Brad Plourd became just the 12th different driver in history to win an NHRA National event in two classes this past weekend for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.  Chris Demke and John Evanchuk joined him winning in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.

Plourd, originally from Maple Valley, Wash., first faced off with Dallas Glenn in Stock Eliminator where he had a great reaction time (.008 seconds) and held on for the win in his Nova. He then returned to the starting line to meet up with Stefan Kondolay for the Super Comp title and the elusive double.  Another good reaction time gave him the early lead which was enough for the defending event champion to hold off Kondolay and take not one but two 25th Anniversary silver NHRA Wally trophies.

Demke faced off with Jim Whiteley with the two locked in a battle for the National Championship. It was an ugly nail-biter as Demke smoked the tires and Whiteley suffered severe tire shake.  Both drivers’ chutes deployed but it was Demke that crossed the finish line first at 46 mph for the win.

Brad Plourd became just the 12th different driver in history to win an NHRA National event in two classes this past weekend for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.  Chris Demke and John Evanchuk joined him winning in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.

Plourd, originally from Maple Valley, Wash., first faced off with Dallas Glenn in Stock Eliminator where he had a great reaction time (.008 seconds) and held on for the win in his Nova. He then returned to the starting line to meet up with Stefan Kondolay for the Super Comp title and the elusive double.  Another good reaction time gave him the early lead which was enough for the defending event champion to hold off Kondolay and take not one but two 25th Anniversary silver NHRA Wally trophies.

Demke faced off with Jim Whiteley with the two locked in a battle for the National Championship. It was an ugly nail-biter as Demke smoked the tires and Whiteley suffered severe tire shake.  Both drivers’ chutes deployed but it was Demke that crossed the finish line first at 46 mph for the win.

Evanchuk fulfilled a dream in taking home his first ever NHRA national event win.  He worked his way through the alcohol funny car field earning a trip to the final round and a matchup with second generation driver Steve Gasparrelli.  Gasparrelli ran consistent 5.60’s all weekend but shook the tires in the final and slowed to a 6.80 second pass while Evanchuk also slowed but held on for a 6.582 second win at 230.88 mph.

Megan Ellingson joined Courtney Force and Erica Enders as all 3 females took wins this weekend.  Ellingson beat Jason Gibson in Super Street for her first national event win as Force broke through in Funny Car with her first and Enders grabbed her second in Pro Stock.

Former Northwest Nationals champions Ken Mostowich and Mike Shannon faced off in Super Gas with Mostowich winning in his Corvette.  Mostowich also beat Shannon in 2007 while Shannon won the 2009 event.

Mike DePalma and Joe Sorensen rounded out the Pacific Raceway winners with DePalma holding off Brandon Huhtala in Comp Eliminator and Sorensen defeating Jody Lang in Super Stock.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series returns to Pacific Raceways in two weeks for the NHRA Northwest Divisional event August 17-18 when they will be joined by several nostalgia racing classes, Top Fuel Harleys and jet car exhibitions.

 
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals:
 
Top Alcohol Dragster -- Chris Demke, 11.370, 46.05  def. Jim Whiteley, 11.763, 50.91.
 
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- John Evanchuk, Chevy Monte Carlo, 6.582, 230.88  def. Steve Gasparrelli, Monte Carlo, 6.803, 244.92.
 
Comp Eliminator -- Mike DePalma, Pontiac Trans Am, 8.999, 149.93  def. Brandon Huhtala, Pontiac GXP, 7.344, 186.85.
 
Super Stock -- Joe Sorensen, Chevy Camaro, 10.321, 121.65  def. Jody Lang, Chevy Malibu, 10.877, 120.20.
 
Stock Eliminator -- Brad Plourd, Chevy Nova, 12.562, 95.13  def. Dallas Glenn, Chevy Corvette, 10.870, 120.16.
 
Super Comp -- Brad Plourd, Dragster, 8.925, 157.48  def. Stefan Kondolay, Dragster, 8.899, 171.51.
 
Super Gas -- Ken Mostowich, Chevy Corvette, 9.896, 166.70  def. Mike Shannon, Corvette, 9.892, 154.46.
 
Super Street -- Megan Ellingson, Chevy Chevelle, 10.849, 134.50  def. Jason Gibson, Ford Mustang, foul.