NHRA Super Gas Champ Luke Bogacki Drives K&N Dragster To 9th National Event Title

Luke Bogacki staged his American Race Cars dragster in the Super Comp final round of the 34th annual Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway beside K&N’s Gary Stinnett

Luck seemed to be on NHRA champion Luke Bogacki’s side during the entire 34th annual Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. With each round Luke Bogacki matched up against accomplished competitors, yet his opponents seemingly made their worst passes of the race with the 2-time champion in the opposite lane. “It goes to show that it's not who you run as much as when you run them,” Bogacki remarked. “I feel like we've been pretty solid all season, particularly in this K&N hot rod, but I've consistently run into a .010 package or a great run in the other lane. In Brainerd, we were solid – not spectacular, but solid – and we got some breaks. That's the difference.”

K&N air filters sponsored NHRA driver Luke Bogacki's latest victory marked his ninth NHRA national event triumph, and fifth in the 8.90 category

Solid driving and timely luck aided Bogacki, and his K&N Filters dragster did the rest. In an event that saw dramatic swings in temperature and wind (as evidenced by the myriad of national records set in the professional ranks), his American Race Cars machine varied just .011-of-a-second to the 60' timers (with the opening five rounds varying just .003). Bogacki was solid as well, averaging a .014 reaction time. “My car was great,” emphasized Bogacki. “Honestly, it's been good all season but I made some changes in Topeka trying to calm down the 60' times. Obviously it responded. I'm glad the numbers are so impressive, it's a testament to American Race Cars and the quality equipment we bolt to the frame rails.”

Luke Bogacki staged his American Race Cars dragster in the Super Comp final round of the 34th annual Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway beside Gary Stinnett. Luke Bogacki, the reigning Super Gas champion and 2013 Super Comp titlist got the decision over 4-time NHRA Super Comp champion Stinnett by virtue of a strong .010 reaction time, paired with a 8.929 ET. “I have a huge degree of respect for Gary, his program and obviously his accomplishments,” explained Bogacki. “He's not someone that you necessarily ever want to take on, but at the same time I try to embrace the opportunity to compete against the best. Gary made an uncharacteristically bad run, but I'd like to think we'd have been difficult to beat regardless.”

Bogacki's winning combination features a 632 cubic inch Huntsville Engine & Performance engine that pushes his K&N filters backed machine to the 8.90 index at speeds in excess of 180 miles per hour. Bogacki's latest victory marked his ninth NHRA national event triumph, and fifth in the 8.90 category. Brainerd International Raceway is the first facility at which Bogacki has won two national events, and he's also earned a runner-up finish at the Northern Minnesota track. “I'd like to dedicate our Brainerd win to Norm Franks, the owner and developer of Flo-Fast pumps and AirTek gauges who passed away recently after a battle with cancer,” Bogacki shared. “I met Norm here in Brainerd several years. This facility makes me think of him every season, but particularly now that I can't pick up the phone and give him a hard time. He was an accomplished businessman and a good man.”

In addition to K&N Filters, the Bogacki Motorsports team also represents Racing RV's, along with associate marketing partners Watts Auto Diesel Service, Advanced Product Design, Bill Taylor Enterprises, Accelerated Graphics, ThisIsBracketRacing.com, RacerSwag, Mickey Thompson Tires, American Race Cars, Renegade Racing Fuels, Product Development Group (makers of Flo-Fast fluid transfer systems and AirTek pressure monitoring systems), JEGS and C.A.R.S. Protection Plus.