Be Cool Radiators sponsored the “Cool Car of the Class” awards at the JEG’s Northern Sportsnationals, as selected by NHRA officials. Winners (top to bottom) included:

* Super Street: Mike Rehl, Heath, OH, 1985 Monte Carlo

* Super Gas: David Dailey Sr., East Liverpool, OH, 1948 Anglia

* Stock: Fred Henson, Madisonville, TN, 1970 Hemi Challenger

* Super Stock: Ernie Price, Navarre, OH, 1969 Camaro

* Comp: Bruno Massel, Addison, IL, 2007 Cobalt

* Super Comp: Bob Wolkwitz, Darien, CT, 2005 Undercover dragster

* Top Sportsman: Frank Tamez, Yakima, WA, 2004 Grand Am
(Ian Tocher photos)

Top qualifying honors in Top Sportsman went to Tommy Turner Jr. and his Naples, FL-based 2004 Cavalier with 765 c.i. under the hood.

1. Tommy Turner Jr. (shown) 7.029/198.64
2. Frank Tamez 7.098/195.76
3. Robert Sellers 7.138/178.33
4. Bill Yates Sr. 7.215/191.24
5. Mike Coughlin 7.368/188.25
6. Charlie Edelen 7.401/184.37
7. James Carlton Jr. 7.405/165.97
8. Mitch Smith 7.421/185.13
9. Edwin Stuart 7.766/180.14
10. Mark Parente 7.780/175.50
11. Mark Conkle 8.072/171.38

Clarksville, IN’s Bo Butner steered his 2005 Cavalier to a 7.180-seconds pass at 196.85 mph to earn the top qualifying spot in Comp Eliminator.

1. Bo Butner (shown) AA/SM 7.180 -0.720 (under index)
2. Bruno Massel DD/AT 7.637 -0.663
3. Lee Zane L/AA 9.134 -0.576
4. Steve Ambrose J/AA 7.881 -0.559
5. Vinny Barone A/SR 7.930 -0.550
6. Brian Browell D/D 7.296 -0.524
7. Greg Kamplain C/ED 7.438 -0.492
8. David Rampy A/EA 7.428 -0.482
9. Terry Smith D/EA 8.514 -0.466
10. John French F/D 8.267 -0.453

Ken Shawver’s 400-equipped ‘78 Firebird placed 4th of 112 entries in Super Stock qualifying.

1. Ray Vierheller III SS/BX 9.639 -1.211 (under index)
2. Ronnie Terrell SS/JA 10.177 -1.123
3. Dave Layer GT/IA 10.395 -1.105
4. Ken Shawver SS/KA 10.455 -1.095
5. Charlie Westcott GT/E 9.706 -1.094
6. Irvin Johns GT/BA 9.471 -1.079
7. Roger Keeling GT/CA 9.643 -1.057
8. Steven Smith GT/FA 10.050 -1.050
9. Donald Carpenter II SS/PA 11.923 -1.027
10. John Coughlin SS/CM 8.925 -1.025

Peconic, NY’s Robert Schroeder paced a huge field of Stock entries by running 1.163 seconds below the B/SA 11.55 index in his big-block powered ‘69 Camaro.

1. Robert Schroeder (shown) B/SA 10.387 -1.163 (under index)
2. Rick Winchester I/SA 11.470 -1.130
3. Jerry Bennett G/SA 11.193 -1.107
4. Gary Richard C/SA 10.612 -1.088
5. Bruce Witherspoon D/FIA 11.219 -1.081
6. Chuck Beach G/SA 11.225 -1.075
7. Jim Marshall F/SA 11.075 -1.075
8. John Shaul A/SA 10.233 -1.067
9. Johnny Fisher K/SA 11.887 -1.063
10. Ben Wenzel Sr. D/S 10.758 -1.042

The cars of Joey Wilkes and other members of the Wilkes Family Racing Team carried special Missing Children's Network messages at the Northern Sportsnationals, featuring Amanda Berry and Georgina DeJesus, who are both being searched for by the FBI Cleveland Division. Call Martin Gray at (614) 626-0712 for information about the Missing Children's Network.

Number-three qualifier Jim Pancake (near lane above), from Delaware, OH, won the MOPAR Hemi Super Stock Challenge at National Trail Raceway when final-round opponent Joey Wilkes left with a redlight. It was Pancake’s first official Challenge victory, though he did win at Englishtown a couple of years back, before MOPAR came on board as the series sponsor.

Wilkes dodged a bullet in the first round of eliminations when Randy Warford, running in the pair ahead of him, broke a rod at the top end after beating Bob Wolkwitz to the stripe. The subsequent delay for track cleanup gave Wilkes’ crew the time they needed to sort out a balky carburetor discovered when they started the car for its burnout. With repairs to a sticky needle valve made, Wilkes went on to beat John Gifford, had a bye since Warford couldn’t make the second round, and defeated James Keyes in the semis. On the other side of the ladder Pancake took care of Mark Howes, Joe Teuton Jr., and Matt Hensley with a string of mid-8.80 passes.

In the final, Wilkes’ ‘68 Cuda stuttered, then launched .053 too soon, while Pancake left with an excellent .012 light leading to the win in 8.850 seconds at 149.53 mph.

“Consistency was the key today,” Pancake said. “I think it’s interesting that the cars that made it down the track every pass and made it to the final were both built by John Holt. And my Ray Barton power was right there every time, too. The conditions today (high heat and humidity) meant it wasn’t as fast as it can be, but it ran right where it needed to every time.”

Also earning special Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street Shootout victories on Friday night were Rock Haas, Leo Zynda II, and Jeff Goodman, respectively.

1. Bucky Hess (shown) 8.818
2. Charlie Westcott Jr. 8.834
3. Jim Pancake 8.869
4. Joey Wilkes 8.931
5. Fred Henson 8.947
6. Joe Teuton Jr. 8.986
7. Randy Warford 9.053
8. Matt Hensley 9.056
9. James Keyes 9.062
10. Mark Howes 9.101
11. John Gifford 9.122
12. John Baughman 9.173
13. Wendell Howes 9.217
14. Bob Wolkwitz 9.225

After a rain delay of nearly four hours, qualifying finally got underway today at the second annual Jeg’s NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio. Due to the rain, competitors in each of the seven NHRA sportsman eliminators got just one qualifying run.

Bruno Massel of Addison, Ill., is currently the No. 1 qualifier in Comp Eliminator with a run of 7.63-seconds in his turbocharged ’06 Chevy Cobalt. Massel is followed by former NHRA national champions Vinny Barone and David Rampy.

In Super Stock, Ohio resident Ray Vierheller sits atop the qualifying list after driving his 92 Camaro to a run of 9.63 seconds. There are nearly 100 drivers racing in Super Stock including Jeg’s driver John Coughlin, who currently sits fifth with his yellow and black Chevy Cavalier. John is also racing his Jeg’s Mail Order Dragster in Super Comp, and is the No. 4 qualifier after one session.

The early qualifying leader in Stock Eliminator is Johnny Fisher of Raleigh, N.C., who drove his ’80 Dodge Mirada to an 11.88 elapsed time.

John Coughlin is joined at their home track by fellow Jeg’s Mail Order drivers Mike and Jeg Coughlin. Mike is currently qualified third in the Top Sportsman division with a run of 7.36-seconds in his ’06 Cobalt. Three-time NHRA World Champion Jeg Coughlin is racing in Stock Eliminator and Super Comp.

Qualifying for the Jeg’s NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals will resume tomorrow at 10 a.m. Tomorrow’s scheduled will also include the Mopar Performance Super Stock Hemi Challenge, which features a 12-car field of Hemi-powered Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Dart factory race cars. Final eliminations will take place on Saturday, July 29.

(Ian Tocher photo)

The seven winners of the third annual Jegs.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway Park held earlier this year are halfway home in the chase for the coveted Jeg’s crown trophy. The eight champions – Craig Bourgeouis (Comp), Kevin Helms (Super Stock), Jerrod Granier (Stock), Steve Cohen (Super Comp), Jerry Debusk (Super Gas), Sid Norwood (Super Street), and Ed Stuart (Top Sportsman) – can capture the Jeg’s crown by winning their respective eliminator titles at the upcoming Jeg’s Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Columbus (July 28-30).

The beautifully handcrafted Jeg’s Crown trophy was designed and created by Dan Dreisbach, the head fabricator at Team Rahal. Thus far, the only drive to earn the Jeg’s Crown is Mike Ashley, who won both events SPORTSnationals events in 2005 while racing in the AMS Pro Mod Series.

“The Jeg’s Crown would be an awesome deal to win,” said Steve Cohen, the 1987 NHRA Super Comp World Champion and a multi-time Southeast Division champ. “Just to have the opportunity to compete for that trophy is an honor. I really enjoy racing at these [NHRA SPORTSnational] events. The Belle Rose race was just awesome, and not just because I won. We really had a great time down there.”

One driver who is thankful to have another shot at the Jeg’s crown is Super Street racer Sid Norwood, who nearly captured the trophy last year. Norwood will take his second shot at the Jeg’s Crown when he brings his ’80 Corvette to Columbus.

“I came close [to the Jeg’s Crown] last year and I’m grateful to have a chance to win it again in 2006,” said Norwood, who backed up his win in Belle Rose with a semifinal finish in Columbus. “The folks at Jeg’s really go the extra mile for the racers and we appreciate it.”

The following drivers are in contention for the 2006 Jeg’s Crown:

TOP SPORTSMAN
Driver: Ed Stuart
Age: 64
Hometown: Pensacola, Fla.
Car: Bullet Motorsports Cavalier
Belle Rose Review: Using a combination of great reaction times and steady 7-second performances, Ed Stuart claimed his first title in the Top Sportsman class. Coming off a nearly perfect .001 light in the semifinals, Stuart stopped Dan Morrow in the final round with a 7.64 on his 7.62 dial. As a result of his win in Belle Rose, Stuart is currently a contender for the Southeast Division Top Sportsman title.

COMP
Driver: Craig Bourgeois
Age: 45
Hometown: Metarie, La.
Car: A/Nostalgia Dragster
Belle Rose Review: A month before his win at the third annual Jegs.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals, Craig Bourgeois drove to a runner-up finish at the Division 4 Lucas Oil Series event in Belle Rose. Using that experience to have advantage, Bourgeois closed the deal with a final round win over Dick Maris. Running off a 7.45 index, Bourgeois, drove his front-engine dragster to a 7.00 to claim his second career NHRA national event title.
“Anytime you’ve got an opportunity to win something this prestigious, you’ve got to go for it,” said Johnson. “We’re definitely considering a trip to Ohio now. It would be quite an honor to win both events.”

SUPER STOCK
Driver: Kevin Helms
Age: 41
Hometown: Mineola, Texas
Car: SS/CM ’95 Achieva
Belle Rose review: Three-time NHRA Stock Eliminator World Champ Kevin Helms has recently begun to make a name for himself in Super Stock with his Olds Achieva. In Belle Rose, Helms won the 15th national event of his career when he beat Gilbert Johnson Jr. in the final round. After beating former World Champion Larry Stewart in the quarterfinals, Helms earned a bye into his 23rd career final.

STOCK
Driver: Jerrod Granier
Age: 39
Hometown: Labadieville, La.
Car: C/FIA ’97 Camaro
Belle Rose Review: Jarrod Granier lives just a few miles from No Problem Raceway Park, the home of the Jegs.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals and celebrated his first career national event victory when he drove his Chevy Camaro to a final round victory over Jeff Strickland, who was bidding to win his second straight SPORTSnationals title.

SUPER COMP
Driver: Steve Cohen
Age: 48
Hometown: Trilby, Fla.
Car: dragster
Belle Rose Review: More than 20 years after racing to his first NHRA national event final round at the 1982 Springnationals in Columbus, “Super Steve” Cohen is still going strong. The winner of 16 national events and the 1987 Super Comp World Championship, Cohen put together a great run in the Belle Rose final with a .008 reaction time and an 8.93 to beat another former World Champ, Jim Hughes.

SUPER GAS
Driver: Jerry Debusk
Age: 43
Hometown: LaPorte, Texas
Car: ’92 Ford Probe
Belle Rose Review: In 2000, Jerry Debusk fulfilled the dream of every drag racer when he won the biggest race in the world, the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. Debusk won another prestigious title when he drove his Ford Probe to a victory in Belle Rose. In the final round, Debusk ran a 9.92 on the 9.90 Super Gas index to edge another former Indy winner, David Tatum III, who was close behind with a 9.93.

SUPER STREET
Driver: Sid Norwood
Age: 59
Hometown: Brandon, Miss.
Car: Norwood Racing ’80 Corvette
Belle Rose Review: Sid Norwood has won two NHRA national event titles in his career and both of them have come at the Jegs.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals. Norwood became the only 2005 champ to successfully defend his title when he beat Bart Duffrene in the final round. Last year at the Jeg’s Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus, Norwood raced to a semifinal finish, falling just two rounds short of winning the Jeg’s Crown trophy.

Former NHRA Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. will be racing his Super Comp dragster at the JEG'S Northern Sportsnationals at National Trail Raceway this coming weekend. (Ian Tocher photo)

National Trail Raceway
Columbus, Ohio
July 27-29, 2006

Wednesday, July 26
Credentials & Parking (enter through main gate) Noon. - 11 p.m.
Tech Inspection 1 - 6 p.m.

Thursday, July 27
Credentials & Parking 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Tech Inspection 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Time Trials & Qualifying 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
(Session Order: Stock, SST, SG, SS, SC)
Top Sportsman Qualifying 1 & 5 p.m.
Comp Eliminator Qualifying 1:30 & 5:30 p.m.
JEG’S Racer Appreciation Cookout presented by Quick Fuel begins 6 p.m.

Friday, July 28
Gates Open 7 a.m.
Final Tech Inspection 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Qualifying (Session Order: Stock, SST, SG, SS, SC) 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Stock Class 1 p.m.
Super Stock Class (Including Mopar Hemi Super Stock Challenge) 2 p.m.
Top Sportsman Qualifying 3:30 & 7:30 p.m.
Competition Class Eliminations & Qualifying 4 & 8 p.m.
Super Eliminator Showdowns (During Time Trial sessions;
qualifying Thursday)

Saturday, July 29
Pit Gates Open 7 a.m.
Eliminations Round 1 (Run Order: Stock, Super Street, Super Gas, Super Stock, Super Comp) 10 a.m.
Top Sportsman Round 1 3:30 p.m.
Competition Round 1 4 p.m.
Jeg’s Car Show Parade 7 p.m.
Winner’s Circle 9 p.m.

EVENT SPECIAL FEATURES

· JEG’S Racer Appreciation Cookout presented by Quick Fuels on Thursday

· Mopar HEMI Super Stock Challenge Friday

· Competition Class Eliminations on Friday

· Super Stock and Stock Class Eliminations on Friday

· Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street Super Showdowns on Friday

· NHRA Top Sportsman presented by CMTS