderhauf of Zimmerman
Semifinals: Knowlton had a bye; Senderhauf def. Jeff Johnson of Cloquet

REAL STREET UNLIMITED
Finals: Aaron Van Heel of Otsego def. Jim Ripley of Duluth

STRIP ELIMINATOR 1
Finals: Kathy Johnson of Maple Grove def. Clint Gregerson of Grand Rapids
Semifinals: Johnson def. Don Maroushek of Woodbury; Gregerson def. Josh Barsness of Grand Rapids

STRIP ELIMINATOR 2
Finals: Terry Dircks of Carver def. Larry Plank of Mantorville
Semifinals: Dircks def. Tim Schultz of Grand Rapids; Plank had a bye

STRIP ELIMINATOR 3
Finals: Tom Palo of Embarrass def. Kari Nesheim of Mazeppa
Semifinals: Palo had a bye; Nesheim def. Brett Johnson of Webster

TRUCK ELIMINATOR
Finals: John Peterson of St. Michael def. Troy Novak of Rice
Semifinals: Peterson def. Matt Zych of Princeton; Novak had a bye

10.50 INDEX
Finals: Eric Baker of Andover def. Jerry Weston of Elk River
Semifinals: Baker had a bye; Weston def. Bryan Hansen of Minneapolis

11.00 INDEX
Finals: Jesse Haugesag of Prior Lake def. Jason Nesheim of Mazeppa
Semifinals: Haugesag def. Chris Pirkola of Duluth; Nesheim def. Paul Burkland of Inver Grove Heights

11.50 INDEX
Finals: Nate Hubert of Ramsey def. David Imgrund of Brainerd
Semifinals: Hubert def. Shawn Smith of Hanover; Imgrund def. David Bares of Lakeville

12.00 INDEX
Finals: Gary Olson of Sartell def. Jason Anderson of Zimmerman
Semifinals: Olson def. Rick Magnuson of Ramsey; Anderson def. Bryan Rudnick of North Branch

12.50 INDEX
Finals: Brad Baklund of Blaine def. Travis Iverson of Campbell
Semifinals: Baklund def. Bradley Munter of Fosston; Iverson def. Brek Olson of Wyoming

13.00 INDEX
Finals: Troy Lowry of Princeton def. Brady Kaphing of St. Paul
Semifinals: Lowry def. Tom Klein of Hugo; Kaphing had a bye

13.50 INDEX
Finals: Greg Christenson of Willmar def. Reid Watson of LaPorte
Semifinals: Christenson def. Stuart Pearthree of Cambridge; Watson had a bye

14.00 INDEX
Finals: Ryan Baker of Isanti def. Troy Dorn of Stacy
Semifinals: Baker def. Jeremy Henrikson of Zimmerman; Dorn def. Scott Bares of Lakeville