Bracket drag racers complete second race, share BIR with ChumpCar World Series

(June 6, 2010) - Jim LaBorde drove home today from Brainerd International Raceway as the winner of two different classes - Super Gas and Super Comp - during BIR's Bracket Drag Racing Series. 

While LaBorde and 270 other drag racers were battling on the drag strip, 24 "Chumps" were testing their stamina and their cars' durability during the ChumpCar World Series' seven-hour endurance races on BIR's 2.5-mile Competition Road Course.

B.A.R Team chased Flying Circus for seven hours Saturday and another seven hours Sunday, but couldn't overcome Flying Circus, which won both races, with B.A.R. Team finished second each day during the inaugural ChumpCar World Series.

During Saturday's seven-hour endurance race, Flying Circus finished with 197 laps, posting a best lap time of 1:58.626 and a best speed of 75.869 mph. Right on the heals of the Circus was B.A.R. Team with 196 laps and a best lap time of 1:58.885 and a best speed of 75.703.

On Sunday, four teams couldn't get their car to the starting line, leaving 20 to compete. Flying Circus, which  posted the best lap time of the day with 1:55.661, completed 207 laps with a best speed of 77.814 mph. B.A.R. wasn't far behind again, completing 203 laps and a best lap time of 1:58.565 and best speed of 75.908 mph. For more ChumpCar results, click here.

The ChumpCar World Series features teams of four drivers who race cars that have to be valued at less than $500. They have seven hours to complete as many laps as possible. For some teams, there's more wrenching than racing going on but that's the lovable part of ChumpCar racing.

Back on the drag strip, LaBorde entered his 1997 Stevens in two classes, hoping to win at least one of them. But when the dust had cleared Sunday afternoon, LaBorde had disposed of Dale Evens in the finals of the Super Gas Class, posting a 9.883-second run and 150.13 mph. And then he beat Don Westra in the finals of the Super Comp Class with almost a perfect reaction time on the starting line: .001 seconds. He held off Westra with an 8.977-second run an 155.81 mph.

In the 26-car Sportsman Class, Bob Gillespie was the No. 1 qualifier in his 1970 Charger and earned a trip to the finals against the No. 4 qualifier, Jim Knebel and his 1970 Olds Cutlass. But Gillespie fouled at the starting line, handing the championship to Knebel.

With 66 cars in the Super Pro Class, Mike Walcheski outlasted the pack in his 1975 Camaro by beating Jason Kurkosky in the finals with 10.879 seconds and 133.04 mph.

The third race of the five-race Bracket Drag Racing Series is July 10-11. That Saturday is the Junior Dragster Challenge Race, where the Junior Dragsters will be competing for an NHRA Wally Trophy, just like the NHRA pros win. On Sunday is the National Dragster Challenge, where racers in the Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Pro Bike, Comp Trophy, Street Trophy and Street Bike classes will compete for an NHRA Wally Trophy. It'll be a fantastic weekend of racing. 

Below are Sunday’s final results for the Bracket Drag Racing Series:

SUPER PRO
Finals: Mike Walcheski of Foley def. Jason Kurkosky of Annandale
Semifinals: Walcheski def. Dan Carlson of St. Croix Falls, Wis.; Kurkosky had a bye

PRO
Finals: Steve Roehrs of Frederic, Wis. def. Charlie Giddings of Ramsey
Semifinals: Roehrs def. Dennis Remer of Wyoming; Giddings def. Jeff Wilken of Sartell

SPORTSMAN
Finals: Jim Knebel of Pillager def. Bob Gillespie of Brainerd
Semifinals: Knebel def. Chuck Fenstra of Crosby; Gillespie def. Matt Lovitz of St. Cloud

PRO BIKE/SLED
Finals: Mike Voss of Maplewood def. Dave Gremmer of North Branch
Semifinals: Voss had a bye; Gremmer def. Ken Doble of Clearwater

SUPER COMP
Finals: Jim LaBorde of Hibbing def. Don Westra of St. Cloud
Semifinals: LaBorde def. Ed Shaughnessy of Coleraine; Westra def. Greg Collins of Wyoming

SUPER GAS
Finals: Jim LaBorde def. Dale Evens of St. Cloud
Semifinals: LaBorde def. Tom Stromwall of St. Cloud; Evens def. Larry Wiebusch Jr. of Coon Rapids

SUPER STREET
Finals: Ronnie Luberda of Foley def. Corey Rinas of Moorhead
Semifinals: Luberda def. Ryan Scheleck of St. Cloud; Rinas def. Myron Streit of St. Cloud

STOCK/SUPER STOCK
Finals: Glen DeMenge of McGregor def. Craig Mescroll of Cloquet
Semifinals: DeMenge had a bye; Mescroll def. Lawrence Line of Wright

COMP TROPHY
Finals: Gregor Dancer of Foley def. Keith Larson of Brainerd
Semifinals: Dancer had a bye; Larson def.Danielle Helmin of Brainerd

STREET TROPHY
Finals: Dan Hyttsten of Becker def. Zach Hallberg of Champlin
Semifinals: Hyttsten def. Naomi Hyttsten of Elk River; Hallberg had a bye

STREET BIKE
Finals: Devin Flynn of Princeton def. Ken Doble of Clearwater
Semifinals: Flynn def. David Sampson of Forest Lake; Doble def. Mike Voss of Maplewood

JUNIOR DRAGSTER ADVANCED
Finals: Haley Heintzman of Fargo def. Elisabeth Durenberger of Dayton
Semifinals: Heintzman def. Emily Durenberger of Dayton; Durenberger def. Tucker Driscoll of Watertown, SD

JUNIOR DRAGSTER INTERMEDIATE
Finals: Blane Erickson of Bagley def. Kali Driscoll of Watertown, SD
Semifinals: Erickson had a bye; Driscoll def. Jordyn Campbell of Brooklyn Park

JUNIOR DRAGSTER NOVICE
Finals: Sarah Johnson of Nowthen def. Shelby Kastner of Clearwater
Semifinals: Johnson had a bye; Kastner def. Sydney Haben of Hibbing