As we wind into the closing weeks of the NHRA season, I find myself missing my role on the Sportsman Drag Racing Podcast alongside Jared Pennington. Prior to putting a halt to the podcast at the beginning of 2024, it had become tradition for us (mostly me) to “nerd out” this time of year, and spend an episode breaking down the Lucas Oil Series points battles.
If I were outlining an episode, I think the main talking point today would be Jimmy Hidalgo, Jr. and his pursuit of not one, but two Lucas Oil Series championships. To date, only three drivers in NHRA history have pulled off a double championship season: Scotty Richardson, Justin Lamb, and Jeff Strickland. While Hidalgo doesn’t currently lead either the Stock or Super Stock standings (at the time of this writing, he sits in 2nd place in both classes), you could argue that he’s the favorite in both.
Looking for a secondary storyline? How about Division 6? Historically, national champions from the Northwest Division have been scarce, and for logical reasons: D6 is logistically difficult. It’s far away from everything else, and there’s just one national event annually that falls in the Division 6 footprint. It’s a real challenge for sportsman racers in that region to attend enough events to make a legitimate title run. Don’t tell that to this season’s contenders! As many as FIVE Northwest Division Runners have a legitimate shot at Lucas Oil Series titles in 2024.
Admittedly, what I’m about to share is time sensitive. And within a week of this deadline five of the nine remaining LODRS events on the nationwide schedule will be completed – the points picture will almost certainly change considerably, and should be much clearer then than it is as I write this. Here is where we’re at as of October 1, with just seven weeks remaining in the 2024 NHRA Lucas Oil Series season.
Competition Eliminator:
The leader: Ryan Warter
Ryan Warter made the 2000+ mile drive from his Milton, WA home to Worldwide Technology Raceway near St. Louis pay off in a big way when he captured a clutch Competition Eliminator victory. The win, his fifth of the season, catapulted him atop the standings, and makes him the favorite for the championship. Warter sits atop the pack with 572 points, closing in on the points totals that have been awarded recent national titles in the category (594 points earned Bruno Massel, Jr. the ‘23 title. A year prior, Ryan Priddy took the crown with 604). Warter is primed to increase that total: he has a first round loss on his ledger and all three remaining national events at which to erase it. He can also earn points at his final divisional event, where he’ll look to improve on a 3rd round finish.
The top contender(s): Cody Lane, Monty Bogan, Rodger Brogdon, Robert Bailey
Of the obvious contenders, Warter’s fellow Division 6 runner Cody Lane has the best chance to overtake him and win the title. Lane can still earn points at two national events (where he’s improving a second round loss) and two division events (where he’s improving a third round loss). He currently trails by less than one round.
The sleeper(s): Don Thomas, Steve Szupka
Steve Szupka and Don Thomas are the sleeper picks here, lurking just outside the current top 10. Both accomplished drivers have had banner seasons in limited appearances. If they’re ambitious enough to hit the road, and can finish the season with the same strength they’ve shown thus far, either could be in the championship mix.
Super Stock:
The leader: Jeff Dona
The Missouri runner has accumulated three wins this season to accompany multiple late-round finishes, and despite a strong 611 point current total, Dona is primed to add to that score. As of this writing, Dona still has two national events at which he can improve a round 2 loss, and two LODRS events at which he’ll try to throw out a round 3 defeat.
The top contender(s): Jimmy Hidalgo, Jr., Logan Belanger
With his recent win at the Midwest Nationals, Jimmy Hidalgo, Jr. claimed his fourth Super Stock Wally of the season. Typically, four victories spells a championship – often in runaway fashion. The unique aspect of Hidalgo’s season? It’s been all or nothing: he has six round one or round two losses on his ledger as well! The good news at this point in the season is that those early losses are easier (relatively speaking) to improve upon. The Louisiana standout has three events remaining, and will add to his points total with nearly every win light he sees.
The sleeper(s): Trey Vetter, Jason Deforrest, Justin Lamb
Early in the season, Trey Vetter strung together five consecutive events in which his worst finish was a semi-final! He’s got fewer races on his ledger than any of the contenders, and assuming he can max out his available claims, he’s still a legitimate title threat. Vetter has three national events and two LODRS events to improve his total, which is currently just 81 points shy of the leader.
Stock:
The leader(s): Joe Sorenson
Sorenson, another Division 6 runner in championship pursuit, has already assembled the strongest season of his illustrious career. With five final round appearances and nothing worse than a 4th round loss on his ledger, Sorenson has accumulated a massive 669 point score. He still has three national events remaining at which he can add to that total. If he can win one of those races, he would eclipse the 700 point mark. To date, no Lucas Oil Series driver has ever posted 700+ points and failed to win the championship.
The top contender(s):Jimmy Hidalgo, Jr.
With that said… This could well be the year that 700+ finishes second! With his quarterfinal showing at the Midwest Nationals, Jimmy Hidalgo, Jr. closed to within just two points of Sorenson. Like Sorenson, Hidalgo’s score card is incredible: four wins and a runner -up in just eleven events! Like Sorenson, Hidalgo can improve at three remaining events. Unlike Sorenson, he has lower scores to improve: Hidalgo would start adding to his current total with a round three victory.
The sleeper: Jared Jordan
Unlike the other Lucas Oil categories, Stock appears to be a two-man race for the title at this point. If anyone could upset Sorenson and Hidalgo, it’s Division 7 runner Jared Jordan. He can earn points at five more events, but would likely have to win three of those races to match the totals of the leaders.
Super Comp:
The leader(s): Ray Miller III
With a timely victory at the Charlotte Nationals, Ray Miller III appears primed to earn his second national championship. Not only is Miller atop the standings by more than four rounds currently, he should improve upon his 581 point total. With three LODRS events remaining, Miller is looking to improve a first round loss, and potentially a pair of second round losses as well.
The top contender(s): Kevin Scholl, Tom Clark, Chris Vang
If the championship doesn’t go to Ray Miller III, the most likely candidate to hold the Wally at season’s end has to be Kevin Scholl. The Division 1 standout has accumulated 507 points through just seven races on the strength of two LODRS series wins and just one event at which he did not advance to round four. Scholl’s next national event is still a full claim, which means that with a final round appearance in Dallas, he would surpass Miller’s current total. The biggest problem for Scholl? Time and logistics. He could improve his score at four more national events, but there are just three remaining on the schedule. And those three are on the other side of the country from his Pennsylvania home.
The sleeper(s): Kris Whitfield, Chris Bishop
While Kris Whitfield currently sits outside the top ten, he can still earn points at every remaining national event, plus one LODRS event. Although it would take a Herculean effort, Whitfield has certainly proven capable of getting on a hot streak on the biggest stages of the sport.
Super Gas:
The leader: Luke Bogacki
With a runner-up at the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, I am currently in the lead in Super Gas (I wasn’t leading when I started outlining this column… this is suddenly a bit awkward!). My current total sits at 581. While that leads by more than four rounds at the time of this writing, it’s not a total that traditionally wins a championship. I can still earn points at two national events, where I’m improving a first round loss. I can also improve at three LODRS events, at least in theory. The issue there is that I’m trying to improve a semi-final finish.
The top contender(s): Jeremy Mason, Val Torres, Brad Pierce, Keith Mayers, Michael Dalrymple
Jeremy Mason currently sits five rounds out of the lead with three LODRS events remaining on his schedule. He’s currently claiming a first round loss and a second round loss in those events, so his ceiling is very high; and he’s been one of the most consistent performers in the class for the last several seasons.
The sleeper(s): Austin Williams
It’s hard to say that a multi-time world champion could ever qualify as a sleeper, but if you’re strictly looking at the current points standings, Austin Williams currently sits in the 33rd position. But looks are deceiving. Williams already advanced to the final round of the recent LODRS event in Tulsa before the race was halted due to rain. It’s set to finish as part of the Stampede of Speed leading up to the Texas Fall Nationals. If he wins that event, he would be just outside the top ten. And he still has five events at which to improve early losses. Like Kris Whitfield in Super Comp, Williams’ chances are long, but he’s certainly capable.
Top Dragster:
The leader(s): Dylan Hough
The Oregon-based prodigy stopped earning points back in August, and still sits as the leader in the clubhouse at 564 points on the strength of two wins in four final round appearances. While he’s currently holding a comfortable lead of more than seven rounds, he can do little more than sit back and watch as a talented field does their best to track him down.
The top contender(s): Cody Webber, Darian Boesch
Despite trailing Hough by nearly 100 points, Division 7 standout Webber is perhaps in the best position to overtake him. Webber can improve his score at five remaining events, and is currently bettering a first round loss in both national and divisional competition. Better yet, with the remaining schedule coming to him, Webber can max out his points earning quota without having to leave his home division more than once.
The sleeper(s): Mark Grame
With his recent win in Tulsa, Grame burst into the top ten. He trails Hough by 71 points, but his next national event (Dallas) is still a full claim: so if he can advance to the final, he would take the lead. Grame’s divisional ledger is full, and with Top Dragster not competing at the Las Vegas Nationals, he’ll only have two opportunities to add points at the national level. Grame is no stranger to pressure in Pomona: it was just six years ago that he fell one win light short of the Super Comp title. How great of a story would it be if he could secure this Top Dragster crown with a deep run at the same facility?
Top Sportsman:
The leader: Allen Firestone
Perennial contender Firestone sits atop the pack at 549 points, and has two national events at which he can improve a second round loss. He’s already racked up three wins in five final round appearances this season.
The top contender(s): David Cook, Jr., Larry Demers
David Cook, Jr. has one national event left at which to earn points, where he’s improving a semi-final finish. It’s on the divisional side of the ledger where he can make significant strides. There, he can still earn points at three events, and he has not one, but two first round losses to potentially toss out. Just a round and a half behind Firestone at this point, Cook has to be considered a favorite, if not the favorite.
The sleeper: Bill Yates
Recent U.S. National winner Bill Yates is a bit off the grid: he’s currently outside the top ten and over 150 points out of the lead. But he has earned three wins in just seven events thus far this season. His next two Lucas Oil Series events are full claims, which means that with two final round appearances, he could be leading the standings after the double divisional in St. Louis. The good news for Yates? He can earn points at nearly every event remaining on the schedule. The bad news? Doing so would mean crisscrossing the country – similar to the path Jimmy Lewis used to secure the Top Sportsman crown in 2021.
