Monday, October 19, 2009 12:25 PM CDT
Coles Dragway site of NHRA rematch
By RICK DAWSON, Staff Writer
rdawson@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON -- Nearly a year after their duel for the NHRA’s Summit Series national championship, Chad Isley and Tom Klemme staged a rematch at the Coles County Dragway.
Two of them, to be precise.
Isley defeated Klemme in both the Pro and Motorcycle finals then split the purse from the Pro class with his friend. The circumstances – and stakes – were slightly different than they were last November, when Klemme beat Isley in Pomona, Calif., to capture his first national title in the Super Bike class.
But it was still a timely win for Isley, who came into the final points race of the year deadlocked with Chad Beery. Isley knocked off Beery in the fourth round en route to his second straight Motorcycle crown. Beery won in 2007, when he beat Isley by three points.
It was a crazy day for Isley, who cycled in and out of the staging lanes with the Duster he raced in two other classes.
“And then I entered Super Pro with my bike just to get some extra hits out there,” he said. “Instead of just focusing, everything got hectic.”
Recurring showdowns aren’t all that Isley and Klemme have in common. After he triumphed at the Division 3 finals last year, Isley went searching for a new ride.
“He had won on his Hondamatic — the divisional at Indy last year — and he calls me and Steven up,” said Klemme, referring to his son. “We were coming back from Denver and he says, ‘Who won, you or dad?’ Like there was nobody else there. Steven says, ‘The old man got me.’”
Isley asked to borrow Steve’s Kawasaki, and put it to good use on the way to Pomona. He and Klemme traveled together, stopping at Raceway Park in Tulsa, Okla., where Isley won the ET final.
“Actually the bike I bought used to be Tom’s,” Isley said. “His son was riding it last year and I rode Steve’s for a while and that kind of got me to where I kind of wanted a bike like that. Tom had one for sale, so as soon as we got back from California I took it home.”
Isley also had a hand in preventing another driver from taking home a series crown. Terry Willard, trailing Tom Harlin by two points in the Pro class when the day started, lost to Steve Klemme in the second round but kept his hopes alive by defeating Harlin head-to-head moments later. He was only a point behind after drawing a bye in the fourth round.
In the fifth round, though, he lost to Isley, allowing Harlin to hang on to the lead for good.
The Sportsman class also went to the wire. A four-point lead almost evaporated for Tony Lyons when runnerup Kassie Edwards-Wilson made it to the final. But Edwards-Wilson lost to Kyle Wright. Edwards-Wilson was still able to win the Powder Puff title at the track.
Brian Dundas, making his first appearance at the Dragway since last year, won the Super Pro final. Justin Long had already wrapped up the points title.
As for Tom Klemme, the chance to repeat his national title has come and gone. He won the Pro Bike title at the Cordova Dragway Park, his home track, but his team finished ninth at the divisional race in Topeka, Kan., a month ago.
The Coles County Dragway managed its best team finish, fourth, at the bracket finals in Indianapolis last month. Edwards-Wilson and Beery each reached the final four.
SUNDAY’S RESULTS
SUPER PRO
Final: Brian Snider (Dundas) def. Roger Burdell (Litchfield)
PRO
Final: Chad Isley (Charleston) def. Tom Klemme (Davenport, Iowa)
MOTORCYLE
Final: Isley def. Klemme
SPORTSMAN
Final: Kyle Wright (Ashmore) def. Kassie Edwards-Wilson (Charleston)
NOVICE
Final: Holden English (Metcalf) def. Jason English (Metcalf)
JUNIOR DRAGSTER
Final: Nick Isenhower (Lebanon, Ind.) def. Jocelyn Hooper (Mattoon)
Consolation: Holden English (Metcalf) def. Devin Isenhower (Lebanon, Ind.)
Contact Rick Dawson at rdawson@jg-tc.com or 238-6855.
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