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NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series-Saturday from Edgewater Sports Park


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION
EDGEWATER SPORTS PARK, CLEVES, OHIO
Saturday, August 02, 2003

TAD, TAFC RECORDS FALL AT EDGEWATER SPORTS PARK'S NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG
RACING SERIES EVENT
        CLEVES, Ohio. - In the final rounds of qualifying at Edgewater
Sports Park's Summer Thunder, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing
Series, Marty Thacker was the No.1 qualifier in Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD)
and Chuck Cheeseman grabbed the top spot in Top Alcohol Funny Car (TAFC). 
In their drive to No. 1, both racers reset the track elapsed time records
in their classes.
        What would have been the third and final qualifying run for both
categories was scrapped when the rain started to fall as they were heading
for the staging lanes.
        Thacker's 5.527-second, 257.65 mph pass catapulted him ahead of
yesterday's top qualifier, Jeff Wilson who failed to improve on his
previous run and finished in the sixth spot.  For Thacker, a Robinson,
Ill., resident, this is his second No. 1 qualifier of the season.
        Defending division TAFC champion Cheeseman of Galena, Ohio, pushed
himself to the No. 1 position with a 5.825-second, 246.91 mph effort. 
Yesterday's best qualifier Jeff Craig wound up qualified No. 2.  
        Cheeseman has won the division's last two events and is looking to
make it three-in-row.  However, Craig, who lives in Muncie, Ind., is his
biggest rival this season and if he can pull off a win this weekend the
drivers will have two wins apiece.    
        Santo Volpe of Cocoa, Fla., and Dave Layer of Dayton, Ohio, were
the No. 1 qualifiers in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, respectively.  In
Stock, John Lovins of Riverside, Ohio, retained his top position.  Top
Sportsman racer Scott Ray of Greenville, Ohio, is the best qualifier in his
class.  Ray's 6.473-second run was also a division record.
        Elimination start at 9 a.m. Sunday at Edgewater Sports Park and
gates open at 8 a.m.  Tickets for Sunday's action are $20.  Children 6 to
12 are $5 and kids 5 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.  For
more information, call Edgewater Sports Park, (513) 353-4666, or visit
www.EdgewaterRace.com.


        The following are Saturday's final qualifying results from the NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division Summer Thunder at
Edgewater Sports Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.527 seconds, 257.65 mph
2) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.588, 258.99
3) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.606, 259.74
4) Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 5.653, 248.61
5) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.762, 250.83
6) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.790, 241.48
7) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.833, 239.61
8) Bryan Weber, Vemillion, Ohio, 5.859, 246.37
Not Qualified
9) Ken Perry, Toronto, Ont., 5.863, 247.38
10) Denny Hummel, Clinton Twp., Mich., 5.902, 234.61
11) Russ Lindert, Valparaiso, Ind., 5.991, 247.72
12) Evan Knoll, Decatur, Mich., 6.359, 227.84
13) Timothy Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 6.500, 195.48
14) Paul Fishburn, Reusselaer, Ind., (no time)

First round TAD pairings
1) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.527 seconds, 257.65 mph vs. 8) Bryan
Weber, Vemillion, Ohio, 5.859, 246.37
2) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.588, 258.99 vs. 7) Robin Samsel, Marion,
Ind., 5.833, 239.61
3) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.606, 259.74 vs. 6) Jeff Wilson,
Winfield, Mo., 5.790, 241.48
4) Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 5.653, 248.61 vs. 5) Jeff Bohr,
Plymouth, Mich., 5.762, 250.83

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.825 seconds, 246.91 mph
2) Jeff Craig, Muncie, Ind., '02 R/T, 5.937, 245.36
3) Mick Snyder, DeMotte, Ind., '01 Firebird, 5.985, 237.21
4) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '00 Avenger, 6.041, 234.68
5) John Reikas III, Glendale Hts., Ill., '97 Camaro, 6.073, 229.76
6) David Kovar, New Lenox, Ill., '00 Trans Am, 6.123, 231.18
7) Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 6.134, 217.12
8) Fred Hagen, Chicago, '01 Avenger, 6.190, 210.37
Not Qualified
9) Greg Elliott, Bedford, Ind., '96 Firebird, 6.193, 228.25
10) James Spencer, Lawrenceburg, Ind., '00 Trans Am, 6.393, 223.04
11) Don DeVault, Kenland, Ind., '01 Avenger, 6.941, 217.33
12) Steve Franke, Indianapolis, Ind., '98 Lumina, 8.756, 96.15
13) Andrew Tarr, Louisville, Ky., '98 Trans Am, (no time)

First round TAFC pairings
1) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.825 seconds, 246.91 mph
vs. 8) Fred Hagen, Chicago, '01 Avenger, 6.190, 210.37
2) Jeff Craig, Muncie, Ind., '02 R/T, 5.937, 245.36 vs. 7) Kim Fritts,
Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 6.134, 217.12
3) Mick Snyder, DeMotte, Ind., '01 Firebird, 5.985, 237.21 vs. 6) David
Kovar, New Lenox, Ill., '00 Trans Am, 6.123, 231.18
4) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '00 Avenger, 6.041, 234.68 vs. 5) John
Reikas III, Glendale Hts., Ill., '97 Camaro, 6.073, 229.76

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Santo Volpe, Cocoa, Fla., '34 Chevy, A/SR, 8.034 seconds, -0.606 (under
index)
2) Mike Farrell, Louisville, Ky., '32 Bantam, D/SMA, 8.751, -0.549
3) Jerry Arnold, Kalamazoo, Mich., Kustoms, E/ED, 8.539, -0.531
4) Ed Bennett, Carleton, Mich., '99 Neon, B/A, 7.314, -0.486
5) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., Herndon, F/ED, 8.510, -0.480
6) Terry Smith, Williamstown, W.V., '32 Bantam, D/EA, 8.541, -0.479
7) Ian Landies Jr, Chardon, Ohio, '02 Cavalier, F/A, 8.365, -0.475
8) Michael Hazlett, Indianapolis, Ind., '97 Cutlass, B/A, 7.328, -0.472
9) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., Dragster, A/ED, 6.821, -0.469
10) Jack Slagle, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, '98 Grand Am, D/SMA, 8.832, -0.468

SUPER STOCK
1) Dave Layer, Dayton, Ohio, '87 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.342 seconds, -1.158
(under index)
2) Kerri Voges, Dayton, Ohio, '88 Camaro, SS/NA, 11.295, -1.155
3) Ron Terrell, Hebron, Ky., '85 Camaro, SS/KA, 10.516, -1.034
4) Rick Brown, Lebanon, Ohio, '92 Ciera, GT/IA, 10.469, -1.031
5) Larry Wilson, Mt Washington, Ky., '66 Bel Air, SS/NA, 11.424, -1.026
6) Ken Shawver, Defiance, Ohio, '78 Firebird, SS/KA, 10.538, -1.012
7) Mike Cates, Milan, Tenn., '64 Comet, SS/M, 10.888, -1.012
8) Gary Russell, E. Sparta, Ohio, '98 Camaro, GT/L, 10.611, -0.989
9) Zackary Running, Lapeer, Mich., '84 Cutlass, SS/MA, 11.188, -0.962
10) Michael Beachy, Kokomo, Ind., '82 Firebird, GT/DA, 9.844, -0.956

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) John Lovins, Riverside, Ohio, '00 Dakota, FT/SA, 12.208 seconds, -1.292
(under index)
2) Don Holmes, Dayton, Ohio, '78 Firebird, K/SA, 11.676, -1.274
3) Dave Edwards, Washington Ct Hse, Ohio, '78 Trans Am, J/SA, 11.528,
-1.222
4) Joey Wilkes, Zanesville, Ohio, '99 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.490, -1.210
5) Jerry Bennett, Mayfield, Ky., '79 Aspen, H/SA, 11.242, -1.208
6) Jim Paquet, Eaton Rapids, Mich., '99 Dakota, FT/SA, 12.403, -1.097
7) Randy Taylor, Beavercreek, Ohio, '86 Camaro, I/SA, 11.516, -1.084
8) George Widuch, Hermitage, Tenn., '78 Volare, I/SA, 11.536, -1.064
9) Steve Sullivan, West Chester, Ohio, '88 Mustang, G/FIA, 12.117, -1.033
10) Pat Kronenbitter, Millersport, Ohio, '86 Camaro, I/S, 11.515, -0.985

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Scott Ray, Greenville, Ohio, '63 Corvette, 6.473 seconds, 217.07 mph
2) Rick Corn, Benton, Ill., '01 Avenger, 7.273, 190.07
3) Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '89 Beretta, 7.340, 194.38
4) T.J. Tracey, Barrett, Tenn., '63 Corvette, 7.397, 189.47
5) Bill Gibson, Steger, Ill., '01 Grand Am, 7.483, 185.45
6) Sandy Wilkins, Fuquay Varina, N.C., '01 Camaro, 7.491, 182.96
7) Ron Smith, Fairfield, Ohio, '89 Camaro, 7.502, 185.07
8) Paul Mann, Jasper, Minn., '90 Firebird, 7.560, 176.05
9) Aaron Glaser, Shepherdsville, Ky., '63 Corvette, 7.592, 177.65
10) Todd Burks, Kalamazoo, Mich., '97 Cutlass, 7.594, 175.09