FMDRS Sunday Results from Gainesville

HENTGES, SMITH TAKE HOME BIG WINS AT SEASON OPENER

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - In the upset of the day, Von Smith, returning to NHRA Drag Racing for the first time in over three years, won the Federal-Mogul Funny car class over Frank Manzo who led the field in qualifying by nearly two tenths of a second. It was over at the start when Manzo broke an oil line and had to use every ounce of his driving experience to keep the car off the wall as the rear end fishtailed from side to side. Smith, of Oak Ridge, Tenn., never looked back recording a run of 5.985 seconds at 240.96 mph as he crossed the finish line for the win at the season opener for the Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series in NHRA's Southeast Division. "It's a great way to come back over," commented Smith. "It definitely was not expected, especially against Manzo. He's the man. Our last time out with NHRA was in Reynolds, Ga., at Silver Dollar Raceway. I guess you have to take them the way they come." Smith will run a full schedule on the NHRA circuit with help from his new sponsor Jensen car stereos. Mark Hentges came out from Federal Way, Wash. and cleaned up taking the number one qualifying spot on Saturday and the win today in Federal-Mogul Dragster. Hentges ran 5.40's and 5.50's all weekend with a 5.524 second pass at 248.48 mph in the final against Bill McCornack who tripped the clocks at 6.378, 179.56. "We're having fun now! It was a great weekend," Hentges said waiting to enter the Winner's Circle. "We ran well all weekend. It was a real relaxed race. We wanted to get a jump on the points and we did. Glen Treadwell took the win in Comp and Joey Warren won in Super Stock. The Stock title went to Jimmy Shepard, Len King won Super Comp, Jamie Crum grabbed Super Gas and Ed Wiley took the Super Street class.

The following are Sunday's final round results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Gainesville Raceway:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER Round 1 1. Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.568 seconds, 253.66miles per hour def. 8. Atrie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla, 9.774, 97.21 7. Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 5.486, 253.23 def. 2. Michael Gunderson, Middleburg, Fla., 5.690, 257,36 3. Tim Slagle, Fairfax, Va., 5.634, 248.61 def. 6. Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.835, 229.94 4. Billy Bybee, McLean, Texas, 5.683, 247.59 def. 5. Jason Cannon, Middleburg, Fla., 9.254, 89.71

Semi-Finals Hentges, 5.476, 257.80 def. Bybee, 11.468, 64.12 McCornack, 5.634, 249.58 def. Slagal, 5.748, 245.43

Final Hentges, 5.524, 248.48 def. McCornack, 6.378, 179.56

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR Round 1 1. Frank Manzo, Morganville, N.J., '00 Avenger, 5.688 seconds, 253.02 miles per hour def. 8. Greg Beckner, Chester, Va., '93 Corvette, 6.869, 198.01 2. Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '01 Camaro, 6.045, 238.15 def. 7. William Fulford, Virginia Beach, Va., '00 Corvette, 6.671, 216.24 3. Von Smith, Oal Ridge, Tenn., '01 Pontiac, 6.075, 238.66 def. Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 11.967, 75.58 5. Marc White, Glendale Heights, Ill., '01 Firebird, 5.899, 247.04 def., Mark Billington, Apopka, Fla., '95 Achieva, 6.088, 229.47

Semi-Finals Manzo, 5.735, 249.93 def. White, 5.905, 246.30 Smith, 5.981, 241.07 def. Payne, 5.981, 244.89

Final Smith, 5.985, 240.96, def. Manzo, broke

COMPETITION Glen Treadwell, Sorrento, Fla., E/EA, '23 Ford, 9.075, 114.94 def. Dick Maris, Valrico, Fla., C/D, '98 dragster, 7.792, 142.99

SUPER STOCK Joey Warren, Clinton, N.C., GT/LA '87 Camaro, 9.783, 132.88, def. Brad Allen, Winamac, Ind., GT/TB, '01 S-10, 9.996, 130.85

STOCK Jimmy Shepard, Kinston, N.C. I/SA, '86 Camaro, 11.557, 105.25, def. Merrill Schrimscher, Lake Mary, Fla., B/SA, '69 Camaro, 10.714, 122.39

SUPER COMP Len King, Langley, S.C., '97 dragster, 8.902, 162.71, def. Scotty Richardson, Goodlettsville, Tenn., '01 dragster, 9.020, 143.38

SUPER GAS Jamie Crun, Panacea, Fla., '92 Camaro, 10.047, 141.62, def. Ronnie Duke, Readyville, Tenn., '98 Beretta, 10.047, 142.54

SUPER STREET Ed Wiley, Brooksville, Fla., '69 Camaro, 10.905, 119.79, def. Mike Giuliano, Wantagh, N.Y., '67 Camaro, 10.879, 139.66