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NHRA FMDRS: Santos sets track record at Thunder Valley

24 September 2000

        NOBLE, Okla. - Rick Santos reset his own track elapsed time record
set yesterday and established a new track speed record during today's final
qualifying for the Thunder Valley Autumn Classic, the final event in the
NHRA South Central Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series. Santos
driving his Oakwood Homes Federal-Mogul Dragster, bettered yesterday's mark
of 5.615 by nearly two tenths of a second with a pass of 5.421 seconds at
260.19 mph. His 260.19 mph blew out the old record of 253.09 mph set by
Bobby Taylor in 1997.

        Jay Meyer of Freeport, Texas follows Santos in the number two spot
with a run of 5.530 at 254.81. Meyer has already clinched the dragster
championship in the South Central Division but is chasing Santos in the
points battle for the national title. Meyers is in a must win situation
this weekend to keep his title hopes alive.

        Local Favorite, Shelley Howard, of Tulsa, Okla., jumped to the
number four spot in the dragster class with a final run of 5.559 at 255.31
mph. Howard is looking for her first win of the season and will meet up
with Troy Buff in round one.

        In Federal-Mogul Funny Car, it was Randy Fleming knocking off Todd
Simpson for the number one spot and the $1000 Winston Top Qualifier money.
The cool night air made for excellent racing conditions as Fleming covered
the quarter mile in 5.887 seconds at 248.75 mph. This is Fleming's first
pole position in the funny car category.

        Simpson who sat out the final qualifying session dropped to the
number two spot with a time of 5.901, 241.41 mph. Tate Branch, who is
expected to win the South Central Division Federal-Mogul Funny Car
Championship failed to qualify as he had traction problems in all three
qualifying efforts and could only muster a best run of 7.345 seconds
landing him in the number eleven spot. 

The following are Saturday's qualifying results and Sunday's pairings from
the NHRA South Central Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at
Thunder Valley Raceway Park.

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Rick Santos, San Leandro, Calif., 5.421 seconds, 260.19 miles per hour
vs. 8. Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.761, 241.80
2. Jay Meyer, Freeport, Texas, 5.530, 254.81 vs. 7. Joe Fuentes, Leander.
Texas, 5.738, 201.83
3. Bruce Bowler, Denver, Colo., 5.543, 252.38 vs. 6. Kent Nuckols,
Albuquerque, N.M., 5.735, 252.52
4. Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.559, 255.31 vs. 5. Troy Buff, Spring,
Texas, 5.609, 255.10

Not qualified
9. Larry Traugott, Woodword, Okla., 5.861, 239.48
10. Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.999, 216.45
11. Sergio, Recio, El Paso, Texas., 6.002, 236.65
12. Gene Snow, Ft. Worth, Texas, 6.012, 222.22
13. Larry Becktold, Luther, Okla., 7.045, 190.96
14. Bill Ancona, Mansfield, Texas, 7.061, 125.40
15. James Thompson, Jr., Vernon, Texas, 8.357, 98.52

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
1. Randy Fleming, Independence, Mo., '99 Trans Am, 5.887 seconds, 248.75
mph vs. 8.                
Bob Alberty, Muskogee, Okla., '98 Pontiac, 6.406, 206.94
2. Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '00 Avenger, 5.901, 241.41 vs. 7. Warren
Dauzat, 
Baton Rouge, La., '96 Achieva, 6..390, 221.18
3. Pete Swayne, Orange, Calif., '97 Firebird, 6.009, 242.98 vs. 6. Lawren
Jones, Albuqurque, N.M., '00 Corvette, 6.238, 208.47
4. Steve Addleman, Sioux Falls, S.D., '97 Firebird, 6.073, 199.60 vs. 5.
Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '97 Pontiac, 6.078, 241.02

Not Qualified
9. Richard Shaver, San Antonio, Texas, '98 Avenger, 6.407, 156.90
10. Kurt Prososki, Bellveue, Neb., '96 Daytona, 6.454, 224.77
11. Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '99 Avenger, 7.345, 139.21
12. Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., '97 Cutlass, 7.465, 213.82
13. Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '97 Camaro, 7.957, 106.34

COMPETITION
1. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '97 Grand Am, D/SM, 8.128 seconds,
-0.602 under the index
2. Brian Self, Houston, Texas, '00 S-10, A/T, 7.659, -0.521
3. Pete Carbery, Odessa, Texas, '89 Cutlass, B/A, 7.392, -0.478
4. Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., '00 dragster, C/D, 7.195, -0.475
5. Mike Trumble, Pasadena, Texas, '92 Camaro, D/SM, 8.257, -0.437
6. Jeff Naiser, Houston, Texas, '00 S-10, A/T, 7.714, -0.466
7. Joey Tanksley, Greenwell Springs, La., '92 dragster, B/ED, 7.095, -0.455
8. Joe Shalkowski, Thornton, Colo., '96 dragster, F/ED, 8.575, -.445
9. Roger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, '90 Trans Am, 8.286, -0.444
10. Arthur Sauceda, Deer Park, Texas, '00 dragster, C/D, 7.229, -0.441

SUPER STOCK
1. Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala. '97 Firehawk, GT/MA, 11.135 seconds, -0.915
under the index.
2. John Clegg, Victoria, Texas, '99 Firebird, SS/AM8.702, -0.848
3. Keith Mawhee, Carrollton, Texas, '98 Pontiac, SS/CM, 9.077, -0.823
4. Brent Johnson, Lecompte, La., '66 Impala, SS/NA, 11.631, -0.819
5. Buggs Dennis, Shorter, Ala., '88 Cutlass, SS/DA, 11.816, -0.784
6. Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '89 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.597, -0.753
7. Don Bevers, Tucson, Ariz., '91 Probe, SS/BM, 8.976, -0.724
8. Jeff Miller, Pearland, Texas, '97 Firehawk, GT/AA, 9.676, -0.724
9. Billy Ingels, Marnille, Mo., '74 Trans Am, SS/JA, 10.588, -0.712
10.  Frank Weaver, Waco, Texas, '97 Trans Am, GT/IA, 10.790, -0710

STOCK
1. Verne Buchnan, Conway, Ark., '73 Mustang, J/SA 11.711 seconds, -1.039
under the index.
2. Jim Cimarolli, Sulphur Springs, Texas, '70 Nova, C/SA, 10.769, -0.931
3. Martin Burke, Flower Mound, Texas, '69 Mustang, C/SA, 10.834, -0.866
4. Jeff Hefler, Mansfield, Texas, '97 Trans Am, F/SA, 11.185, -0.865
5. Floyd Colley, Waco, Texas, '84 Daytona, BF/SA, 14.390, -0.860
6. Mike Wenke, Conway Springs, Kan., '69 Mustang, B/SA, 10.712, -0.838
7. Marty Woddard, Gore, Okla., '66 Nova, L/S, 12.171, -0.829
8. Barron Gill, Winnsboro, La., '70 Nova, C/S, 10.834, -0.816
9. Martin Wilkes, Derby, Kan., '69 Fairlane, D/SA, 11.045, -0.805
10. Mike Cotton, Broken Arrow, Okla., '72 Duster, H/SA, 11.645, -0.805