2016 NHRA LUCAS OIL SERIES SPORTSMAN CHAMPIONS

Comp: Doug Doll Jr.

Doug Doll Jr. had a season he will never forget in 2016. After being named as the driver for Comp veteran Charlie Greco’s new six-cylinder dragster, Doll went on to complete an ultra-rare perfect season with eight wins. Doll, who picked up national event victories in Epping, Norwalk, and Charlotte to go along with five Lucas Oil Series divisional wins, finished with the highest points total (730) in the history of the Comp Eliminator class. On two occasions, Doll also had the privilege of sharing the winner’s circle with his girlfriend, Division 1 Stock racer Allison Smyth.

Super Stock: Jimmy DeFrank

Very few drivers have the opportunity to win even one NHRA Lucas Oil Series championship but Jimmy DeFrank of California Car Cover fame now has five of them. DeFrank opened the 2016 season with a win at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals in Pomona and after that, he was never far from first place in the standings. DeFrank finished the season with three wins and a pair of runner-up finishes for a total of 681 points, nearly 100 more than his closest rivals, Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., and David Rampy.

Stock: Jeff Strickland

Jeff Strickland pulled off an extremely rare feat when he won a pair of national championships in Stock Eliminator and Top Dragster. The only other driver to perform a similar feat is Scotty Richardson, who claimed the Super Comp and Super Gas titles in 1992. Driving a COPO Camaro for the Gray Motorsports team, Strickland won the title at the final event of the season when he defeated his closest rival, Brad Burton, in Pomona. Strickland also won national events in Gainesville and Bristol this season to go along with four semifinal finishes.

Super Comp: Nick Folk

In 2016, Nick Folk adjusted his schedule to include more NHRA events and he was rewarded with the national championship in Super Comp and a top five finish in Super Stock. One of the sport’s most successful E.T. bracket racers, Folk began his title run with a runner-up finish at the JEGS SPORTSnationals in Bowling Green, Ky. A few weeks later, Folk made a big move in the standings when he won both events in the double-header points meet at Heartland Park Topeka. Winning a pair of eight-round races, Folk was able to add 230 points to his total in one weekend.

Super Gas: Mia Tedesco

There are many successful female drivers in NHRA drag racing, but few have been as successful as Mia Tedesco. In 21016, Tedesco became just the third woman to win a national championship when she claimed the Super Gas title. Tedesco drove her CARS Protection Plus Cavalier to national and divisional win in Chicago and added a runner-up finish in Charlotte to clinch the title. As testament to her driving talent, Tedesco also posted a top ten finish in Top Alcohol Dragster.

Top Dragster: Jeff Strickland

In addition to his championship in Stock, Strickland also won the national championship in Top Dragster. Strickland put himself in championship contention early when he won his first two starts of the season and he managed to maintain a spot in the top ten throughout the season. Strickland finished the season with a title-clinching victory at the final Division 7 Lucas Oil series event in Las Vegas. In addition to his three wins, Strickland also drove his Sticker Punk dragster to a pair of runner-up finishes.

Top Sportsman: Mike Williams

Canadian Mike Williams used a late-season rally to earn the championship in the Top Sportsman presented by Racing RVs class. Driving his six-second Pontiac, Williams won the rain-delayed Division 7 Lucas Oil event in Las Vegas in November and returned two days later to reach the final of the second Las Vegas divisional to move into the lead and secure the national championship. All told, Williams had two wins in five finals.