SHIELDS, FOSTER HEADLINE NHRA U.S. NATS SPORTSMAN WINNERS

Duane Shields and Chris Foster led a list of first time winner’s for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto Plus at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis winning in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.

Shields, Boulder City, Nev., came out of the number 11 qualifying position and ran low 5.40’s (seconds) in the final three rounds of eliminations to capture the elusive Indy trophy.  The win was Shield’s first at Indy and 18th overall as he took out No. 1 qualifier Sidnei Frigo who was coming off a win just a few days earlier from the rain delayed Heartland Park Topeka Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Regional event that was completed at Tri-State Raceway.  Shields clocked in at 5.439 seconds at 267.91 mph to Frigo’s tire smoking 5.852, 228.92.

Foster grabbed his first NHRA National event win ever as he took out 15-time Lucas Oil National Champion Frank Manzo and Todd Veney on his way to a final round match up with former national champion Tony Bartone.  Foster led from stripe to stripe in his Ford Mustang as he got the hole-shot starting line advantage and never looked back covering the quarter-mile in 5.548, at 258.96 mph for his best run on the weekend.

Mike Welfel and local runner Roger Weaver joined the list of NHRA national event winners taking home trophies in Stock and Super Gas.  Welfel put his ’69 Camaro Stocker in the winner’s circle knocking out Joey Wilkes in 11.228 seconds while Weaver, Indianapolis, was near perfect running 9.903 on the 9.90 dial in his win over Jay Bunce.

Greg Kamplain from nearby Brownsburg, Ind., raced to a 6.882 second win in the Comp Eliminator class over Glen Treadwell and his ’23 roadster.  Kamplain used a .003 second reaction time for his first U.S. Nationals victory.

In one of the best final round match ups of the day, Tommy Phillips, Forney, Texas, defeated Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., in Super Comp.  Both drivers had good reaction times as Phillips was slightly better and held on for the win in 8.905 seconds at 173.18 mph.

The final trophy went to Lynn Ellison out of Kentucky, with a win over Andy Kronenbitter, Millersport, Ohio, in Super Stock.  The win is Ellison’s 5th national.

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