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NHRA FMDRS: California residents Weaver, Nicholson make themselves at home at Renagade Raceway

28 August 1999



YAKIMA, Wash. -John Weaver of Hanford, Calif. and Darren Nicholson of
Laguna Hills, Calif. took Renegade Raceway by storm Friday night, taking
the No. 1 qualifying positions in Federal-Mogul Funny Car and Federal-Mogul
Dragster, respectively.  

Weaver drove around eighteen other Federal-Mogul Funny Cars to collect the
Winston Top Qualifier award of $1000 and the right to face No. 8 qualifier
Dan McGlone of Gladstone, Ore.  After the first two qualifying sessions,
Weaver held the No. 1 qualifying position with a run of 5.940 seconds at
239.18 mph on a hot and slippery track.  In the final qualifying session
three drivers, John Hyland of Springfield, Ore., Pat Austin of Tacoma,
Wash., and Steve Sommer of Nampa, Idaho made quicker runs to take the No. 1
qualifying position away from Weaver until he came up to make his final
run.  Weaver came to the starting line knowing he had to run quicker than
Sommer's run of 5.920 seconds to reacquire the No. 1 qualifying position. 
Weaver took the challenge and made the quickest Federal-Mogul Funny Car run
of the day with a run of 5.902 seconds at 238.89 mph.

"We beat out a lot of great cars and drivers tonight," said Weaver.  "This
may have been the toughest field I have ever seen at a point race.  I was
happy to make the eight car field but taking the No. 1 spot was a great
accomplishment for this team."

Nicholson made the most of his last qualifying attempt by taking the $1000
from Winston for the No. 1 qualifying position.  Nicholson beat out the
1998 Northwest Division Champion, Dale Carlson of Olympia, Wash. to take
the No. 1 qualifying position with a run of 5.691 seconds at 245.72 mph.  
Eliminations will begin at Renegade Raceway on Sunday at 930 a.m.  Gates
open at 8 a.m.  Eliminations for Federal-Mogul Dragster and Federal-Mogul
Funny Car will begin at 6 p.m.  
 
The following are Saturday's qualifying results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul
Drag Racing Series event at Renegade Raceway:
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER 
1)      Darren Nicholson, Laguna Hills, CA, 5.691 seconds, 245.72 mph vs.
8) Bye
2)      Dale Carlson, Olympia, Wash., 5.715 seconds, 220.59 mph vs. 7) Mike
McHargue, Lewiston, ID, 7.290, 106.19
3) Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.772, 243.75 vs. 6) Kim Parker,
Graham, Wash., 6.027, 232.31
4) Steve Federlin, Oregon City, OR, 5.924, 234.43 vs. 5) Brett Hordemann,
Spokane, Wash., 6.010, 208.70 

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR 
1)     John Weaver, Hanford, CA, '99 Chevrolet, 5.902 seconds, 238.89 mph
vs. 8) Dan McGlone, Gladstone, Ore., '98 Chevrolet, 6.061, 230.30
2) Steve Sommer, Nampa, ID, '98 Pontiac, 5.920, 240.84 vs. 7) Mitch Myers,
Hermiston, Ore., '99 Chevrolet, 6.047, 230.55
3) Pat Austin, Tacoma, Wash., '99 Pontiac, 5.931, 243.08 vs. 6) Roger
Bateman, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, '97 Pontiac, 6.003, 235.58
4) John Hyland, Springfield, Ore., '98 Ford, 5.937, 238.73 vs. 5) Bucky
Austin, Fife, Wash., '98 Pontiac, 5.980, 235.60

Alternates
9.     Mike Giuliani, Abbotsford, B.C. Canada, '95 Oldsmobile, 6.207,
224.48
10. Brett Williamson, Campbell, Calif., '92 Pontiac, 6.227, 225.63
11. Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, ID, '97 Chevrolet, 6.270, 216.54
12. Matt Moreira, Richfield, ID, '94 Oldmobile, 6.279, 231.19
13. Forrest LeBlanc, Kent, Wash., '96 Dodge, 6.309, 224.73
14. Jett Field, Pocatello, ID, '97 Dodge, 6.481, 172.61
15. Dave Hix, Central Point, Ore., '97 Oldsmobile, 6.498, 213.82

COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Jim Kennedy, San Jose, CA, '94 Pontiac, F/A, 8.675 seconds
(0.387-seconds under Index)
2. Clint Salle, Glendive, Montana, '98 Dragster, C/D, 7.242 (-0.458)
3. Rich Howell, Yorba Linda, CA, '32 Chevrolet, B/A, 7.430 (-0.440)
4. Rick Braun, Redland, CA, '97 Pontiac, B/EA, 8.111 (-0.432)
5. Brian Hynstay, Eugene, Ore, '97 Dragster, G/D, 9.546 (-0.404)
6. Andy Manna Jr., Covina, CA, '90 Pontiac, 8.597 (-0.393)
7. Rod Robinson, Portland, Ore., '96 Oldsmobile, C/EA, 8.508 (-0.302)
8. John Chamberlin, Napa, CA, '98 Dragster, A/D, 6.863 (-0.237)
9. Mike Cherry, Hermiston, Ore., '81 Chevrolet, E/A, 8.664 (-0.126)
10. Harold Hoffman, El Sobrandt, CA, '91 Dragster, A/ED, 7.253, (-0.117)
 
SUPER STOCK
1. Guy Czarniak, Redding, CA, '69 Chevrolet, SS/DA, 9.794 seconds
(0.706-second under Index)
2. Bill Blakeney, Bell, CA, '68 Chevrolet, SS/HA, 10.223 (-0.677)
3. Don Thomas, Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada, '89 Chevrolet, GT/DA, 10.223
(-0.577)
4. Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '98 Pontiac, SS/CM, 9.340 (-0.560)
5. Rod Stults, Marysville, Wash., '64 Chevrolet, SS/MA, 11.602 (-0.548)
6. Art Congdon, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, '91 Oldsmobile, GT/CA, 10.183
(-0.517)
7. Tom Nolan, LaCombe, Alberta, Canada, '67 Chevrolet, SS/HA, 10.393
(-0.507)
8. James Packer, Kennewick, Wash., '87 Chrysler, GT/CA, 10.203 (-0.497)
9. Steve Polack, Enumclaw, Wash., '92 Chevrolet, GT/FA, 10.634 (-0.466)
10. Rod Hanner, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, '70 Plymouth, SS/EA, 10.239
(-0.411)

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Bill Kost, Renton, Wash., '77 Oldsmobile, M/SA, 12.143 seconds
(1.007-seconds under Index)
2. Bill Heard Jr., Vancouver, Wash., '96 Pontiac, E/SA, 11.101 (-0.899)
3. Rob Youngblood, Nampa, ID, '71 Ford, D/S, 10.947 (-0.853)
4. Don Elgin, DeMoins, Wash., '74 Pontiac, O/SA, 12.611 (-0.839)
5. Steve Wann, Modesto, CA, '70 Plymouth, C/SA, 10.861 (-0.839)
6. Steve Hanby, Salem, Ore. '85 Chevrolet, N/SA, 12.496 (-0.804)
7. JohnWinslow, San Jose, CA, '81 Dodge, ET/SA, 12.838 (-0.712)
8. Jim Waldo, Richland, Wash., '69 Ford, C/S, 10.996 (-0.654)
9. Bill Bushmaker, Auburn, Wash., '76 Plymouth, I/SA, 11.951 (-0.649)
10. Jackie Alley, Eagle, ID, '69 Chevrolet, F/SA, 11.510 (-0.640)

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