FMDRS results Friday from Gainesville Raceway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTHEAST DIVISION GAINESVILLE RACEWAY, GAINESVILLE, FLA. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2001

2001 NHRA SOUTHEAST DIVISION KICKS-OFFS AT GAINESVILLE RACEWAY

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - NHRA's Southeast Division kicked off its 2001 Federal-Mogul Drag Racing season today at Gainesville Raceway. Racing action consisted of qualifying and time trials for the Comp., Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp., Super Gas, and Super Street Categories. Mike Saye drove his '92 Cutlass to the number one qualifying spot in Comp. Eliminator with a pass of 8.852 seconds, 0.738 seconds under his index. Saye is followed by defending event champion and Southeast Division Champion Larry Pritchett of Clarkrange, Tenn. who ran an 8.274 seconds at 0.969 under. Bob Dennis of Shorter, Ala., sits at the top of two categories claiming the number one spot in both the Stock and Super Stock classes. Dennis campaigns an '82 Cutlass in Stock while running a '97 Firehawk in Super Stock. A number of Federal-Mogul Dragsters and Funny Cars took to the track yesterday in a "test and tune" session. Reigning Federal-Mogul Funny Car National Champion Frank Manzo made three laps down the quarter mile with a best time of 4.88 seconds. Manzo, testing some new combinations, shook the tires on each of the three passes but hopes to have things figured out for Sunday's eliminations. Manzo will make his first qualifying pass tomorrow with both the dragsters and funny cars running at 3 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. Four time defending Southeast Division Federal-Mogul Dragster Champion Michael Gunderson of Middleton, Fla., will have plenty of competition, as this is the first race of the season for most of the East Coast racers. Gates open tomorrow at 8 a.m. with racing scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.

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

COMPETITION 1. Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., G/A, '92 Cutlass, 8.852 seconds, -0.738 seconds under the index. 2. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., E/SM, '98 Grand Am, 8.274, -0.696 3. David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., A/EA, '32 roadster, 7.445, -0.625 4. Rob Slavinski, Mundord, Tenn., B/AA, '96 Grand Prix, 7.298, -0.622 5. Bob Rossi, Woodbridge, N.J., A/A, '92 dragster, 6.810, -0.600 6. Wayne Hutton, Portland, Tenn., A/SM, '92 Olds, 8.497, -0.583 7. Fred Allen, Winamac, Ind., A/EA, '23 Ford, 7.493, -0.577 8. Larry Mayes, Greenwood, Ind., B/AA, '96 Cutlass, 7.401, -0.519 9. Doug Stewart, Edwardsburg, Mich., B/ED, '00 dragster, 7.092, -0.518 10. Dan Leveto, Meadville, Penn., B/A, '00 Firebird, 7.403, -0.497

SUPER STOCK 1. Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala., GT/MA, '97 Firehawk, 10.830 elapsed time, 1.220 under the index. 2. Brad Allen, Winamac, Ind., GT/TB, '01 S-10, 10.010, -1.190 3. Larry Mayes, Greenwood, Ind., SS/AM '96 Achieva, 8.391, -1.159 4. Scooter Anderson, Bartlett, Tenn., SS/G, '67 Chevy II, 9.649, -1.101 5. Joe Skinner, Colmbia Station, Ohio, GT/BA, '94 Calalier, 9.484, -1.066 6. Randy Hopkins, Scandia, Minn., SS/AA '68 Dart, 8.946, -1.054 7. George Vignogna, Mahopac, N.Y., SS/AS, '97 Sebring, 8.874, -1.026 8. Mark Nowicki, Gaylord, Mich., GT/HA, '98 Avenger, 10.319, -1.031 9. Andy Fogle, Norway, S.C., SS/HA, '67 Camaro, 9.874, -1.026 10. Ray Vignogna, Stormville, N.Y., GT/GA, '93 Daytona, 10.184, -1.016

STOCK 1. Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala., U/SA, '82 Cutlass, 13.659 seconds, -1.491 under the index. 2. Tom Hemmingson, Concord, N.C., M/S, '66 Malibu, 11.904, -1.246 3. John Livingston, Nashville, Tenn., K/SA, '91 Camaro, 11.735, -1.215 4. Peter Noriega, Hialeah, Fla., V/SA, '80 Malibu, 14.610, -1.190 5. Brandon Wood, Thomasville, Ga., M/SA, '85 Camaro, 11.968, -1.182 6. Woodro Josey, Byron, Ga., D/SA, '98 Firebird, 10.676, -1.174 7. Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, N.C., M/SA, '85 Camaro, 11.995, -1.155 8. Jimmy Shepard, Kinston, N.C., I/SA, '86 Camaro, 11.460, -1.140 9. Jim Boudreau, Tewksbury, Mass., C/SA, '69 Camaro, 10.575, -1.125 10. Jeff Teuton, Houma, La., ET/SA, '97 Dodge, 12.236, -1.114