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SWELTERING HEAT DOESN'T SLOW THE ACTION AT HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA
Winston-Salem, N.C., August 28, 2003 - Above-average temperatures foiled the spectator turnout but exceptional track prep kept the racing fast and furious…and the result was national record times at the AHDRA Mid-West Nationals presented by Topeka Harley-Davidson on August 23rd and 24th.
AHDRA adjusted the daily schedule to allow for racing in the cooler hours, but with temperatures reaching three-digit numbers, a cooling trend was hard to come by.
When the final round of qualifying approached under the lights at Heartland Park Topeka, Doug Vancil of Albuquerque, N.M., had found the golden tune in his Vance and Hines/Drag Specialties machine and blistered the quarter mile with a 6.513 at 206.35 mph for the top qualifying position in Screamin' Eagle Nitro Harley competition. On Sunday, Vancil and the Nitro Harley riders making up the eight-bike field were faced with the hottest temperatures of the day in the opening round of eliminations. Many were surprised, including the riders, when six out of eight were able to reach the six-second zone, including Vancil's 6.549 over Chicago Joe of Richmond, California.
With consistent six-second passes under his belt, Vancil went on to the finals to face Bill Furr, who had a consistency plan in full force. A side-by-side final was surely on tap.
Seasoned Nitro Harley veteran Furr drew an unusual red light in the final against Vancil. "Going into the final with a 6.67 against Doug's 6.66, we were ready," Furr explained. "We thought we'd made changes that would run a 6.60 or possibly a high 6.50. For the heat, the track was in great shape. I really concentrated on a good light, but not that good. I was ready and the starter just wasn't fast enough for me. At the top end, Doug didn't know he'd won and said, 'You sure pulled a holeshot on me.' I told him I did; just a little too much. Even though we thought we'd improve that round, we couldn't have beaten Doug's 6.61." Furr finished his day in Kansas with a 6.72 at 208 miles per hour. "Though I knew I'd red lighted, I ran it on through to get the computer data. We had a 1.10 sixty-foot time, which was our best of the weekend. We slowed down on the rest of the numbers, but we're always looking for information to tune our motorcycle better and better."
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In JIMS Pro Fuel, Mark Conner was the man to beat after qualifying in the top spot with a 6.795 on the Mike Romine-built, Marianne and Lonnie Isam-owned Flyin' Banana. Conner went on to beat Bill Bertolette of Washingtonville, OH, in the finals with a 7.026 at 190.35 over Bertolette's 7.473 at 146.02 mph.
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Tom Bradford of Eagle, WI, took on National Points leader Dirk Higgins (Kirby, OH) on his Thiel's Wheels-Jon Miller sponsored ride in the S & S Pro Stock final. Bradford's Thunder Eagle-Hal's H-D team took the win with a 7.483 at 173.87 mph over Higgins's 7.666, 168.81 mph finish.
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Oregon's Steve Dorn captured a six-pack of wins along with a new national record in Kresto Pro Drag competition. Dorn's record E.T. of 7.351 came in Saturday's qualifying, giving him the #1 qualifying position, and was backed up in the opening round of Sunday's eliminations with a 7.411. Dorn and the Black Attack/All American Cycle team went on to seal the six-pack of wins with a 7.436 at 177.70 mph over St. Petersburg, FL's Chuck Jones, who had a 7.816 at 156.37 mph pass.
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Lee Hitz of Annville, PA, was the winner in Hayes Jewelers Pro Gas after taking out Robert Markham in the final. Markham's trip to the final was a surprise after top qualifier Frank Dove (Hughesville, MD) was taken out in the opening round of eliminations. Markham, of Loveland, CO, encountered mechanical problems in the final round, thereby sending Hitz to the winner's circle with a 9.431 at 139.04 mph.
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The number one and two qualifiers went head-to-head in the Joker Machine Pro Modified final. Darren Maudlin of Mesa, AZ, held the top spot after three rounds of qualifying, but the number two-seated Cliff Dwy of Madras, OR, grabbed the win in the final with an 8.547 at 150.28 mph over Mauldin's 8.568 at 152.59 mph.
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Travis Lummus continued his quest for a fourth championship in Rivera-Primo Street Pro competition after beating Donnie Huffman of Lakeland, Fl, in the final. Lummus, of Asheville, NC, was the winner with a 9.384 at 144.44 mph over Huffman's 10.171 at 129.62 mph.
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Next up for AHDRA's 2003 National Points Series is the Team Latus Motors Harley-Davidson Northwest Nationals, September 6th and 7th, in Woodburn, OR.
For more information on the 2003 AHDRA National Points Series, please contact 336-924-2095 or
visit www.ahdra.com.
Final Results - Topeka
| Screamin' Eagle Nitro Harley Top Fuel |
| Winner | Doug Vancil | .072 | 6.614 | 200.62 |
| R/U | Bill Furr | .113 | 6.729 | 207.21(foul) |
| JIMS Pro Fuel |
| Winner | Mark Conner | .114 | 7.026 | 190.35 |
| R/U | Bill Bertolette | .100 | 7.473 | 146.02 |
| S & S Pro Stock |
| Winner | Tom Bradford | .138 | 7.483 | 173.87 |
| R/U | Dirk Higgins | .040 | 7.666 | 168.81 |
| Hayes Jewelers Pro Gas |
| Winner | Lee Hitz | .143 | 9.431 | 139.04 |
| R/U | Robert Markham | broke |
| Kresto Pro Drag |
| Winner | Steve Dorn | .132 | 7.436 | 177.70 |
| R/U | Chuck Jones | .052 | 7.816 | 156.37 |
| Joker Machine Pro Modified |
| Winner | Cliff Dwy | .052 | 8.547 | 150.28 |
| R/U | Darren Mauldin | .075 | 8.568 | 152.59 |
| Rivera-Primo Street Pro |
| Winner | Travis Lummus | .211 | 9.384 | 144.44 |
| R/U | Donnie Huffman | .204 | 10.171 | 129.62 |
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| Screamin' Eagle V-Rod |
| Winner | Tripp Nobles | .213 | 9.737 | 138.47 |
| R/U | Larry Maynhart | .218 | 11.136 | 121.27 |
| Dragmasters Hot Street |
| Winner | David Atkins | .160 | 10.712 | 121.84 |
| R/U | Donnie Huffman | .187 | 10.695 | 123.80 |
| Red Line Oil Super Gas (9.70 Index) |
| Winner | Willie Herschberger | .112 | 9.983 | 123.42 |
| R/U | Dale Miller | .088 | 10.037 | 129.29 |
| Nonpareil Super Sport (10.30 Index) |
| Winner | Karen Wagner | .073 | 10.397 | 118.42 |
| R/U | Dave Ostrowske | .019 | 10.473 | 125.19 |
| Performance Corner Super Eliminator (10.90 Index) |
| Winner | Mike Harrison | .033 | 11.032 | 117.42 |
| R/U | Bob Drapp | .127 | 10.974 | 115.01 |
| Screamin' Eagle Performance (11.50 Index) |
| Winner | Charlie Walker | .036 | 11.580 | 109.15 |
| R/U | John Hendrzak | .055 | 11.563 | 113.60 |
| Syn3 ET |
| Winner | Larry Maynhart | .008 | 11.278 | 112.65 |
| R/U | Ron Roti | .191 | 11.863 | 113.49 |
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