NHRA Division 3 Title Caps Amazing Season for Luke Bogacki

For RacingRV’s backed racer Luke Bogacki, the 2014 NHRA Division 3 Super Gas championship was the icing overtop a cake that encompassed an incredible season-long campaign. The ingredients of that cake: two NHRA national event triumphs, three NHRA Lucas Oil Series victories, and the highest national points total in NHRA Super Gas history en route to his second NHRA national championship in as many years (Bogacki was the Super Comp champion in 2013). Bogacki’s 2014 Super Gas season was, in a word historic, as the Illinois based driver racked up a gaudy 46-3 round win record in his points earning appearances.

In mid-December, Bogacki was honored at the NHRA North Central Division banquet as the Division 3 Super Gas champion. On the strength of his three in-division victories (Indianapolis, Chicago, and St. Louis), along with runner-up and quarterfinal finishes at two out-of-division events, Bogacki posted 461 points, enough to hold off the late season charge of 2013 Division 3 champion Troy Coughlin, Jr. The title marked Bogacki’s fifth NHRA division title, and first in Super Gas. In an interesting sidebar, the North Central division is the fourth different geographic division in which he has claimed a championship. He began his career with the NHRA Division 4 Junior Dragster crown in 1993; won the Super Comp and Stock titles for Division 2 in 2010; and added the Division 7 Super Comp championship in 2013.

“I guess that is an interesting stat, I doubt very many people could claim that,” Bogacki mused. “I’ve moved around quite a bit. I grew up in Texas, then moved to Alabama after college. That explains Division 4 and Division 2. The D7 thing was more out of necessity – our baby boy was born in April of ’13, so I took some time away from racing to be home for a couple of months, and the Division 7 schedule was front and back loaded; so despite the travel it fit my schedule. I’m a Southern Illinois resident now, and this is where my wife Jessica has roots, so it’s home for us. From a racing standpoint, Division 3 feels like home as well.”

In addition to his division title, Bogacki also earned the North Central Division award for the Super Class driver of the year, an honor voted by his racing peers. “That was probably even more special than the championship,” he admitted. “It’s one thing to have more points than the competition, but for my fellow racers to vote me driver of the year, that’s quite an honor. I certainly didn’t expect that, and I was very humbled.”

In his acceptance speech, Bogacki recognized the support of RacingRV’s, the major marketing partner on his championship-winning Corvette roadster, as well as K&N Engineering, the major partner on his Super Comp dragster. The Luke Bogacki Motorsports team also relies on associate backing from Advanced Product Design, C.A.R.S. Protection Plus, Accelerated Graphics, Product Development Group (makers of Flo-Fast pumps and AirTek pressure systems), Watts Auto Diesel Service, JEGS, Mickey Thompson Tires, and Bill Taylor Enterprises. Bogacki was joined on stage by fellow NHRA Division 3 Champions Chuck Haubiel (Competition Eliminator), Ricky Decker (Super Stock), Randy Wilkes (Stock), Edmond Richardson (Super Comp), Scotty Rienschield (Super Street), Christopher Carrico (Top Dragster), and Jerry Albert (Top Sportsman), in addition to Regional Champions Marty Thacker (Top Alcohol Dragster) and Steve Harker (Top Alcohol Funny Car).

The 2015 NHRA Division 3 campaign kicks off May 1-3 at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis, and Bogacki plans to be in attendance. In addition to pursuing a repeat title, he also leads the JEGS All-Stars Super Gas standings for Division 3 and hopes to represent the home division in the prestigious JEGS All-Stars event in June. “That’s one goal that I’m really focused on as we turn the calendar to 2015,” Bogacki stressed. “I’ve never been a part of the JEGS All-Stars, and it would mean a lot to me to earn a berth in that race and compete in the event. We’re in the lead right now, but there are several other racers within striking distance with just two races to go in determining our division 3 representative.”

Bogacki’s championship winning Super Gas machine is a ’63 Corvette bodied roadster from Charlie Stewart Race Cars. In his continued success, Luke depends on quality products from Auto Meter, Lucas Oil Products, Moser Engineering, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, American Race Cars, Huntsville Engine & Performance, Ohlins, Dixie Racing Products, Dedenbear, Renegade Race Fuels, ISC Racer’s Tape, Nitrous Express, Hedman Husler Hedders, K&R Performance Engineering, Nitroplate, California Car Cover, CollectorTethers.com, Todd’s Extreme Paint, Milodon, DragRaceResults.com, J&J Performance, Wiseco, Jesel, Earl’s Performance Plumbing, Crane Cams, RacerTees, SHARP Stuff, Goethe Enterprises, Clark Gaskets, and Fastronix.

Story and photos courtesy of Luke Bogacki Bogacki Marketing Solutions