NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Saturday from Southwestern International Raceway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION
SOUTHWESTERN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2003
 
 
SHIELDS AND GORDON LEAD FIELDS INTO ELIMINATIONS
 
        TUCSON, Ariz. - In the final rounds of qualifying at Southwestern International Raceway, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Duane Shields and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Doug Gordon took the top qualifier honors for this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event.
        Shields covered the quarter-mile in 5.422 seconds at 254.42 mph to take the number one spot from Darren Nicholson who was number one going into the final qualifying session. Nicholson posted a time of 5.484 at 257.53 mph in his earlier run but was unable to better his time and sits in the number two spot behind Shields.
        Shields' finished number two in the nation last year and is the defending NHRA Pacific Division Top Alcohol Dragster Champion.
       Steve Gasparrelli took the number one spot away from Gordon early in the final qualifying session only to watch Gordon take it right back with a lap of 5.767 at 245.90 mph. Gasparrelli's run of 5.815 seconds at 248.48 mph was quick enough to land him in the number two spot, giving him a first round match up with fellow funny car racer Lawren Jones. 
        Gordon is coming off a win last month at the division opener in Phoenix, and hopes to pick up his second win of the young season this weekend.
        Top qualifiers in others classes are Scott Hedlund of Anaheim, Calif., in Comp; John Gallina of Las Vegas, in Super Stock; and Marka Gallina of Henderson, Nev., in Stock. The five competitors will share the $3,500 Sealed Power Low Qualifier bonus.
        Leo Shaver held on to the top spot in the Sportsman Motorcycle class running in the Kerker Motorcycle Series this weekend.
        Eliminations begin Sunday at 8 a.m. Gates open at 7 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars run at noon. For more information call the track, (520) 762-9700. 
 
        The following are Sunday's pairings and Saturday's final qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Southwestern International Raceway:
 
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Duane Shields, Las Vegas, Nev., 5.442 seconds, 254.42 mph
2) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.484, 257.53
3) Mark Niver, Scottsville, Ariz., 5.515, 248.75
4) Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., 5.623, 251.30
5) Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., 5.651, 233.24
6) Howard Haight, Corona, Calif., 5.691, 235.43
7) Mike Austin, Medford, Ore., 5.694, 244.47
8) Fred Notzka, Ventura, Calif., 5.809, 243.06
Not Qualified
9) Mark Foster, Santa Cruz, Calif., 6.182, 209.88
 
First round TAD pairings
1) Duane Shields, Las Vegas, Nev., 5.442 seconds, 254.42 mph vs. 8) Fred Notzka, Ventura,
Calif., 5.809, 243.06
2) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.484, 257.53 vs. 7) Mike Austin, Medford, Ore.,
5.694, 244.47
3) Mark Niver, Scottsville, Ariz., 5.515, 248.75 vs. 6) Howard Haight, Corona, Calif., 5.691,
235.43
4) Chris Demke, Tujunga, Calif., 5.623, 251.30 vs. 5) Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., 5.651,
233.24
 
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.767 seconds, 245.90 mph
2) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '03 Firebird, 5.815, 248.48
3) Ed Marx, Discovery Bay, Calif., '98 Avenger, 5.862, 245.54
4) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '99 Trans Am, 5.944, 238.60
5) Mert Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.993, 230.41
6) Brett Williamson, Campbell, Calif., '01 Corvette, 5.998, 235.19
7) Lawren Jones, Albuquerque, N.M., '02 Camaro, 6.218, 218.62
8) John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alb., '99 Firebird, 6.910, 199.91
Not Qualified
9) Charles McLaws, Winslow, Ariz., '98 Firebird, 6.938, 154.51
10) Jeff Carroll, Santa Barbara, Calif., '97 Firebird, 6.949, 201.85
11) Dale VanGundy, Anaheim, Calif., '98 Camaro, 7.305, 133.07
 
First round TAFC pairings
1) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.767 seconds, 245.90 mph vs. 8) John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alb., '99 Firebird, 6.910, 199.91
2) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '03 Firebird, 5.815, 248.48 vs. 7) Lawren Jones,
Albuquerque, N.M., '02 Camaro, 6.218, 218.62
3) Ed Marx, Discovery Bay, Calif., '98 Avenger, 5.862, 245.54 vs. 6) Brett Williamson, Campbell, Calif., '01 Corvette, 5.998, 235.19
4) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '99 Trans Am, 5.944, 238.60 vs. 5) Mert Littlefield, Garden
Grove, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.993, 230.41
 
COMP. ELIMINATOR
1) Scott Hedlund, Anahiem, Calif., '02 Cavalier, B/SM, 8.368 seconds, -0.722 (under index)
2) Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., ET Race, A/ND, 7.243, -0.717
3) Vinnie Deceglie, Alta Loma, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/A, 6.764, -0.716
4) John Chamberlin, Napa, Calif., '00 Sarmento, B/D, 6.900, -0.710
5) Fred Gross, Glendale, Calif., '98 Firebird, G/A, 8.744, -0.696
6) Tom Huggins, Santa Paula, Calif., '02 Grand Am, B/A, 7.331, -0.689
7) Wayne Ramay, Simi Valley, Calif., Dragster, A/ND, 7.277, -0.683
8) Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '95 Cutlass, F/AA, 8.473, -0.657
9) Ed Sigmon, Chatsworth, Calif., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.894, -0.636
10) Steve Wilmoth, Peoria, Ariz., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.915, -0.615
 
SUPER STOCK
1) John Gallina, Henderson, Nev., '87 Grand National, SS/DX, 8.361 seconds, -1.489 (under index)
2) Ted Romero, Denver, Colo., '98 Grand Am, GT/JA, 10.818, -1.262
3) Jeff Lane, N. Bend, Wash., '03 Grand Am, SS/CM, 9.122, -1.198
4) Kip Martin, Phoenix, Ariz., '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.786, -1.194
5) Gary McGlasson, Los Lunas, N.M., '69 Camaro, SS/HA, 10.151, -1.159
6) Larry Zavala, San Gabriel, Calif., '91 Calais, GT/FA, 10.356, -1.154
7) Chuck Norton, Covina, Calif., '97 Firebird, SS/JA, 10.591, -1.129
8) Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '87 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.694, -1.076
9) Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., '03 Grand Am, GT/BA, 9.866, -1.074
10) Kevin Nicks, Golden, Colo., '70 Barracuda, SS/FA, 10.079, -1.071
 
STOCK
1) Marka Gallina, Henderson, Nev., '89 Trans Am, D/FIA, 11.240 seconds, -1.520 (under index)
2) Richard Pauley, Saugus, Calif., '68 Mustang, C/SA, 10.815, -1.325
3) Keith Lynch, Mt Ayr, Iowa, '70 Camaro, C/SA, 10.816, -1.324
4) Ken Etter, Riverside, Calif., '77 Volare, J/SA, 11.910, -1.320
5) Fred Rector, Durango, Colo., '72 Nova, I/S, 11.654, -1.316
6) Jeff Lee, Scottsdale, Ariz., '70 AMX, E/S, 11.100, -1.300
7) Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '00 Dakota, CT/SA, 12.188, -1.292
8) Lloyd MacKay, Cedar Grove, N.J., '02 Firebird, I/FIA, 13.061, -1.199
9) Rod Greene, Moreno Valley, Calif., '72 Demon, H/S, 11.584, -1.176
10) Al Corda, Elk Mound, Wis., '01 Firebird, A/FIA, 10.545, -1.175
 
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