FRI RESULTS- NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Event at Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NHRA SOUTHEAST DIVISION
GAINESVILLE RACEWAY
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2003

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES KICKS OFF AT GAINESVILLE RACEWAY 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series kicked off the season today at Gainesville Raceway with the first of seven events in NHRA's Southeast Division. 
In Comp Eliminator, Kevin Houghtaling of Ashland, Va., leads the field with a 9.002-second pass. Qualified in the second spot is the '03 Grand Am of Scott Tidwell, of Pinson, Ala. He's followed by the '92 Cutlass of reining National and Southeast Division Champion, Mike Saye of Johnston, S.C.
The top spot in Super Stock went to the '94 Sunbird of Holly, Mich., runner Chuck Gallagher, who qualified at the top of the pack with an 8.448 second pass. Qualified second is the '90 Camaro of Mike Crutchfield of Montgomery, Ala., while Brian Oakes of De Bary, Fla., is qualified third with his '69 Camaro.  
In Stock Eliminator, Danny Holder of Chapmansboro, Tenn., earned the No. 1 spot behind the wheel of his '91 Camaro with a pass of 11.841 seconds. Qualified second is Concord, N.C., racer Tom Hemmingson with his '66 Malibu. David Walther of Lanesville, Ind., is qualified third with his '69 Camaro.  
In John Bleakley Motorhomes Top Sportsman, Santo Volpe of Cocoa, Fla., stampeded to the top of the field behind the wheel of  his '02 Grand Am with a 6.709 second pass at 207.08 mph. Trailing Volpe in the No. 2 spot, with a 6.969 second pass at 205.71 mph, is the '63 Corvette of Jack Nunez of Daytona Beach, Fla. Taking the third spot is Will Roberson of Williston, S.C., in his '57 Bel Air. 
Saturday's racing action will feature 260-mph Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars, as well as the continuation of qualifying in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street and John Bleakley Motorhomes Top Sportsman. 
Gates at Gainesville Raceway open Saturday at 8 a.m. with qualifying set to begin at 9 a.m.  Qualifying sessions in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car are scheduled for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. 
For more information please contact Gainesville Raceway at (352) 377-0046 or visit them on the web at www.gainesvilleraceway.com. 

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, event being held at Gainesville Raceway:

Competition Eliminator
1) Kevin Houghtaling, Ashland, Va., '91 Calais, F/SM, 9.002 seconds, -0.548 (under index)
2) Scott Tidwell, Pinson, Ala., '03 Grand Am, D/AA, 7.872, -0.508
3) Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., '92 Cutlass, G/A, 8.675, -0.505
4) Jerry Hemmingson, Concord, N.C., '02 Cavalier, B/A, 7.307, -0.493
5) David Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, '03 Cavalier, C/A, 7.586, -0.484
6) Bill Zaskowski, Grand Rapids, Mich., '92 Camaro, F/SM, 9.066, -0.484
7) Tony Stephenson, Willow Sprg, N.C., RaceTech, C/ED, 7.564, -0.446
8) David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., '32 Bantam, A/AP, 7.140, -0.390
9) Van Puckett, Snellville, Ga., '99 Firebird, F/AA, 8.491, -0.389
10) Todd Logan, Braintree, Mass., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.681, -0.349

Super Stock
1) Chuck Gallagher, Holly, Mich., '94 Sunbird, SS/AM, 8.448 seconds, -1.102 (under index)
2) Mike Crutchfield, Montgomery, Ala., '90 Camaro, SS/BS, 9.062, -0.988
3) Brian Oakes, De Bary, Fla., '69 Camaro, SS/DA, 9.512, -0.988
4) Cliff Reigle, Ashland City, Tenn., '67 Camaro, SS/GA, 9.892, -0.958
5) Don Barber, Hohenwald, Tenn., '93 Achieva, GT/BA, 9.613, -0.937
6) James Sharron, Greensboro, N.C., '87 Camaro, GT/CA, 9.778, -0.922
7) Brad Zaskowski, Grand Rapids, Mich., '87 Camaro, GT/J, 10.428, -0.922
8) Larry Strunk, Odessa, Fla., '64 Comet, SS/MA, 11.262, -0.888
9) David Thomas, W. Chester, Pa., '69 Corvette, SS/BA, 9.316, -0.884
10) Peter Biondo, Mt Laurel, N.J., '78 Firebird, GT/FA, 10.240, -0.860

Stock Eliminator
1) Danny Holder, Chapmansboro, Tenn., '91 Camaro, F/FIA, 11.841 seconds, -1.109 (under index)
2) Tom Hemmingson, Concord, N.C., '66 Malibu, L/S, 11.910, -1.090
3) David Walther, Lanesville, Ind., '69 Camaro, H/S, 11.220, -1.080
4) Al Provoast, Whittemore, Mich., '79 Buick Wgn, N/SA, 12.224, -1.076
5) John Foxbower, Franklin, Ohio, '68 Mustang, B/SA, 10.501, -1.049
6) Brandon Wood, Tallahassee, Fla., '85 Camaro, F/FIA, 11.905, -1.045
7) Jack Briner, Waterloo, Iowa, '85 Camaro, I/SA, 11.564, -1.036
8) Bruce Parsons, Lewisburg, Ohio, '86 Camaro, H/SA, 11.422, -1.028
9) Richard Mace, Jacksonville, Fla., '85 Camaro, K/SA, 11.924, -1.026
10) John Wentling, Ft Lauderdale, Fla., '95 Camaro, C/FIA, 10.975, -1.025

John Bleakley Motorhomes Top Sportsman
1) Santo Volpe, Cocoa, Fla., '02 Grand Am, 6.709 seconds, 207.08 mph
2) Jack Nunez, Daytona Beach, Fla., '63 Corvette, 6.969, 205.71
3) Will Roberson, Williston, S.C., '57 Bel Air, 7.142, 190.35
4) Robert Sellers, Bunnell, Fla., '97 Avenger, 7.153, 191.40
5) Frank Teague, Hickory, N.C., '00 Avenger, 7.245, 191.08
6) Jerry Barker, Byron, Ga., '02 Camaro, 7.304, 189.03
7) Troy Cagle, Ranburne, Fla., , 7.411, 187.03
8) Dale Ashley, Cape Coral, Fla., '00 Firebird, 7.472, 183.82
9) Mike Rahilly, Cape Coral, Fla., '01 Grand Am, 7.644, 182.03
10) Sandy Wilkins, Fuquay Varina, S.C., '01 Camaro, 7.644, 177.06