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

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION
SOUTHWESTERN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 2004
 
WILSON, GORDON WIN / FLETCHER DOUBLES
 
        TUCSON, Ariz. - David Wilson earned his first NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series win this weekend at Southwestern International Raceway while Doug Gordon extended his points lead with his second win of the year in Top Alcohol Funny Car.
        Wilson, the 2003 FIA European Champion, took out Chris Demke in the Top Alcohol Dragster final with a pass of 5.665 seconds at 246.84 mph to Demke's 5.689 second, 250.74 mph lap.
        Wilson knew he would be advancing to the final round before the day even started as he was to face Mark Niver in round 1 who broke his car during qualifying and was unable to return for eliminations giving Wilson a bye run in round 1. Wilson received a second bye as a result of a five-car elimination ladder in which the No. 2 qualifier (Wilson) receives an automatic bye in the semi-finals. Wilson used the bye runs to try new combinations in the car which seemed to work as he recorded a personal best elapsed time of 5.736 seconds in round 1, then bettered that run with a 5.619-second lap in his semi-final effort.
        Gordon, of Paso Robles, Calif., drove his '04 Camaro to a 5.832 second, 245.40 mph win over John Patton who clocked in at 6.089 seconds, 211.10 mph. Gordon beat Hannes Wernhart and Dennis Taylor in rounds 1 and 2 respectively. 
        "This is our second divisional win this year so we're feeling pretty good right now. We had to change a lot of things on the car this weekend. It was a good win for the team" remarked Gordon.
        Dan Fletcher, who won the Mac Tools Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., last week, picked up wins in both Stock and Super Stock this weekend. The Churchville, N.Y., resident beat Glenn Snow in the final of Super Stock then switched over to the Stock class and knocked off Bernie Cunningham.
        2003 NHRA Comp Eliminator National Champion Dean Carter out ran Glendale, Ariz., resident Mike DePalma in the Comp final with a pass of 7.197 seconds at 183.99 mph.
        Winners in other categories are Rod Fuller of Rogers, Ark., over Milt Gedo in Super Comp; Jim Hughes of Phoenix, in Super Gas; and Ted Kellner of San Jose, Calif., in Super Street.
        Alex Selak won the Korbel Super Eliminator class over Bill Webber; Rick Newport took the Kerker Motorcycle win, and local favorite Don Tola won the Pro ET category.
        The Pacific Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series makes its next stop at Sacramento Raceway Park in Sacramento, Calif., April 30 - May 2.
 
        The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Southwestern International Raceway:
 
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
ROUND 1
2) David Wilson, Farnborough, Great Britain, 5.736, 248.89 def. 5) Mark Niver, Phoenix, Ariz., broke
4) Kent Nuckols, Albuquerque, N.M., 5.616, 253.00 def. 3) Mike Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 6.119, 170.64
1) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 6.386, 145.41 was unopposed
 
SEMIFINALS
Wilson, 5.619, 250.41 was unopposed
Demke, 5.680, 248.80 def. Nuckols, 10.202, 81.06
 
FINAL
Wilson, 5.655, 246.84 def. Demke, 5.689, 250.74
 
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
ROUND 1
3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., Chevy Camaro, 5.874, 242.32 def. 6) Hannes Warnhart, Bakersfield, Calif., Pontiac Firebird, 6.015, 239.70
4) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., Pontiac Trans Am, 5.924, 241.11 def. 5) Mert Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., Trans Am, 5.937, 238.26
2) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., Camaro, 5.836, 241.50 def. 7) Mike Drake, Glendora, Calif., Dodge Avenger, 5.998, 233.44
1) Robert Lee, Whittier, Calif., Camaro, 5.815, 243.77 def. 8) Dale Van Gundy, Anaheim, Calif., Trans Am, 6.033, 238.93
 
SEMIFINALS
Patton, 5.921, 243.50 def. Lee, 6.525, 151.20
Gordon, 5.832, 245.40 def. Taylor, 5.907, 241.54
 
FINAL
Gordon, 5.894, 243.94 def. Patton, 6.089, 211.10
 
COMP ELIMINATOR
Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., Dragster, A/ND, 7.197, 183.99 def. Mike DePalma Jr, Glendale, Ariz., '99 Neon, B/A, 7.407, 185.10
 
SUPER STOCK
Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., '69 Camaro, SS/EA, 10.323, 116.63 def. Glenn Snow, St. George, Utah, '85 Trans Am, GT/DA, foul
 
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 11.153, 112.07 def. Bernie Cunningham, Riverside, Calif., '98 Firebird, C/FIA, 11.761, 102.33
 
SUPER COMP
Rod Fuller, Rogers, Ark., Dragster, 9.156, 160.29 def. Milton Gedo, Pahrump, Nev., Dragster, 9.155, 155.69
 
SUPER GAS
Jim Hughes, Phoenix, '02 Corvette, 10.157, 143.72 def. Tommy Hall, Windsor, Calif., '61 Impala, 10.138, 144.67
 
SUPER STREET
Ted Kellner, San Jose, Calif., '75 Vega, 11.223, 136.72 def. Scott Rollins, Phoenix, '69 Camaro, foul
 
SUPER ELIMINATOR
Alex Selak, Mesa, Ariz., Dragster, 8.146, 168.98 def. Bill Webber, Kingman, Ariz., Dragster, 8.192, 176.24
 
KERKER MOTORCYCLE
Rick Newport, West Valley, Utah, '97 Suzuki, 8.847, 146.51 def. John Widmann, Garberville, Calif., '97 Kawasaki, 9.318, 137.81