NHRA FMDRS: Orlando Speed World Dragway, Final Results

HENTGES, SMITH MAKE IT A DOUBLE IN NHRA SOUTHEAST DIVISONAL COMPETITION

ORLANDO, Fla. - Another beautiful day for the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series Florida Nationals at Orlando Speed World Dragway. Mark Hentges of Federal Way, Wash. in Federal-Mogul Dragster and Von Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn. in Federal-Mogul Funny Car made it two-for-two in NHRA Southeast Division competition after both took wins two weeks ago at Gainesville Raceway and today at Orlando Speed World Dragway. Hentges, the defending Northwest Division Federal-Mogul Dragster Champion, has had a perfect East Coast swing after winning his second race in three weeks in the state of Florida. After qualifying No. 2 , Hentges drove his AirTime Aviation Federal-Mogul Dragster to two consecutive 5.5 seconds runs in the first and semifinal rounds to beat Eric Edelmann of Clearwater, Fla. and Bill McCornack of Lexington, Ky., respectively. In the semi's, Hentges lost an engine and needed help to get back to run the final. Billy Bybee's Federal-Mogul Dragster team, who lost in the first round, showed some sportsmanship and pitched in to help the man-short Hentges team change the engine. Hentges beat the clock and beat Arthur Gallant of Boxboro, Mass. on a holeshot. Hentges ran his slowest pass of the weekend with a run of 5.633 seconds at 254.52 mph with a .478 reaction time to Gallant's run of 5.603 seconds at 244.63 mph with a .542 reaction time. Hentges son, Randy Hentges was competing in his first NHRA Jr. Dragster event at Seattle Int'l Raceway in a identical painted Thunder Dragster. Like father like son, Randy took home the championship with a win in his first Jr. Dragster race. "We couldn't of won today without the help of [Billy] Bybee's team after the semi's and a local crew member we picked up yesterday, Barrymore George", said Hentges. "We are undefeated in our last four divisional events and my crew, Don Eason and Dustin Hentges has been running themselves ragged since early February. I hope our luck holds out and we can win our first national event next weekend in Gainesville." In Federal-Mogul Funny Car, former three-time IHRA Funny Car champion and NHRA rookie Smith won his second Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event in two tries. Smith beat another former IHRA Funny Car Racer, Mike Preslar of Arden, NC in the first round with a pass of 6.053 seconds at 242.71 mph to Preslar's run of 7.113 seconds at 144.69 mph to get the bye to the final round to face defending Southeast Division Federal-Mogul Funny Car champion, Jay Payne of Claremont, Calif. In the final, Smith car got the jump at the start with a reaction time of .495 to Payne's .542. At the 330 foot mark, Payne's Valvoline funny car began to smoke the tires and that's all Smith needed for the win. Smith cruised to his quickest pass since coming to the NHRA with a run of 5.913 seconds at 247.04 mph. Other winners at the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series Florida Nationals include: Gary Merrick of Girard, Ohio in Comp; Anthony Bertozzi of Richmond, Va. In Super Stock; Scott Welborn of West Columbia, SC in Stock; Andy Stapleton of Douglas, Ga. in Super Comp; Ralph Barrett of Gainesville, Fla. in Super Gas and Kevin MacNicol of North Port, Fla. in Super Street.

The following are the final Results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at the Orlando Speed World Dragway:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER First Round 1) Michael Gunderson, Middleburg, Fla., 5.656 seconds, 253.66 mph (.500 reaction time) def. 8) Billy Bybee, McLean, Texas, 5.626, 251.32 (.623 r/t) 2) Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.587, 255.24 def. 7) Eric Edelmann, Clearwater, Fla., 6.195, 224.21 3) Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 5.669, 246.30 def. 6) Shawn Bowen, Montrose, Mich., 5.692, 259.66 4) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 5.532, 238.34 vs. 5) Dan Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., 9.371, 93.19

Semifinals Gallant, 5.549, 245.70 def. Gunderson, 5.713, 236.77 Hentges, 5.531, 254.09 def. McCornack,, 5.679, 247.66

Final Hentges, 5.633, 254.52 (.478 r/t) def. Gallant, 5.603, 244.63 (.542 r/t)

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR First Round 1) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '01 Pontiac Firebird, 6.053 seconds, 242.71 mph def. 6) Mike Preslar, Arden, NC, '01 Chevrolet Corvette, 7.113, 144.69 2) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '01 Chevrolet Camaro, 6.016, 233.28 def. 5) Todd Veney, Indianapolis, Ind., '98 Firebird, 6.696, 211.91 3) Mark Billington, Apopka, Fla., '95 Oldsmobile Achieva, 6.228, 226.07 def. 4) Dave Ryan, Palatka, Fla., 6.228, 226.07

Semifinals Smith, 11.840, 63.89 def. Bye Payne, 5.887, 243.77 def. Billington, 6.122, 229.65

Final Smith, 5.913, 247.04 def. Payne, 10.695, 69.89

COMP ELIMINATOR Gary Merrick, Sorrento, Fla., '23 Ford Roadster, D/EA, 13.886, 75.80 def. Mike Saye, Johnston, SC, '92 Oldsmobile Cutlass, G/A, Foul-red light

SUPER STOCK Anthony Bertozzi, Richmond, Va., '98 Pontiac Grand Am, SS/CM, 9.317, 138.78 def. Joey Warren, Clinton, NC, '87 Chevrolet Camaro, GT/CA, 9.859, 135.19

STOCK ELIMINATOR Scott Welborn, West Columbia, SC, '68 Chevrolet Chevelle, G/SA, 11.785, 110.59 def. Alan Peters, Bokeelia, Fla., '69 Chevrolet Camaro, K/S, 12.372, 106.57

SUPER COMP Andy Stapleton, Douglas, Ga., '00 Dragster, 8.874, 165.77 def. Steve Deatherage, Cocoa, Fla., '96 Dragster, Foul-red light

SUPER GAS Ralph Barrett, Gainesville, Fla., '00 Chevrolet Corvette, 9.898, 148.90 def. Greg Kamplain, North Salem, Ind., '27 Ford Roadster, 9.881, 150.40

SUPER STREET Kevin MacNicol, North Port, Fla., '78 Pontiac Trans Am, 10.853, 126.81 def. Clarence Woodham, '39 Chevrolet Roadster, Foul-red light

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