Team North Star Dragway Claims Title at the South Central Division Summit Series Finals
Courtesy of






ENNIS, Texas -- It took a day longer than planned but the squad from North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas, took home the team honors at the NHRA South Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals at Texas Motorplex. The race kicked off on Friday and was slated to be finished Sunday evening. But it was hampered by rain early Friday and much of the day on Sunday and so eliminations ran today.

The top bracket racers from NHRA tracks across the region came to the Motorplex to fight for team and individual honors as well as a share of the purse worth nearly $30,000.

Lead by an all-North Star final in No E Quick, the North Star Dragway contingent won by just four points over second the second place team from Wichita Raceway Park. Warren Wright of Grandview, Texas wheeled his '68 Camaro to the win over teammate Jeff Riedel of Fort Worth, driving his '75 Nova.

In the Super Pro category, Paris, Texas's James McNeal, running for Paris Dragstrip, ousted Austin Williams of Burleson, Texas, racing for Texas Motorplex. In the Pro category, Wichita Raceway Park driver Lynn Doty, Rio Vista, Texas, behind the wheel of a '98 Chevy S-10, knocked out Robbie Mayse of Frost, Texas, representing Sooner Motorplex in his '57 Corvette.

No E Street racer Jason Kizlinski, Midlothian, Texas, also running for Texas Motorplex, took his '74 Nova to the winner's circle, beating Everett Vassar, Kennedale, Texas, driving his '81 Malibu Wagon for Texas Raceway. William Keele Jr. rode his '82 Kawasaki to the win in Motorcycle when he jettisoned last year's champion Dan Rollman of Oklahoma City in the final.

Individual champions at the South Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals earn the right to compete against the winners from NHRA's other six divisions for a National Championship at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., in November. The South Central division fills the four categories with the winners in No E Quick, No E Street, Motorcycle and the winner of a runoff between the champs in Super Pro and Pro. This year, Super Pro racer McNeal earned the slot. Racers in each of the four classes in Pomona will compete for a winner-takes-all $5,000 payday.

Following are the NHRA South Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals champions:

SUMMIT SUPER PRO
James McNeal, Paris, Texas, Paris Dragstrip, dragster, 4.838, 142.25 def. Austin Williams, Burleson, Texas, Texas Motorplex, dragster, 5.142, 129.16

SUMMIT PRO
Lynn Doty, Rio Vista, Texas, Wichita Raceway Park, '98 S-10, 6.860, 102.21 def. Robbie Mayse, Frost, Texas, Sooner Motorplex, '57 Corvette, 6.830, 109.06

NO E QUICK
Warren Wright, Grandview, Texas, North Star Dragway, '68 Camaro, 6.413, 103.32 def. Jeff Riedel, Ft. Worth, Texas, North Star Dragway, '75 Nova, 6.678, 102.09

NO E STREET
Jason Kizlinski, Midlothian, Texas, Texas Motorplex, '74 Nova, 7.696, 83.89 def. Everett Vassar, Kennedale, Texas, Texas Raceway, '81 Malibu Wagon, 8.068, 84.18

SUMMIT BIKE
William Keele Jr., San Antonio, Texas, San Antonio Raceway, '82 Kawasaki, 5.715, 115.25 def. Dan Rollman, Oklahoma City, Thunder Valley Raceway Park, '77 Kawasaki, 5.821, 112.81

PRO/SUPER PRO RUN OFF
James McNeal, Paris, Texas, Paris Dragstrip, dragster, 4.839, 142.24 def. Lynn Doty, Rio Vista, Texas, Wichita Raceway Park, '98 S-10, foul


TEAM POINTS
1. North Star Dragway 123
2. Wichita Raceway Park 119
3. Texas Raceway 102
4. HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK 98
5. Texas Motorplex 96
6. Paris Dragstrip 91
7. Sooner Motorplex 87
8. San Antonio Raceway 86
9. Thunder Valley Raceway Park 80
10. Hobbs Raceway Park 79
11. Edinburg Int'l Racetrack 73
12. Twin City Dragway 35
13. Lubbock Dragway 3
14. Memphis Motorsports Park 2