Low Qualifier Top Sportsman - Top Dragster Shootout
- Kista Fritts
- May 29, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 3
In 2024, the North Central Division announced a multiyear agreement with JB and Torrie Strassweg of Basden’s American RV of Evansville, IN to bring you the Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Shootout and Low Qualifier Programs. We are pleased to have them with us again this year supporting the Oakley Top Dragster and Top Sportsman programs along with Phillip Oakley and Oakley Motorsports Competition Engines.
EQUAL-I-ZER SWAY CONTROL HITCH SHOOTOUT INFO
WHO:
Oakley Motorsports Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Participants
WHAT:
Part #1: $200 awarded to the low qualifier in each class after final qualifying is complete
Part #2: Points accumulated after final qualifying completed as such:
32 Car Field:
#1 Qualifier – 32 Pts
#2 Qualifier – 31 Pts
**If less than 32 car-field, then #1 qualifier gets total car count points and points descend from there
EX: 26 Car field, #1 qualifier gets 26 pts, etc.
WHERE and WHEN:
Lucas Oil Series Events 1-6
Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Series Points Races
LO31: 4.25 – 4.27 Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
LO32: 6.18 – 6.19 Summit Motorsports Park
LO33: 6.20 – 6.22 Summit Motorsports Park
LO34: 7.11 – 7.12 National Trail Raceway
LO35: 8.22 – 8.24 Beech Bend Raceway Park
LO36: 10.01 – 10.02 World Wide Technology Raceway
Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Series Shootout Finals
Points accumulated throughout the season will determine top 8 qualifiers in both TD and TS. A poker chip draw for both first AND second rounds will determine pairing just to keep things interesting!
Finals Shootout is held during the 2nd race of the St Louis Double Header
LO37: 10.03 – 10.05 World Wide Technology Raceway
WHY:
Money and bragging rights, of course!
First Place - $1,000
Second Place - $500
Semi-Finalists - $250
History
Last year, this program awarded $1,400 in Low Qualifier bonuses and $2,000 to the top four winners in the Shootout
In Oakley Top Sportsman, we had 56 participants running for the chance to make it to the end of season shootout. We saw 4 lead changes throughout the season and wrapped up with only 16 points separating #5, Badeye Brinegar, from first place in the points race, Rich Smith.
Oakley Top Dragster brought a staggering 69 racers to the field, all vying for the top 8 spots at the end of the season. The #1 points earner, Al Peavler ran away with the points lead in the second race and never looked back. Remember those 16 points that separated first and 5th in Top Sportsman? That’s all that separated Big Al from the #4 seed, Blake Peavler (obviously that seed didn’t fall far from the tree!). It was a tight season for both classes, indeed!
Your Outstanding 8 who ran for the season-ending Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Top Sportsman Shootout were:
Rich Smith: 120 points
Chad Pekrul: 117 points
Tim Kirman: 116 points
Curt Fredrich: 108 points
Belva “Badeye” Brinegar: 104 points
Mark McDonald: 84 points
Darian Boesch: 83 points
Denny Dowson: 79 points
The Outstanding 8 who ran for it all in the Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Top Dragster Shootout were:
Al Peavler: 148 points
Danny Nelson: 140 points
Jim Prevo: 136 points
Blake Peavler: 132 points
Chris Menapace: 105 points
Dennis Brown: 97 points
JB Strassweg: 96 points
Zach Sackman: 78 points
A poker chip draw for both first AND second rounds kept all the participants on their toes, not knowing who they were matched up against until it was go-time!
The final race of the Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Shootout for Oakley Top Dragster came down to #5 qualifier, Chris Menapace and #2 qualifier, Danny Nelson. It was an intense battle but, in the end, Chris Menapace came out on top earning the Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Top Dragster Shootout check for $1,000. Congratulations to Chris!
The Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Top Sportsman final was quite a race as well, pairing #4 qualifier, Curt Fredrich against #7 qualifier, Darian Boesch. After some nail-biting action, Darian sent Curt home with the second-place check while he took home the giant Happy Gilmore check. Congratulations to Darian!
Congratulations to everyone who participated in both classes and helped make the inaugural running or the Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Shootout such a success.
We would like to extend a special thank you to JB and Torrie Strassweg, along with American RV of Evansville, IN for supporting the North Central Division with this unique opportunity to bring a level of excitement back to the Oakley Motorsports Top Dragster and Top Sportsman classes 2024!
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