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RUSK, Texas - Defending NHRA Division 4 Competition Eliminator Champion Craig Bourgeois took home his first divisional win of the year during this past weekend's Division 4 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Cherokee County Motorsports Park in Rusk, Texas. Bourgeois moved to second nationally in points by defeating current national points leader Joey Tanksley in the final. The 17 Comp racers received $6,000 in additional payouts from the Division 4 Comp Shootout Bonus Fund.
Bourgeois, from Metarie, La., took the win from the No. 2 spot on the qualifying ladder in his A/Nostalgia Dragster with a run of 6.920 seconds (-.580 under index). Steve Kent, a Bonus Fund sponsor, qualified his G/Super Modified 2002 Cavalier on the pole with a 8.877 second run (-.603 under).
The Division 4 Comp Shootout also features the Roof-Tec Luck of the Draw Bonus which rewards $1,000 per race to a randomly selected qualifier if they should win. If that qualifier does not win, the money rolls over to the next event. Coming into Rusk, the bonus fund had reached $6,000 for the No. 5 qualifier, which ended up being Chase Williams' potent G/Super Mod.
Round one action saw two upsets as No. 11 qualifier Pete Carbery took out No. 3 qualifier Clark Smiley and No. 15 qualifier Johnny Shook took out No. 5 qualifier Adam Hickey. Carbery took a six-hundredths CIC penalty, while eventual runner-up Tanksley took five.
In round two, No. 1 qualifier Kent redlighted away his shot at winning from the pole against Shane Heckel. In a battle of the two first round upset winners, Shook took a holeshot win over Carbery, who got out of shape and slowed off his first round CIC pace. All eyes were on Williams as he kept his Roof-Tec Bonus hopes alive with a win over Scott Benham. Among the CIC hits were Tanksley with another two-hundredths hit and Williams with three.
Round three action saw underdog Shook get a bye into the semifinals, with Heckel redlighting to Tanksley. Eventual winner Bourgeois ended Williams' shot at the Roof-Tec Bonus fund as he took a close win by .054 of a second.
Three cars advanced into the semifinals, with Tanksley getting the bye. Bourgeois ended Shook's upset-minded day with a win in the other stanza.
The final round was a battle of the Louisiana natives. The final was essentially a heads up affair as Tanksley had hit his C/Dragster index eight-hundredths; Bourgeois index a 7.50 to Tanksley's 7.49. Tanksley took the jump off the line, .039 to .055, but couldn't hold off Bourgeois' 6.945 with his own 6.978.
With the win, the defending Division 4 Champ Bourgeois jumped to third in Division 4 standings, while Tanksley took the points lead from Charlie Watson. Watson damaged an engine on the dyno two days prior to the event and was unable to make repairs in time for the event. Ernest Watson, Sr., and Williams round out the top five.
The Division 4 Comp Shootout Bonus Fund awards $6,000 per event to Competition Eliminator racers on top of the event payout. The Shootout is supported by sponsors Roof-Tec, NAPA Auto Parts, Southern Sand Blasting, Kent Services, Johnson Truck & Trailer, Carbery Fabrication, Ballistic Race Craft, Elite Motorsports and Medders Construction.
Racers in Division 4 will receive a three month break before the series resumes at Red River Raceway in Shreveport, La., Sept. 7-9. There, the Roof-Tec Luck of the Draw Bonus will be up to $7,000. If the bonus is not won by one of the selected qualifiers by the final event in Noble, Okla., the winner of the event will take home $8,000.
Bourgeois takes the win in Rusk
RUSK, Texas - Defending NHRA Division 4 Competition Eliminator Champion Craig Bourgeois took home his first divisional win of the year during this past weekend's Division 4 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Cherokee County Motorsports Park in Rusk, Texas. Bourgeois moved to second nationally in points by defeating current national points leader Joey Tanksley in the final. The 17 Comp racers received $6,000 in additional payouts from the Division 4 Comp Shootout Bonus Fund.
Bourgeois, from Metarie, La., took the win from the No. 2 spot on the qualifying ladder in his A/Nostalgia Dragster with a run of 6.920 seconds (-.580 under index). Steve Kent, a Bonus Fund sponsor, qualified his G/Super Modified 2002 Cavalier on the pole with a 8.877 second run (-.603 under).
The Division 4 Comp Shootout also features the Roof-Tec Luck of the Draw Bonus which rewards $1,000 per race to a randomly selected qualifier if they should win. If that qualifier does not win, the money rolls over to the next event. Coming into Rusk, the bonus fund had reached $6,000 for the No. 5 qualifier, which ended up being Chase Williams' potent G/Super Mod.
Round one action saw two upsets as No. 11 qualifier Pete Carbery took out No. 3 qualifier Clark Smiley and No. 15 qualifier Johnny Shook took out No. 5 qualifier Adam Hickey. Carbery took a six-hundredths CIC penalty, while eventual runner-up Tanksley took five.
In round two, No. 1 qualifier Kent redlighted away his shot at winning from the pole against Shane Heckel. In a battle of the two first round upset winners, Shook took a holeshot win over Carbery, who got out of shape and slowed off his first round CIC pace. All eyes were on Williams as he kept his Roof-Tec Bonus hopes alive with a win over Scott Benham. Among the CIC hits were Tanksley with another two-hundredths hit and Williams with three.
Round three action saw underdog Shook get a bye into the semifinals, with Heckel redlighting to Tanksley. Eventual winner Bourgeois ended Williams' shot at the Roof-Tec Bonus fund as he took a close win by .054 of a second.
Three cars advanced into the semifinals, with Tanksley getting the bye. Bourgeois ended Shook's upset-minded day with a win in the other stanza.
The final round was a battle of the Louisiana natives. The final was essentially a heads up affair as Tanksley had hit his C/Dragster index eight-hundredths; Bourgeois index a 7.50 to Tanksley's 7.49. Tanksley took the jump off the line, .039 to .055, but couldn't hold off Bourgeois' 6.945 with his own 6.978.
With the win, the defending Division 4 Champ Bourgeois jumped to third in Division 4 standings, while Tanksley took the points lead from Charlie Watson. Watson damaged an engine on the dyno two days prior to the event and was unable to make repairs in time for the event. Ernest Watson, Sr., and Williams round out the top five.
The Division 4 Comp Shootout Bonus Fund awards $6,000 per event to Competition Eliminator racers on top of the event payout. The Shootout is supported by sponsors Roof-Tec, NAPA Auto Parts, Southern Sand Blasting, Kent Services, Johnson Truck & Trailer, Carbery Fabrication, Ballistic Race Craft, Elite Motorsports and Medders Construction.
Racers in Division 4 will receive a three month break before the series resumes at Red River Raceway in Shreveport, La., Sept. 7-9. There, the Roof-Tec Luck of the Draw Bonus will be up to $7,000. If the bonus is not won by one of the selected qualifiers by the final event in Noble, Okla., the winner of the event will take home $8,000.
