Brainerd International Raceway will send a 31-member drag racing team to the NHRA West Central Summit Racing ET Finals this weekend at Bandimere Speedway in Denver.
The team will compete against drag racing teams from 21 other tracks in the NHRA's West Central Division, which stretches from Wyoming to Wisconsin and from Colorado to Kansas, including part of Canada. More than 600 racers are expected to compete.
BIR's 31 drag racers earned their way onto the team by successfully competing in BIR's Bracket Drag Racing Series, which is a 6-weekend, 12-race series with one weekend left (Sept. 27-28). Racers on the team are at the top of the points standings in their respective classes.
The ET Finals have five classes: Super Pro, Pro ET, Sportsman, Pro Bike and High School. At stake are individual and team honors, prize money and contingency awards. Some drivers have a shot at earning a trip to compete for a national championship in Pomona, Calif., during the NHRA's Auto Club Finals in November.
Drivers competing for the trip to Pomona are those selected for the Race of Champions, a race within a race during the ET Finals. Each team identifies one driver in each of the five classes to represent the team in the Race of Champions. Drivers are paired up in an elimination format by class to determine the class champions, which advance to compete against the top drivers from the NHRA's other six divisions for a national championship in Pomona.
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The five BIR teammates competing in the Race of Champions are Mike Campbell (Super Pro), Shane Boney (Pro ET), Lee Dugdale (Sportsman), Jason Clampitt (Bike/Sled), and Tracy Arneson (High School).
"BIR always has some of the best bracket drag racers in the country," BIR owner Jed Copham said in a news release. "Last year's team placed second in Topeka, Kan., and we expect to have another strong showing this year. The racers on our team always represent BIR well at the ET Finals. We're really excited about the makeup of this team."
Below are the members of BIR's ET Finals team:
SUPER PRO
Mike Campbell of Brooklyn Park (Race of Champions), Brian Johnson of Nowthen, Ronnie Luberda of Foley, Toby Giese of Kandiyohi, John Helmin of Rice, Jordan Pratt of Otsego, Donnie Durenburger of Dayton
PRO ET
Shane Boney of Belview (Race of Champions), Travis Reutzel of Eden Valley, Mike Casteel of Thief River Falls, Steve Roehrs of Frederic, Wis., Todd Larson of Bagley, Steve Brings of Howard Lake, Pat Haubrich of New Ulm
SPORTSMAN
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Lee Dugdale of Scandia (Race of Champions), Joe Moriarty Sr. of Ham Lake, Russ Elzy of Becker, Amy Jo Luberda of Foley, Kimberly Brager of Pillager, Mike Pflepsen of Duluth, Troy Luberda of Foley, Layne Robertson of Litchfield, Taylor Arneson of Pillager, Kayla Noyes of Andover, Steve Roehrs of Frederick, Wis., Jason Clampitt of Lino Lakes, Gary Koch of Clearwater
BIKE/SLED
Jason Clampitt of Lino Lakes (Race of Champions), Mike Voss of Maplewood, Jed Copham of Brainerd
HIGH SCHOOL
Tracy Arneson of Pillager (Race of Champions)
