If you were looking for Dean and Mike Bauerly last Sunday, you could find them in Brainerd International Raceway's winners’ circle, having a family reunion of sorts.
Mike Bauerly and his son, Dean, spent time there together, hoisting first-place trophies after winning the Outlaw and Pro Outlaw classes, respectively, during the 25th annual NAPA Auto Parts Show and Go. They were among more than 400 drivers who competed in the Show and Go, which was a Dual Event Weekend with the Central Roadracing Association's Superbike Racing on BIR's 2.5-mile Competition Road Course.
The Bauerlys typically have two of the fastest cars in the "fast five" classes (Pro Outlaw, Outlaw, King Street, Real Street and True Street), which make up the Muscle Car Series. And those two cars were unbeatable during the second race in the three-race Muscle Car Series.
The series' final race is Labor Day weekend during the 23rd annual Muscle Car Shootout when series champions will be crowned.
Dean Bauerly was the No. 1 qualifier entering Sunday's elimination rounds and was the only car in the field to break the 7-second mark Sunday. He ran 6.995 and 6.999 in two elimination rounds, and flirted with 200 mph. Those numbers were unmatched by anyone, including Craig Braun, who lost to Bauerly in the finals by less than 1/10th of a second, despite beating him off the starting line. Bauerly ran 6.999 seconds and 197.91 mph to Braun's 7.099 seconds and 195.59 mph.
Meanwhile, the senior Bauerly was wracking up impressive numbers in the Outlaw Class. Entering Sunday, Mike Bauerly was the No. 1 qualifier with the top speed (202.45 mph). After running unopposed in the first elimination round, Bauerly's times in the next three rounds were 6.874, 6.883 and 6.889 seconds, with speeds of 202.03, 202.15 and 201.31 mph.
In the finals, Bauerly faced Paul Gibbs, who had been running about one second and 40 mph slower than Bauerly but still won his way to the finals, where he handed Bauerly the win when his car malfunctioned.
This year's Show and Go featured three repeat winners: Brian Mahnke in King Street, Todd Malik in Real Street Natural and Charlie Todd in the 11.50 Index Class.
Mahnke, who won last year's Show and Go and went on to capture the series championship in King Street, continued to dominate even though Dick Fulton claimed the No. 1 qualifier position heading into Sunday’s eliminations with a qualifying time of 7.939 seconds and 173.78 mph. The two met in the finals, where Mahnke was a hair quicker off the starting line and a tad faster down the track, winning with a time of 7.921 seconds and 174.75 mph to Fulton's 7.955 seconds and 173.56 mph.
In Real Street Natural, Malik won last year's Show and Go, as well as the series championship, and beat the No. 1 qualifier Sunday, Matt Sathre, to repeat. Sathre finished the weekend with the lowest time, a sizzling 8.606 seconds, and the top speed (154.46 mph), but Malik beat him off the starting line and earned the win with a 9.225-second run to Sathre's 9.152.
In the Index classes, between 9.50-14.00 seconds and increasing by .5-second increments, drivers must get as close to their index time as possible without going faster. After all Index classes were decided, the 10 winners were paired up for a run-off to determine the champion.
A familiar face outlasted the field. Gary Olson, Index class champion during last year's Muscle Car Shootout, won the 12.00 Index and beat Charlie Todd, winner of the 11.50 Index Class, in the finals.
Final results
PRO OUTLAW
Finals: Dean Bauerly, Otsego, def. Craig Braun, Hampton
Semifinals: Bauerly bye; Braun def. Luke Volk, Champlin
OUTLAW
Finals: Mike Bauerly, Rice, def. Paul Gibbs, Eagan
Semifinals: Bauerly def. Eric Wourms, Grand Rapids; Gibbs bye
KING STREET
Finals: Brian Mahnke, Saginaw, def. Dick Fulton, Crystal
Semifinals: Mahnke bye; Fulton def. Paul Rockstad, Cloquet
REAL STREET UNLIMITED
Finals: Richard Brown, Coon Rapids, def. Nick Strohbeen, Little Canada
Semifinals: Brown def. Stephen Kukowoski, Farmington; Strohbeen bye
REAL STREET UNLIMITED
Finals: Todd Malik, Andover, def. Matt Sathre, Brooklyn Park
Semifinals: Malik bye; Sathre def. J. Johnson
TRUE STREET
Finals: Nick Hively, Cologne, def. Aaron VanHeel, Otsego
Semifinals: Hively bye; VanHeel def. Jason King, Duluth
STRIP ELIMINATOR 1
Finals: Justin Clark, Stacy, def. Steven Glubke, Blaine
Semifinals: Clark bye; Glubke def. Rick Larson, Maple Grove
STRIP ELIMINATOR 2
Finals: Luke Arndts, Dalbo, def. Angie Beck, Coon Rapids
Semifinals: Arndts def. Rick Backstrom, Grand Marais; Beck bye
STRIP ELIMINATOR 3
Finals: Jeremy Craig, Blaine, def. Gordy Hanson, Iron
Semifinals: Craig def. Austin Kidrawski, Cologne; Hanson bye
TRUCK ELIMINATOR
Finals: Troy Novak, Rice, def. Jake Burnham, Lonsdale
Semifinals: Novak def. Dave Adams, Brooklyn Center; Burnham def. Keith Tursso, Mounds View
INDEX CLASS CHAMPION
Finals: Gary Olson, Sartell, def. Charlie Todd, Cottage Grove
Semifinals: Olson bye; Todd def. Dan Merritt, Duluth
9.50 INDEX
Finals: Dan Merritt, Duluth, def. Eric Defhlefs, St. Cloud
10.00 INDEX
Finals: Keith Sand, Cambridge, def. David Imgrund, Brainerd
Semifinals: Sand bye; Imgrund def. Pete Trombley, Cokato
10.50 INDEX
Finals: Greg Bednar, Mankato, def. Randy Belcher, Detroit Lakes
Semifinals: Bednar bye; Belcher def. Mike Hammerstrom, Bemidji
11.00 INDEX
Finals: Jason Neshiem, Mazeppa, def. Jesse Haugesag, Prior Lake
Semifinals: Neshiem def. Dave Dexter, Duluth; Haugesag def. Chris Pirkola, Duluth
11.50 INDEX
Finals: Charlie Todd, Cottage Grove, def. Chip Evanoff, Cottage Grove
Semifinals: Todd def. TJ Tharldson, East Bethel; Evanoff bye
12.00 INDEX
Finals: Gary Olson, Sartell, def. Ryan Nohner, Watkins
Semifinals: Olson def. Craig Rettis, Chisago City; Nohner def. Ken Moore, Rogers
12.50 INDEX
Finals: Dick Harnois, Brooklyn Park, def. Jacob Godbout, Cloquet
Semifinals: Harnois def. Rob Johnson, New Prague; Godbout bye
13.00 INDEX
Finals: Jesse Backstrom, Grand Marais, def. Reid Watson, Laporte
Semifinals: Backstrom def. Keith Allen Larson, Brainerd; Watson bye
13.50 INDEX
Finals: Rick Kershaw, Cottage Grove, def. Mike Larson, Brainerd
Semifinals: Kershaw def. Mike Koslucher, Hibbing; Larson bye
14.00 INDEX
Finals: Kirby Allen, Onamia, def. Neal Vpton, Isanti
Semifinals: Allen bye; Vpton def. Bridget Baird, Champlin
