Defending event champs Reichert, Brand highlight 2014 JEGS Allstars qualifiers

Written by Nate Van Wagnen

Defending event champions Bill Reichert (Top Alcohol Dragster) and Dale Brand (Top Alcohol Funny Car) highlight the list of qualifiers for the 30th Annual JEGS Allstars competition. The special race within a race, held on Saturday during the O'Reilly Route 66 Nationals, will pit the best of the best against one another for a chance at the unique Allstars trophy and a $7,000 check. In addition to individual TAD and TAFC winning honors, each region's drivers will earn points towards the Region Team championship, which equally divides a $5,000 prize among the winning region's four teams.

Defending Event Champions

Top Alcohol Dragster - Bill Reichert
Reichert won from the No. 5 spot, knocking down two-time Allstars champ Marty Thacker and John Finke before beating eventual Route 66 Nationals winner Chris Demke in a 5.319 to 5.327 final round.

Bill Reichert - TAN photo

Top Alcohol Funny Car - Dale Brand
Brand qualified No. 4 and beat Andy Bohl and Annie Whiteley with a string of 5.65s. The Goalsetter-sponsored driver stepped it up in the final with a 5.59 to defeat 2011 Allstars runner-up Todd Veney's 5.62.

Region Team - West Region
The west coast teams ran away with the Region Team championship when TAD representative Chris Demke runnered-up and TAFC drivers Annie Whiteley and Steve Gasparrelli each reached the semifinals.

2014 JEGS Allstars Qualifiers

Top Alcohol Dragster
John Finke - Finke Equipment A/Fuel Dragster - East Region
Finke's Allstars points scorecard includes 2013 wins at the Lebanon Valley and Epping regionals. Most recently has struggled to make it past first round at 2014 events.

Dan Page - Arthur Gallant Racing A/Fuel Dragster - East Region
Page, who built the car that he races for Arthur Gallant, leads the East Region Allstars line-up with 2013 highlights including two runner-up finishes and a win. Like Finke, Page has yet to reach the second round in 2014.

Brandon Booher - AB Construction Top Alcohol Dragster - North Central Region
The current North Central Region champion racked up a total of four wins on his score card, the most recent being the Norwalk regional. This is Booher's first Allstars appearance.

Brandon Booher - TAN photo

Bill Reichert - Bars Leaks/Rislone A/Fuel Dragster - North Central Region
Three-time Allstars winner Bill Reichert is chasing his second title under the new regional format in his 12th event appearance. The five-time national champion is currently fourth in national points with wins at Indy and Joliet regionals.

James Stevens - Performance Truck Top Alcohol Dragster - Central Region
Stevens' runner-up finish at the Noble regional helped him secure his first Allstars appearance.

Randy Meyer - Randy Meyer Racing A/Fuel Dragster - Central Region
The experienced driver/tuner/owner has posted strong results under the new 2014 A/Fuel rules, winning the Springnationals in the driver's seat and the Kansas Nationals and Tulsa regional with Shayne Lawson driving.

Randy Meyer - RMR photo

Chris Demke - Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Perf. Products Top Alcohol Dragster - West Region
2012 Allstars TAD champion Chris Demke's scorecard includes a win at Seattle and runner-up finishes at both Woodburn events. The Peen Rite driver enters the Allstars fresh off of his win at last weekend's Billings regional.

Joey Severance - Severance Racing Top Alcohol Dragster - West Region
The Woodburn Dragstrip co-owner is racing with power and support from YNot Racing this season. With 2014 wins at the Firebird regional and both spring Vegas races, he's the current national points leader.

Top Alcohol Funny Car
Dan Pomponio - Pomponio Racing/Boninfante Friction Monte Carlo - East Region
After a breakout 2013 season, Pomponio repeated his early season wins at Gainesville and Charlotte this year. He looks to improve upon a first round exit at the Allstars last year, which was his first event appearance.

Todd Veney - Permatex/Follow A Dream Camaro - East Region
Last year's Allstars runner-up is seeking his first Allstars win behind the wheel of the first new Camaro funny car. The Jay Blake-owned team recently won the Lebanon Valley regional.

Todd Veney - Follow A Dream photo

Chris Foster - Foster Racing Mustang - North Central Region
Racing in his third consecutive Allstars appearance, the multi-time divisional/regional champ is carrying momentum from 2014 success at Norwalk (winner) and Joliet (runner-up).

Andy Bohl -  Competition Products Mustang - North Central Region
Bohl, the reigning region champion, posted 2013 wins at Columbus and Bowling Green, as well as a 2014 Norwalk runner-up, to secure his third Allstars position.

Dale Brand - Goalsetter/Co-Line Monte Carlo - Central Region
The defending JEGS Allstars champion has possibly the best shot at this year's title. Brand opened the season with a runner-up at the Gatornationals. He won his first national event at last month's Kansas Nationals, followed by consecutive regional wins at Joliet and Tulsa.

John Lombardo Jr. - NAPA Auto Parts/Lucas Oil Mustang - Central Region
The 2013 Central Region champ has struggled in 2014 after joining forces with successful team owner Rick Jackson to form Jackson Lombardo Racing. The Californian driver is piloting the JLR NAPA/Lucas Oil Mustang in his third Allstars appearance.

Clint Thompson - Thompson Racing Monte Carlo - West Region
Thompson is on an uptick after a win and runner-up at Denver and Billings, respectively. He reached the semifinals at half of the six races on his Allstars points scorecard.

Steve Gasparrelli - PDC/Gasparrelli Racing Monte Carlo - West Region
Second-generation TAFC driver Steve Gasparrelli is racing in the Allstars on the strength of 2013 regional wins at Mission, Seattle, and Woodburn2. His team is the most experienced flip-top team in the field with six prior Allstars appearances.