Illinois Driver Booher, Drew Win at Gateway Motorsports Park

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Brandon Booher and Ray Drew took the wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division NAPA Auto Parts All American Hot Rod Showdown powered by Life on the Line Film at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Local resident, Brandon Booher, Urbana, Ill., scored his 5th regional/divisional event win beating Megan Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan. in the final with a lap of 5.481 seconds at 268.22 mph to Meyer’s 5.496, 264.03.  Meyer made her competition debut here and made three good, consistent runs during eliminations, but Booher had a small advantage at the green and opened the gap over the first half of the track to take the win in Top Alcohol Dragster in his eighth final round.

Ray Drew, Hales Corners, Wis., picked up his second Top Alcohol Funny Car win outrunning Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, at 5.679, 253.22 in the final.  Drew had a great light, went right down the groove to take the win while Williams launched his car and struggled to make it through the lane. Drew had his first win last year, at the Division 3 opener at Indianapolis

In Comp Eliminator Craig Bourgeois, Metarie, La., had a great light, but his car headed out toward the wall and he struggled trying to get it back in the groove. Meanwhile, Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind. made his full pass in 6.727 seconds, at 183.87 mph, to break a long winning dry spell and grab his first divisional Comp Eliminator trophy since 2007. It’s his fourth, in 16 final round appearances.

In Stock Eliminator it was the first-ever divisional final round for both drivers, ensuring a first-time winner. Tommy Pettigrew, Gallatin, Tenn., led at the light, as Tim Tosto, Wentzville, Mo., was late and Pettigrew earned his first-ever Stock trophy by a couple car lengths. 

In other racing events: Devin Isenhower, Lebanon, in his first-ever divisional final round, put together a nice 0.010 package to win the Super Comp; Drew Skillman, Greenwood, Ind., had a nice light, and a nice run to earn his sixth divisional win and his second in Super Stock; in Super Gas Steve Theodor, Columbus, Ohio, ran his tally up to six divisional wins; and Bob Schmidt, Grove City, Ohio, earned his second Super Street win in his second final round

In Top Dragster Mark Jones, Marrero, La., won the battle at the starting line, but took too much stripe and Tim Paap, Charleston, Ill, grabbed his first-ever trophy in his first-ever final round.  In Top Sportsman Jeffrey Barker, Kathleen, Ga., nabbed his 16th victory, in 22 final rounds, continuing the domination he showed with three straight wins in Division 2 to open the 2015 season.

Gateway MSP

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