Tony Virgilio led the list of winners from the NHRA Spring Sportsman Challenge XX National Open at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis, Mo. with the JEGS Super Quick Series title at the rain delayed event.  Other Sunday winners included Don O’Malley (Super Stock/Stock combo), Greg Gerakaris (SC), Larry Bernshausen (SG), Jon Tignor (SST), Darryl Sutton (S/Pro), James Pearson (Pro/Sportsman ET) and Dylan Sutton (Jr. Dragster).

Virgilio, near lane, jumped into the lead of the 2012 JEGS Super Quick Series points.

 

Virgilio scored his second Super Quick Series win by edging Robbie Freels in the final with a starting line advantage helping him to get around Freels for the win with a 4.507 at 151.15 mph on his 4.50 dial-in.  His previous win came last season at his home track, Crossroads Dragway, but only after being inserted in the field as the first alternate. 

Virgilio qualified comfortably in the number 11 position with a 4.513 with new Steve Schmidt Competition Engines power.

Ed Dudley led all qualifiers with a 4.501 at 153.75 mph to collect the $200 JEGS gift certificate.  Next race for the JEGS Super Quick Series will be Saturday, May 26 as part of the NHRA SportsNATIONAL OPEN at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky.

A pair of Super Stock and Stock veterans met in the final of the combo class with O’Malley of Decatur, Ill. wheeling his SS/JA ’64 Corvette to the win over Larry Hill’s A/SA ’71 Cuda from Hickory, Ky.  Timmy Tosto and Gary Summers set new 1/4-mile and 1/8-mile NHRA national records in C/Stock and O/Stock, respectively.

Division Director Jay Hullinger had the pleasure of presenting second generation racer Greg Gerakaris his first Wally with his parents Jim & Carol joining him in the Gateway winner's circle.

 

Greg Gerakaris from Batavia, Ill. captured his first Wally in a double breakout final in Super Comp.  Gerakaris had a great .005 reaction time in the final against Christopher Kesel of Nashville, Ill. for the 8.867 to 8.832 decision.

Bernshausen has seen the winner’s circle at Gateway a number of times over the years in his ’77 Vega wagon and he added another Wally to his mantel with the Super Gas win over Eric Barach at the wheel of his ’63 Corvette roadster.

It was the first time for Jon Tignor to give Super Street a try in his ’79 Malibu and the St. Louis, Mo. racer took home the gold as Gary Horstmann of Festus, Mo. fouled with his ’74 Mustang in the final.

The event featured complete bracket programs each day with eighth-mile brackets on Saturday that saw Rod Schaeffer claiming the Super Pro win over Dan Smith while John Ratulowski taking the Pro/Sportsman ET title over Bob Jackson.  Sunday was quarter-mile bracket competition with Darryl Sutton edging Bernie Geist, Jr. for the Super Pro crown and James Pearson defeated Steve Pearson, no relation, in the Pro/Sportsman ET final.

Jr Dragster winner Dylan Sutton, who's dad won Super Pro joined JEGS Super Quick winner Tony Virgilio, a Jr Drag Racing graduate in the winner's circle.

 

The Jr. Dragster racers enjoyed two complete races over the weekend with Shelby Hamilton taking the double breakout win over Courtni Hackett for the Saturday night win.  Sunday three-age group winners including Talon Bandy in the 8&9 year old class, Dylan Sutton in the 10-12 year old class and Morgan Keyser winner of the 13-17 year old class ran off for the overall title with Sutton running right on his 12.19 dial-in in the final against Keyser.

Gateway Motorsports Park has a number of test and tune, Midnight Madness and Bracket Series events planned along with a number of specials.  The track will host the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, Sept. 28-30.

For complete round-by-round results look to DragRaceCentral.com.

All Photos by Matt Levonas, NHRA Div 5

NHRA Spring Sportsman Challenge XX National Open Results

Gateway Motorsports Park – Madison, Ill.

Sunday – April 22, 2012:

JEGS Super Quick -- Tony Virgilio, Spitzer, 4.507, 151.15 def. Robbie Freels, Racecraft, 4.674, 146.69.

Stock/Super Stock Combo -- Don O'Malley, Corvette, 10.770, 99.27 def. Larry Hill, Cuda, broke.

Super Comp -- Greg Gerakaris, Spitzer, 8.867, 173.38 def. Christopher Kesel, Powerchassis, 8.832,
162.22.

Super Gas -- Larry Bernshausen, Vega Wgn, 9.908, 143.25 def. Eric Barach, Vette, 9.884, 170.17.

Super Street -- Jon Tignor, Malibu, 10.764, 132.84 def. Gary Horstmann, Mustang, foul.

Super Pro 1/4 -- Darrl Sutton, 9.624, 128.15 def. Bernie Geist Jr., Camaro, 10.643, 126.14.

Pro/Sportsman 1/4 -- James Pearson, Mustang, 12.277, 108.83 def. Steve Pearson, Chev Vega, 10.255, 131.22.

Overall Junior Champion -- Dylan Sutton, 12.196, 50.55 def. Morgan Lil Sassy Keyser, Huddleston, 8.154, 76.29.

13-17 Year Old -- Morgan Lil Sassy Keyser, 8.140, 72.32 def. Sean Miller, 8.549, 72.33

10-12 Year Old -- Dylan Sutton, 12.332, 46.95 def. Chase Bittle, 8.949, 73.58

8 & 9 Year Old -- Talon Bandy, 13.266, 31.88, def. Amanola Miller, 13.164, 50.45

Saturday – April 21, 2012:

Super Pro 1/8 -- Rod Schaeffer, Race Tech, 4.838, 136.04 def. Dan Smith, Lebaron, 5.628, 122.24.

Pro/Sportsman 1/8 – John Tatulowski, Camaro, 6.883, 98.23 def. Bob Jackson, Dart, 6.755, 100.67

Junior Dragster – Shelby Hamilton, 8.018, 78/41 def. Courtni Hackett, 8.869, 72.89.

Super Comp Shootout – Jeremy Watkins, 8.918, 154.51 def. Tim Foley, 8.916, 168.39

Super Gas Shootout – Darryl Sutton, 9.910, 155.74 def. Kevin Prior, 9.839, 148.36

Super Street Shootout – John Miller, 10.901, 140.81 def. Louis Murray, 10.900, 151.78