NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Luke Bogacki earned his fourth win of the season to all but lock up the world championship in Super Gas, and Sportsman standouts Anthony Bertozzi and Gary Stinnett each collected the 26th wins of their successful careers at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd. 

The roster of Brainerd champs also included Rich McPhillips Jr., who earned his second win of the season in Top Alcohol Dragster, and Kyle Smith, a first-time Top Alcohol Funny Car champion. Other winners were Brett Speer (Stock), Kendra Larson (Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers), and Curt Harshfield (Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers). 

With his fourth win of the season, Bogacki has topped the 700-point mark in the race for the world title in Super Gas, and he appears poised to win a third championship. Bogacki followed his national event win in Atlanta and divisional victories in Dallas and Norwalk with another title in Brainerd. The final was over quickly after opponent Dale Evens encountered a mechanical issue and left before the Tree, but Bogacki’s driving was on point for the majority of the event, including a 9.93 to 9.91 holeshot win in against Chris Hess in the semifinals. [video]

There was also a single run to decide the title in Top Alcohol Dragster after four-time world champion Joey Severance broke a part in his front suspension and couldn’t stage against McPhillips. It might not have mattered as McPhillips continued with his string of 5.1-second performances with a 5.194 to seal the victory. After qualifying No. 1 with a 5.162, McPhillips went to the final after wins against Dean Dubbin and current championship leader Rachel Meyer. [video]

Smith became the latest first-time winner in Top Alcohol Funny Car after beating Bob McCosh in the final. Smith left first with a nearly perfect .009 light and then capped off the victory with the second-quickest run of the event, a 5.496. Smith had previously run 5.487 in qualifying. McCosh, fresh off a win a week earlier in Topeka, sealed his runner-up finish with a 5.616. [video]

Bertozzi is not only a two-time world champion, but he’s also the current points leader in both Super Stock and Top Dragster. In Brainerd, Bertozzi claimed the 26th win of his amazing career by driving his Pontiac Grand Am to a victory in Super Stock. Bertozzi took an early lead against Mike Mans in the final with a .009 light and held on for the victory with a 9.019 on his 8.97 dial. Bertozzi also defeated recent Topeka winner Wyatt Wagner on his way to the final. Mans turned on five win lights to reach the final, including a tough semifinal against Jason DeForrest. [video]

Stock winner Speer has now won four national events, and all of them have come at his home track in Brainerd. Speer’s latest victory was unique in that it came as the result of a heads-up, no-breakout final round against Russ Kramer. Speer, in his Chevy Nova, gave up a starting-line edge to Kramer’s vintage ’64 Plymouth but quickly made up the difference to take a 10.510 to 10.815 victory. Speer also won the 2019 Brainerd race, giving him what amounts to back-to-back victories because the event was not held last year. [video]

Stinnett has won four world championships, and now, he’s got 26 national event victories, including six in Brainerd following his final-round win over Craig Schultz in Super Comp. Stinnet, a Brainerd winner in 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2019, turned in a solid performance in the final to take an 8.909 to 8.904 win against Schultz in a race decided by six thousandths at the finish line. Stinnett also toppled fellow world champion John Labbous Jr. in the semfinals. [video]

Larson put together a great run in the final of Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers with a 7.088 on her 7.08 dial but didn’t need it after Holden Laris fouled by a hundredth. Larson also defeated Laris’ father, Ross, in the opening round of eliminations en route to her first national event victory. [video]

Harshfield won the Super Street title in Topeka in 2001 and has returned to take a second win in a car much quicker, his six-second ’55 Chevy. Harshfield earned the title in Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers following a tough race against Steve Jaeger’s Monte Carlo in the final round. Harshfield ran right on his 6.96 dial and also cut a competitive .022 light, leaving little room for Jaeger to finish first. Harshfield put together a similar run in the semifinals against Steve Stockton. [video]