NHRA FMDRS final results from Route 66 Raceway

26 September 1999
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER DRIVER DAVE HIRATA SCORES UPSET VICTORY AT ROUTE 66
RACEWAY WITH TWO OF THE FASTEST RUNS EVER RECORDED IN THAT CATEGORY

        Joliet, Ill.- Dave Hirata, from Lowell, Ind., took an upset victory
over some of the best drivers in the NHRA North Central Division at the
NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series at Route 66 Raceway.

     After qualifying eighth on Saturday, and being paired against
defending NHRA North Central Division champion Bill Reichert, from Owosso,
Mich., Hirata and his crew knew they would have to step up against his
competitors.  "I've never beaten Shawn Bowen and I don't look forward to
racing against Reichert any time" Hirata said.

     Hirata beat the Winston Top Qualifier with a 5.533 second pass at
254.09 miles per hour to Reichert's 6.024 second 185.49 mph run.

     In the final round Hirata faced an opponent he had never beaten
before, Bowen, and made an incredible 5.462 second run at 268.38 mph, the
second fastest speed ever run by a Federal-Mogul Dragster.  Keith Stark,
from Danville, Ill., currently holds the record for fastest speed at 270.51
mph.  Stark, coincidentally, is also a competitor and is working as a tuner
on Hirata's car this season, which helped to make a deadly combination with
Hirata's driving skills.

     "This is very exciting" Hirata exclaimed.  "I didn't realize we had
three of the six fastest runs in Federal-Mogul Dragster."  

     In Federal-Mogul Funny Car, 66 time national event winner Pat Austin,
from Tacoma, Wash., claimed victory over Danny Townsend, from Muncie, Ind. 
Even Austin, through his years of experience and knowledge couldn't believe
the competitive level of the bump spot for Federal-Mogul Funny Car.

    "There might have been a quicker bump spot somewhere else, but I can't
recall any right now" Austin said.  The bump spot was the time competitors
had to beat to make the eight car field of competition in Sunday's
elminations.  That bump spot was established in qualifying Saturday
afternoon, and that spot was 5.84 seconds, possibly the quickest ever in
division history.

   The following are final results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing
Series event at Route 66 Raceway, the last of six races in the NHRA North
Central Division listing driver, city, state, make of car, elapsed time in
seconds and miles per hour:


FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER 

Round 1

8. Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.533 seconds elapsed time, 254.09 miles per
hour def. 1. Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 6.024, 185.49
2. Shawn Bowen, Montrose, Mich., 5.515, 254.66 def. 7. Mark Kinser, 6.453,
183.87
3. Darren Nicholson, Laguna Hills, Calif., 5.529, 258.27 def. 6. Jeff Bohr,
Plymouth, Mich., 5.766, 239.57
4. Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.614, 252.47 def. 5. Don Devault, Kentland,
Ind., 11.104, 70.68

Round 2

8. Hirata, 5.424, 264.65 def. 4. Wilson, 5.650, 251.16
2.  Bowen, 5.573, 254.52 def. 3. Nicholson, 6.077, 179.56

Final Round

8.  Hirata, 5.462, 268.38 def. 2. Bowen, 5.522, 253.18

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR 

Round 1

1. Pat Austin, Tacoma, Wash., '99 Firebird, 5.733, 252.05 def. 8. Jeff
Craig, Muncie, Ind., '96 Achieva (No time recorded, broke)
2. John Lawson, Joliet, Ill., '99 Firebird, 5.817, 247.61 def. 7. Bob
Gottschalk, Toledo, Ohio, '99 Avenger, 10.697, 79.41
3. Danny Townsend, Muncie, Ill., '97 Firebird, 5.906, 248.98 def. 6. Cy
Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '99 Trans Am, 5.934, 244.52
4. Todd Paton, Ontario, Can., '99 Firebird, 5.834, 247.20 def. 4. Kim 
    Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 5.877, 247.70

Round 2

1. Austin, 5.749, 252.10 def. 4. Paton, 5.861, 247.88
3.  Townsend, 5.919, 250.60 (.475 reaction time) def. 2. Lawson, 5.910,
247.02   
   (.487 reaction time)
 
Final Round

1.  Austin, 5.746, 251.86 def. 3. Townsend, 18.494, 41.04 (Broke)

COMP ELIMINATOR

Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., F/EDragster, 8.469, 153.21 def. Don Stratton,
Beloit, Ohio, B/SR '34 Chevrolet, 8.181, 161.56

SUPER STOCK

Bo Butner, Floyd Knob, Ind., SS/AM '98 Grand Am, 8.732, 153.07 def. Joe
Covert, Saukville, Mich., SS/BX '94 Regal, 10.094, 133.34

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Dave Picht, Oakdale, Minn., E/S '72 Ford, 11.203, 116.13 def. Randy
Shepard, Holmen, Wis., B/S '69 Camaro, 10.762, 124.58

SUPER GAS

Leo Zynda, Roseville, Mich., '90 Cavalier, 9.957, 131.31 def. Steve
Shaughnessy, Springfield, Ill., '27 T, 10.186, 119.17

SUPER COMP

Dan Clark, Columbus, Ohio, 8.908, 160.65 def. Brian Folk, Durand, Ill.,
8.926

SUPER STREET

Mark Hackett, Quincy, Ill., '67 Nova, 10.868, 134.87 def. Kevin Mcdowell,
Central City, Ky., '65 Mustang, 10.933, 131.00