Sean Bellemeur, Bartone Bros. Racing Win NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car National Championship
Bartone Bros. Racing and driver Sean Bellemeur were crowned the 2024 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car National Champions at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Stampede of Speed running at the Texas Motorplex. The national championship is the team’s and Bellemeur’s fourth together.
Bellemeur and the Killer B’s put together five national event wins backed up by three regional victories so far this season, including a new track record at Summit Motorsports Park. The team has dominated the class and hope to continue this weekend doing the double at the Texas Motorplex, competing in the JEGS Allstars as well as the national event.
“I’m a second-generation driver, my dad was a driver and my mom worked at a race track so I was doomed for this stuff, good thing I fell in love with it,” Bellemeur said. “For Tony Bartone and the whole Killer B’s team it takes an army to win rounds and championships. Thankfully Tony supports this army. We have our families at home that support us out here chasing our dreams and this makes it all worth it. To win it here in Dallas is great. I ran junior dragsters here and had one of my first wins at this track.
“We had some heartbreak last year (referring to losing the title to Doug Gordon). That lit a fire under this whole team. We saw red after that night. It is a testament to everyone on this team’s hard work to come back this year and win it.
“Of course, without the team that Tony has put together none of this is possible. Steve Boggs our tuner, Troy Green, Nick Stoms, Justin Taylor, Garret Bateman, Seth Shebester, Matt Krebs, and Lauren McMaster all have a piece of this championship.”
For team owner Tony Bartone, he’s proud of the effort and the team.
“I’ve said it before, this is the best group that I have been associated with in drag racing,” Bartone said. “Sean and Steve work well together and all the guys communicate well, work hard, and have fun. When you have all the pieces the winning comes. I’m proud of this group.”
In addition to the national championship the team was also crowned the NHRA North Central Region Champions by winning two events at Summit Motorsports Park, took the Wally at National Trail Raceway, and had a strong performance at Lucas Oil Raceway Park.
The Killer B’s will line-up today to defend their JEGS Allstars win from last year against Chris Foster as well as continue through eliminations to go for their sixth NHRA national win on Sunday.
Bartone Bros. Racing 2024 Top Alcohol Funny Car Wins:
· WON NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (national)
· WON NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX DRAGWAY (national)
· WON 18th Annual University Hospitals Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser at Summit Motorsports Park, set TAFC track record with a pass of 5.393 and 269 MPH (regional)
· WON 18th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park (national)
· WON JEGS SPEEDWeek NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at National Trail Raceway (regional)
· WON Cornwell Tools Night Under Fire at Summit Motorsports Park (regional)
· WON 70th TOYOTA NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (national)
· WON NHRA Carolina Nationals run at zMAX DRAGWAY (national)
· CROWNED NHRA North Central Region Top Alcohol Funny Car Champions
· CROWNED NHRA Lucas Oil Top Alcohol Funny Car National Champion
The team would like to thank team sponsors Red Line Synthetic Oil, Roger Dean Chevrolet, Talon Air, LLC, NGK Spark Plugs, and Mastercam along with product sponsors Simpson Performance Products and Taylor Motorsports Products.
This story was originally published on October 13, 2024.
The post Sean Bellemeur, Bartone Bros. Racing Win NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car National Championship first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
