BOGACKI WINS BIG AGAIN
Wed, 2007-11-21 03:50
Luke Bogacki entered the season ending DragRaceResults.com/Goodyear Bracket
Series Pro Bracket Masters Championship at Texas Raceway November 1-4 as the
odds-on favorite to claim the series’ points titles in both CSR Super Pro and
Sportsman eliminator. Bogacki, who grew up just miles from the fabled
Kennedale, TX facility before relocating to Alabama four years ago, put together
solid performances throughout the event, locking up both titles prior to the
start of Sunday’s eliminations.
“It’s been an incredible season,” described Bogacki. “I’ve been on rolls
before--but this year I started out hot, and for the most part it’s just
continued all season. I don’t have a good explanation for it. In one of his
recent interviews, Dan Fletcher said that ‘the worst racer at the track could
win with luck, but the best racer will never win without it.’ That’s so
true--and although I feel like I’ve driven better this season than ever, it’s
amazing how fortunate I’ve been throughout the year.”
At Texas Raceway, Bogacki put forth several late round finishes,
highlighted by a runner-up showing to Greg Brotherton in the 2nd annual Pro
Bracket Masters Championship, a special event featuring a $1,000 entry fee and
100% payback. Bogacki earned over $10,000 for the second place finish.
Additionally, he drove his Mickey Thompson Tires backed Vega to back-to-back
final round appearances in the Sportsman class, with a win in Thursday’s event
and a runner-up on Friday.
After a 2006 campaign that ended with a heartbreaking second place finish
in DragRaceResults.com/Goodyear Bracket Series Super Pro Points, (Bogacki
finished the season tied with champion Rustin Mayse, but lost the title on a
tiebreaker), Bogacki left little doubt all season as to who the 2007 champion
would be. At the first race of the 2007 series, the Peach State Bracket
Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park, Bogacki won both CSR Super Pro and
Sportsman in Sunday’s event. That finish, when combined with a CSR Super Pro
runner-up in Saturdays opener, vaulted him to the points lead after the seasons
first event. As the grueling DragRaceResults.com/Goodyear Bracket Racing Series
schedule wore on, it was a lead that he would never relinquish, as he amazingly
led the points standings in both classes for every day of the 2007 season.
To win the CSR Super Pro Championship, Bogacki accumulated a series record
51 points (besting Scotty Richardson’s 48 point total in 2005) to best Greg
Brotherton, Brendan George, Daryl Hamlin, Jr., and Wendell Dunaway atop the
national standings. He shot out to an early lead by advancing to both finals at
the opening race in South Georgia, and padded that margin with a Super Pro
victory a few weeks later at Atlanta Dragway. With another runner-up showing at
the Texas Motorplex, Bogacki had already claimed half of his events by the end
of March. It would be two months before he added to his total, as he posted a
third runner-up finish at Montgomery Motorsports Park in May. He would then sit
on that points total for several months before hitting his stride again Labor
Day weekend at Abilene Dragway. There, he put on an amazing performance,
running himself in the final round of CSR Super Pro on Saturday to claim his
third points earning victory of the season. A semi-final finish in Sunday’s
event further bolstered Bogacki’s points total. He claimed his final event, a
quarterfinal finish, at Montgomery Motorsports Park in October. In addition to
his three wins and three runner-up finishes with which he accumulated
championship points, Bogacki also picked up non-points wins within the series at
Tulsa Raceway Park and Montgomery Motorsports Park, along with his runner-up in
Abilene.
For his CSR Super Pro championship effort, Bogacki takes home a brand new
Race Tech 4-link dragster, complete turn-key. The machine is powered by a
Nesbitt Performance Engines all-aluminum 565 cubic inch engine, complete with
Brodix -3xtra heads and Brodix Aluminum Block. The car comes to Bogacki race
ready, with components from the top manufacturers in the industry. The prize is
valued at over $55,000.
While several drivers made runs at Bogacki’s points lead in CSR Super Pro,
his Sportsman title was much less dramatic. With five consecutive series
victories, Bogacki essentially sealed his national championship by mid-March.
In what was certainly the most impressive run in DragRaceResults.com/Goodyear
Bracket Series history, and one of the more phenomenal streaks in all of bracket
racing, Bogacki would drive his Mickey Thompson Tires backed Vega to 34
consecutive round wins in Sportsman eliminator in February and March. He
started with the victory in South Georgia, then won both days weeks later in
Atlanta. His trip to Dallas, TX and the Texas Motorplex netted another pair of
back-to-back victories. After that exhilarating run, it would take Bogacki
nearly five months to extend his points lead, but the damage had been done. He
added a runner-up finish at Tulsa, then made his final claims at Texas Raceway’s
Pro Bracket Masters Championships, with a win and runner-up; giving him eight
final round claims (six wins and two runner-ups). Additionally, Bogacki picked
up two victories (Abilene and Montgomery), and one runner-up (Abilene) that did
not count toward his points total. His 48 point Sportsman total is also a
series record, breaking the previous mark by a whopping ten rounds! Notable
competitors Jeremy Hefler, Randy Tanksley, 2006 Sportsman Champion Benny
Gossett, Bob George, Ernie Renfroe, John Rollins, Justin Endicott, Dennis
Cameron, and Jason McClure finished the season in the Sportsman top ten.
As the DragRaceResults.com/Goodyear Bracket Series Sportsman champion,
Bogacki earned a new 540 cubic inch power plant, complete carb to pan, valued at
over $10,000.
“This is really a great feeling--to come out here after the disappointing
end to last years points chase and win both titles in 2007,” said Bogacki. “In
fourteen years of racing, I’ve never enjoyed a season like this, and I’m not
sure that I ever will again, so I’m just trying to soak it all in. Most people
that know me know that my racing operation is basically a one man show--I
generally travel alone. But to say that I’ve won these titles on my own is
completely false. I’ve got a ton of people to thank for helping make my success
possible.”
Bogacki began that long list by thanking his major marketing partners, CSR
Performance Products, and Mickey Thompson Tires. “The Wood family at CSR really
stepped up for me this season as the major partner on my American Race Cars
dragster. Winning the CSR Super Pro Championship in the CSR Performance
Products dragster is really special to me. CSR is a great company that
manufacturers the best products in their field, and I’m extremely proud to be
associated with them.”
“Mickey Thompson Tires and Wheels is the major partner on the Vega, and I’m
really happy to continue my long alliance with that company as well. I’ve been
on Mickey Thompson tires exclusively for nearly a decade, and they’ve always had
a great product that has been a crucial part in my cars’ consistency and
success.”
“Of course, I want to thank Chris Barker, Danny Sons, and the staff of the
DragRaceResults.com/Goodyear Bracket Series as well as each participating
facility. The series is the best sportsman program in the country, and I’m
really looking forward to representing them as their champion. There have been
so many people who have helped me throughout the year--and I’m sure I’ll leave
some folks out, but I want to try to mention as many as possible. First off,
thank you to Carey “Crow” Locke and Richard Selph for loaning me a car at the
first race of the year at Valdosta--that’s what got this points deal started.
Thank you to Stephen Hughes, Blake Allen, David Bridgewater, Daniel Gossett, and
Rodney Frazier for the use of their machines as well. I want to also thank Jeff
Adkinson, Todd Ewing, and Jason Lynch for loaning me engines at various points
of the season, as well as Ted Waldrop and Jeff Rucks for loaning me a tow
vehicle over the summer. I’ve had so many friends come thru for me when I was
in a pinch it’s amazing--and I probably take advantage of all of them, but I
want them to know I appreciate it. Thank you Wendell and Ian Dunaway, Jason
Lynch and Mike Dzurilla at Bullet Motorsports, Bubba Stephenson, Benny and
Daniel Gossett and the entire Gossett Family, Rodney and Jacque Horton, Staff
and Michael Rastall, Joe and Sue Davis, and all my friends.”
“I want to thank Todd Ewing, Andy Anderson, Dennis Kline, Greg Harroway,
and everyone at Huntsville Engine & Performance. The HEPC team has been
behind me 100%, and they essentially shut the shop down to make sure I was ready
to go on more that one occasion this season--for all that I thank them again.
Thanks to Mark Horton, Travis Colangelo, and the staff at American Race Cars for
building the best car I’ve ever had--and for all their help throughout the
season. Thank you to Bryan Robinson, Bill Taylor, the Barrentine family, and
the staff at BTE for their continued help and support, and for building quality
components I can depend on: I’ve had the same transmission between the frame
rails of whatever dragster I’ve owned for the past three seasons! I also want
to thank Jerry Dooley and John Kyle at APD for their help and assistance. And
in spite of my continued alliance with BTE and Huntsville Engine, I need to
thank Lucas Bendall at Bendall’s Racing Components and Jeff Wilkerson at
Wilkerson Racing Engines. Each of them really bent over backwards to help me
out in a pinch, and I really appreciate it.”
Bogacki also thanked a list of top manufacturers for the quality components
that he relies on in his racing exploits. “Racing is what I do--it’s how I’ve
chosen to make a living. And to be successful, you have to be prepared. I
believe I have two of the best race cars in the country, and that’s a testament
to the quality components that I depend on.” Those parts and pieces come from
Brodix Cylinder Heads, Hedman Hedders, Nitroplate, Jeg’s, K&R Performance
Engineering, Auto Meter, B&M Performance, Figspeed.com, Rockett Brand Racing
Fuel, Goza Racing Products, Milodon, AFCO Drag Racing, DragRaceResults.com, ISC
Racer’s Tape, and Dixie Performance.
“I also want to thank my Mom and Dad for everything they’ve done for my
life and career. My father passed away six years ago, but I think he really
would have enjoyed seeing all the success this season--it’s been what we always
dreamed to doing together, and he sacrificed so much years ago to let me chase
this dream. I think he’d be really proud if he could be here to enjoy
it.”
While Bogacki has intentions of defending his DragRaceResults.com/Goodyear
Bracket Series championship in 2008, he also has other plans for the coming
season. “Big money bracket racing has been very good to me, and I love to do
it--but I’m exploring some other options, and new challenges. Bryan Robinson
and I are teaming up to build a Stock eliminator car, and I hope to hit the road
early in 2008 with it. I plan on doing some class racing, mainly in IHRA next
season; in Stock, Hot Rod, Quick Rod, and Top Dragster. I don’t know that I‘ll
enjoy it as much as the bracket scene, but I’m excited about the exposure
possibilities, and a change of pace in general.”
Categories:
