Kracht, Moats lead qualifying at BIR

In the opening day of racing at Brainerd International Raceway's Thunder at the Lakes, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Dan Kracht set the pace in Top Alcohol Dragster while Vern Moats heads up the Top Alcohol Funny Car contingent. St. Cloud racer Pat Nahan is No. 1 in Comp Eliminator.

Kracht blasted the field with a 5.395-second, 256.80 mph pass. The No. 2 qualifier, Ed Schmeeckle ran 5.465 seconds at 261.88 mph.

Moats, a veteran racer wheeling his '08 Mustang, laid down a 5.720-second lap at 254.14 mph. Kirk Williams is in the second qualifying spot with a 5.758-second, 248.25 mph pass. Bruce Carlson of Prior Lake is qualified No. 4.

Nahan drove his dragster to the top spot, just ahead of Tom Schmidt of Lindstrom, Minn. Ronald Roddel, Sioux Falls, S.D., leads the Super Stock class in his '02 Grand Am and James Findell of Zimmerman, took his '73 Duster to the top of the Stock Eliminator field. J.J. Heber is No. 1 in Top Sportsman, Dean Dubbin, Royalton, leads in Top Dragster and Ken Niesen, Brooklyn Park, rode to the top of the Sportsman Motorcycle.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday. Gates will open at 8 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday. Qualifying and time trials continue Saturday at 9 a.m. and eliminations start Sunday at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will have two qualifying sessions Saturday, at 1 and 4 p.m., and run first round of eliminations on Sunday at noon.

Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Brainerd International Raceway are $20 Saturday and Sunday. Children 6 to 12 are $10 each day and children 5 and under will be admitted free.

Friday's qualifying results:

Top alcohol dragster

1) Dan Kracht, Gretna, Neb., 5.395 seconds, 256.80 mph

2) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.465, 261.88

3) Scott Murray, Winnipeg, Manit., 5.721, 237.42

4) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.925, 228.23

5) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 17.816, 37.09

Top alcohol funny car

1) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '08 Mustang, 5.720 seconds, 254.14 mph

2) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '02 Camaro, 5.758, 248.25

3) Scott McVey, Winnipeg, Manit., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.772, 251.81

4) Bruce Carlson, Prior Lake, '06 Corvette, 5.799, 247.25

5) Lance Van Hauen, Reinbeck, Iowa, '02 Firebird, 5.882, 242.02

6) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '08 Mustang, 5.941, 235.19

Comp eliminator

1) Pat Nahan, St. Cloud, dragster, E/D, 7.453 seconds, -0.667 (under index)

2) Tom Schmidt, Lindstrom, '03 S-10, C/T, 8.277, -0.663

3) Scott Parks, Burlingame, Kan., dragster, A/ND, 6.845, -0.615

4) Matthew Harris, Nebraska City, Neb., '05 Grand Am, E/A, 7.722, -0.608

5) Bruno Massel, Woodbridge, Ill., '08 Cobalt, DD/AT, 7.391, -0.509

6) Bub Miller, Overland Park, Kan., '08 Cobalt, I/SMA, 9.167, -0.503

7) Bill Riemenapp, LaCrosse, Wis., '07 GTO, B/EA, 7.848, -0.492

8) Brian Antony, Lonsdale, '00 Avenger, B/AP, 7.390, -0.490

9) Bruce Schmiedl, Regina, Sask., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.426, -0.444

10) Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., dragster, B/D, 6.822, -0.438

Super stock

1) Ronald Roddel, Sioux Falls, S.D., '02 Grand Am, GT/MA, 10.748 seconds, -1.302 (under index)

2) David Bogner, Kearney, Neb., '92 Daytona, SS/CS, 9.507, -1.143

3) Michael Mans, Rogers, '00 Firebird, SS/CS, 9.566, -1.084

4) Justin Jenkins, Beatrice, Neb., '09 Cobalt, GT/CA, 9.732, -0.968

5) Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., '92 Camaro, GT/AA, 9.439, -0.961

6) Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., '69 Camaro, SS/EA, 9.719, -0.931

7) Rick Ryan, Aberdeen, S.D., '88 Cutlass, SS/MA, 11.222, -0.928

8) Terry Johnson, Maple Grove, '85 Mustang, SS/M, 10.999, -0.901

9) Bob Sherwood, Sioux Falls, S.D., '04 Cavalier, SS/AM, 8.419, -0.881

10) Brad Haugaard, North Branch, '07 Stratus, GT/EA, 10.093, -0.857

Stock eliminator

1) James Findell, Zimmerman, '73 Duster, F/SA, 10.941 seconds, -1.209 (under index)

2) Charles Blossom, Woodbury, '03 Neon, AF/S, 12.957, -1.193

3) Dale Findell, Cambridge, '73 Barracuda, H/SA, 11.347, -1.103

4) Jami Jones, Grimes, Iowa, '86 Camaro, G/SA, 11.201, -1.099

5) Stephen Hagberg, Berthoud, Colo., '64 Savoy, A/SA, 10.203, -1.097

6) Lawrence Line, Wright, '85 Monte Carlo, K/SA, 11.882, -1.068

7) Rod Neugebauer, Mitchell, S.D., '71 Duster, D/SA, 10.799, -1.051

8) Scott Dugdale, Circle Pines, '67 Chevelle, I/S, 11.453, -1.047

9) Tyler Wudarczyk, Salina, Kan., '73 Camaro, G/SA, 11.259, -1.041

10) Peter Boslovitch, Lockport, Manit., '80 Malibu, K/SA, 11.926, -1.024

Top Sportsman

1) J.J. Heber, Aurora, Colo., '06 Mustang, 7.010 seconds, 197.88 mph

2) Dave Slatten, Ft. Collins, Colo., '05 Grand Am, 7.053, 196.07

3) Billy Banks Jr., Oak Grove, Mo., '57 Chevy, 7.115, 193.38

4) Charley Whittenburg, Spencer, Iowa, '03 Grand Am, 7.211, 190.11

5) Rick Wilson, Independence, Mo., '69 Camaro, 7.290, 185.87

6) Dustin Premer, Kearney, Neb., '69 Mustang, 7.354, 185.51

7) Michael Chitty, Ames, Iowa, '04 Cavalier, 7.490, 186.00

8) Gary Loeffelholz, Shafer, '04 Mustang, 7.548, 179.25

9) Gary Caspers, Crystal, '08 Mustang, 7.649, 179.02

10) Larry Demers, Carroll, Iowa, '88 Corvette, 7.655, 178.38

Top dragster

1) Dean Dubbin, Royalton, 6.126 seconds, 224.92 mph

2) Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., 6.759, 203.65

3) Martin Schmidt, Oak Grove, 6.866, 192.22

4) Clarence Mayo, Manly, Iowa, 6.892, 194.04

5) Darin Stettner, Regina, Sask., 6.967, 188.07

6) Jeremy Siffring, Arlington, Neb., 7.007, 189.90

7) Brad Basgall, Hays, Kan., 7.061, 189.58

8) Leslie Feist, Clearwater, 7.078, 189.50

9) Dustin Krezonski, Thunder Bay, Ont., 7.119, 187.44

10) Ian Parker, Thunder Bay, Ont., 7.138, 190.89

Sportsman Motorcycle

1) Ken Niesen, Brooklyn Park, '85 Suzuki, 0.005 seconds reaction time

2) Jeff Arpin, Winnipeg, Manit., '90 Suzuki, 0.005

3) Stan Johnson, Sioux Falls, S.D., '78 Kawasaki, 0.005

4) Donnie Durenberger, Dayton, '91 Suzuki, 0.006

5) Zim Dog Hansen, Maplewood, '92 Suzuki, 0.007

6) Ron Bray, Anoka, '02 Ski Doo, 0.013

7) Bruce Sampson, Forest Lake, '82 Kawasaki, 0.013

8) Zach Schrupp, Mound, '06 Kawasaki, 0.014

9) Tom Gilligan, Fremont, Neb., '00 Kawasaki, 0.014

10) Dave Kieffer, Spring Lake Park, '86 Suzuki, 0.015