Drag Racing Action Online

Images: Rhonda McCole

While much of the country remains frozen or at least facing weather conditions that are too cold to race, the 2025 season kicked off last weekend with a pair of NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional events.

The Southeast Division held their annual season opener at Orlando Speed World Dragway, while the Pacific Division also got underway with a doubleheader event at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix. The anticipation that surrounds each new season wasn’t lost on NHRA Sportsman racers, who fill the staging lanes at both events. Here are the results from the D2 event in Orlando.

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR

Long time NHRA racer Monty Bogan put his H/AA Pontiac G5 in the winner’s circle beating former D2 Comp champ David Eaton behind the wheel of his A/AP Bantam in the final as Eaton, from Merritt Island left way too soon giving Bogan an easy victory. The win at Orlando was the Boiling Springs SC racer’s ninth Wally.  

SUPER STOCK 

Andrew Collins driving his ’12 FSA/B Cobra Jet Mustang out of Cary NC notched his second career Lucas win taking the trophy over the ’67 Camaro SS/BM of Larry Leazer from Mooresville NC. Collins was second off the line to Leazer but the Leazer’s Camaro had trouble and slowed to a low 20 second pass as Collins ran a 8.761 on his 8.65 dial for the easy win. 

 

STOCK 

Division three racer Bruce Kastle from Naperville IL. put his unique H/SA ’71 Mercury Cougar in his first winner’s circle after decades of NHRA racing. Kastle who’s last final was 20 years ago at a divisional at Norwalk was dialed in at a 11.46 and ran a 11.474 for the win over the FS/D COPO Camaro of Steve Foley from Clinton NC. Foley had the better light but didn’t run the number posting a losing 9.864 on a 9.82 dial in the loss.  

 

SUPER COMP 

Allan Ackles was another first time Lucas winner taking the Super Comp title over Shelby Snowball. Ackles got the better light and ran an almost dead on 8.908 for the win as Snowball had no chance of a win running an 8.914 in his loss.

SUPER GAS

D3 racer Nathan Vrooman got his second career Lucas win at Orlando in his Chevyt Beretta beating long time NHRA racer Jimmy Williams in the final as Williams went red in his Corvette roadster  

SUPER STREET

Northeast racer Neal Vaccaro, who has been racing for what seems like forever, finally got the elusive monkey off his back with a S/ST win at Orlando for his first ever Lucas Wally. Neal got his Olds off the line second to Rudy Matthews’ ’69 Camaro but ran the number posting a 10.908 on the class 10.90 index to Matthews’ losing 10.923. The margin of victory was less than a foot at the stripe.

TOP SPORTSMAN

James Hinkle from Danville KY had been a bridesmaid in four previous trips to the finals. That all changed at Orlando as Hinkle put his  ’05 Grand Am in the winner’s circle beating the ’05 Cobalt of Bruce Duncan from Crawfordville FL  in the finals. Hinkle dialed his Pontiac in a 7.21 and with a great 0.011 RT took the easy win as Duncan slowed to an 11 second pass in the losing effort.

TOP DRAGSTER

In an all Florida finals it was Clint Riley from Greenville taking the win over Matt Buck from Lamtama in a super competitive final. Both drivers were on their game at the green with Riley getting off the line with a 0.007 RT to Buck’s better 0.004. Buck’s great light went for naught as he broke out running a 7.607 on his 7.61 dial as Riley took his third Lucas win with a 7.337 on a 7.28 dial  

JUNIOR DRAGSTER

Taking the Novice class was Luke Hutchinson over Marty Williams. Hutchinson dialed in at a 11.90 and ran a 12.073 for the win as Williams was not close to his 14.80 dial with an off pace 15.725  

Intermediate JR went to Briella Browning over Giovanni Oliver. Browning ran an 8.978 on her 8.95 dial as Oliver went too quick running a 8.861 on his 8.90 dial.  

Finally, it was Alyssa Rabon taking the Advanced Junior title over Tristan Brown in the finals. Brown got too antsy and left 0.026 second too soon handing Rabon the Wally at Orlando. 

 

Next Up: The Baby Gators at Gainesville Raceway February 27- March 1