Joey Severance and Doug Gordon took home big wins this weekend in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Pacific Raceways for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Joey Severance and Doug Gordon took home big wins this weekend in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Pacific Raceways for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals.
 
Severance, Woodburn, Ore., met up with Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., for what would be a great final round matching up numbers 1 and 2 in the national points standings for Top Alcohol Dragster as well as the one and two qualifiers for the event.  Severance had been running in the 5.20’s all weekend, as was Demke other than a 5.31 in his round 1 win over Johnny Ahten.  Severance then ran low e.t. of the event in the final posting a 5.238 second lap at 273.11 mph to Demke’s 5.251 which was his event best as well.  The win moved Severance closer to Demke who held on to the top spot in the points.
 
Gordon, out of Paso Robles, Calif., scored his fifth NHRA national event win and his third at Pacific Raceways taking out Sean Bellemeur in the Top Alcohol Funny Car final. Bellemeur, Tustin, Calif., qualified third as was out front of Gordon, the No. 1 qualifier, but Gordon ran him down crossing the finish line in 5.609 seconds at 256.55 mph to Bellemeur’s 5.650, 254.38.
 
In Comp Eliminator, it was local runner Brandon Huhtala, Puyallup, Wash., picking up his first win as did second generation driver Tim Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., in Stock.  It was Huhtala’s third final round appearance as he posted a run of 7.600, 146.89 in his Pontiac GXP to beat Ryan Warter, Olalla, Wash., and his Chevy Camaro.  This was Fletcher’s first final round as he was better at both ends of the track to close the deal on Mike Alley, Eagle, Idaho, with a run of 11.148, 110.09.
 
Marc Heritage, Spanaway, Wash., and Kyle Colletti, Snohomish, Wash., also scored their first NHRA national event wins this weekend with Heritage beating Rodger Comstock, Las Vegas, in a double breakout in Super Comp and Colletti winning over John Ermish, Renton, Wash., in Super Street.  Heritage was out first then broke out by just .001 seconds with Comstock running 8.884, breaking out by .016.  Colletti went 10.899 at 147.52 mph after Ermish rolled the beam with a red light foul start.
 
Mike Shannon rounded out the list of winners as he bagged his second win in his third final at the Seattle event.  Shannon, Kelowna, B.C., CAN., drove his Chevy Corvette to a 9.920 at 145.66 to end Sparks, Nev., racer Tanner Hiatt’s day who ran 9.914 at 159.51 in his losing effort.  Shannon won here back in 2009 as well.
 
NHRA Northwest Division racers will return to Pacific Raceways in two weeks for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series West Region event, August 15-17.
 
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways:
 
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Joey Severance, 5.238, 273.11  def. Chris Demke, 5.251, 273.00.
 
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Doug Gordon, Ford Mustang, 5.609, 256.55  def. Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.650, 254.38.
 
COMP ELIMINATOR
Brandon Huhtala, Pontiac GXP, 7.600, 146.89  def. Ryan Warter, Chevy Camaro, foul.
 
SUPER STOCK
Terry Anderson, Chevy Nova, 10.076, 131.28  def. Alan Falcone, Chevy Cavalier, 9.380, 134.97.
 
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Tim Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 11.148, 110.09  def. Mick Alley, Camaro, 10.488, 126.27.
 
SUPER COMP
Marc Heritage, Dragster, 8.899, 174.17  def. Rodger Comstock, Dragster, 8.884, 176.51.
 
SUPER GAS
Mike Shannon, Chevy Corvette, 9.920, 145.66  def. Tanner Hiatt, Corvette, 9.914, 159.51.
 
SUPER STREET
Kyle Colletti, Chevy, 10.899, 147.52  def. John Ermish, Chevelle, broke.