NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Sunday from Bandimere Speedway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - WEST CENTRAL DIVISION
BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2003

HENTGES & WILLIAMS KING OF MOUNTAIN

MORRISON, Colo. - Mark Hentges in Top Alcohol Dragster and Kirk Williams in Top Alcohol Funny Car earned event wins at Thunder on the Mountain, race three of six in West Central Division competition of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
The Top Alcohol Dragster final featured a battle of former division champions as Hentges of the Northwest faced off again Shelly Howard of the South Central Division.  Although Howard had a slight .003-second advantage at the starting line, it was Hentges who muscled his way to the win after making a 5.705-second, 247.07 mph pass.
This is the second straight win for the Federal Way, Wash., resident in as many weeks.  Hentges earned a win last week in Kent, Wash., at Pacific Raceways' NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event.  
In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Kirk Williams faced off against Cy Chesterman for a third straight year in the final.  Chesterman had won the previous two Thunder on the Mountain events but it was Williams who came away with the win this year after Chesterman left .001 seconds too early off the starting line.
For Williams, the final round win was bittersweet as the Glenwood, Iowa, resident had lost in the final the last three years in the finals at Thunder on the Mountain.  The last two were to Chesterman and Williams had lost to Jay Payne in the final in 2000.
This was also Williams' first victory in three attempts this year against Chesterman.  Williams suffered a loss to Chesterman in the semifinals at Heartland Park Topeka as well as two weeks ago in the finals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway.
Winners in other categories were Dean Howerton of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., in Comp; Justin Jenkins of Marysville, Kan., in Super Stock; Keith Lynch of Mt. Ayr Iowa, in Stock; Michael Miller of Santa Fe, N.M., in Super Comp; Danny Gruninger of Lakewood, Colo., in Super Gas; and Timothy Law of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in Super Street.
Tom Gilligan of Fremont, Neb., also earned a win in Sportsman Motorcycle competition of the NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series.  
West Central Division competition of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series makes its next stop at Nebraska Motorplex, Aug. 8-10 in Scribner, Neb.  For more information, contact Bandimere Speedway at (303) 697-6001.

The following are final round results from Thunder on the Mountain at Bandimere Speedway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
1) Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.664, 249.95 def. 8) Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., 5.808, 246.30
2) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.688, 251.67 def. 7) Ed Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., foul
3) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, 5.728, 248.57 def. 6) James Thompson Jr., Vernon, Texas, 5.858, 248.89
4) Robert Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.786, 246.71 def. 5) David Wells, Lemars, Iowa, 5.766, 233.76

Semifinals
Hentges, 5.657, 250.37 def. Perkins, 5.824, 245.09
Howard, 5.790, 248.52 def. Bradshaw, 6.248, 171.03

Final
Hentges, 5.705, 247.07 def. Howard, 5.807, 246.39

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '98 Firebird, 6.379, 238.05 vs. Bye
2) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '03 Trans Am, 5.982, 241.20 def. 7) Steve Griboski, Aurora, Colo., '98 Camaro, foul
3) Henry Coolidge, Sunburst, Mont., '97 Firebird, 6.045, 237.88 def. 6) Shawn Jones, Albuquerque, N.M., '02 Camaro, broke
4) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '01 Camaro, 5.964, 240.64 def. 5) Robert Kanenwisher, Conifer, Colo., '00 Avenger, 6.181, 234.09

Semifinals
Williams, 6.076, 237.46 def. Moats, 6.445, 178.21
Chesterman, 6.004, 240.89 def. Coolidge, 6.115, 239.23

Final
Williams, 7.031, 154.62 def. Chesterman, foul

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Dean Howerton, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Dragster, C/D, 7.573 seconds, 179.25 mph def. Bill Kent, Midland, Texas, Dragster, C/D, 7.618, 178.10

SUPER STOCK
Justin Jenkins, Marysville, Kan., '91 Calais, GT/B, 11.330, 102.36 def. Kevin Nicks, Golden, Colo., '70 Barracuda, SS/FA, foul

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Keith Lynch, Mt Ayr, Iowa, '70 Nova, B/SA, 11.353, 110.62 def. Johnny Diekema, Wilton, Iowa, '70 Nova, B/S, 11.447, 115.79

SUPER COMP
Michael Miller, Santa Fe, N.M., Dragster, 9.486, 146.30 def. Eric Georges, Highlands Ranch, Colo., '23-T Ford, 9.442, 149.56

SUPER GAS
Danny Gruninger, Lakewood, Colo., '98 Monte Carlo, 10.536, 141.43 def. Mike Moerer, Lincoln, Neb., '94 Lumina, 10.518, 133.99

SUPER STREET
Timothy Law, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, '68 Camaro, 11.617, 118.23 def. Kevin Schroeder, Moundridge, Kan., '81 Mustang, 11.636, 119.47

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Tom Gilligan, Fremont, Neb., '79 Kawasaki, 10.015, 128.47 def. Brian Johnson, Ramsey, Minn., '03 Suzuki, 9.812, 131.18