By Jerry Monson, Tribune Sports Writer

BRAINERD &045; The 23rd Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals was held last weekend at Brainerd International Raceway and, as usual, the area was not without representation.

Area racers competing this year were Bob Lair and Mike Brackey of Lake Mills, Clarence Mayo of Manly, Iowa and Scott McMasters of Austin. All ran in the Super Comp Class as NHRA did not have the Super Gas Class at BIR. With 45 racers in the class, area cars comprised nearly 10 percent of the field.

In bracket racing, it always comes down to thousandths of a second and, unfortunately for Lair and Brackey, those precious ticks were not on their side. Both lost in the first round.

Mayo, the 2003 Super Comp double track champion at Tri-State Raceway and Quick 16 champion in Earlville, Iowa, made it one more round.

&uot;I went from champ to chump, but I’ll be back,&uot; said Mayo.

McMasters, driving his father, John’s, Camaro, advanced al the way to the final six before falling.

The eventual Super Comp winner, Hibbing native Larry Ericksmoen, made the trip from St. Petersburg, Fla.

Absent from the show this year was area racer Dennis Schewe, who reportedly has been experiencing engine problems.

The Pro Classes saw two drivers pick up their first national-event wins.

John Medlen, driving for the John Force Racing Team, defeated Gary Scelzi with a 4.99-second run at 302.62 mph in Funny Car. Medlen, who qualified in the fourth spot, took over this season for Tony Pedregon, who started his own team.

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson of Duluth, had tied a record in winning 12 of 13 national events this season and predicted victory at BIR, but it wasn’t to be.

David Connolly, who had reached four finals this season, met Anderson in the finals at BIR and nipped him with an ET of 6.799 at 203.31 mph to Anderson’s 6.818 at 202.97.

Craig Treble defeated Angelle Savoie in Pro Stock Bike. Treble had qualified third, Savoie fifth.

The main attraction, as usual, was Top Fuel.

Joe Amato Racing, whose popular driver Darrell Russell was killed in a racing accident a few weeks ago, formed an alliance with Lucas Oil Products for sponsorship of the dragster for the remainder of the season. The most interesting part is that Morgan Lucas, son of Lucas Oil’s owner, would be driving the car.

Lucas put some huge smiles on his parents’ faces when he ran a 4.696 ET at 320.43 mph in qualifying fifth. Lucas was eliminated in the first round but came away a winner with his first-place Alcohol Dragster.