Final Results from Phoenix

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2001

AUSTIN AND STRASBURG ENJOY VICTORY AT WEATHER DELAYED EVENT

CHANDLER, Ariz.-With Saturday's time trials and qualifying sessions cancelled due to Mother Nature unleashing her fury, racing resumed Sunday at Firebird International Raceway. However, after the first round of elimination's, competition was postponed until Monday due to recurring inclement weather. The Sealed Power Low Qualifier awards went to: Brandon Henkelman in Federal-Mogul Dragster (5.695 e.t., 261.52 mph), John Weaver for Federal-Mogul Funny Car (5.896 e.t., 241.28 mph), Kirk Kuhns in Competition Eliminator (6.500 e.t., 218.19 mph), Michael Ogburn in Super Stock (8.984 e.t.), and Bill Rink in Stock (11.775 e.t.). In the end there were ten winners: Mike Strasburg in Federal-Mogul Dragster, Pat Austin in Federal-Mogul Funny Car, Bill Kent in Competition Eliminator, John Scheiss of North Hills, Calif., in Super Stock, Chad Loge in Stock, Billy Modex in Super Comp, Bob Bielaszka in Super Gas, Bernie Polvadore of Peoria, Ariz., in Super Street, Bill Webber of Kingman, Ariz., in Super Eliminator, and Rich Newport of West Valley City, Utah in Motorcycle. In Federal-Mogul Dragster competition, Lindon, Utah resident, Mike Strasburg stormed through the field to capture his second straight divisional victory and his first of the 2001 season with a stellar run of 5.587 and 252.05 mph. "I thought winning in Las Vegas was hard, said a jubilant Strasburg, but this was much more difficult because of the weather conditions. It feels good none the less." In Federal-Mogul Funny Car, long-time competitor Pat Austin of Tacoma, Wash. came away with the victory after holding off a tough Steve Gasparelli of West Covina, Calif. Austin'' run of 5.752 and 248.43 mph was his best run of the weather delayed event and narrowly edged Gasparelli's 5.735 and 256.16 mph.

In other racing news, making his racing debut in a Darian/Meadows Federal-Mogul Dragster, is Brandon Bernstein, the son of five-time NHRA champion Kenny Bernstein. Talking about the comparisons to his famous father, "Those are big shoes to fill, but I'm not really worried about filling them. I think I need to concentrate and focus my energy on my career and not worry about being Kenny Bernstein's son," Brandon said. Lastly, winning the Best Appearing Car award was Dean Hoffman of Laguna Hills, Calif. Taking the Best Engineered honors was Yorba Linda, Calif. resident Kirk Kuhns for his 1963 Pro-Mod Corvette. Finally, the Best Appearing Crew award went to the Federal-Mogul Dragster team of Kevin Brown of Clearfield, Utah.

The following are Monday's final round results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Ariz.:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER

Round 1 1) Mike Strasburg, Lindon, Utah, 6.677 e.t., 138.56 mph def. BYE 2) Brandon Henkelman, San Jose, Calif., 5.695 e.t., 261.52 mph def. 13) Brian Hough, Eugene, Ore., 15.101 e.t., 39.76 mph 12)Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forrest, Calif., 5.775 e.t., 253.90 mph def. 3)Dale Carlson, Olympia, Wash., 5.823 e.t., 244.12 mph 4) Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 5.761 e.t., 219.36 mph def. 11) Don Hudson, Stockton, Calif., 5.991 e.t., 241.32 mph 5) Steve Cantrell, Wilmington, Del., 7.208 e.t., 126.14 mph def. 10) Kevin Brown, Clearfield, Utah, 10.300 e.t., 79.18 mph 6) Sergio Recio, El Paso, Texas, 11.585 e.t., 59.29 mph def. 9) Marshall Topping, Costa Mesa, Calif., No Show 7) Mark Niver, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5.800 e.t., 255.68 mph def. 8) Gary Anderson, 11.164 e.t., 83.05 mph

Round 2 Strasburg, Lindon, Utah, 8.540 e.t., 94.55 mph def. Niver, Scottsdale, Ariz., No Show Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 9.793 e.t., 93.41 mph def. Cantrell, Wilmington, Del., 5.730 e.t., 238.17 mph Henkelman, San Jose, Calif., 8.364 e.t., 100.95 mph def. BYE Recio, El Paso, Texas, 5.603 e.t., 253.09 mph def Bernstein, Lake Forrest, Calif., 7.406 e.t, 253.09 mph

Semi-Finals Strasburg, 5.585 e.t., 251.30 mph def. Hitchman, 5.915 e.t., 189.31 Henkelman, 5.638 e.t., 261.78 mph def. Recio, 6.230 e.t., 157.87

Final Round Strasburg, 5.587 e.t., 252.05 mph def. Henkelman, 5.735 e.t., 256.16 mph

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR

Round 1 1) Pat Austin, Tacoma, Wash., 10.354 e.t., 80.42 mph def. BYE 13) Ray Heffron, Fort Worth, Texas, 9.314 e.t., 112.12 mph def. 2)Bucky Austin, Fife, Wash., 9.859 e.t., 61.04 mph 3) Steve Gasparelli, West Covina, Calif., 5.903 e.t., 217.74 mph def. 12) Pete Rivera, Mesa, Ariz., No Show 4)John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., 5.896 e.t., 241.28 mph def. 11) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., 6.575 e.t., 224.81 mph 5) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., 6.269 e.t., 229.51 mph def. 10) Jimmy Bartoli, Duarte, Calif., No Show 6) Bernie Harrington, Apple Valley, Calif., 6.488 e.t., 218.94 mph def. 9) Brett Williamson, Campbell, Calif., 31.179 e.t., 32.52 mph 7)Jason Rupert, Anaheim, Calif., 6.754 e.t., 172.39 mph def. 8) Lawren Jones, Albuquerque, N.M., 9.967 e.t., 81.96 mph

Round 2 Austin, Tacoma, Wash., 5.790 e.t., 242.58 mph def. BYE Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., 6.009 e.t., 237.75 mph def. Weaver, Hanford, Calif., 25.117 e.t., 24.85 mph Rupert, Anaheim, Calif., 9.154 e.t., 77.21 mph def. Heffron, Fort Worth, Texas, No Show Gasparelli, West Covina, Calif., 5.692 e.t., 240.81 mph def. Harrington, Apple Valley, Calif., 6.282 e.t., 227.04 mph

Semi-Finals Austin, 5.822 e.t., 237.09 def. Gordon, 5.843 e.t., 240.34 Gasparelli, 5.800 e.t., 239.40 def. Rupert, 6.333 e.t., 214.28

Final Round Austin, 5.752 e.t., 248.43 mph def. Gasparelli, 5.819 e.t., 247.19 mph

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR Bill Kent, Midland, Texas, '00 Dragster, 7.232 e.t, 162.53 def Ed Sigmon, Chatworth, Tenn., 9.395 e.t., 121.37

SUPER STOCK John Schiess, North Hills, Calif., '91 Oldsmobile, 9.703 e.t., 132.24 mph def. Ron Courtney, Johnston, S.C., '80 Pontiac, 10.471 e.t., 123.08 mph

STOCK ELIMINATOR Chad Loge, Livermore, Calif., '79 Volare, 11.747 e.t., 110.66 mph def. Scott Loge, Livermore, Calif., '78 Volare, 12.919 e.t., 99.49 mph

SUPER COMP Billy Modex, Sidney, Neb., '99 Dragster, 8.993 e.t., 167.20 mph def. Rick Beckstrom, Novato, Calif., 8.996 e.t., 174.28 mph

SUPER GAS Bob Bielaszka, Lancaster, N.Y., '96 Grand Prix, 9.987 e.t., 141.34 mph def. Dave Coatsick, Ontario, Calif., '27 Ford, 9.937 e.t., 137.99

SUPER STREET Bernie Polvadore, Peoria, Ariz., '78 Pinto, 10.998 e.t., 119.25 mph def. Keith Manogue, Phoenix, Ariz., 10.983 e.t., 135.02

MOTORCYCLE Rich Newport, West Valley City, Utah, '97 Suzuki, 8.239 e.t, 160.33 mph def. Phillip Nasca, Chico, Calif., '93 Ninja, 9.825 e.t., 132.87 mph

SUPER ELIMINATOR Bill Webber, Kingman, Ariz., '00 Dragster, 7.947 e.t., 179.88 mph def. Jim Luttrell, Apache Junction, Ariz., '97 Dragster, 7.914 e.t., 184.52

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