By Mark HaugenLuverne has been making a name for itself at Thunder Valley Raceway outside of Sioux Falls. In the high school drag racing competition this past summer, Cardinal Racing was the top name among the 20 schools entered.Points were accumulated over five races during the summer, with the team title determined in August. Any high school student 16 years of age or older with a valid driver’s license can race. Also, virtually any car, truck or motorcycle that meets the safety requirements may be used."They are quarter-mile drag races, where the kids use their street legal cars," said Dave Hup, who has been coaching the team for five years. "The kids prep them and race them. The higher brackets are over 100 mph. The top bracket can reach 130. Some drive mom and dad’s Caravan in the slow bracket."Cardinal Racing won the team title three of the last five years, after not having won a team championship since 1981.Hup said it’s not the miles per hour that determines the winner, but it’s the seconds the driver is shooting for that matter. Drivers try to get as close to pre-set standards as possible. Of the five racing brackets, Luverne drivers won three individual championships as well as the overall points title.In Bracket 2 Dan Hup ran away with first place, netting 1,350 points. He lost only one race all season, and that was when his car broke, keeping him from competing at nationals in Illinois that he qualified for. His Luverne teammates, Stephen Berghorst, Jeremy Brinkhous and Austin Hoiland, were second, third and fourth respectively.Luverne took the top three places in Bracket 3 as well, with Justin Mann, Lindsay Hup and Breanne Hup going 1-2-3.Cardinal Ryan Wynia won Bracket 5 with 1,350 points. Teammate Dustin Donth was fourth, Erin Hoiland sixth and Ruston Aaker seventh.In Bracket 1, Luverne’s Matt Reverts was 11th and Cody Wisley 13th.Alex Wiese claimed the Junior Dragster title."We try to get kids involved who aren’t involved in many other sports," Coach Hup said. "Parents say they are so glad their kids are involved. Now they are sitting in the garage at night instead of out roaming around."
