Wheatland, Missouri (June 12, 2016) – An uneasy wait proved worth it for Byrant Sanders, who celebrated his second Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series Top Fuel Hydro victory of the season on Sunday.

Sanders, driving the Tommy Thompson-owned Nitrochondriac, zipped past Scott Lumbert in the Spirit of Texas in the weather-delayed finals of the 5th annual John Haas Memorial at Lucas Oil Speedway.

Sanders, of Houston, Texas, covered the 1,000 feet in 3.67 seconds at 247.93 miles per hour. Lumbert shut down his David Kirkland-owned Spirit of Texas about halfway through the run.

The final event of the day was about ready to run when strong winds off a nearby line of thunderstorms forced the boats off the water and spectators to head for cover. Then, about an hour into the delay, Sanders and Lumbert fired up their boats on the line when a lightning strike apparently shut down the electronic scoring.

“It was rough. It was nerve-wracking. I have a headache right now,” Sanders said of the emotions involved with being so close to blasting off the line – twice – and then having to re-set.

“One minute the adrenaline is going through the roof as you’re fixing to drive one of these big monsters and then you get pulled back,” Sanders said. “You kind of calm down a little bit and you’re going through the roof again. It’s nerve-wracking, I’ll tell you.”

But once go-time finally did arrive, Sanders was ready.

“When I close the lid and close that shield, it’s game on,” Sanders said. “I don’t think about anything other than the job I have to do.”

It was Nitrochondriac’s second victory in three Top Fuel races this season as Sanders increased his championship points lead over Problem Child, driving by Daryl Erlich.

Sanders said after three straight runner-up finishes in the championship chase, the team is on a mission to bring home the big trophy.

“We’re having a great season,” Sanders said. “We’ve been in the final round all three races and won two out of the three. Hopefully this is our year. I’m tired of being runner-up. I want that ring.”

It was a solid Sunday for Tommy Thompson Motorsports as he also had a winner in the Top Alcohol Flat division. Thompson’s Shazam, driven by Tony Scarlata, prevailed in the finals.

Other winners in the pro divisions included: Mike DeClark of Anaheim, Calif., in Little White Lie (Top Alcohol Hydro), Tom Brasher in Desperado (Pro Outlaw) and Kevn Helm of Moore, Okla., in Fist Full of Dollar (Pro Mod).

The event honors the memory of John Haas, the four-time World Champion in Top Fuel Hydro who lost his life in a 2010 qualifying accident in Oklahoma.

The Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series will return to Lucas Oil Speedway Sept. 2-4 for the Diamond Drag Boat Nationals.

5th annual John Haas Memorial Finals

MODIFIED ELIMINATOR

1, AIN’T SCARED GREG CARR SCHLATER, MS GREG CARR, SCHLATER, MS 2, BOUNTY HUNTER MIKE EDMONDSON CLARKSVILLE, TN MIKE EDMONDSON, CLARKSVILLE, TN # 1 Qualifier: BAD INFLUENCE JEREMY SCHMIDT SMITHTON, IL DAVID R SCHMIDT, SMITHTON, IL 10.005, 98.793( 0.149)

PRO ELIMINATOR

1, JUST ANOTHER QUICKIE DAVID SCHMIDT SMITHTON, IL DAVID R SCHMIDT, SMITHTON, IL 2, CRAZY TRAIN TIM CONNELLY ST. ANN, MO TIM & MARG CONNELLY, ST. ANN, MO # 1 Qualifier: JUST ANOTHER QUICKIE DAVID SCHMIDT SMITHTON, IL DAVID R SCHMIDT, SMITHTON, IL 8.006, 136.157( 0.226)

PRO MOD

1, FIST FULL OF DOLLARS KEVIN HELM MOORE, OK TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK 2, BUSTED KNUCKLES COLE ALLEN FORT SMITH,, AR COLE ALLEN, FORT SMITH,, AR # 1 Qualifier: 103L WILDFIRE ROBERT LEAS CLIMAX SPRINGS, MO JEFF WOODRUFF, , 7.008, 172.745( 0.067)

PRO OUTLAW

1, DESPERADO TOM BRASHER OSAGE BEACH, MO MIKE MURRAY, GRAVOIS MILLS, MO 2, SPLIT DECISION 2 SHANNON BEAL SHAWNEE, KS STEVE BEAL, BONNER SPRINGS,, KS # 1 Qualifier: 765L WHISKY TANGO FOXTROT GUS WARD Sonora, TX GUS WARD, SONORA, TX 5.406, 165.490( 0.044)

PERSONAL WATERCRAFT 1

1, NO REIMER REASON DOUG REIMER CHESTERFIELD, MO DOUG REIMER, CHESTERFIELD, MO 2, LIL SPEED DEMON HALEY HUGHES FREEBURG, IL HALEY HUGHES, FREEBURG, IL # 1 Qualifier: 922L LIL SPEED DEMON HALEY HUGHES FREEBURG, IL HALEY HUGHES, FREEBURG, IL 16.911, 58.027( 0.092)

PERSONAL WATERCRAFT 2

1, JUST A LITTLE QUICKI HALEE MCINTYRE BROKEN BOW, OK JOE MCINTYRE, BROKEN BOW, OK 2, DOMINATOR NATE STEPHENSON SHAWNEE, OK RANDY BALL, SHAWNEE, OK # 1 Qualifier: 363S DOMINATOR NATE STEPHENSON SHAWNEE, OK RANDY BALL, SHAWNEE, OK 17.254, 54.022( -0.260)

QUICK ELIMINATOR

1, RED HOT ED ANDERSON COLUMBIA, TN EDWARD ANDERSON, COLUMBIA, TN 2, BLOWN CRAZY JEFF LEBLANC NORMAN, OK LEBLANC JEFF, NORMAN, OK # 1 Qualifier: 751K RED HOT ED ANDERSON COLUMBIA, TN EDWARD ANDERSON, COLUMBIA, TN 6.001, 146.000( 0.462)

RIVER RACER

1, WHITE TRASH RONALD JONES LUBBOCK, TX RONALD JONES, LUBBOCK, TX 2, OVERDOSE RON METCALFE WARSAW, MO RON METCALFE, WARSAW, MO # 1 Qualifier: 101S AQUATIC THERAPY DENISE HODGES EMPORIA, KS DENISE HODGES, EMPORIA, KS 12.016, 86.622( -0.165)

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1, BOOGER RED SHANNON WILSON ODESSA, TX MICKEY HARLOW, ODESSA, TX 2, SOTALLY TOBER STEVE WALLS SAN ANGELO, TX STEVE WALLS, SAN ANGELO, TX # 1 Qualifier: 147S BANANA SPIT PAUL HODGES LUBBOCK, TX PAUL HODGES, LUBBOCK, TX 11.000, 89.731( 0.257)

TOP ALCOHOL FLAT/TFJ

1, SHAZAM TONY SCARLATA PERRIS, CA TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK 2, THE OKLAHOMAN RANDY BALL SHAWNEE, OK RANDY BALL, SHAWNEE, OK # 1 Qualifier: 076L HABITFORMING DON BAUSHER LAS VEGAS, NV DON BAUSHER, LAS VEGAS, NV 5.173, 158.562( 0.144)

TOP ALCOHOL HYDRO

1, LITTLE WHITE LIE MIKE DE CLARK ANAHEIM, CA MIKE DECLARK, ANAHEIM,, CALIF. # 1 Qualifier: 542L UNTOUCHABLE STEVE STREETER SCOTTSDALE, AZ TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK 4.351, 206.612( 0.496)

TOP ELIMINATOR

1, BAD MAGIC GEORGE D. GOFF CHOUTEAU, OK GEORGE D GOFF, CHOUTEAU, OK 2, CRAPSHOOTER SAMBO SMITH JERSEY, AR SAMBO SMITH, JERSEY, AR # 1 Qualifier: 063S WAR EAGLE SCOTT RAINBOLT OAK GROVE, MO SCOTT RAINBOLT, OAK GROVE, MO 9.008, 113.636( -0.080)

TOP FUEL HYDRO

1, NITROCHONDRIAC BRYAN SANDERS HOUSTON, TX TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK 2, MAVTV SPIRIT OF TEXA SCOTT LUMBERT CREAL SPRINGS, IL DAVID KIRKLAND, GARLAND, TX # 1 Qualifier: 246L NITROCHONDRIAC BRYAN SANDERS HOUSTON, TX TOMMY THOMPSON, LOCUS GROVE, OK 3.586, 245.258( -0.036)

For complete event information, archived stories, ticket info and schedule information for the season, visit lucasoilspeedway.com.

Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With it’s entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.

Click www.LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.

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