Track champions named for inaugural Outlaw Drag Racing Series

(November 9, 2009) – Brent Rau proved this year that you don’t have to drive a beefed-up muscle car to win in the Pro Outlaw Class at Brainerd International Raceway. All summer, his 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse consistently knocked off the class’s Chevelles, Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros and Firebirds en route to a track championship in BIR’s inaugural Outlaw Drag Racing Series.

Throughout the series, Rau’s rear-wheel drive Eclipse covered the quarter mile in just under 7 seconds and 190+ mph. He won his way to the Pro Outlaw finals in two of the three series races, winning the class during the Index Class Eliminator and finishing as runner up during the Show & Go, when he ran up against Jason Stock, who was driving a ’63 Corvette that posted a speed of 230.45 mph, a Show & Go record. Rau was knocked out in the second round of the Coca-Cola Muscle Car Shootout but still finished the series with a substantial points lead over second place finisher Rob Meservier and third place finisher Dean Bauerly.

The five classes that make up the Outlaw Drag Racing Series – Pro Outlaw, Outlaw,

King Street, Real Street Unlimited and Real Street Natural – have been the main attractions during the Show & Go and Muscle Car Shootout at BIR for years. This year, BIR added a third event, the Index Class Eliminator, and the series was born.

While Bauerly competed in Pro Outlaw, his father, Mike, competed in the Outlaw Class in a dangerously quick 2005 Corvette, which was the car to beat in that class. His runs were consistently in the neighborhood of 7.1 seconds and 190 mph, which earned him the No. 1 qualifier honors at all three races.

Of course, qualifying first doesn’t guarantee you success during the elimination rounds, but Bauerly won the class twice. During the Show & Go, his car broke in the first round, sending him home early. But his two first-place finishes earned him plenty of points to win a track championship in the class. Trailing him was Eric Wourms in second and Jason Rolow in third.

In King Street, Michael Sterling cruised to a comfortable track championship in his 1966 Chevelle. Third-place finisher Brian Mahnke was the only driver who was able to beat Sterling during eliminations, doing so in the finals of the Muscle Car Shootout. Otherwise, Sterling was unbeatable, winning the class during the Index Class Eliminator and the Show & Go.

Sterling was running 8.4 seconds and 158 mph in a class that saw the 8-second mark broken for the first time in the Show & Go’s 23-year history. Steve Clarke and his 1968 Chevelle posted a 7.920-second run, which put him in the record books.

Tim Vnuk finished second in points behind Sterling even though he ended the season tied in points with Mahnke.

In Real Street Unlimited, Aaron Van Heel’s ‘91 Mustang Turbo made it to the finals in each of the three events. He won the class once and finished runner up twice, giving him the 2009 track championship in that class.

Van Heel’s times were a pretty steady 8.5 seconds and 165 mph. That was quick enough to stay ahead of the two closest racers: Jim Ripley, who finished second, and third-place finisher Jesse Nelson.

David Senderhauf never won the Real Street Natural Class but earned enough points to bring home the track championship. He raced his way to the finals during two of the three Outlaw races, but first place eluded him both times. In the third race, the Show & Go, he lost in the semifinals.

Senderhauf and his ’89 Mustang spent most of the season running 9.6 seconds and 140 mph. Three Mustangs claimed the top three places in the Real Street Natural Class: Senderhauf’s, Bill Meyer and his ’91 Mustang (second place) and Dave Helser and his ’88 Mustang (third).