Well Crafted World Title! « DragRaceCanada.com

Well Crafted World Title!

by editor on Nov.10, 2016, under Hotzone

Mike and Darlene Williams have made Canada very proud – winning at the highest level within NHRA Lucas Oil Sportsman class racing….

The husband and wife racing duo, who are based from Tilley Alberta, became only the second Canadian team ever to win a NHRA Lucas Oil World Championship title following the conclusion of some truly remarkable racing at Las Vegas last weekend.

At the very last NHRA LODRS event gathering of the 2016 season – Mike and Darlene amassed an amazing number of round wins to clinch the overall 2016 NHRA Top Sportsman National Championship.

Mike and Darlene Williams -(from Tilley, AB) are NHRA Lucas Oil TS Champions!

Participating with their awesomely consistent GXP in the event which was in fact a double header affair (that included a previously rained out event) Mike racked up a grand total of 11 round victories. He first prevailed in the final round for race #1 and then just missed completing a perfect weekend with a very narrow final round loss in event #2 held a couple days later. In reflection (including the qualifying rounds) his race car made a total of 18 runs down the drag strip — all within a 7.05 to 7.08 secs performance window!

That streak of ultra consistency pushed them over the top to clinch not only the NHRA’s Pacific Northwest Division Six title – but also for the overall national championship for the ferociously competitive Top Sportsman class.

Mike won a total of 11 rounds at the season-ending event!

“Our weekend at Las Vegas was amazing – we just missed going undefeated,” Mike said. “Going into those race(s) I had a pretty good lead overall in first place in points. There were two racers that could have caught me – but they needed to go more rounds. I think the fact that I controlled my own destiny was a motivator and maybe gave me both some attitude and confidence. Going in — I felt like I could do some damage! We won the first race and then clinched the World title in round three of the second event when I advanced and Don Meziere did not. We sewed the Championship up right there. It was a weekend which saw pretty much everything go my way. The car was working phenomenally and the LVMS track prep was excellent.”

Mike Williams is the 2nd Canadian to win a NHRA Lucas Oil World title (joining Al Kenny – Super Comp 2012)

For Mike and Darlene – the Las Vegas race was a very apt conclusion to a season which was filled with highlights and success stories too.

“Initially because of work and how the economy was going I was’t sure how much racing I would be able to do this year,” Mike continued. “I didn’t enter the series until a bit later in the spring. We had a really good weekend in August at Seattle when (due to more weather issues) we participated in multiple events that were run off there. In fact we went to three separate final rounds (2 divisional races + one national event final). After that success I was in pretty good shape in points and the overall World title chances came into focus.”

Mike was quick to cite the fact that his wife Darlene was an absolute key to his racing success this season. Darlene is totally hands on with the race car and all of the team’s tuning decision process.

“She is incredible – without her – this would never have happened,” Mike emphasized. “She dials in the car and knows before hand exactly what the car will do – every single round.”

A huge part of the race team’s success story is Darlene Williams

Mike also reflected on the top quality and highly valued assistance he receives from his engine builder and long time advisor Joe Jolly from Sunset Performance Engines. Mike’s Wally Stroupe-built SRC Motorsports car features a naturally aspirated 632 CID motor program which is overseen by Joe.

“Joe actually first built this motor for me 8 years ago,” he explained. “It’s seen some modifications over the years and Joe puts so much time and thought into it. Our car has run in the 6.8s at over 200 mph (without nitrous). It’s very true that it’s hard to find a car that will go that fast with only 632 CID and naturally aspirated. Joe’s an amazing individual too – he bends over backwards to help us all the time.”

The team’s secret weapon to consistency is this 632 CID naturally aspirated motor program from Joe Jolly at Sunset Performance.

“To win a a Top Sportsman national championship isn’t easy,” added Joe Jolly. “I really want to thank Mike and Darlene for allowing me to be a part of their racing program and friends on this journey. We have spent countless nights looking at Racepak graphs together via telephone to get this Stroupe GXP running like we knew it could. When you couple that with the team’s work ethic and determination you have something pretty special. And Mike can flat out get up on the wheel of a race car! I am truly proud of Mike and Darlene and their incredible accomplishment.”

We cannot emphasize enough how very tough it is to prevail for any of the overall NHRA National Championship titles. While all of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series categories are demanding – winning the Top Sportsman title is of a particular difficultly due largely to the very vast number of participants in the category, the faster pace of the class, and also the very deep well of skill within it’s class drivers.

Top Sportsman class racing is arguably one of the toughest within NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing.

TS racing at the final race at Las Vegas was emblematic of exactly that – with 75 cars entered for the event.

“To win it all feels amazing,” Mike affirmed. “I’ve been receiving waves of well wishes from all across North America about it. I even got a nice note from Jeff Barker (the defending and inaugural NHRA TS World Champ) which humbled me. Overall I feel very grateful to be in this position. We are 100% independents – but it just goes to show you what can accomplish with the support of your family and friends. This has been a very special year for sure.”

Mike will be flying to Los Angeles for next Monday where he will receive his much deserved 2016 Lucas Oil World Championship accolades during NHRA’s post season gala celebrations.