Booher Wins Second, Brand Stops Manzo

Courtesy of Todd Veney/Pro Sportsman Association

At the Central Region Lucas Oil Series event at Cordova Dragway Park, Brandon Booher ruled Top Alcohol Dragster for the second week in a row and Dale Brand won Top Alcohol Funny Car over Frank Manzo, running his lifetime win-loss record against the reigning world champ to 2-0.

Booher, who went the distance for the first time in his career just two weeks ago at Chicago's Route 66 Raceway, won a tight final over veteran Robin Samsel, 5.45 to 5.46, after taking an even closer semifinal win over Dave Hirata. "Both of those guys stepped up," Booher said. "I was shooting for .40-flat or a .41 in the final, but I got a little greedy and shook and spun the tires. There he was – boom, right beside me – but the car made it through the shake without me having to pedal. I probably wrung out both gears a little more than I should have, but we got it done."

As in Chicago, Booher qualified father Aaron's AB Construction dragster in the No. 1 spot, this time with a 5.41 at 266.64 mph. He was right back in the .40s and mid-260s in all three rounds of eliminations, including a 5.47, 264 in the opening round that eliminated returning veteran Paul Fishburn, and a 5.44 at 265 in the semi's that was just enough to hold off Hirata.

"Hirata sawed the Tree down, picked up a tenth, and almost beat us," Booher said. "We picked up in that round, too, because we weren't taking him for granted. This car has always been consistent. but now it's consistently quick. It was a little stagnant the last few years, but now, instead of a car that can run .45 to .50 and a driver who can cut a light, we're running good, too. People come up against us, and it's not just 'Don't screw up and we've got this' anymore. They know we're here to play."

Samsel had his best outing to date, stopping Norwalk winner Marty Thacker, who surprisingly qualified just seventh, in the first round and 2012 Central Region champion and defending event winner Gord Gingles, who red-lighted, in the semi's. Samsel was off the mark with a solid .069 reaction time in the final, but Booher had it all the way with a .022 light and slightly better e.t.

Beating Manzo will always go down as an upset, but Brand was right with the perennial world champ all weekend. "Gainesville this year was the only other time we've ever lined up against Frank, but we just happened to be in the other lane when he had trouble," Brand said. "I don't look at that as beating Frank Manzo. This was a little more legit."

Brand, who reached his first national event final his last time out, qualified No. 1 with a 5.67, then Manzo gained the upper hand through the early rounds of eliminations. Manzo qualified just third with a 5.75, then ran another 5.75 in the opening round against Wayne Butler while Brand slipped to a 5.80 that was still enough to take out second-year driver Todd Robertson. In the semifinals, Brand and Manzo claimed identical 5.72 to 5.76 wins – Brand over Ray Drew and Manzo over No. 2 qualifier Andy Bohl.

Manzo had the two best reaction times of the entire event - .033 and .025 – but Brand got off the mark first in the final, .051 to .079, and pulled ahead for a 5.671 (low e.t.) to 5.70 win.

"Frank brings out the best in us," Brand said. "Anytime you can get past the best – and that's what he is, obviously – that's a win to remember. He's the gold standard of Alcohol Funny Car racing, the guy every team out here shoots for."

With his third final-round appearance in a row, Manzo is up to eighth in the national standings and has fewer starts than anyone else in the Top 10. Brand, racing for the first time in two months, now has reached at least the semifinals everywhere he's raced this year, including a semifinal appearance in Gainesville and a runner-up in Charlotte."