NHRA brings drag racing back to Iowa with the Federal Mogul Drag Racing Series
12 September 1999
Earlville, Iowa - After several years without NHRA drag racing, since
divisional racing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, dragsters and funny cars are
roaring back into town at the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series at
Tri-State Raceway on Sunday.
Federal-Mogul Dragsters and Funny Cars, the 250 mph, 5 second blown
alcohol and nitro-injected racing machines of the NHRA will be making their
appearance in competition once again in Iowa, at Tri-State Raceway in
Earlville on Sunday. Some of the top drivers in the country will be
competing this weekend for the famous "Wally" trophy that is sought after
all drivers.
Some of the competitors who will be competing for their "Wally"
include Des Moines Iowa's Vern Moats who holds the record of most division
championships with a current count of 13 Federal-Mogul Funny Car
championship titles. He has also already won his 14th championship in the
funny car category with a commanding lead over his fellow competitors, but
some of the younger racers will be giving Moats a run for his money at this
weekend's race. One of those racers, Sam Blue, of Red Wing, Minn. will be
at the top of the ladder for Sunday's eliminations as he was the Winston
Top Qualifier of the event by having the quickest time of 5.902 seconds at
244.16 mph. Blue will have a bye run into the second round because he
finished at the top of the ladder.
The Winston Top Qualifier in the Federal-Mogul Dragster category was
Jeff Wilson, of Winfield, Mo. Wilson clocked a time of 5.547 seconds, a
new Tri-State Raceway record, and a speed of 249.72 mph. David Wells,
owner of Blue Bunny Ice Cream, from LeMars, Iowa finished out as the second
quickest Federal-Mogul Dragster on Saturday, but did come away with the
fastest run ever at Tri-State Raceway at 254.16 mph.
Eliminations begin at 8 a.m. Sunday morning. Federal-Mogul Dragster
and Funny Car will make their first elimination runs at Noon.
The following are the final qualifying results and Sunday's
elimination pairings for Federal-Mogul Dragster and Funny Car, from the
NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Tri-State Raceway, the last
of six events in the NHRA West Central Division:
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.547 seconds elapsed time, 249.72 miles per
hour vs. 8. Bruce Bowler, Denver, 6.513, 197.28
2. David Wells, LeMars, Iowa, 5.566, 254.16 vs. 7. Mark Kinser, Grimes,
Iowa, 6.031, 218.92
3. Rob Wendland, Lawrence, Kan., 5.632, 250.06 vs. 6. Ziggy Zivcovich,
Litchfield, Minn., 5.876, 238.34
4. Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 5.677, 248.41 vs. 5. Billy Bybee,
Mclean, Texas, 5.810, 243.70
FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
1. Sam Blue, Red Wing, Minn., '97 Achieva, 5.902 seconds elapsed time,
244.16 miles per hour (Bye run first round)
2. Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '99 Pontiac, 5.904, 244.36 vs. 7. Gage
Chaffee, Clear Lake, Minn., '96 Supreme, 6.892, 199.82
3. Lynn Engels, Watertown, S.D., '00 Camaro, 6.005, 241.67 vs. 6. Kirk
Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '98 Pontiac, 6.422, 228.19
4. Randy Fleming, Indepence, Mo., '99 Trans Am, 6.138, 243.70 vs. 5. Bruce
Carlson, Prior Lake, Minn., '97 Firebird, 6.271, 217.02
COMP ELIMINATOR
1. David Cook, Houston, B/Dragster, 6.922 (-0.578 seconds under index)
2. Doug Engels, Watertown, S.D., D/EDragster, 7.553 (-0.567)
3. Tom Snyder, Longmont, Colo., A/A '23 Chevy, 6.786 (-0.554)
4. Fred Gross, La Crescenta, Calif., D/A '96 Firebird, 7.976 (-0.554)
5. Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., I/A '23 Ford, 7.959 (-0.521)
6. Al Bresch, Stonewall, MB, Can., C/SM '92 Camaro, 9.113 (-0.517)
7. Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., G/A '92 Cutlass, 8.926 (-0.514)
8. Clint Sallee, Glendie, Mont., C/Dragster, 7.179 (-0.511)
9. Tom Schmidt, Lindstrom, Minn., C/EA '96 Grand Prix, 8.397 (-0.413)
10. Chad Brownlow, Rochester, Minn., C/EDragster, 7.596 (-0.394)
SUPER STOCK
1. Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., GT/IA '99 Pontiac, 10.422 (-1.078 seconds
under index)
2. Don O'Malley, Decatur, Ill., SS/KA '64 Corvette, 10.501 (1.049)
3. Randy Mans, Rogers, Minn., GT/JA '99 Firebird, 10.638 (-1.012)
4. Brian Butler, Centerville, Ohio, GT/GA '90 Beretta, 10.199 (-1.001)
5. Melissa Butler, Lebanon, Ohio, GT/FA '90 Sunbird, 10.125 (-0.975)
6. Don Sofranko, Davenport, Iowa, SS/L '66 Nova, 10.616 (-0.934)
7. Randy Hopkins, Scandia, Minn., SS/AA '68 Dart, 9.081 (-0.919)
8. Randall Klein, Lincoln, Neb., SS/NA '56 Nomad Wagon, 11.532 (-0.918)
9. Wayne Denklau, Wayne, Neb., SS/O '55 Bel Air, 11.610 (-0.890)
10. Randy Quam, Eagan, Minn., SS/BS '96 Acheiva, 9.139 (-0.861)
STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Lisa Stephenson, Danville, Ill., FF/SA '91 Delta 88, 14.291 (-1.329)
2. Jim Burg, Deerfield, Wis., GF/SA '82 Aries Wagon, 16.139 (-1.311)
3. Bill Rink, Naperville, Ill., K/SA '74 GTO, 11.708 (-1.242)
4. Darwin Hardy, Muskegon, Mich., U/SA '84 Buick, 13.949 (-1.201)
5. Jerry Mulkey, Burbank, Wash., N/S '91 Z-28, 12.160 (-1.090)
6. Greg Luneack, Vista, Calif., I/SA '72 Barracuda, 11.521 (-1.079)
7. Steve Koppien, Sioux Falls, S.D., B/SA '69 Camaro, 10.475 (1.075)
8. Dave Picht, Oakdale, Minn., E/S '72 Ford, 10.923 (-1.027)
9. Bill Prince, Maple Grove, Minn., K/SA '87 Cutlass, 11.934 (-1.016)
10. Kevin Helms, Byers, Colo., B/S '69 Camaro, 10.493 (-1.007)
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