NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series JEG'S.com Cajun Sportsnationals, Saturday from No Problem Raceway, Belle Rose, La.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES
SECOND ANNUAL JEG'S.COM CAJUN SPORTSNATIONALS 
NO PROBLEM RACEWAY
April 23, 2005
Contact: Eric Lotz, NHRA (626) 688-8646


WESTCOTT SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS HEMI CHALLENGE TITLE

	For the second straight year, Charlie Westcott Jr. has claimed
the Mopar Performance SS/AA Hemi Challenge at the JEG'S.com NHRA Cajun
SPORTSnationals. Westcott, of Parma, Mich., who won last year's event
with holeshot victory over Harry Holton in the final, ran his win streak
to eight rounds at No Problem Raceway with a final round victory over
Jim Pancake, who fouled. 
	"I didn't realize I'd won until I hit the finish line," said
Westcott. "We got to half track and he was ahead of me and I thought,
'Oh no, this isn't good.' But everything worked out in the end."
	Westcott outlasted a field of 16 of the country's top Super
Stock Hemi cars including last year's runner-up Holton, who was the top
qualifier with an 8.59 in his West Coast Hemis Barracuda. The 73-year
old Holton, regarded by many as the country's top Super Stock Hemi
engine builder, reached the second round of the Mopar Performance SS/AA
Challenge before spinning the tires against Pancake. 
	"All of us got a break when Harry got beat," said Westcott. "He
was quite a bit quicker than the rest of us but we still found a way to
win. We just steadily worked on our car until we were satisfied with it.
I did a pretty big wheelstand in the final and that probably cost me a
hundredth or two but otherwise, it was a decent run. We've got a couple
more of these [Hemi Challenge] races coming up this year so this was a
good way to get started." 
	Westcott ran consistent 8.6s during eliminations including an
8.66 in the final to take home the $5000 winner's purse. Pancake would
have made it close with an 8.68 in the final had he not red-lighted by
two thousandths of a second. 
In final qualifying Richard Freeman held onto the top spot in Comp
Eliminator while Keith Raftery jumped into the No. 1 position in Top
Sportsman. Freeman bettered Friday's qualifying run with an 8.377 second
lap, 0.773 under the index. Freeman is followed by Louisiana racer Del
Segura of Harvey, La., with a 7.996 second pass, 0.744 under.
	Raftery of Lake Charles, La., ran a 6.714 second pass at 205.32
mph and is followed by Jim Harrington and Bert Prejean in the second and
third spots respectively. Harrington went on to beat Raftery in the Top
Sportsman Quick 8 which pitted the top eight qualifiers in a special
race with in this weekend's event. 
	In the TLR/AMS Pro Mod Challenge, Thomas Patterson of Houston,
Texas is the top qualifier with a 6.163 second pass at 227.92 mph.
Defending National Champion Mike Ashley is second with a 6.185 at 229.78
mph and Jay Payne is third at 6.215, 231.78. Payne currently leads the
point's standings over Ashley by 113 points.
	Bobby Dennis leads the Super Stock class in his '95 Achieva
running 11.44 seconds with the '68 Barracuda of Harry Holton in second
just four thousandths of a second behind. James Wahl of Deltona, Fla.,
leads the 123 car Stock Eliminator field in his '91 Dodge, running
14.028 seconds, 1.422 under.
	
		The following are Saturday's final qualifying results at
No Problem Raceway and the JEG'S.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals.

Comp Eliminator
1) Richard Freeman, Pauls Valley, Okla., '04 Cavalier, D/SMA, 8.377
seconds, -0.773 (under
index)
2) Del Segura, Harvey, La., dragster, F/D, 7.996, -0.744
3) Bo Butner, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '05 Chevy, F/SMA, 8.705, -0.735
4) Michael Johnson, Springdale, Ark., '03 Cavalier, G/SMA, 8.813, -0.727
5) Raymond Martin, Mt Belvieu, Texas, '32 Bantam, K/AA, 7.724, -0.726
6) Rod Dorsey, North Judson, Ind., '04 Cavalier, H/SMA, 9.061, -0.719
7) Charlie Stewart, Arlington, Texas, '63 Corvette, F/EA, 8.291, -0.719
8) Thomas Cashio, Ventress, La., '02 Cavalier, G/SMA, 8.824, -0.716
9) Jeff Taylor, Lumberton, N.C., '02 Grand Am, G/SMA, 8.828, -0.712
10) Colt Mikel, Hempstead, Texas, '02 S-10, B/TA, 8.281, -0.679

Super Stock
1) Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala., '95 Achieva, GT/KA, 10.444 seconds, -1.306
(under index)
2) Harry Holton, Modesto, Calif., '68 Barracuda, SS/AA, 8.598, -1.302
3) Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '88 Oldsmobile, SS/NA, 11.159, -1.291
4) John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '04 Cavalier, SS/CM, 8.685, -1.265
5) Charlie Wescott Jr, Parma, Mich., '68 Barracuda, SS/AA, 8.651, -1.249
6) Jim Pancake, Delaware, Ohio, '68 Barracuda, SS/AA, 8.665, -1.235
7) Blair Patrick, New Hope, Tenn., '68 Mustang, SS/FA, 9.542, -1.208
8) Michael Ogburn, Mission Viejo, Calif., '68 Barracuda, SS/AA, 8.692,
-1.208
9) Mike Smith, Mineral Wells, W.V., '69 Corvette, SS/BA, 9.020, -1.180
10) David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., '68 Dart, SS/AA, 8.722, -1.178

Stock Eliminator
1) Jim Wahl, Deltona, Fla., '91 Spirit, CF/S, 14.028 seconds, -1.422
(under index)
2) Bob Shaw, Sedalia, Mo., '80 Capri, U/SA, 13.813, -1.337
3) Amy Faulk, Collierville, Tenn., '01 Firebird, C/FIA, 10.790, -1.210
4) Daran Summerton, Panama City, Fla., '89 Pontiac Wgn, U/SA, 13.955,
-1.195
5) Floyd Russo Jr., Gonzales, La., '01 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.506, -1.194
6) Jerry Newsome, Mayfield, Ky., '71 Challenger, B/SA, 10.375, -1.175
7) R.J. Sledge, Boerne, Texas, '67 Fairlane, E/SA, 10.868, -1.132
8) Dave Casey, Hampden, Mass., '86 Camaro, G/S, 11.069, -1.131
9) Dean Oliver, Stuttgart, Ark., '79 Malibu, K/SA, 11.826, -1.124
10) Mike Welfel, Nashville, Tenn., '69 Camaro, H/SA, 11.337, -1.113

PRO MODIFIED
1) Thomas Patterson, Houston, Texas, '41 Willys, 6.163 seconds, 227.92
mph
2) Mike Ashley, Melville, N.Y., '67 Mustang, 6.185, 229.78
3) Jay Payne, Ontario, Calif., '05 Stratus, 6.215, 231.52
4) Frankie Taylor, Dickinson, Texas, '68 Camaro, 6.221, 227.23
5) Troy Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '67 Mustang, 6.225, 225.94
6) Kirk Kuhns, Yorba Linda, Calif., '01 Viper, 6.228, 229.94
7) Joshua Hernandez, Conroe, Texas, '57 Bel Air, 6.241, 226.43
8) Joey Martin, Milton, Fla., '41 Willys, 6.243, 221.67
9) Shelly Payne, Ontario, Calif., '05 Stratus, 6.263, 228.61
10) Chip King, Semora, N.C., '01 Avenger, 6.277, 226.92

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., '03 Grand Am, 6.714 seconds, 205.32
mph
2) Jim Harrington, Navarre, Fla., '99 Olds, 6.760, 209.30
3) Scott Hintz, Odessa, Texas, '03 Mustang, 6.974, 197.74
4) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '04 Grand Am, 6.976, 198.03
5) Allen Firestone, Velma, Okla., '01 S-10, 6.989, 198.47
6) T J Tracy, Bartlett, Tenn., '66 Nova, 6.994, 193.05
7) Bert Prejean, St. Amant, La., '00 Firebird, 7.009, 197.71
8) J. Lee Didier, Fort Smith, Ark., '04 Cavalier, 7.120, 193.79
9) Kyle Cannon, W. Helena, Ark., '03 Cavalier, 7.144, 192.19
10) Tommy Turner, Naples, Fla., '04 Cavalier, 7.160, 193.82

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