Emilee Novak, Nick Wallace and Bobby Bode scored the first 2010 North Central Division titles at the annual Division 3 Jr. Championships presented by Snyder Motorsports this past weekend at Bunker Hill Dragstrip.  All three were first time division champions.

Great weather greeted racers Sunday morning after morning showers and ultimately evening fog hampered Saturday’s running of the VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions 3-age group classes, a Fun Race and the Quick 330.  All of the specialty races were completed Sunday afternoon following the eliminations for the Division Championships.

Novak overcame a big reaction time deficit in the 13-17 Year Old class final round match with Joey Cameron, who had won the Friday night Warm-up race.  Novak from Fairfax, Iowa, who participated at several different Division 3 tracks during the summer to qualify for the event, captured the win by a narrow .007-second margin of victory.  Bailey McCorkle was the lone semi-finalist.

Emilee Novak, near lane, overcame Joey Cameron's starting line advantage to win the 13-17 year old class.    Kevin Pepera photo.

 

Wallace got an automatic win in the 10-12 Year Old class final when Sonseeahrae Trobach representing Pacemakers Dragway Park fouled.  Wallace, a student at Southwestern Elementary in Shelbyville, Ind. wheeled his ’07 Half Scale dragster to an 8.885 for the victory.  Trobach defeated Jarret Braden and Wallace overcame a perfect light by Caleb Ellison in the semi-final round.

Both racers dialed in with at 8.90 in the final with Sonseeahrae Troback, far lane, too quick off of the line for a foul giving the win to Nick Wallace.  Kevin Pepera photo.

 

Bobby Bode, 8-year old son of recent Lucas Oil Nationals Funny Car Champion Bob Bode, picked up a Wally of his own by claiming the 8 & 9 Year Old class title in a final round win over Jacob Oiler.  Bode had a slight starting line advantage in reaction time and held on to take the win light with a 12.978 on his 12.94 dial-in to Oiler’s 12.936 on his 12.90 dial-in.  Bode also made it to the semi-final round of the VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions which were completed after he had scored his division championship.

Eight-year old Bobby Bode, near lane, captured the Division Championship in a close final with Jacob Oiler.  Kevin Pepera photo.

 

The top racers in points from North Central Division tracks took part in the VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions which completed its first round Saturday before fog forced postponement of Saturday night’s racing until Sunday afternoon.  Mason Marino from Route 66 Raceway edged Tyler Wilson of Milan Dragway in the 13-17 year old final.  Hunter Acha racing for Mid-Michigan Motorplex collected the 10-12 year old class win over past champion Jay Fox racing for Beech Bend Raceway Park and Blake Lee representing Coles County Dragway captured the 8 & 9 year old golden Eagle trophy over Ashley Patrick who was racing for Tri-State Dragway.

Olson Paint and Body sponsored the Best Appearing Car, Crew and Best Engineered awards.  Riley Burton’s ’06 Gage Jr. Dragster from Avon, Indiana was selected as the Best Appearing Car, the David Roloff and Melanie Nunez team was named the Best Appearing Crew and Donovan Bolding, who did much of the unique detail work on his ’05 Spitzer dragster was honored as the Best Engineered entry.

Adam Berberich drove his ’08 Harden Jr. Dragster to the win in the Quick 32 – 330 Race over a red lighting Anthony Bond and Chase Nave representing Osceola Dragway won the Fun Race over Stephanie Brown from Tri-State Dragway.

The track also hosted a test and tune session on Friday evening along with a Warm-up race which was won by Joey Cameron with a great 8.127 on his 8.12 dial-in against former Eastern Conference champion Nick Isenhower.

Each of the Division Jr. Champions and the VP Racing Fuels Race of Champion winners along with our other 2010 NHRA Lucas Oil, Summit Racing Series and Jegs Super Quick Series champions will be honored at the annual NHRA North Central Division Awards Banquet, January 8, 2011 in Indianapolis.

Our thanks to the Bunker Dragstrip staff and Jr. parents who helped with games and activities that made for a fun weekend.