PMCS hosts Montana Drag Racing Association

The Hi-Line Drag Strip hosted Phillips County Motorsports third points race of the 2016 season with around 110 racers present. The Montana Drag Racing Association was present along with association member Chad Robertson, who is the current two time Super Pro Class Champion.

Sunday's Super Pro winner was Gary Stoppel of Billings who had a elapsed time of 6.3760 after dialing at in 6.34 and a reaction time of .0088. Runner up was Swift Current's Dustin ViPond who had a dial in time of 5.30, elapsed time of 5:3365 and reaction time of .0170.

Other Sunday winners were:

Junior Dragster Class: Winner: Kyle Stahl of Glasgow, Dial: 7.91 Reaction: .1665 Elapsed: 7.9005 MPH: 82.36. Runner Up: Shayna Nickerson of Spokane Valley, Wash., Dial: 7.96 Reaction: -.0633 Elapsed: 7.9631 MPH: 81.04.

Sportsman Class: Winner: Ralph Michel of Joliet, Dial: 7.88 Reaction: .1025 Elapsed 7.9192 MPH: 81.08. Runner Up: Kenneth Darchuk of Scobey, Dial: 8.14 Reaction: .1146 Elapsed: 8.2178 MPH: 82.16.

No Box Pro Class: Winner: Stacey Klungland of Havre, Dial: 7.18 Reaction: .0682 Elapsed: 7.3115 MPH: 92.33. Runner Up: Al Kaufmann of Waldeck, Sask. Dial: 7.62 Reaction: .2355 Elapsed: 7.6321 MPH: 86.01.

Saturday's winners were:

Junior Dragster Class: Winner: Easton Kyhl of Laurel, Dial: 7.90 Reaction: .0596 Elapsed: 7.9445 MPH: 80.63. Runner Up: Rayce Schultz of Swift Current, Dial: 9.95 Reaction: .1263 Elapsed: 9.9297 MPH: 63.81.

Sportsman Class: Winner: Jared Stenberg of Malta, Dial: 8.35 Reaction: .0515 Elapsed: 8.3661 MPH: 80.91. Runner Up: Josh Viall of Havre, Dial: 7.89 Reaction: .1032 Elapsed: 7.9219 MPH: 85.52.

No Box Pro Class: Winner Larry Lloyd of Nashua, Dial: 6.25 Reaction: .0468 Elapsed: 6.2486 MPH: 109.62. Runner Up: Willie Denboer of Lincoln, Dial: 7.60 Reaction: .0670 Elapsed: 7.5669 MPH: 90.71.

Box Super Pro Class: Winner: Jesse Dobson of Scobey, Dial: 6.35 Reaction: .0314 Elapsed: 6.3575 MPH: 109.20. Runner Up: Mike Sannon of Fairview, Dial: 6.17 Reaction: .0309 Elapsed: 6.1647 MPH: 110.73.

Robertson from Belgrade nearly timed his Saturday dial in perfectly, which would've won him points in the Super Pro Class, but he was one thousandth of a second too fast. He dialed in at 4:97 and crossed the line at 4:96.9.

"A lot of races are won and lost by a thousandth of a second," Robertson said. "There's a lot of tough racing going on at these races."

Being a part of the association, Robertson racks up three to five thousand miles a summer.

"There is a race at each track one time each year," Robertson said. "It draws racers all over the state to come to one track for that one event."

He went on to say the association event helps out each track by bringing racers, who bring business to the track and community.

Last weekend marked the fifth time Robertson has been at the Hi-Line Dragstrip and he plans to be back in Malta for the Labor Day weekend races.

"It's a really nice running track," Robertson said. "They do a really good job. That track was really fast today. It was very impressive. John and his guys do a great job."

He also liked the improvement around the track that includes a merchandise shop, bathroom and shower area.

"It's a constant work in progress," Robertson said. "I know that from all of the other tracks. They all do a good job with that."

Robertson races with a 2011 Mullis Dragster that reached the finish line in 4.96 seconds at 136.8 miles per hour.

"She was on fire today," Robertson said noting that his car has reached 170 mph in the quarter mile races.

The next racing event is scheduled for the weekend of September 3-5.