NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series-Friday from Beech Bend Raceway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION
BEECH BEND RACEWAY, BOWLING GREEN, KY.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2003

CHEESEMAN, KELLY TOP QUALIFIERS AT BEECH BEND RACEWAY

        BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - In the opening rounds of qualifying for the
NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division held at Beech
Bend Raceway Park, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Guy Kelly and Top Alcohol
Funny Car pilot Chuck Cheeseman earned the top qualifying positions in
their classes. 
Kelly, of Wadley, Ala., outran the field in Top Alcohol Dragster with a
pass of 5.595 seconds at 254.28 mph.  Meanwhile, defending division Top
Alcohol Funny Car champion Chuck Cheeseman made a 5.961-second, 244.60-mph
pass to take the pole.  Cheeseman has three consecutive wins, and will be
looking to maintain his lead in the division points standings with a fourth
straight victory this weekend. 
In the Comp Eliminator class, Larry Pritchett, of Clarkrange, Tenn.,
qualified first, while Gary Russell, of Sparta, Ohio, was the top qualifier
in Super Stock.  Donald Holmes, of Dayton, Ohio, earned the top spot in
Stock Eliminator, and Tracy Dennis, of Lubbock, Texas, was the best
qualifier in Top Sportsman.
     The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Beech Bend Raceway continues
Saturday at 9 a.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m.  Gates open at 8 a.m. on Saturday,
and 7 a.m. on Sunday.  Tickets, pit pass, are $20 each day, or $30 for a
2-day pass.  Children under 12 are admitted free with a paid adult.  For
more information, call Beech Bend Raceway at (270) 782-1138.

        The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas
Oil Drag Racing Series event at Beech Bend Raceway Park:

Top Alcohol Dragster
1) Guy Kelly, Wadley, Ala., 5.595 seconds, 254.28 mph
2) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.678, 239.40
3) Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 5.699, 245.94
4) Bryan Weber, Vermilion, Ohio, 5.754, 244.60
5) Ken Perry, Toronto, Ont., 5.895, 195.68
6) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 6.016, 231.99
7) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 7.463, 115.69

Top Alcohol Funny Car
1) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.961 seconds, 244.60 mph
2) Jeff Craig, Muncie, Ind., '01 R/T, 5.999, 243.28
3) Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 6.059, 230.80
4) Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale, Texas, '98 Achieva, 7.398, 121.96

Competition Eliminator
1) Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '03 Sunfire, A/SM, 8.049 seconds,
-0.491 (under index)
2) Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23 Roadster, J/AA, 7.976, -0.484
3) Terry Smith, Williamstown, W.V., '32 Bantam, D/EA, 8.547, -0.473
4) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., Herndon, F/ED, 8.527, -0.463
5) Vinnie Deceglie, Alta Loma, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/A, 6.782, -0.448
6) Bo Butner, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '02 Sonoma, PSTA, 7.860, -0.440
7) Charlie Westcott Jr., Parma, Mich., '98 Grand Am, H/SM, 9.349, -0.431
8) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., McKinney, D/D, 7.400, -0.430
9) David Billingsley, Decatur, Ill., '93 Cutlass, C/AA, 7.627, -0.423
10) Douglas Stewart, Edwardsburg, Mich., '03 Stratus, C/SMA, 8.629, -0.371

Super Stock
1) Gary Russell, Sparta, Ohio, '98 Camaro, GT/M, 10.672 seconds, -1.128
(under index)
2) Bo Butner III, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '02 Alero, SS/BM, 8.638, -1.062
3) Charlie Westcott, Parma, Mich., '97 Grand Am, GT/E, 9.739, -1.061
4) Rock Running, Lapeer, Mich., '96 Achieva, GT/HA, 10.362, -0.988
5) Mike Cates, Milan, Tenn., '64 Mercury, SS/M, 10.917, -0.983
6) Don O'Malley, Decatur, Ill., '64 Corvette, SS/JA, 10.339, -0.961
7) Charlie Wescott Jr., Parma, Mich., '68 Cuda, SS/AA, 9.063, -0.937
8) Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., '96 Corvette, SS/AX, 8.975, -0.925
9) Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '00 Firebird, GT/HA, 10.427, -0.923
10) Scooter Anderson, Bartlett, Tenn., '67 Chevy II, SS/G, 9.827, -0.923

Stock Eliminator
1) Don Holmes, Dayton, Ohio, '78 Firebird, K/SA, 11.755 seconds, -1.195
(under index)
2) Jerry Bennett, Mayfield, Ky., '79 Aspen, H/SA, 11.277, -1.173
3) Randy Taylor, Beavercreek, Ohio, '86 Camaro, I/SA, 11.484, -1.116
4) Dave Edwards, Washington Ct Hs, Ohio, '78 Trans Am, J/SA, 11.669, -1.081
5) Floyd Russo, Gonzales, La., '01 Trans Am, B/FIA, 10.624, -1.076
6) George Widuch, Hermitage, Tenn., '78 Volare, I/SA, 11.529, -1.071
7) Bob Shaw, Sedalia, Mo., '85 El Camino, K/FIA, 14.107, -1.043
8) Steve Sullivan, West Chester, Ohio, '88 Mustang, G/FIA, 12.110, -1.040
9) Bruce Parsons, Lewisburg, Ohio, '86 Camaro, H/SA, 11.429, -1.021
10) Lewis Conkey, London, Ohio, '88 Camaro, G/FI, 12.146, -1.004

Top Sportsman
1) Tracy Dennis, Lubbock, Texas, '02 Grand Am, 7.303 seconds, 190.70 mph
2) Rick Corn, Benton, Ill., '01 Avenger, 7.321, 188.31
3) Jerry Barker, Byron, Ga., '02 Camaro, 7.378, 188.31
4) Don Peden, Edinburg, Ill., '03 Cavalier, 7.400, 186.74
5) Corey Glidewell, Corinth, Miss., '94 Cutlass, 7.405, 185.97
6) Jeremy Glidewell, Corinth, Miss., '95 Cutlass, 7.476, 185.97
7) Jeff Wilkerson, Athens, Ala., '00 Trans Am, 7.502, 185.21
8) Philip Montgomery, Owensboro, Ky., '00 Trans Am, 7.509, 183.69
9) Sandy Wilkins, Fuquay Varina, N.C., '01 Camaro, 7.525, 182.95
10) Bill Gibson, Steger, Ill., '01 Grand Am, 7.566, 183.69

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