NHRA (LAS VEGAS) - SUMMIT RACING FINALS CHAMPIONS CONQUER THE STRIP

More than 800 of the best racers from across NHRA's Pacific division came to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for the NHRA Summit Racing Series Pacific Division Finals. The top points-earning drivers from 18 participating tracks came seeking individual and team honors and a chance at a share of the $30,600 purse. After a second-place finish in 2006, the home team representing Las Vegas Motor Speedway garnered the team championship.

The Super Pro final Steve White of Ventura, Calif., racing for Auto Club Famoso Raceway, scored the win over Las Vegas' John Phlegar. Jeff LaSalle of Santa Rosa, Calif., representing Infineon Raceway, wheeled his '67 Coronet to the win, beating Los Angeles County Raceway racer Dwayne Eastridge of North Hollywood, Calif., driving a '73 Mustang. West Bountiful, Utah's Bud Price, running for Rocky Mountain Raceways, beat his teammate, Scott Smith of Orem, Utah, in the final round. Price raced a '71 Mustang while Smith wheeled a '67 Chevelle. In the Motorcycle final, another Auto Club Famoso Raceway representative, Charles Rand of Bakersfield, Calif., scored the win. He rode his '95 Suzuki to victory over another Rocky Mountain Raceways racer, Mike Gragun of Sandy, Utah, aboard his '79 Kawasaki.

It was the second final-round appearance of the weekend for Gragun. On Saturday, he earned the win in the Race of Champions, a race within a race where the best of the best run off in head-to-head competition. Race of Champions winners in other classes were Tommy Debartoto, Grantville, Utah, in Super Pro; John Gray, Suisow City, Calif., in Pro; Greg Dreher, Bakersfield, Calif., in Motorcycle; and Mike Passerby, Queen Creek, Ariz., in the High School category.

Race of Champions winners in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Motorcycle earned the right to compete at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., for a national championship. They will run for a winner-take-all payday of $5,000. Each racer will also receive $3,500 for competing at the NHRA Finals.

The following are the final round results for the NHRA Northwest Division Summit Racing Series Finals:

SUPER PRO
Steve White, Ventura, Calif., Auto Club Famoso Raceway, dragster, 8.550, 150.88 def. John Phlegar, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, '63 Corvette, 9.317, 141.85

PRO
Jeff LaSalle, Santa Rosa, Calif., Infineon Raceway, '67 Coronet, 10.691, 122.12 def. Dwayne Eastridge, N. Hollywood, Calif., Los Angeles County Raceway, '73 Mustang, 10.880, 121.44

SPORTSMAN
Bud Price, West Boutiful, Utah, Rocky Mountain Raceways, '71 Mustang, 12.126, 108.27 def. Scott Smith, Orem, Utah, Rocky Mountain Raceways, '67 Chevelle, 12.024, 111.85

SUMMIT MOTORCYCLE
Charles Rand, Bakersfield, Calif., Auto Club Famoso Raceway, '95 Suzuki, 9.445, 137.22 def. Mike Gragun, Sandy, Utah, Rocky Mountain Raceways, '79 Kawasaki, 10.251, 125.44