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NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Saturday from Memphis Motorsports Park


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
MEMPHIS MOTORSPORTS PARK, MEMPHIS, TENN.
Saturday, March 22, 2003

FIELDS SET AT NHRA LUCAS OIL EVENT AT MEMPHIS MOTORSPORTS PARK;
ELIMINATIONS START SUNDAY
        MEMPHIS, Tenn. - In the final rounds of qualifying in the NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Memphis Motorsports Park, Alan Bradshaw
took over the No. 1 position in Top Alcohol Dragster and Todd Simpson
finished No. 1 in Top Alcohol Funny Car.
In the TAD qualifying, only the quick survived.  Bradshaw's 5.271-second,
243.28 mph effort was enough to make him the top qualifier of the eight car
field and anyone who did not run quicker than 5.521 seconds headed home. 
That group includes James Thompson who was the runner-up at the division's
season opener in Houston two weeks ago.
Simpson moved from the No. 2 qualifying position yesterday to No. 1 today. 
The Ponder, Texas, resident made a 5.872 second, 242.02 mph pass for the
No. 1 spot.  In the first round of eliminations, he will face the
division's defending champion, Tate Branch of Artesia, N.M.  Branch won the
event in Houston.
        Top qualifiers in other classes are Brian Self, Spring, Texas, in
Comp Eliminator; Gilbert Johnson Sr., Lecompte, La., in Super Stock; and
Richard Taylor, Byhalia, Miss., in Stock.
Racing continues Sunday at Memphis Motorsports Park.  Gates open at 8 a.m.
and eliminations in all categories start at 9 a.m.  Top Alcohol Dragster
and Top Alcohol Funny Car run first round at noon.  Tickets are $20 for
adults and children 12 and under are admitted free.  For more information,
call Memphis Motorsports Park, (901) 358-7223.


        The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and Sunday's
first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing
Series event at Memphis Motorsports Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, 5.271 seconds, 243.28 mph
2) Brian Badgett, Maryland Hts., Mo., 5.341, 261.67  
3) Michael Gunderson, Middleburg Fla., 5.393, 268.97
4) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.423, 263.31
5) Karl Brounkowski, Magnolia, Texas, 5.427, 262.18
6) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.464, 257.43
7) Gene Snow, Ft. Worth, Texas, 5.468, 262.64
8) David Wells, LeMars Iowa, 5.521, 261.72
Not Qualified 
9) Tim Rudy, Mason, Ohio, 5.539, 255.82
10) Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 5.822, 248.20 
11) James Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 6.086, 245.00 
12) Larry Becktold, Luther, Okla., 6.311, 230.84 
13) Brian Ratliff, Hulbert, Okla., 6.602, 202.27 

Sunday's TAD Pairings
1) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, 5.271 seconds, 243.28 mph vs. 8) David
Wells, LeMars Iowa, 5.521, 261.72
2) Brian Badgett, Maryland Hts., Mo., 5.341, 261.67 vs. 7) Gene Snow, Ft.
Worth, Texas, 5.468, 262.64
3) Michael Gunderson, Middleburg Fla., 5.393, 268.97 vs. 6) Lee Callaway,
Channelview, Texas, 5.464, 257.43
4) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.423, 263.31 vs. 5) Karl Brounkowski,
Magnolia, Texas, 5.427, 262.18

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR 
1) Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '00 Avenger, 5.872 seconds, 242.02 mph 
2) Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 5.893, 247.29
3) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, '97 Camaro, 6.127, 231.99  
4) Ben Harper, Arroyo Grande, Calif., '99 Firebird, 6.412, 226.13
5) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '01 Firebird, 8.165, 110.06
6) Tate Branch, Artesia, M.N., '99 Avenger, 10.049, 78.63

Sunday's TAFC Pairings
1) Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '00 Avenger, 5.872 seconds, 242.02 mph vs.
6) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '99 Avenger, 10.049, 78.63 
2) Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 5.893, 247.29 vs. 5) Marc
White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '01 Firebird, 8.165, 110.06 
3) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., '97 Camaro, 6.127, 231.99 vs. 4) Ben
Harper, Arroyo Grande, Calif., '99 Firebird, 6.412, 226.13 
 
COMP ELIMINATOR 
1) Brian Self, Spring, Texas, '02 S-10, B/T, 8.125 seconds, -0.695 under
index 
2) Buddy Nickens, Spring, Texas, '00 S-10, B/TA, 8.427, -0.693 
3) Bill Gibbs, Lufkin, Texas, '95 Daytona, L/A, 9.216, -0.664 
4) David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.375, -0.655 
5) Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, '03 Cavalier, B/SM, 8.193, -0.647 
6) Douglas Stewart, Edwardsburg, Mich., '03 Stratus, C/SMA, 8.411, -0.639 
7) Sean Dodd, Lewisville, Texas, '01 Camaro, D/AA, 7.750, -0.630 
8) Greg Williams, Carthage, Texas, '02 Cavalier, C/SMA, 8.422, -0.628 
9) Scott Benham, La Grange, Texas, '02 S-10, PSTA, 7.677, -0.623 
10) Robert Freeman, Oklahoma City, Okla., '02 Cavalier, C/A, 7.398, -0.622 
SUPER STOCK 
1) Gilbert Johnson Sr, Lecompte, La., '66 Impala, SS/NA, 11.146 seconds,
-1.304 under index 
2) Bobby Dennis, Shorter, Ala., '95 Achieva, GT/JA, 10.377, -1.273 
3) Jerry Holman, Hendersonville, Tenn., '86 Firebird, SS/KA, 10.340, -1.210

4) Robin Brown, Madisonville, Ky., '66 Chevy II, SS/K, 10.118, -1.182 
5) Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., '96 Corvette, SS/AX, 8.841, -1.159 
6) Scooter Anderson, Bartlett, Tenn., '67 Chevy II, SS/G, 9.620, -1.130 
7) Don O'Malley, Decatur, Ill., '64 Corvette, SS/JA, 10.182, -1.118 
8) J.W. Hames, Madison, Miss., '66 Chevy II, GT/KA, 10.645, -1.105 
9) Jeff Hefler, Mansfield, Texas, '98 Grand Am, SS/BM, 8.604, -1.096 
10) Gilbert Johnson Jr, Lecompte, La., '91 Calais, GT/JA, 10.572, -1.078 
STOCK 
1) Richard Taylor, Byhalia, Miss., '01 S-10, JT/SA, 15.351 seconds, -1.399
under index
2) Danny Byrd, Sikeston, Mo., '67 Chevy II, F/S, 10.829, -1.271 
3) Billy Lynn, Searcy, Ark., '95 S-10, GT/SA, 12.582, -1.268 
4) Al Corda, Elk Mound, Wis., '99 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.464, -1.236 
5) Sam Lusco Jr, Houma, La., '96 Dakota, CT/SA, 11.771, -1.229 
6) Austin Ford, Spring, Texas, '67 Shelby, D/SA, 10.669, -1.181 
7) John Hladky, Stuart, Neb., '66 Nova, G/S, 11.023, -1.177 
8) Bill Bogues, Bethany, La., '69 Nova, I/SA, 11.445, -1.155 
9) Rob Turkal, Rapids City, Ill., '65 Malibu, K/S, 11.711, -1.139 
10) Patrick Courts, New Iberia, La., '87 Trans Am, H/FIA, 12.315, -1.135 
Top Sportsman 
1) Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '89 Beretta, 7.143 seconds, 196.24 mph 
2) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '02 Grand Am, 7.191, 177.51 
3) Rick Corn, Benton, Ill., '01 Avenger, 7.279, 188.75 
4) Jeremy Glidewell, Corinth, Miss., '95 Cutlass, 7.296, 189.36 
5) Jeff Wilkerson, Athens, Ala., '01 Trans Am, 7.322, 188.02 
6) Craig Hughes, Portales, N.M., '79 Charger, 7.502, 181.32 
7) Larry J. Smith, Ridgeland, Miss., '94 Cutlass, 7.512, 183.52 
8) Ed Ridenhour, Ft. Worth, Texas, '98 Trans Am, 7.521, 179.95 
9) Steve Wheeler, Ventress, La., '98 S-10, 7.528, 182.60 
10) John Sullivan, Macon, Tenn., '94 Beretta, 7.601, 159.48 
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