TULSA, Okla. — Kevin Jones took advantage of a late opening in the IHRA’s Skull Sooner Nationals presented to help deliver an emotional Pro NitroTop Fuel victory for Sipple Family Racing.
With family patriarch John “Doc” Sipple recovering at home after having a stint placed in his heart, the team had only three days to prepare and get to Tulsa Raceway Park from Berea, Ky.
Once there, Jones drove past Indianapolis’s Bruce Litton to claim the first Ironman trophy for Sipple Family Racing, carding a 5.138 at 260.71 miles per hour as Litton lost traction and lifted out halfway through the run.
“This was the first time a Top Fuel team has ever pulled out of Berea without him in the rig,” Jones said. “It was kind of an emotional thing, but we knew we had to do what we had to do. If the Lord lays the way out for you, doggone it, that’s just the way it has to be.”
Dale Creasy, Jr., the defending Knoll-Gas/Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car world champion, continued his early season success by stopping Andy Kelley in the final round. Creasy entered the event with a slim three-point lead over Jack Wyatt in the championship standings, but he topped Wyatt in the semifinals before a 5.078/289.14 pass in the final round gave him the victory.
Rob Atchison tightened up the point race with a victory over defending world champion Mark Thomas in the final round. Atchison, who had the quickest car all day, put together a 5.846 at 241.89 mph to claim the Alcohol Funny Car Ironman.
Pat Stoken won his first national event when he defeated defending world champion Quain Stott in the Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Modified final. Stoken was the first nitrous-powered Pro Modified to claim an IHRA national event victory since Mike Castellana captured the Ironman at the President’s Cup Nationals in Budds Creek during the 2005 season.
Defending Pro Stock world champion Pete Berner took an early step toward a successful title defense when he knocked off Brian Gahm in the final round.
Berner posted a 6.419 at 216.27 mph with a .070 reaction time to top Gahm’s 6.414/216.03 with a .077 reaction time. Berner’s margin of victory was a scant .002 second.