Thursday Results-NHRA Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals-Bandimere Speedway, Denver, Colo.
Racing Underway for Jr. Racers at Bandimere Speedway DENVER-Over 500 NHRA Castrol GTX Jr. Drag Racing League competitors, representing NHRA's South Central, West Central, Northwest and Pacific divisions took to the track today for the first day of time trials at the NHRA Castrol GTX Jr. Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals. A total of 42 NHRA member tracks are expected to complete for team honors, with defending team champions, Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield, Calif., hoping to defend their team title. In addition to racing for the team championship honors, jr. racers will also race for individual honors in their respective classes and a piece of the $98,000 Western Conference Finals purse. The winners of last years event are Darrell Williams of Dallas, Texas, Lauren Thomas of Marshal, Mo., Austin Helmet of Lakewood Colo., Eric Combs of League City, Texas, Mallori McCullar of McAlester, Okla., Daryl Hamlin, Jr. of Irving, Texas, Josh Allen of Riverside, Calif., and Patrick Welsh of Long Beach, Calif. McAlester and Hamlin are both going for their third Conference Finals Championship. In addition to winning the event last year, McCullar also won in 2000, while Hamlin earned his first title in 1996. Tomorrow, racers will once again suit up for a round of time trials with the first round of eliminations in each of the eight age categories set to follow in the afternoon. Gates will open tomorrow at 7 a.m. Time trials for all categories will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eliminations are set to begin at 2 p.m., immediately following time trials. For more information please call Bandimere Speedway at (303) 697-6001 or visit them on the web at www.bandimere.com. The following is the list of NHRA Member Tracks expected to compete in the 2002 NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals: South Central Division Alamo Dragway-San Antonio, Texas Denton Dragway, Denton, Texas Hallsville Raceway-Hallsville, Texas Houston Raceway Park-Houston, Texas Idalou Motorsports Park-Lubbock, Texas State Capitol Dragway-Baton Rouge, La. Texas Motorplex-Ennis, Texas Texas Raceway-Kennedale, Texas Thunder Valley Raceway Park-Noble, Okla. Twin City Dragway-Monroe, La. West Central Division Bandimere Speedway-Denver, Colo. Douglas Int'l Raceway-Douglas, Wy. Heartland Park Topeka-Topeka, Kan. Julesburg Dragway-Julesburg, Colo. Kansas City Int'l Raceway-Kansas City, Mo. Kearney Raceway Park-Kearney, Neb. Mid America Dragway-Arkansas City, Kan. Mid-America Raceways-Wentzville, Mo. Nebraska Motorplex-Scribner, Neb. Pueblo Motorsports Park-Pueblo, Colo. SRCA-Great Bend, Kan. Tri-State Raceway-Earlville, Iowa TSM Raceway-Mead, Colo. Wichita Int'l Raceway-Wichita, Kan. Northwest Division Firebird Raceway-Boise, Idaho Mission Raceway-Mission, BC, Can. Portland Int'l Raceway-Portland, Ore. Race City Motorsports Park-Calgary, Alberta, Can. Woodburn Drag Strip-Woodburn, Ore. Pacific Division Famoso Raceway-Bakersfield, Calif. Firebird Int'l Raceway-Chandler, Ariz. Inyokern Dragstrip-Inyokern, Calif. Irwindale Dragstrip-Irwindale, Calif. Las Vegas Motor Speedway-Las Vegas, Nev. Los Angeles County Raceway-Palmdale, Calif. Pomona Raceway-Pomona, Calif. Rialto Raceway-Riverside, Calif. Rocky Mountain Raceways-West Valley City, Utah Sacramento Raceway Park-Sacramento, Calif. Southwestern Int'l Raceway-Tucson, Ariz. Speedworld Motorplex-Northwest Phoenix, Ariz. Team Possibilities-San Diego, Calif.