In the team competition, Spokane County Raceway – Team A won the Division 6 Summit Team Finals over Team B from the same host track. The Spokane winning team earned 18 points while the second home team earned 14 points. Walla Walla Dragstrip - Team A finished third with 12 team points while Northern Lights Raceway - Team A finished with 12 team points as well. The tie breaker was decided by which of the two teams had a competitor go the farthest in the day’s eliminations. Teams from Castrol Raceway, Interlake Dragway, Hi-Line Dragstrip, and Alaska Raceway Park completed the track entry roster for the weekend.
Northern Lights Raceway made the first statement in the quest for the Summit Super Series Championship. The first two tickets punched for the World Championship race at the Summit World Finals belong to drivers Mike Lucas and Andy Closkey representing the Fort St John, BC Dragstrip.
In Box competition, Andy Closkey, behind the wheel of his 1965 Chevelle, earned the first round bye run then put up consistent lights in the semi-finals and finals only to see his opponents James Hornby (Spokane County Raceway - Team A) and Dean Smith (Interlake Dragway) go red in consecutive rounds.
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES - Box Final
Mike Lucas, Northern Lights Raceway (0.039) 7.710 on 7.71, 170.94
def. Stephen Johansen, Walla Walla Dragstrip (0.057) 10.703 on 10.69, 123.49 - Bryan Epps photo
In the No-Box class, Mike Lucas, in his 2000 Camaro, put on a clinic with .006 and .019 lights in the first and second rounds and safely running .015 over against Mike Cofini (Spokane Team A) and .014 over his dial against Dean Smith (Interlake). In the finals, Lucas grabbed a .018 starting line advantage over Stephen Johansen (Walla Walla Team A) and ran a dead-on 7.710 on his 7.71 dial for the championship.
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES - No Box Final
Andy Closkey, Northern Lights Raceway, '65 Chevelle (0.021) 10.225 on 10.24, 129.75
def. Dean Smith, Interlake Dragway, '73 Camaro (-0.036) 9.252 on 9.25, 146.22 - Bryan Epps photo
The first Junior competitor to earn a spot in the Junior Summit Super Series World Championship field was Jake Nickerson representing Spokane County Raceway - Team B. Nickerson used a .012 light to defeat Kort Holbrook, from Walla Walla Dragstrip - Team A, and then earned the bye run in the semi-finals. Nickerson again showed his starting line dominance by throwing down a .013 light and cruising for the win against Ethan Ochitwa representing Castrol Raceway - Team B in the final round.
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES - Junior Finals
Jake Nickerson, Spokane County Raceway (0.013) 7.961 on 7.90, 75.18
def. Ethan Ochitwa, Castrol Raceway 8.05 0.074 8.091 79.74
In the competition for the IHRA Division 6 championship, the winners were John Tiegen in Top, Andy Closkey in Modified, Cole Butler in Junior Dragster and Mark Jennings in Street.
In the finals of Top category, John Tiegen, representing Northern Lights Raceway met up with Jeffrey Oien who was there for Spokane County Raceway. Tiegen, in his Cavalier, ran an 8.056 on his 8.05 dial-in to become the 2015 Border Bandits champion. Oien, had the starting line reaction advantage but could not take the finish line strip first running a 9.814 on his 9.78 dial-in.
MAIN EVENT - Top Final
John Tiegen, Northern Lights Raceway, Cavalier (0.017) 8.056 on 8.05, 171.29
def. Jeffrey Oien, Spokane County Raceway, '77 Monza (0.008) 9.814 on 9.78, 132.21 - Bryan Epps photo
The Mod championship for this year went to Andy Closkey who continued his hot streak as No Box winner in the Summit SuperSeries competition. Closkey, in his ’65 Chevelle representing Northern Lights Raceway, defeated DJ Oien who competed for Spokane County Raceway in his ’89 Mustang. Closkey got the win light running a 10.22 on his 10.18 dial while Oien fell to a 12.95 on his 12.85 dial-in.
In Street, it was an all Spokane County Raceway final between Mark Jenning in his ’95 Z28 Camaro and John Diener competing with his ’84 Toyota Sura. Jennings used a big starting line advantage to hold off Diener for the championship win. Diener ran a closer 14.727 on his 14.72 dial-in but Jenning made it to the finish line first with a 12.01 on his 11.96 dial.
The Junior Dragster title for Division 6 this year went to Cole Butler competing for Interlake Dragway over Jackson Watts racing as a representative for Walla Walla Dragstrip. In a double break-out final. Butler ran a 8.14 on his 8.16 dial to win over Walls’12.31 on a 12.36 dial.
SPECIAL AWARDS
Best Appearing Open Bodied Car – Jessica Juel, Spokane County Raceway
Best Engineered Open Bodied Car – Todd Fricke, Walla Walla Dragstrip
Best Appearing Full Bodied Car – Mike Lucas, Northern Lights Raceway
Best Engineered Full Bodied Car – Larry Hall, Walla Walla Dragstrip
Best Appearing Junior Dragster – Rayce Schultz, Hi-Line Dragstrip
Best Engineered Junior Dragster – Mackenna Ochitwa, Castrol Raceway
Best Team Spirit – Castrol Raceway
Best Appearing Sponsor Banner – Spokane County Raceway
Best Appearing Team – Walla Walla Dragstrip
Best Decorated Grandstands – Hi-Line Dragstrip
Summit Super Series Track of the Year - Division 6 - Magic City International Raceway
Pro Am Track of the Year - Division 6 - Spokane County Raceway
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES RESULTS
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES - Box
Mike Lucas, Northern Lights Raceway (0.039) 7.710 on 7.71, 170.94
def. Stephen Johansen, Walla Walla Dragstrip (0.057) 10.703 on 10.69, 123.49
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES - No Box
Andy Closkey, Northern Lights Raceway (0.021) 10.225 on 10.24, 129.75
def. Dean Smith, Interlake Dragway (-0.036) 9.252 on 9.25, 146.22
SUMMIT SUPERSERIES - JUNIOR
Jake Nickerson, Spokane County Raceway (0.013) 7.961 on 7.90, 75.18
def. Ethan Ochitwa, Castrol Raceway 8.05 0.074 8.091 79.74
MAIN EVENT RESULTS
MAIN EVENT - TOP
John Tiegen, Northern Lights Raceway (0.017)8.056 on 8.05, 171.29
def. Jeffrey Oien, Spokane County Raceway (0.008) 9.814 on 9.78, 132.21
MAIN EVENT - MOD
Andy Closkey, Northern Lights Raceway (0.048) 10.222 on 10.18, 121.58
def. DJ Oien, Spokane County Raceway (0.081) 12.952 on 12.89, 99.84
MAIN EVENT - JUNIOR
Cole Butler, Interlake Dragway (0.067) 8.145 on 8.16, 80.63
def. Jackson Watts, Walla Walla Dragstrip (0.069) 12.318 on 12.36, 53.04
MAIN EVENT - STREET
Mark Jennings, Spokane County Raceway (0.069) 12.015 on 11.96, 100.82
def. John Diener, Spokane County Raceway (0.166) 14.727 on 14.72, 92.52
OTHER RESULTS
SATURDAY GAMBLERS RACE - TOP
Don Juel, Spokane County Raceway (0.004) 9.034 on 9.01, 142.56
def. Marlin Chase, Northern Lights Raceway (0.015) 7.504 on 7.44, 179.31
SATURDAY GAMBLERS RACE - MOD
Rob Harrison, Castrol Raceway (0.018) 14.242 on 10.42, 67.74
def. Brian Buskirk, Hi-Line Dragstrip (-0.004) 11.789 on 11.79, 113.49
SATURDAY GAMBLERS RACE - JUNIOR
Cole Butler, Interlake Dragway (0.056) 8.22 on 8.217, 80.70
def. Jake Nickerson, Spokane County Raceway (0.060)7.889 on 7.90, 78.77
SUNDAY RUN FOR THE MONEY
Bryan Watts, Walla Walla Dragstrip
def. Justin Murray, Spokane County Raceway
SUNDAY GAMBLERS RACE- SPORTSMAN
John Postshek, Alaska Raceway Park (0.151) 12.738 on 12.70, 112.00
def. John Diener, Spokane County Raceway (0.076) 14.70 on 14.72, 92.31
SUNDAY GAMBLERS RACE - TOP
John Melnyk, Castrol Raceway (0.054) 10.195 on 10.13, 122.64
def. Darrell Pasher, Spokane County Raceway (0.483) 10.222 on 10.26, 131.29
SUNDAY GAMBLERS RACE - MOD
Andy Closkey, Northern Lights Raceway (0.009) 10.247 on 10.20, 122.71
def. Jeff McGee, Spokane County Raceway (0.057) 13.851 on 13.84, 95.35
SUNDAY GAMBLERS RACE - JUNIOR
Jake Nickerson, Spokane County Raceway (0.046) 7.903 on 7.90, 82.74
def. Ethan Ochitwa, Castrol Raceway (-0.010) 8.015 on 7.97, 80.07
TEAM CAPTAINS RACE
Jason Metz, Spokane County Raceway (0.288) 16.104 on 16.05, 86.11
def. John Carnahan, Hi-Line Dragstrip (0.153) 17.431 on 17.56, 74.09
FRIDAY GAMBLERS RACE - TOP
Jeffrey Oien, Spokane County Raceway (0.022) 9.802 on 9.84, 133.51
def. Chris Berend, Spokane County Raceway (0.012) 10.603 on 10.65, 128.38
FRIDAY GAMBLERS RACE - MOD
Chris Melnyk, Castrol Raceway (0.075)10.56 on 10.32, 100.89
def. Shalon Domme, Walla Walla Dragstrip (0.071) 13.495 on 0.21, 63.30
FRIDAY GAMBLERS RACE - JUNIOR
Cole Butler, Interlake Dragway (0.045) 8.242 on 8.18, 79.10
def. Ethan Ochitwa, Castrol Raceway (0.056) 8.086 on 8.09, 79.38
