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

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION
SOUTHWESTERN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 2004
 
FIELDS SET FOR LUCAS OIL SERIES AT SIR
 
        TUCSON, Ariz. - Chris Demke started off qualifying No. 1, lost it, then took it back in Saturday's afternoon, and final, qualifying session for Top Alcohol Dragster. David Wilson laid down a 5.582-second pass at 247.43 mph in the morning session to move him ahead of Demke only to have Demke record a lap of 5.560 seconds at 253.75 mph Saturday afternoon.
        Demke, looking for his second NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series win of the young season, is followed by Wilson in the second spot and Mike Cofini in third with a run of 5.603 seconds, 251.95 mph.
        Robert Lee held on to the top spot in Top Alcohol Funny Car covering the quarter-mile in 5.814 seconds at 245.90 mph in his '03 Camaro. The Whittier, Calif., resident is followed by Dennis Taylor in second with a 5.820-second pass at 242.50 mph and Doug Gordon in third with a 5.829, 243.59.
        Glendale, Ariz., resident and defending NHRA Comp Eliminator National Champion Dean Carter sits on top of the Comp field with a pass of 7.104 seconds, 0.756 under his index.
        James Weakland held onto the number one spot in Super Stock with his run of 9.963 seconds while Harry Doolittle grabbed the top spot in Stock with a run of 12.487 seconds in his '02 Firebird. The five low qualifiers will share the $2,500 Sealed Power Low Qualifier bonus.
        In the Kerker Motorcycle Series, Ken Van Buren of New River, Ariz., leads the field and is followed by Mitchel Lippen from Cave Creek, Ariz., in the number two position.
        Eliminations begin Sunday at 9 a.m. Gates at Southwestern International Raceway 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 Saturday's final qualifying results and Sunday's first-round pairings for Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Southwestern International Raceway:
 
Top Alcohol Dragster
1) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.560 seconds, 253.75 mph
2) David Wilson, Farnborough, Great Britain, 5.582, 250.83
3) Mike Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 5.603, 251.95
4) Kent Nuckols, Albuquerque, N.M., 5.669, 252.57
5) Mark Niver, Phoenix, (no time)
 
First round TAD pairings
1) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.560 seconds, 253.75 mph vs. Bye
2) David Wilson, Farnborough, Great Britain, 5.582, 250.83 vs. 5) Mark Niver, Phoenix, 
(no time)
3) Mike Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 5.603, 251.95 vs. 4) Kent Nuckols, Albuquerque, N.M., 5.669, 252.57
 
Top Alcohol Funny Car
1) Robert Lee, Whittier, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.814 seconds, 245.90 mph
2) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.820, 242.50
3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '04 Camaro, 5.829, 243.90
4) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '03 Trans Am, 5.842, 244.43
5) Mert Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., '03 Trans Am, 5.862, 240.64
6) Hannes Warnhart, Bakersfield, Calif., '02 Firebird, 6.176, 231.32
7) Mike Drake, Glendora, Calif., '01 Avenger, 6.317, 223.76
8) Dale Van Gundy, Anaheim, Calif., '97 Trans Am, 6.344, 229.66
Not Qualified
9) Charles McLaws, Winslow, Ariz., '97 Firebird, 6.574, 211.03
 
First round TAFC pairings
1) Robert Lee, Whittier, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.814 seconds, 245.90 mph vs. 8) Dale Van Gundy, Anaheim, Calif., '97 Trans Am, 6.344, 229.66
2) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.820, 242.50 vs. 7) Mike Drake, Glendora, Calif., '01 Avenger, 6.317, 223.76
3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '04 Camaro, 5.829, 243.90 vs. 6) Hannes Warnhart,
Bakersfield, Calif., '02 Firebird, 6.176, 231.32
4) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '03 Trans Am, 5.842, 244.43 vs. 5) Mert Littlefield, Garden
Grove, Calif., '03 Trans Am, 5.862, 240.64
 
Comp Eliminator
1) Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., Dragster, A/ND, 7.104 seconds, -0.756 (under index)
2) Mike DePalma Jr, Glendale, Ariz., '99 Neon, B/A, 7.332, -0.668
3) Doug Lambeck, North Ridge, Calif., '04 Sunfire, D/SMA, 8.809, -0.651
4) Steve Wilmoth, Peoria, Ariz., '34 Chevrolet, C/SR, 8.879, -0.651
5) Lou Ficco, Wheatridge, Colo., '63 Corvette, B/AA, 7.385, -0.635
6) Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, N&P, A/AA, 6.987, -0.633
7) Vincent Deceglie, Alta Loma, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/A, 6.762, -0.628
8) Joe Mozeris, Phoenix, Frameworks, B/ED, 7.105, -0.615
9) Fred Gross, La Crescenta, Calif., '04 Cavalier, G/A, 8.811, -0.589
10) Dave Daly, Glendale, Ariz., N&P, A/ND, 7.319, -0.541
 
Super Stock
1) Jim Weakland, Morrison, Colo., '68 Camaro, SS/GA, 9.963 seconds, -1.287 (under index)
2) Kip Martin, Phoenix, '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.733, -1.247
3) Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., '04 Grand Am, GT/BA, 9.821, -1.119
4) Steven Wann, Modesto, Calif., '97 Dakota, GT/TA, 10.135, -1.115
5) Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '87 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.662, -1.108
6) Gary McGlasson, Los Lunas, N.M., '69 Camaro, SS/HA, 10.217, -1.093
7) Chuck Norton, Covina, Calif., '97 Firebird, SS/JA, 10.634, -1.086
8) Don Bevers, Tucson, Ariz., '91 Probe, SS/BM, 8.983, -1.077
9) Ronald Parness, Conifer, Colo., '67 Chevy II, SS/HA, 10.273, -1.037
10) Tony DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '64 Chevy, GT/GA, 10.590, -1.030
 
Stock Eliminator
1) Harry Doolittle, Hillsdale, Mich., '02 Firebird, H/FIA, 12.487 seconds, -1.463 (under index)
2) Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., '70 GTX, B/SA, 10.529, -1.451
3) Jeff Lee, Anthem, Ariz., '70 AMX, E/S, 10.989, -1.411
4) Wesley Libby, Spokane, Wash., '71 Challenger, B/SA, 10.650, -1.330
5) Robert Pond, Riverside, Calif., '67 Fairlane, A/S, 10.374, -1.296
6) Bobby DeArmond, Gallup, N.M., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.434, -1.286
7) Bill Nelson, Tucson, Ariz., '02 Firebird, I/FIA, 12.995, -1.265
8) Scott Burton, Golden, Colo., '71 Firebird, D/SA, 11.053, -1.237
9) Ken Etter, Riverside, Calif., '77 Volare, H/SA, 11.681, -1.229
10) Marka Gallina, Henderson, Nev., '89 Trans Am, E/FIA, 11.842, -1.228
 
Kerker Motorcycle
1) Ken Van Buren, New River, Ariz., '84 Kawasaki, KMC, 0.002 seconds reaction time
2) Mitchel Lippen, Cave Creek, Ariz., '02 Kawasaki, KMC, 0.003
3) Leo Shaver, Las Vegas, '87 Kawasaki, KMC, 0.004
4) Rick Newport, West Valley, Utah, '97 Suzuki, KMC, 0.011
5) Tom Lannie, Tucson, Ariz., '81 Suzuki, KMC, 0.014
6) Tom Patterson, Tucson, Ariz., '81 Kawasaki, KMC, 0.014
7) Lonnie Woodruff, Bountiful, Utah, '83 Kawasaki, KMC, 0.018
8) John Widmann, Garberville, Calif., '97 Kawasaki, KMC, 0.022
9) Pete Miclette, Garberville, Calif., '81 Suzuki, KMC, 0.031
10) Mike Yaw, Tucson, Ariz., '85 Suzuki, KMC, 0.148