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After a completely rained out final day of qualifying, the final eliminations of the Goodguys 20th Hot Rod Nationals here at O’Reilly Raceway Park @ Indianapolis were as sunny and hot as the previous day was wet. A field of over 200 cars did battle on the ORP quarter mile today in twelve different classes offering everything from ground pounding Nostalgia Top Fuelers and Funny Cars to 13-second station wagons. Variety and ingenuity was the order of the day.

In Nostalgia top fuel, Cedar Falls, Iowa racer Roger Lechtenberg won the battle and the war. Driving Dale Suhr’s “Orange Crate” dragster, the man they call “radar” breezed through eliminations, routinely pulling his parachute at the 1,000 foot mark. Maybe he was saving gas? “We’ve tinkered and tinkered with our tune up,” said car owner and chief mechanic Dale Suhr. “But today we left it basic and got the trophy.” Lechtenberg took Suhr’s hot rod through three flawless elimination rounds running as quick as 6.001 (in the semi final) and as fast as 251mph. In the final he defeated the gritty and consistent Randy Bridges of Virden, IL 6.024 @ 236 to the runner up’s 6.324 @ 236.71

The 8-car Nostalgia Funny Car exhibition delivered in a big way with ear-piercing nitro burning retro funny cars bringing the fans to their feet throughout the afternoon. Veteran racer John Dunn of Monticello, IL driving his maroon “Dunn & Gone” ’69 Nova pounded out a hard earned victory over rival Steve Nichols in the Mill Road Boys ’70 Camaro. It was Nichols who got the performance spoils of the weekend, setting Low ET and Top Speed of the meet @ 6.195 @ 226.96 in Friday’s qualifier. In the final, Nichols appeared poised for sure victory but a sheared magneto rotor spelled his demise. Dunn’s 6.290 was good for the event victory.

Joining the nitro burners was no less than five eliminator classes from the NPCA. Pro Comp I (7.00 index) and Pro Comp II (7.50 index) featured a dazzling lineup of altereds and front engine dragsters of all shapes, sizes and colors. Pro Comp I winner Richard Edwards drove his ’48 Fiat to the winner’s circle from the number two qualifying spot, taking out the number three qualifier Dave Damon with a 7.164 to the loser’s 7.58. Pro Comp II belonged to Middleton, Ohio’s Wayne Sears who drove his injected front engined dragtster to the title from the class’ third qualifying spot.

In the 6.50-index Super Eliminator division it was Chicago’s Mark Worden who won the trophy – taking his blown alcohol front engined dragster to a 6.545 to defeat runner up and last year’s class champion Tony Bronge.

Taking home the Hot Rod Nationals B/GAS trophy was Utica Kentucky’s Darrell Wathen who drove his popular ’41 Willys to a victorious final round time of 8.524 to defeat Rodney Bennett’s Nova.

Other winners at the 20th Hot Rod Nationals included Mike Shahan (Nostalgia Gas), Kenny Gresham (Nostalgia Super Stock), Don Nave (Nostalgia Comp), Louis Weatherford (Hot Rod Eliminator), Ralph Dehne (Street Rod Shootout) and Brett Langner (Hot Rod Shootout).

Goodguys 20th Hot Rod Nationals
Vintage Drag Races
O’Reilly Raceway Park, Clermont, IN
Final Round Results

Top Fuel:
Winner: Roger Lechtenberg, Cedar Falls, IA 6.024 @ 236.67
Runner Up: Randy Bridges, Virden, IL 6.324 @ 236.71

Funny Car:
Winner: John Dunn, Monticello, IL ’69 Nova 6.290 @ 226.09
Runner Up: Steve Nichols, Newark, DE 8.009 @ 110.59

Super Eliminator:
Winner: Mark Worden, Chicago, Il 6.545 @ 213.47
Runner Up: Anthony Bronge, Marengo, IL 6.717 @ 208.62

Pro Comp I:
Winner: Richard Edwards, Terre Haute, IN 7.164 @ 190.48
Runner Up: Dave Damron, Paola, KS 7.587 @ 175.07

Pro Comp II:
Winner: Wayne Sears, Middletown, OH 7.543 @ 181.62
Runner Up: Bob Lair, Lake Mills, IA 7.490 @ 170.11* Foul

B/GAS:
Winner: Darrell Wathen, Utica, KY ’41 Willys 8.524 @ 150.55
Runner Up: Rodney Bennett, Monrovia, IN ’69 Nova 8.554 @ 159.16

Nostalgia Comp:
Winner: Don Nave, S. Whitley, IN 8.331 @ 159.21
Runner Up: Brett Edwards, Lincoln, IL Broke

Nostalgia Gas:
Winner: Mike Shahan, Bainbridge, IN ’65 Falcon 10.670 @ 112.04
Runner Up: Dave Mullin, Lemont, IL ’37 Chevy 9.836 @ 133.88

Nostalgia Super Stock:
Winner: Kenny Gresham, Grant City, IL ’62 Chevy 13.471 @ 74.61
Runner Up: Tom Cartwright, Indianapolis, IN ’64 Dodge BROKE

Hot Rod Eliminator:
Winner: Louis Weatherford Jr, Indianapolis, IN ’67 Chevy 11.233 @ 113.04
Runner Up: Len Mahurin, Clermont, IN ’67 Ford 12.796 @ 104.20

1/8th Mile Hot Rod Shootout:
Winner: Brett Langner, St Joseph, MO ’55 Chevy 8.242 @ 85.18
Runner Up: Duane Booden, Troy, OH ’65 Ford 8.576 @ 83.42

1/8th Mile Street Rod Shootout:
Winner: Ralph Dehne, Red Bud, IL ’63 Chevy 7.380 @ 92.80
Runner Up: Mike Meyers, Woodriver, IL ’69 Corvair 9.320 @ 80.66