The HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA thread!!

[Ron Ward]

FREE TEST & TUNE SESSION!!!

This Friday, March 23, 2012 Heartland Park Topeka will host a FREE driver appreciation test 'n tune session from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. This session is open to any and all cars/bikes/sleds. All drivers MUST obtain a drivers wristband from registration and all vehicles MUST pass an HPT safety inspection. This thing is going to be huge and yours truly will be on the microphone for the festivities. I hope all you NE Kansas and NW Missouri gearheads can come out and join us for an evening of fun and stick around for our first Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series race on Saturday along with our Ferrellgas ET race and Fineline Graphics Super Quick Series presented by Driskell Racing Engines on Sunday.

See you at the races!


Ron

[Ron Ward]

Here's the latest and greatest from the fine folks at Heartland Park Topeka. The 2012 racing schedule for the drag strip is here:

http://www.hpt.com/index.php?option=...nts&Itemid=255

The dirt track schedule is here:

http://www.hpt.com/index.php?option=...nts&Itemid=261

And the road course schedule is here:

http://www.hpt.com/index.php?option=...nts&Itemid=262

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or you can reach Mike Walker at Heartland Park Topeka at 785-862-4781


See you at the races!



Ron

[Ron Ward]

WOW!!!!

153 cars showed up for our test 'n tune session last night! The place was absolutely packed!

Today, gates open @ 8:00 am and time trials @ 10:00 for our Ferrelgas ET Bracket Racing Series. Come on out and enjoy some great racing featuring our Super Class Shootout!

Tomorrow, Sunday, March 25, gates open @ 8:00 am and we will have the second Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series race of the year.


Come on out and have some fun!!!


Ron Ward

[Ron Ward]

FERRELLGAS ET BRACKET SERIES RACES #1 AND #2

After four days of rain, the skies broke clear by midday on Friday and the sun shown brightly. By late afternoon, most of the puddles had cleared up and Heartland Park Topeka was ready for the Racer Appreciation Test ‘N Tune. A huge turnout of 153 cars showed up for the event and the scheduled shutdown time of 10:00 pm was moved back to 11:00 to allow racers the opportunity of more track time.

Saturday morning greeted the racers at Heartland Park with a clear sky and lots of sunshine. Race #1 of the Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series and the Super Class Shootout got underway and some great racing made for a fantastic day to kick off the new season. There were lots of new faces as well as familiar racers competing for the first win of 2012.

The Elk Creek Engraving Junior Dragster category was battled fiercely and the final round of the C Group (8-9 year olds) found Olathe’s Chandler Brandenburg paired with Brady Stallbaumer of Seneca. Stallbaumer left the line first, dialed on a 13.45. Brandenburg, dialed on a 12.90 ripped off a great .006 reaction time and caught up with Stallbaumer in a hurry and took the win with a 12.99 to Stallbaumer’s 13.56.

The B Group juniors (ages 10-12) also fought it out in some tight racing. Ashley Winkler of Ottawa and Savana Bennett of Shawnee found their way to the final and lined up for the big trophy. Winkler dialed in with a 9.22 and Bennett dialed 8.94. Winkler took the green light first, but Bennet lit up the important win light, 9.002 to 9.915.

The elders of the junior dragster ranks found 15 competitors vying for the win. In the A Group final, Connor McEntire of Blue Springs, MO faced Ruby DeGood of Kansas City, MO. Degood foul started (-.007 RT) and McEntire cruised to victory with a 7.952 on his 7.92 dial.

In Kansas National Guard Pro Bike, five bikes qualified for eliminations and the final round pitted R;yane Sparke of Lawrence against Topekan, Stuart Miles. Miles dialed 10.12 to Sparke’s 9.63. Miles left first with a great .029 light and Sparke gave chase with a .157 reaction time. The advantage was just too much to overcome and Miles took the win with a 10.234 to Sparke’s 9.733.

Labor Pro Street category saw Tiffany Walters-Wilson defeat Steve Hart in the final, 15.625 (15.41 dial) to 15.865 (15.75 dial).

In the Sportsman category, sponsored by Commercial Fleet Repair, a large 33 car field showed up for the first round. When the dust settled, the last remaining competitors were Wamego’s Nick Siebert and Topeka’s Warren Cox. Cox was driving his super cool Ford Model A coupe with a stout small block Chevy as he blew the engine in his Falcon to smithereens during the test and tune session on Friday night. The coupe treated him well and he had it dialed in on a 12.41. Seibert, defending his 2011 Sportsman points championship, dialed in on a 13.51 in his 1972 Nova. Both drivers absolutely nailed the Christmas tree. Cox cranked up a .017 reaction time and Siebert posted a .010 light. At the stripe, in a double breakout, Siebert took the victory with a 13.481 to Cox’s 12.412. By defending his points championship and winning the race, Siebert took home the Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers Bounty as well.

A large 45-car field made up the Super 8 at Forbes Landing Pro ET category. After 6 rounds of racing, John Trimble, who in the first round won the A-1 Automotive Lumberjack Challenge in the Pro ET class, found himself sitting on the starting line next to Rocky Akins. Akins, of Haysville, dialed his gorgeous 1967 Nova in on a 10.24 and Trimble dialed in his Wichita-based 1972 Dart with a 10.70. In the staging lanes, Trimble and Akins both decided to split the purse and both cars slowly ambled down the track to a 16.13 for Trimble as he defeated Akins who ran 16.35.

A stout gathering of 44 cars showed up for round one in White Line CDL Training Super Pro and the final consisted of one of the best S/P racers in the Midwest, Todd Knight of Belton, MO, against Pleasant Hill, MO resident, and former NHRA Div. 5 Sportsman of the Year, Jeff Solomon. Knight’s Tin Soldier dragster was dialed on a 7.54 with Solomon’s rear-engine digger dialed at 7.51. Knight left with a better reaction time and held onto it for the win, 7.573 to Solomon’s 7.513

The Super Class Shootout found Topekan, Greg Pfeffer in the final against Emporia’s Joe Smith. Pfeffer, in his “Wildman” 1941 Willys sedan, defeated Smith’s Mullis dragster 10.93 to 8.87.

Sunday dawned a new day and race #2 of the Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series. Some racers who had raced at SRCA Drag Strip in Great Bend on Saturday joined in on fun for Sunday at Heartland Park including 3-time NHRA Div. 5 Sportsman Champ, Darrel Goheen.

Elk Creek Engraving Junior Dragster category found some extra racers on Sunday as well. In the A Class final, Aidan Eckart of Rayton, MO defeated Trey Hefner of Topeka 8.03 to 7.989 as Eckart drilled the tree with a .010 reaction time.

The B Class junior dragster final consisted of Ashly Miller of Eudora, KS racing Savana Bennett of Shawnee, KS in her second final round appearance in two days. Bennett couldn’t double up, however, as Miller took the win, 9.48 to 9.18.

In the C Class junors, Chandler Brandenburg won his second race of the weekend as he defeated Nolan Smiley of Emerson, Iowa, 13.08 top 12.91

The Labor Pros Street category once again found Steve Hart and Tiffany Walters-Wilson in the final. Hart pushed harder and made the race closer, but Wilson took another Street class win, 15.51 to 15.94

The field of motorcycles in Kansas National Guard Pro bike consisted of 5 entries and another racer won two races in as many days as Stuart Miles on his Hyabusa defeated Shawn Ray aboard his 2005 Honda in the final, 10.11 to 13.11.

A few cars broke during Saturday’s racing and did not return on Sunday, so the Commercial Fleet Repair Sportsman field dropped to 37 cars. When all the noise stopped, JP Schmidtelein of Topeka found his 1992 Pontiac Formula in the winners circle for his second career victory as he took out Korbynn Stallbaumer of Wakarusa in the final, 12.46 to 12.09

Another large field of Super 8 at Forbes Landing Pro ET cars made their way to the staging lanes for round number one. In the end, only two of the initial 47 cars remained. Troy Ross in a borrowed racecar (thanks to Chris Livingood) defeated Darrell Gear of Excelsior Springs, Mo 9.56 to 10.52.

The final round of White Line CDL Training Super Pro found two Ford-powered dragsters. Joe Smith of Emporia faced Katie Perters of Tecumseh in a Blue Oval finale. Peters took the win as Smith foul-started and the Cobra Jet powered dragster went 7.998 on a 7.96 dial.

In the Super Class Shootout, Joe Smith’s Super Comp dragster defeated Tyler Banks’ Super Comp machine 8.874 to 8.871.

Congratulations to all of our champions and come on out and join us for the next Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series race on April 7th!!!!

[Ron Ward]

Saturday, April 7th, The Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series race #3 rolls in featuring the Super Class Shootout. Gates open at 8:00 am and time trials start at 10:00.

Saturday night at the BriggsAuto.com raceway, the first race of the Super Saturday Showdown Series takes place on the dirt! Gates open @ 5:30 pm, hot laps @ 6 and racing @ 7. Come on out and have some fun with us!!!

[Ron Ward]

Ever seen a Lamboghini bracket racing? Come out to Heartland Park Topeka on April 7th and watch this one run in Pro and Super Pro!!!


Ron

[Ron Ward]

Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series Race #3 Results from April 7, 2012

Foul weather delayed the start of race number 3 of the Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series at Heartland Park Topeka as Mother Nature spread her bountiful precipitation over much of the eastern half of Kansas. After noon, the skies finally cleared, allowing the track personnel to clean up the wetness and the racers to get onto the racetrack by mid afternoon.

In the Elk Creek Engraving and Awards junior dragster C group, the youngest racers at Heartland Park found Haley Frazier and Brady Stallbaumer in the final. Frazier, of Topeka, had a bit of an edge off the starting line and hung on to it to defeat Stallbaumer, 13.20 on a 13.18 dial to 13.15 on a 13.10 dial.

The B group of junior dragsters pitted Milford’s Cameron Beasley in his C-Money dragster against Eudora hot shoe, Ashley Miller. Miller took the win with a better reaction time, 9.49 on a 9.48 dial to Beasley’s 9.16 on a 9.05 dial.

In the C group final, it was once again Miller versus Beasley, but this time it was Blaine Miller versus Gage Beasley. When it was all said and done, Miller joined his sister in the winner’s circle by running 8.25 on an 8.24 dial against Beasley’s breakout 8.64 on an 8.66 dial.

The Kansas National Guard Pro Bike category found Topeka racers Paul Mustain in the final once again up against Stuart Miles. Mustain, dialed on at 11.58, cut a nice .030 light and headed down track. After a second and a half wait, Miles gunned his Hayabusa .016 of a second too soon and foul started, handing the win to Mustain.

Race #3 in the Labor Pros Street category found six competitors vying for the trophy. The finalists were familiar, but this time the outcome was turned around as Stephen Hart of Topeka pedaled his Ranger pickup to the finish line ahead of Overland Park racer Tiffany Walters-Wilson. Hart ran 15.87 on his 15.70 dial as Wilson, trying to catch up, ran 15.37 on her 15.12 dial.

A whopping 36 cars showed up for round number one of the Commercial Fleet Repair Sportsman category. After six rounds of heated action, only two racers remained. Gene Lamb of Garnett is no stranger to the final rounds at Heartland Park, but Pete Huestis of Belleview, Nebraska found himself in an HPT final for the very first time. Lamb pulled the trigger on his 1970 Camaro just a bit too soon, turning on the red light and Huestis took the win with an 11.92 on a 12.00 dial-in with his white fox-body Mustang.

A large field of cars also showed for round number one of Super 8 at Forbes Landing Pro ET. Six rounds of racing reduced the field to two remaining competitors. Darrell Gear of Excelsior Springs, MO piloted his bright orange 1983 Camaro and Rob June staged his deep blue 1969 Camaro as the two met in the final round. Gear left the line first, dialed on a 10.32 and ripped off a great .029 reaction time. June took off in pursuit with a .069 light and passed Gear at the finish line running only .010 off his dial, 9.790 (9.78 dial) to Gear’s 10.386 (10.32 dial).

The quickest and fastest class, White Line CDL Training Super Pro, brought some excitement to HPT for race number three. Richard Gleason of Blue Springs, MO drove his small block Chevy-powered 1932 Bantam altered to the final where he faced multi-time KCIR points champ Todd Knight in his Tin Soldier Mullis dragster. The short wheelbase altered left the line first on an 8.87 dial, but Gleason reacted to the tree just a bit too soon and foul started by five thousandths of a second. Knight, having dialed in at 7.53 saw the red light on Gleason’s side of the racetrack and shut off to a coasting 8.890.

In the Super Class Showdown, Stinnett Racing Super Comp driver Bruce Wiedmaier drove his Money Sponge II dragster to victory around Diamond House Jewelers Super Street racer John Dasher’s 1968 Camaro, 8.905 to 10.913.

The Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers Bounty is awarded to those racers in Sportsman, Pro and Super Pro who beat the previous race winner in their respective class starting in round number two. The bounty in Sportsman was collected by Pete Huestis as he defeated JP Schmidtlein. Rob June grabbed the bounty as he eliminated Troy Ross in the Pro category. In Super Pro, Bobby Mount tossed some taters and snarfed up the bounty by taking out Katie Peters. Mmmm… Freddy’s!

Rob June was winning everything in sight as along with the race victory and the bounty, he also nailed down the money from the A-1 Automotive Lumberjack Challenge by drilling a perfect .000 reaction time in PRO ET. June’s efforts resulted in $40 from A-1 Automotive. Race #4 has $60 up for grabs in Sportsman, $20 for Pro and $80 for Super Pro for the first driver in each class to hit a perfect reaction time in a winning round of eliminations. Thanks to A-1 Automotive!

Come join us at Heartland Park Topeka for race #4 on April 28th as the Ferrellgas ET Bracket Series hits the dragstrip once again!

[Ron Ward]

We will be racing under the lights at Heartland Park Topeka this Friday, April 20 for our Test 'n Tune session. Gates open @ 5:00 pm and we'll run until 10:00. Come on out and have some fun at HPT!!!


Ron

[LAGNAF]

dang it!! a few of us from Baldwin were gonna come up. Including myself. BUT.. schedule came out for my daughters fastpitch tourney this weekend. YUP, they start on friday nite in Blue Springs.. Maybe next time!! Been a while since my truck has seen the 1/4 mile..

[Ron Ward]

Heartland Park will also have another Test 'N Tune session Friday, April 27. Gates open @ 5:00 pm and we'll run until 10:00. Come on out and have some fun at HPT!!!


Ron