NHRA Drag Racing, Firebird Raceway, Boise, Idaho, Sunday Results
17 April 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES, NORTHWEST DIVISION
FIREBIRD RACEWAY, BOISE, IDAHO
SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2000
HENTGES UPSETS WORLD CHAMP, ORDERS BELT BUCKLE
BOISE, Idaho - Federal Way, Wash.'s Mark Hentges pulled off the
biggest upset of the 30th annual Auto Parts 'N Stuff Ignitor at Firebird
Raceway in Boise, Idaho, when he stopped Rick Santos in the final round of
Federal-Mogul Dragster.
Facing the three-time defending World Champion from Brentwood,
Calif., Hentges left the starting line even with Santos and eased ahead
ever so slightly as the two dragsters thundered downtrack at the first race
of the 2000 NHRA Northwest Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series. At
the finish line Hentges crossed the stripe seven hundredths of a second
ahead of his rival to claim the win. Back on the starting line Hengtes'
wife, Lezlee, and the Airtime Aviation crew jumped with joy as their driver
won the race.
"Can you believe it?" asked Hentges. "I've joined the 'I've beaten
Rick Santos Club.' There aren't too many people in that club. I need to
go and get myself a big old belt buckle made that says I'm a member!"
Said Santos, who has lost only two individual heat races since
August 1999 for a combined 35-2 win-loss record, "The car shook the [rear]
tires real bad away from the starting line and when I punched 2nd gear I
saw him nose into the lead. Right then I knew it would be difficult to
catch him."
"This has been a career year already for us," enthused Hentges, who
has appeared in four final rounds in 2000, the win at Firebird Raceway
being his first victory of the year. "The car was consistent all weekend
[recording five runs between 5.67 seconds and 5.61 seconds]. I think we've
got a real shot at the NHRA Northwest title now."
Gladstone, Ore.'s Dan McGlone claimed the Federal-Mogul Funny Car
title over Russ Parker of Salem, Ore. Ralph Van Paepeghem gave local fans
plenty to cheer about. The Boise resident defeated Eugene, Ore.'s Brian
Hyerstay for the Competition Eliminator title.
- 30 -
The following are the final results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul
Drag Racing Series event at Firebird Raceway:
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
Quarterfinals
1) Rick Santos, Brentwood, Calif., 11.205 seconds, 69.32 mph, bye run
2) Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.675, 247.86 def. 7) Jaren Mott, Salt
Lake City, Utah, 6.410, 172.01
3) Dale Carlson, Olympia, Wash., 6.025, 234.86 def. 6) Ben Morgan, Idaho
Springs, Colo., no show
4) Duane Shields, Las Vegas, Nev., 5.657, 246.30 def. 5) Steve Federlin,
Oregon City, Ore., 5.828, 240.64
Semifinals
Santos, 5.569, 249.03 def. Shields, 8.290, 104.38
Hentges, 5.615, 249.72 def. Carlson, 5.679, 249.79
Final
Hentges, 5.615, 248.75 def. Santos, 5.688, 248.96
FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
Quarterfinals
1) Dan McGlone, Gladstone, Ore., '99 Camaro, 6.015 seconds, 231.89 mph, bye
run
2) Russ Parker, Salem, Ore., '97 Firebird, 5.967, 238.09 def. 7) Jett
Field, Pocatello, Idaho, '98 Avenger, 11.764, 72.27
3) John Hyland, Springfield, Ore., '00 Camaro, 6.068, 234.61 def. 6) Mitch
Myers, Hermiston, Ore., '99 Camaro, 6.240, 208.81
4) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '97 Firebird, 6.225, 237.15 def. 5) Kerry
Moreira, Richfield, Idaho, '92 Cutlass, 12.347, 66.57
Semifinals
McGlone, 5.990, 237.21 def. Bateman, broke
Parker, 6.111, 233.16 def. Hyland, 6.419, 182.59
Final
McGlone, 5.926, 238.41 def. Parker, 6.193, 228.94
COMPETITION
Ralph Van Paepeghem, Boise, Idaho, A/EA '32 Bantam, 7.934, 151.41 def.
Brian Hyerstay, Eugene, Ore., G/D dragster, 10.439, 85.49 (foul start)
SUPER STOCK
Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., GT/GA '89 Camaro, 10.597, 124.94 def. John
Schiess, North Hills, Calif., GT/BA '91 Calais, 9.791, 135.35
STOCK
Jody Lang, Puyallup, Wash., N/SA '79 Malibu, 13.144, 99.27 def. Chad Loge,
Livermore, Calif., I/SA '79 Volare, 12.140, 107.61
SUPER COMP
Dick VanderMeer, Boise, Idaho, dragster, 9.210, 161.69 def. Michael Peck,
Woodinville, Wash., dragster, 9.159, 146.69 (broke out)
SUPER GAS
Rod Hoerner, Spokane, Wash., '63 Corvette, 10.242, 154.13 def. Ken Heard,
Ridgefield, Wash., '86 Mustang, 10.195, 135.60 (broke out)
SUPER STREET
Ron Fitzhugh, Foresthill, Calif., '64 Chevrolet II, 11.156, 127.84 def.
Chet Vandewater, Meridian, Idaho, '65 Chevrolet II, 11.148, 123.89 (foul
start)
TOP COMP
Matt Schoenfield, Magna, Utah, dragster, 8.299, 154.32 def. Mark Barnhart,
Emmett, Idaho, dragster, 7.778, 170.42
PRO SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Leeland King, Shelton, Wash., '78 Kawasaki, 9.860, 130.79 def. Gary Oaks,
Las Vegas, Nev., '78 Kawasaki, 10.017, 129.06 (foul start)