NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Friday from Thunder Valley Ra ceway Park

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
> THUNDER VALLEY RACEWAY PARK
> FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2002
> 
> LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES ROLLS THROUGH THUNDER VALLEY
> 
> Noble, Okla. - Gene Snow in Top Alcohol Dragster and Jackie Stidham in Top Alcohol Funny Car are the top qualifiers in their respective classes after day one of qualifying at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Thunder Valley Raceway Park.
> Snow of Fort Worth, Texas, made a 5.482-second, 252.10 mph pass during Friday> '> s qualifying session to put him ahead of his competitors.  While Chickasha, Okla., resident Stidham took the top spot with a 5.840-second, 246.98 mph run down the quarter-mile.
> "> We> '> ve done pretty well over the years here,> ">  said Stidham.  > "> We set the track record here a couple years ago and we went on a stretch where we won four here in five years.> "> 
> 	With this weekend> '> s race serving as the final divisional event of the NHRA South Central Division, tension will be heightened as racers from across the country will be battling to improve their position in the national and divisional point standings. 
> 	> "> It> '> s crucial.  If I can win this race, I can finish in the top three in the nation,> ">  said Top Alcohol Funny Car racer, Steve Gasparrelli.  > "> I can also clinch the Pacific Division championship here this weekend with a strong performance.> "> 
> 	Several racers including Stidham in Top Alcohol Funny Car will also be able to clinch a division championship with an event win at Thunder Valley.  Currently second in the South Central Division, the Chickasha, Okla., racer has won five division championships ('91, '93, '97, '99, '01) over his racing career.  
> In Stidham> '> s path is Tate Branch of Artesia, N.M., the current points leader in the class.  Branch has won three of five South Central Division races, losing to Stidham in the final round at the other two events.  
> 	> "> It> '> s an awfully important race.  We> '> ll just stick to the game plan and everything should take care of itself,> ">  said Branch.  
> Also leading their fields after day one of qualifying are Greg Williams of Carthage, Texas, in Comp; Tim Cole of Collierville, Tenn., in Super Stock; and Robert Shaw of Sedalia, Mo., in Stock.  In NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series racing action, Lisa Bennett of Plano, Texas, is the top qualifier after posting a 0.500-second reaction time.  
> 	Tickets for day two of time trials and qualifying is $15.  Gates open at 8 a.m. and racing begins at 9 a.m.  Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car> '> s qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1 and 5 p.m.  For more information, call Thunder Valley Raceway Park at (405) 872-3429.  
> 
> The following are Friday> '> s qualifying result from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Thunder Valley Raceway Park:
> 
> TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
> 1) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.482 seconds, 252.10 mph
> 2) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.531, 255.82
> 3) Ed Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.611, 253.44
> 4) Ben Marshall, New Carlisle, Ohio, 5.683, 240.32
> 5) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.759, 233.70
> 6) Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., 5.770, 246.98
> 7) Brian Ratliff, Hulbert, Okla., 5.885, 248.27
> 8) Chris Ricketts, N. Kansas City, Mo., 6.034, 220.21
> 
> Not Qualified
> 9) Gary Ormsby Jr., Granite Bay, Calif., 8.854, 92.09
> 10) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, 9.051, 88.32
> 11) Larry Becktold, Luther, Okla., 9.535, 86.71
> 12) Mike Bowers, Plano, Texas, 9.861, 76.88
> 
> TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
> 1) Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., > '> 00 Camaro, 5.840, 246.98
> 2) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., > '> 00 Avenger, 5.969, 239.55
> 3) Richard Shaver, San Antonio, Texas, > '> 99 Camaro, 6.060, 228.25
> 4) Scott Palmer, Nixa, Mo., > '> 98 Achieva, 6.121, 209.44
> 5) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, > '> 98 Camaro, 6.160, 233.88
> 6) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., > '> 99 Firebird, 6.561, 165.56
> 7) Kirk Johnson, Dallas, > '> 98 Firebird, 6.658, 206.18
> 8) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., > '> 97 Camaro, 6.732, 209.44
> 
> Not Qualified
> 9) Eddie McDow, Waco, Texas, > '> 00 Camaro, 6.870, 214.69
> 10) Bob Alberty, Muskogee, Okla., > '> 97 Firebird, 7.221, 133.57
> 11) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, > '> 99 Firebird, DQ
> 
> COMP ELIMINATOR
> 1) Greg Williams, Carthage, Texas, > '> 02 Cavalier, C/SMA, 8.555 seconds, -0.575 under index
> 2) Sean Dodd, Lewisville, Texas, > '> 01 Camaro, D/AA, 7.846, -0.554
> 3) Mike Trumble Jr., Pasadena, Texas, > '> 01 Grand Am, A/SMA, 8.201, -0.549
> 4) Robert Freeman, Oklahoma City, Okla., > '> 02 Cavalier, C/A, 7.546, -0.524
> 5) Brian Self, Spring, Texas, > '> 01 S-10, PST, 7.599, -0.501
> 6) Bob Yonke, Burleson, Texas, > '> 02 Cavalier, C/A, 7.577, -0.493
> 7) Roger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, > '> 02 Chevy, A/SM, 8.070, -0.490
> 8) Fred Gross, La Crescenta, Calif., > '> 98 Pontiac, G/A, 8.747, -0.443
> 9) Scott Benham, La Grange, Texas, > '> 99 Lumina, C/EA, 8.453, -0.427
> 10) Steve Kalkowski, Ogauala, Neb., > '> 00 Pontiac, B/A, 7.401, -0.399
> 
> SUPER STOCK
> 1) Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., > '> 96 Corvette, SS/AX, 8.910, -1.090
> 2) Bobby Dennis, Shorter, Ala., > '> 95 Achieva, GT/KA, 10.685, -1.065
> 3) Randall Klein, Lincoln, Neb., > '> 56 Nomad, SS/NA, 11.401, -1.049
> 4) Buz Post, Arlington, Texas, > '> 98 Grand Am, SS/BM, 8.662, -1.038
> 5) Tyler Cassil, Belton, Mo., > '> 66 Chevy, SS/K, 10.349, -0.951
> 6) Steven Reynolds, Pasadena, Texas, > '> 86 Monte Carlo, GT/MA, 11.114, -0.936
> 7) Jimmy De Frank, Tarzana, Calif., > '> 89 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.444, -0.906
> 8) Larry Schmidt, Grand Island, Neb., > '> 55 Belair, SS/PA, 12.052, -0.898
> 9) Jeffrey Miller, Pearland, Texas, > '> 98 Grand Am, SS/BM, 8.805, -0.895
> 10) Chad Guilford, Highlands Ranch, Colo., GT/EA, > '> 84 Cougar, 10.068, -0.882
> 
> STOCK ELIMINATOR
> 1) Robert Shaw, Sedalia, Mo., > '> 85 El Camino, V/SA, 14.491, -1.309
> 2) Steve Brack, Lawrence, Kan., > '> 85 Camaro, J/S, 11.571, -1.079
> 3) RJ Sledge, Boerne, Texas, > '> 67 Fairlane, F/SA, 11.146, -1.004
> 4) Gary Slaton, Liberty Hill, Texas, > '> 94 Camaro, E/SA, 11.012, -0.988
> 5) John Hladky, Stuart, Neb., > '> 66 Nova, G/S, 11.231, -0.969
> 6) Ben Wenzel Sr., Freeland, Mich., > '> 67 Camaro, E/S, 10.982, -0.968
> 7) Frank Weaver Jr., Waco, Texas, > '> 84 Trans Am, K/SA, 11.995, -0.955
> 8) Jeff Hefler, Mansfield, Texas, > '> 98 Pontiac, F/SA, 11.328, -0.822
> 9) Jerry Davis, Santa Fe, Texas, > '> 72 Duster, G/SA, 11.490, -0.810
> 10) Larry Hill, Hickory, Ky., > '> 71 Barracuda, A/SA, 10.494, -0.806
> 
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