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FMDRS Montgomery--Saturday Qualifying

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES-SOUTHEAST DIVISION MONTGOMERY MOTORSPORTS PARK SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 2001

GUNDERSON, PAYNE PUT ON A SHOW AT MONGOMERY MOTORSPORTS PARK

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Nearly 4000 NHRA Drag Racing fans made it out to Saturday's Dixie Nationals NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series qualifying at Montgomery Motorsports Park. Each and everyone of the fans left the track happy due to the great show track owner, George Howard put down the track. In addition to the great side-by-side racing put on by the over 400 NHRA sportsman competitors, including a full field of Federal-Mogul Dragsters and Funny Cars-the track showcased three-time NHRA Top Fuel Champion, Shirley Muldowney match racing current NHRA Top Fuel pilot, Steve Smith, an eight car field of Pro-Mod's and two 300 mph passes from the Mississippi Madman Jet Car. Michael Gunderson of Middleburg, Fla. and Jay Payne of Claremont, Calif. captured the No. 1 qualifying positions for tomorrows eliminatons in Federal-Mogul Dragster and Funny Car, respectively. In Federal-Mogul Dragster, Gunderson took the $1000 Sealed Power Low Qualifier bonus check away from Second Wind Racing Dragster driver Billy Bybee of McLean, Texas, in his final qualifying attempt with a blistering pass of 5.662 seconds at 245.23 mph. Gunderson and his Nitro-injected Federal-Mogul Dragster took advantage of the cooler air in the final qualifying session to pick up nearly one-tenth of a second on his previous qualifying run. This was enough to knock Bybee to the No. 2 position with his final qualifying pass of 5.707 seconds at 246.23 mph. "The crew did a wonderful job on the set-up of the car today", said Gunderson. "The track came to us in the final session and we took full advantage of it. We are looking for more of the same tomorrow," California racer, Payne piloted his Valvoline Federal-Mogul Funny Car to the No. 1 qualifying position and the $1000 bonus check from Sealed Power with a pass of 5.891 seconds at 240.38 mph. Payne is looking for his first win of the season after three-time IHRA Funny Car World Champion and NHRA Federal-Mogul Funny Car Rookie, Von Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn. captured the first two Southeast Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series events in 2001. Smith qualified his Jensen Car Audio Funny Car No.3 with a pass of 6.009 seconds at 235.84 mph. Local Funny Car driver, Monty Todd of Montgomery came out of nowhere to take the No. 2 qualifying position with a run of 5.940 seconds at 235.23 mph. Eliminatons will begin at Montgomery Motorsports Park on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. Eliminations for Federal-Mogul Dragster and Funny Car will begin at 12 noon.

The following are Saturday's qualifying results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at the Montgomery Motorsports Park:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER 1) Michael Gunderson, Middleburg, Fla., 5.662 seconds, 245.23 mph vs. 8) Duke McDonald, Gainesville, Fla., 6.275, 214.43 2) Billy Bybee, McLean, Texas, 5.707 seconds, 246.23 mph vs. 7) Cherissa Griffis, Gainesville, Fla., 6.271, 193.29 3) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.741, 243.44 vs. 6) Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., 6.132, 187.77 4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 6.009, 234.37 vs. 5) Eric Edelmann, Clearwater, Fla., 6.013, 230.94

Alternate 1. Jason Cannon, Middleburg, Fla., 12.072, 62.83

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR 1) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '01 Chevrolet Camaro, 5.891 seconds, 240.38 mph vs. 8) Dave Ryan, Palatka, Fla., '98 Dodge Avenger, 6.731, 207.13 2) Monty Todd, Montgomery, Ala., '01 Chevrolet Camaro, 5.940, 235.23 vs. 7) William Fulford, Virginia Beach, Va., '00 Chevrolet Corvette, 6.708, 209.83

3) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '01 Pontiac Firebird, 6.009, 235.84 vs. 6) Greg Beckner, Chester, Va., '93 Chevrolet Corvette, 6.674, 213.01 4) Mark Billington, Apopka, Fla., '95 Oldsmobile Achieva, 6.045, 228.54 vs. 5) Andy Kelly, Piedmont, S.C., '00 Dodge Avenger, 6.075, 223.60

COMP ELIMINATOR 1. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '98 Pontiac Grand Am, A/SM, 8.409 seconds (0.671-seconds under Index) 2. David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '99 Dragster, C/ED, 7.461 (-0.639) 3. Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., '92 Oldsmobile Cutlass, 8.957 (-0.633) 4. Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23 Ford Roadster, I/A, 7.947 (-0.613) 5. Jerry Hemmingson, Concord, N.C., '94 Chevrolet Lumina, B/A, 7.305 (-0.595) 6. Scott Tidwell, Pinson, Ala., '01 Pontiac Trans Am, C/AA, 7.588 (-0.592) 7. Brad Warren, Texarkana, Texas, '98 Pontiac Firebird, D/AA, 7.911 (-0.549) 8. Rob Slavinski, Munford, Tenn., '96 Pontiac Grand Prix, B/AA, 7.378 (-0.532) 9. Wayne Hutton, Goodlettsville, Tenn., '92 Oldsmobile Achieva, A/SM, 8.615 (-0.465) 10. Glen Treadwell, Sorrento, Fla., '01 Dragster, E/ED, 8.732 (-0.458)

SUPER STOCK 1. Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '00 Pontiac Firebird, GT/JA, 10.474 seconds (1.176-seconds under Index) 2. Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala., '97 Pontiac Firehawk, GT/MA, 10.932 (-1.118) 3. Andy Fogle, Norway, S.C., '67 Chevrolet Camaro, SS/HA, 9.825 (-1.075) 4. Cliff Reigle, Ashland City, Tenn., '67 Chevrolet Camaro, SS/FA, 9.714 (-1.036) 5. Johnny Moore, Montgomery, Ala., '99 Firebird, GT/MA, 11.089 (-0.961) 6. Terry Emmons, Pasadena, Texas, '96 Firebird, SS/JA, 10.346 (-0.954) 7. Red Leblanc, Memphis, Tenn., '69 Ford Mustang, SS/F, 9.701 (-0.949) 8. Glenn Mace, Jacksonville, Fla., '84 Pontiac Trans Am, SS/JA, 10.351 (-0.949) 9. Everett Hill, Fayetteville, Ga., '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.614 (-0.936) 10. Jeffrey Miller, Pearland, Texas, '97 Firebird, GT/AA, 9.470 (-0.930)

STOCK ELIMINATOR 1. Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala., '82 Oldsmobile Cutlass, U/SA, 13.842 seconds (1.308-seconds under Index) 2. Peter Noriega, Hialeah, Fla., '80 Dodge Malibu, V/SA, 14.600 (-1.200) 3. Jeff Swanson, Arlington, Tenn., '93 Ford Mustang, K/S, 11.683 (1.167) 4. Andy Thornburg, Wilmer, Ala., '79 Dodge Aspen, J/SA, 11.587 (-1.163) 5. Tom Hemmingson, Concord, NC, '66 Chevelle, M/S, 12.000 (-1.150) 6. George Cox, Memphis, Tenn., '97 Pontiac Firebird, E/SA, 10.873 (-1.127) 7. Brandon Wood, Thomasville, Ga., '85 Camaro, L/SA, 11.883 (-1.117) 8. John Livingston, Nashville, Tenn., '90 Chevrolet Camaro, K/SA, 11.650 (-1.100) 9. Lee Tuttle, Albany, Ga., '66 Chevrolet Wagon, T/SA, 13.630 (-1.070) 10. Bobby Warren, Clinton, N.C., '97 Camaro, D/SA, 10.799 (1.051)

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