NHRA Summit Racing Series, Saturday from Heartland Park Topeka

NHRA SUMMIT RACING SERIES - WEST CENTRAL DIVISION
HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA, TOPEKA, KAN.
Saturday, September 16, 2006

KNIGHT, GILLIGAN GRAB EARLY TROPHIES AT HEARTLAND PARK

TOPEKA, Kan. - Todd Knight and Tom Gilligan grabbed the first two trophies of the weekend and the NHRA West Central Division Summit Racing Series Championships at Heartland Park Topeka.

The wins came in the form of a Race of Champions (a special event between NHRA member track champions) with Knight, of Belton, Mo., taking the win in his '05 dragster with a 7.994 second, 161.83 mph lap. The Kansas City Int'l Raceway regular won over Mark Mueller representing Mid-America Dragway in Geuda Springs, Kan., running 11.104, 117.20 in his '70 Road Runner.

Gilligan, out of Fremont, Neb., and running for Kearney Raceway Park, ran a 9.691 second pass at 130.72 mph on his '79 Kawasaki for the win and the trophy. Gilligan knocked out Toby Giese of Atwater, Minn., and Grove Creek Raceway. Giese took out local racer Paul Mustain of Topeka, Kan., in round one.

Eighteen NHRA Member Tracks brought teams to Heartland Park this weekend combining for more then 500 racers shooting for the NHRA West Central Division Summit Racing Series Championship and a chance to go to Pomona, Calif., for the NHRA Summit Racing National Championship at the Auto NHRA Finals, one of the premier events in the NHRA PowerAde Drag Racing Series.

Racing continues Sunday at 8 a.m. at Heartland Park with eliminations for all classes. All five defending Champions are on site with Larry Demers in Super Pro running for Tri-State Raceway, Gary Schueneman in Pro from Grove Creek, Dustin Travis in Sportsman from Bandimere Speedway, Donnie Durenberger in Motorcycle from Brainerd Int'l Raceway, and Tyler Risse, also of Tri-State Raceway, in High School looking to make it two in a row.

The following are Saturday's final round results for the NHRA West Central Division Race of Champions at Heartland Park Topeka:

SUMMIT RACE of CHAMPION CAR

Todd Knight, Belton, Mo., Kansas City International Raceway, dragster, 7.994, 161.83 def. Mark Mueller, Arkansas City, Kan., Mid-America Dragway, '70 Road Runner, 11.104, 117.20.

SUMMIT RACE of CHAMPION BIKE

Tom Gilligan, Fremont, Neb., Kearney Raceway Park, '79 Kawasaki, 9.691, 130.72 def. Toby Giese, Atwater, Minn., Grove Creek Raceway, '00 Kawasaki, foul.