Race Recap

The 2011 Pro Truck Nationals (PTN) tour continued on with race two of the 300’ sand drag racing series at Little Sandy Raceway in Grayson, KY on June 10-11. The PTN series would see first time winners in all three categories. Mears, MI’s Jim Brantley would face off with Grand Rapids, MI’s Lee Reynders in the final round. The all-Funny Jeep final would see Reynders get a Reaction Time (RT) advantage, however he would get out of shape causing him to lift & hand the win to Brantley, who lifted to a 4.036 on a 3.80 Index. This would be Brantley’s first PTN series Pro Truck class victory. Reynders’ runner-up finish & #1 qualifier (.005 RT) propelled him to the point lead, as incoming point leader Kip Martin went out in round one action. Heading into the Season Finale, Reynders has a nine point lead over a tie between Martin and Mike Page.

The heads-up Pro Outlaw FE category put on one of the best shows the class has since its inception in PTN action at the beginning of the 2010 season. A tightly grouped field headed into eliminations with Ohio’s Kathy Ellington taking the top spot in her Black Widow nitrous-fed SBC powered Altered running a great 3.263/97MPH blast. As eliminations wore down, the final round was set between the top two qualifiers as #1 qualifier Ellington would face off with #2 qualifier Michigan’s Ben Dozeman, wheeling the Richards Auto Parts nitrous-fed BBC powered Funny Jeep. Dozeman would take a .046 to .137 RT advantage & run his best number of the weekend in a 3.312 to 3.317 victory. This would be Dozeman & Team Richards’ first PTN Pro Outlaw FE class victory. Ellington’s runner-up finish padded her points lead to 19 over the Team Richards entry heading into the final race of 2011.

3.5 Index once again put on a great show for the Friday night crowd at Little Sandy Raceway. Race 1 winner Missouri’s John Dreher in the Dreher Race Cars Altered kicked off eliminations with a great 3.516 to take the #1 qualifier bonus points. He would advance on through to the semi-finals where he would face off with Indiana’s Brian Harrison in his Brave & Crazy Altered. Harrison would pull off the upset by just .022 at the stripe in a 3.55 to 3.58 decision. Harrison would face off with Kathy Ellington’s Black Widow in an all-Ellington Chassis Works final round. Harrison would have problems & slow to a 3.70, but Ellington wasn’t able to back off enough running a 3.482 to hand Harrison his first PTN 3.5 Index class victory. Harrison’s win moved him to within 12 points of leader Dreher heading into Race Three.

An excellent turnout of 200 total entries showed up to compete in a myriad of categories. West Virginia would dominate the Quick 8 Pro ATV class as Melinda Smith took home the top prize over Nathan McMillion. Michigan would take a couple of class wins on Saturday night as Lee Reynders would come back from his Pro Truck runner-up and win the Pro 1 Cars class while Buddy Hammett rode his ATV to the Pro ATV class title. Another great performance on the weekend saw Ohio’s Kyle Farwick take the Ironman title on Friday night, then proceed to take a runner-up finish in the Pro 1 Cars category on Saturday. Other winners on the weekend included; Matt Randolph (Sportsman Car), Nathan McMillion (ATV Bracket 1), Mark Kazee (ATV Bracket 2), Keith Lycans (Pro ATV - Friday), Kristen Lewis (Juniors), and Sean Stapleton (Peewees).

Final Results

Pro Truck
Jim Brantley, Mears, MI - 4.036 (3.80) def. Lee Reynders, Grand Rapids, MI - 8.482 (4.30).

Pro Outlaw FE
Ben Dozeman, Hudsonville, MI - 3.312/NS def. Kathy Ellington, Marysville, OH - 3.317/96.03MPH.

3.5 Index
Brian Harrison, Brookville, IN - 3.719/83.15MPH def. Kathy Ellington, Marysville, OH 3.482/NS.

Quick 8 Pro ATV
Melinda Smith, Crum, WV - 4.013/NS (3.96) def. Nathan McMillion, Dunlow, WV - 3.916/81.17MPH (3.88).

Points

Pro Truck
1. Lee Reynders, Grand Rapids, MI - 45 Points; 2. (Tie) Kip Martin, Grand Haven, MI - 36 Points; 2. (Tie) Mike Page, Grand Haven, MI - 36 Points; 4. Jim Brantley, Mears, MI - 26 Points; 5. Eric Gallay, Jerseyville, IL - 25 Points.

Pro Outlaw FE
1. Kathy Ellington, Marysville, OH - 53 Points; 2. Team Richards (Rich Simon/Ben Dozeman), New Baltimore, MI - 34 Points; 3. Dan Wies, New Melle, MO - 28 Points; 4. (Tie) Curtis Combs, Hamilton, OH - 10 Points; 4. (Tie) John Dreher, Wentzville, MO - 10 Points.

3.5 Index
1. John Dreher, Wentzville, MO - 45 Points; 2. Brian Harrison, Brookville, IN - 33 Points; 3. Kathy Ellington, Marysville, OH - 26 Points; 4. Ben Dozeman, Hudsonville, MI - 25 Points; 5. Ron Curtis, China, MI - 18 Points.

Quick 8 Pro ATV
1. Brad Adams, Dundee, MI - 20 Points; 2. (Tie) Steve Ewing, Byron Center, MI - 17 Points; 2. (Tie) Melinda Smith, Crum, WV - 17 Points; 4. (Tie) JR Dreher, Floristell, MO - 14 Points; 4. (Tie) Nathan McMillion, Dunlow WV - 14 Points.

ONLINE COVERAGE
National Sand Drag News
Sand Drag Central

UPCOMING PTN POINT SERIES EVENTS
RACE 3: MEARS, MI / WEST MICHIGAN SAND DRAGWAY / JULY 15-16

UPCOMING PTN NON-POINT SERIES EVENTS
HOLLAND, MI / WEST MICHIGAN DIRT DRAGS / JULY 30

2011 PTN SPONSORS:
Richards Auto Parts
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Monroe Shock Absorbers
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Auto Meter Products
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Goodyear Gatorback Belts
Holley Performance Products
Power Plus
Super-Flite Oil
Wood River Auto Parts
ALLSTAR Performance
Ambs Auto Clinic
ATVDragRacers.com
Brownlee Distributing Co.
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Ross Abraham Builder
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