NHRA: Manzo, Bartone Renew Rivalry at Gainesville

19 February 2000
        Gainesville, Fla. - Throughout the 1999 NHRA drag-racing season New
York Funny Car racers Frank Manzo and Tony Bartone clashed four times on
track, each time Bartone winning.

        However, when the points were tallied it was defending world
champion Manzo of Morganville who added another title to his war chest, a
runner-up finish in Houston in late-October ultimately costing Manhasset's
Bartone the championship.

        At the 2000 season-opening NHRA Southeast Division Federal-Mogul
Series race at Gainesville Raceway the two racers again are set to battle. 
During first-round qualifying Bartone drew first blood, leading the Funny
Car field with a 5.785-second lap, a heartbeat ahead of Manzo's
5.852-second run.

        Clearwater, Fla.'s Bob Bears leads the dragster field with a
5.582-second pass, barely edging Middleburg, Fla.'s Michael Gunderson, who
ran a 5.591.

        Qualifying resumes in all categories Saturday.  Gates at
Gainesville Raceway open at 8 a.m. and competition begins at 9 a.m.  F/M
Dragster and F/M Funny Cars are scheduled to run at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

        The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Gainesville Raceway:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER

1. Bob Bears, Clearwater, Fla., 5.582 seconds, 238.60 mph
2. Michael Gunderson, Middleburg, Fla., 5.591, 228.54
3. Jay Payne, Upland, Calif., 5.630, 253.30
4. Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 5.693, 243.37
5. Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 7.208, 191.08
6. Cherissa Griffis, Gainesville, Fla., 8.635, 104.89
7. Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., 15.943, 46.09


FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR 

1. Tony Bartone, Manhasset, NY, '99 Camaro, 5.785 seconds, 251.39 mph
2. Frank Manzo, Morganville, NY, '00 Avenger, 5.852, 250.27
3. Mark Billington, Apopka, Fla., '95 Achieva, 6.081, 229.59


COMPETITION ELIMINATOR

1. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., E/SM '98 Grand Am, 8.345
seconds(-0.705 seconds under Index)
2. Glen Treadwell, Sorrento, Fla., A/EA '23-T Ford, 7.575 (-0.555)
3. Dan Kilheffer, Carlisle, Pa., C/ED dragster, 7.568 (-0.522)
4. Tony Terry, Forest, Va., B/SM '96 Grand Am, 8.923 (-0.507)
5. Michael Hardee, Wilmington, NC, D/EA '97 Firebird, 8.584 (-0.506)
6. Van Puckett, Lithonia, Ga., B/EA '97 Pontiac, 8.106 (-0.484)
7. Bert Dawson, East Liverpool, Ohio, D/A '99 Firebird, 8.153 (-0.477)
8. Jerry Hemmingson, Concord, NC, B/A '94 Lumina, 7.438 (-0.432)


SUPER STOCK

1. Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala., GT/MA '97 Firehawk, 10.864 seconds (-1.186
seconds under index)
2. Butch Williams, Cherokee, NC, SS/CA '71 Corvette, 9.293 (-1.057)
3. Kenny Schindler, Hendersonville, Tenn., SS/E '68 Corvette, 9.533
(-1.017)
4. Fred Allen, Winamac, Ind., SS/IA '66 Nova, 10.024 (-0.976)
5. Johnny Fogle, Norway, SC, SS/HA '67 Camaro, 9.949 (-0.951)
6. Robin Brown, Madisonville, Ky., SS/K '66 Chevy II, 10.351 (-0.949)
7. Wayne Hayes, Elgin, SC, SS/NA '56 Bel Air, 11.519 (-0.931)
8. Eric Wingo, Springfield, Tenn., 92 Grand Am, 10.169 (-0.881)


STOCK ELIMINATOR

1. Woodrow Josey, Byron, Ga., D/SA '98 Firebird, 10.701 seconds (-1.149
seconds under index)
2. Tom Hemmingson, Concord, M/S '66 Chevelle, 12.006 (-1.144)
3. Lee Tuttle, Albany, Ga., T/SA '66 Chevrolet, 13.685 (-1.115)
4. Dave Walther, Lanesville, Ind., H/S '69 Camaro, 11.213 (-1.087)
5. Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala., U/SA '82 Cutlass, 14.085 (-1.065)
6. Wayne Shaw, Douglasville, Ga., M/SA '83 Malibu, 12.109 (-1.041)
7. Brandon Wood, Meigs, Ga., L/SA '85 Camaro, 11.974 (-1.026)
8. Larry Thomason, Union City, Tenn., I/SA '74 Corvette, 11.576 (-1.024)