NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Final Results from Mission Raceway Park

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHWEST DIVISION
MISSION RACEWAY PARK
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2003

COFINI & AUSTIN EARN WINS AT MISSION

MISSION, B.C. - Racing concluded at the rain-delayed Lordco Auto Parts B.C. Nationals with Michael Cofini and Bucky Austin earning wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car.  
Almost two-tenths of a second slower than the number one qualifier, the odds were against Cofini as he headed into eliminations qualified seventh.  Competing in eight events last year, the Spokane, Wash., did not have an event win as he finished the season with one final round, three semifinal, and four first round losses.  
After defeating Mission, B.C., resident Paul Julien in round one, Cofini went on to defeat last year's Northwest Division champion Brandon Johnson in the semifinal with his career best time at Mission Raceway Park, 5.518-second, 254.81 mph.  In the final, Cofini bettered his previous pass, posting a time of 5.512-second, 255.03 mph, to defeat Duane Shields of Las Vegas, Nev., who finished number two in the national points standings last year.  
Compared to Cofini, Austin coasted through eliminations.  After defeating the Abbotsford, B.C., based Grotek Top Alcohol Funny Car team driven by John Evanchuk in round one of competition, the Fife, Wash., resident enjoyed a bye in the semifinals and was uncontested in the final after David Germain's Top Alcohol Funny Car had mechanical problems at the starting line.  With the win, Austin earned his second win this year in three final round appearances.
Winners in other racing categories are Jeff Lane of North Bend, Wash., in Comp; Sean Cour of Brush Prairie, Wash., in Super Stock; Michael Lewis of Sumner, Wash., in Stock; Anthony Castillo of Grandview, Wash., in Super Comp; Mike Ferderer of Buckley, Wash., in Super Gas; Tom Manfred of Liberty Lake, Wash., in Super Street; and Todd Hoerner of Deer Park, Wash., in Top Comp.  
David LeBlanc of Coquitlam, B.C., also earned a win in Sportsman Motorcycle competition of the NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series and Brad Plourd earned a win in Super Pro.  
Northwest Division competition of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series makes its next stop at Woodburn Dragstrip in Woodburn, Ore., June 6-8, in Woodburn, Ore., but will return to Mission Raceway Park, August 22-24.  For more information, call Mission Raceway Park at (604) 826-6315.

The following are final round results from the Lordco Auto Parts B.C. Nationals at Mission Raceway Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1) Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.479 seconds, 251.60 mph def. 8) Mitch Myers, Hermiston, Ore., broke
7) Michael Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 5.534, 254.30 def. 2) Paul Julien, Mission, B.C., 5.688, 245.09
3) Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., 5.577, 255.60 def. 6) Steve Federlin, Oregon City, Ore., 8.560, 90.38
4) Duane Shields, Las Vegas, 5.480, 261.78 def. 5) Kim Parker, Graham, Wash., 5.613, 246.91

Semifinals
Cofini, 5.518, 254.81 def. Johnson, 6.848, 135.54
Shields, 5.559, 261.02 def. Hentges, 5.580, 248.07

Final
Cofini, 5.512, 255.03 def. Shields, 5.540, 260.94

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1) Bucky Austin, Fife, Wash., '02 Firebird, 5.730, 252.59 def. 6) John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alta., '99 Firebird, 5.987, 238.71
5) Dave Germain, Toledo, Wash., '01 Avenger, 5.989, 239.61 def. 2) Hank Coolidge, Sunburst, Mont., '97 Firebird, broke
3) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alta., '97 Firebird, 6.040, 241.15 def. 4) Kevin Therres, Humboldt, Sask., '98 Oldsmobile, broke

Semifinals
Austin, 5.925, 244.10 vs. bye
Germain, 6.147, 232.37 def. Bateman, 6.667, 241.41

Final
Austin, 7.501, 124.12 def. Germain, broke

COMP ELIMINATOR
Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '95 Oldsmobile, F/AA, 8.326 seconds, 160.59 mph def. Mark Stewart, Medford, Ore., '98 Oldsmobile, E/SMA, 8.814, 149.62

SUPER STOCK
Sean Cour, Brush Prairie, Wash., '02 Firebird, GT/FA, 10.134, 117.27 def. Raymond Grossmith, Saanichton, B.C., '90 Camaro, GT/DA, 9.897, 135.60

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Michael Lewis, Sumner, Wash., '86 Camaro, 11.911, 110.28 def. Brad Plourd, Covington, Wash., '96 Corvette, B/FIA, 10.626, 125.38

SUPER COMP
Anthony Castillo, Grandview, Wash., '01 Mullis, 8.908, 172.94 def. Ken Peplinski, Veradale, Wash., '91 Probe, 8.872, 163.48

SUPER GAS
Mike Ferderer, Buckley, Wash., '03 Firebird, 9.909, 167.66 def. Kenneth Heard, Ridgefield, Wash., '86 Mustang, 9.864, 142.54

SUPER STREET
Tom Manfred, Liberty Lake, Wash., '81 Mustang, 10.894, 141.77 def. Jim Buell, Federal Way, Wash., '68 Camaro, 10.869, 130.00

TOP COMP
Todd Hoerner, Deer Park, Wash., '03 Grand Am, 7.327, 189.07 def. Mike Seekins, Burien, Wash., '98 Mullis, 7.616, 171.59

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
David LeBlanc, Coquitlam, B.C., '84 Kawasaki, 9.825, 129.06 def. Steve Miller, Yakima, Wash., '89 Suzuki, 8.642, 149.32

SUPER PRO
Brad Plourd, Covington, Wash., '64 Corvette, 11.819, 104.85 def. Ron MacKenzie, Vancouver, B.C., '74 Vega, 11.094, 133.51