NHRA racing at Bill Bader’s Summit Motorsports Park is a “tester” for all participants. Recent wet weather in the Ohio area resulted in some significant track seepage which curtailed some of the scheduled action. In fact the Pro qualified fields,(with the exception of Pro Stock Motorcycle) is set based on two qualifiers which occurred on Saturday. Both of Friday’s Pro sessions were cancelled while NHRA and track officials worked diligently for long hours to take corrective action and save the event from potential outright cancellation.

The father and son team of Roy and Allen Johnson starred in Pro Stock action on Saturday by winning the prestigious and lucrative K&N Filters Horsepower Challenge. “AJ” pocketed a cool “50 Large” when he belted out a perfect .000 RT (!) in the final round which took the Mopar-sponsored Dodge Stratus to victory over pre-event favorite Greg Anderson. Johnson ran a winning 6.725 secs at 204.91 mph to defeat Anderson’s quicker 6.717 secs at 204.91 mph.

Johnson, who is from Tennessee, entered the competition as the 2nd seeded driver, and beat father and son Warren and Kurt Johnson in earlier K&N action.

Greg Anderson did however enjoy the last laugh in Pro Stock event competition as he prevailed on Sunday driving his Summit Racing Equipment-sponsored Pontiac GXP. Anderson delivered a final round effort of 6.704 secs at 206.04 mph which turned back a red-lighting Larry Morgan in the Lucas Oil sponsored Dodge Stratus.

Anderson’s win was the 55th of his career and it included low ET and top speed of the meet at 6.683 secs and 206.48 mph.

Top Fuel racing produced a timely and emotional rescue for North Carolina’s Doug Herbert who won on the circuit for the first time this season. Herbert dedicated the win to the memory of his two sons (Jon and James) who were tragically killed in an automobile accident last February.

Herbert drove the Snap-On Franchise-sponsored dragster to a holeshot win over Brandon Bernstein in the final round. He combined a .018 RT with a run of 4.636 secs at 311.70 mph to beat Bernstein’s Budweiser dragster which ran a quicker 4.611 secs at 313.58 mph.

Herbert’s rewarding event included a round one win over Troy Buff and then a very emotional round two score over David Grubnic, the DHL racing teammate to recently deceased Scott Kalitta.

Rod Fuller, using Rob Flynn “Canadian Power” was the pole qualifier and he also set both low ET and top speed of the meet at 4.541 secs and 320.43 mph. Fuller Caterpiller-backed car however lost out to Herbert in the semi-final round.

Funny Car racing saw defending POWERade Champion Tony Pedregon roll to his 3rd win in 3 final rounds this season driving the Q Horsepower Chevy Impala. Pedregon tied low ET of the meet in the final round with a 4.882 secs at 306.26 mph to topple FC pole qualifier Robert Hight. Hight ran a losing 4.903 secs at 304.74 mph.

Pedregon, who qualified 5th, had covered Jim Head, Tim Wilkerson and Ron Capps in earlier rounds.

FC qualifying did include some major controversy as both Melanie Troxel and Gary Scelzi were thrown out of competition due to technical violations. Both team cars were discovered with “loose ballast” on Saturday resulting in automatic event disqualifications from NHRA.

Pro Stock motorcycle produced a first time circuit winner as long-time circuit racer Hector Arana prevailed – finally. Arana’s win came in his 149th NHRA event and in his 18 year of PSM competition.

Arana rode his Lucas Oil-sponsored Buell to a clsoe final round decision over Craig Treble, 7.027 secs 187.60 mph to 7.061 secs 187.83 mph.

Chip Ellis set low ET in Pro Stock Motorcycle at 6.997 secs while Andrew Hines was the fastest overall at 191.21 mph.

Top Alcohol racing produced a couple of surprise winners with Tom Conway prevailed in TAD and Bobby Martin in TAFC.

Conway, who had 18 career NHRA TAD titles to his credit before taking a long hiatus from driving, earned his first win since the 1995 season by beating Mike Kosky to the stripe.

Bobby Martin’s win in TAFC came driving the CAP-sponsored Dodge Charger. He was the event’s #1 qualifier and he held off Australia’s Steve Harker in the final; 5.624 secs 256.84 mph to 5.629 secs 256.60 mph.

Sportsman Racing at Norwalk also produced a Canadian winner with Kingston Ontario’s Al Kenny prevailing in Super Gas. Kenny delivered a near perfect package in the final round (.007 RT with a run of 9.900) to beat the similar Corvette of Rock Haas. For Kenny, the win was his 3rd career NHRA national event title.