FMDRS Sunday Results from Boise

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHWEST DIVISION FIREBIRD RACEWAY, BOISE, IDAHO SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2001

HENTGES AND AUSTIN TAKE WINS AT IGNITOR OPENER

BOISE, Idaho - Mark Hentges and Bucky Austin both took home their third win of the season at this weekends 31st Annual Ignitor Opener presented by Lithia Ford Chrysler and NAPA Auto Parts. Hentges took out Greg Lawrence in the final round with a 5.522 second pass at 252.38 mph to Lawrence's 5.601, 258.62. Hentges badly damaged a motor in Friday's qualifying then came back to take the number one qualifying position and the win. "What a great Easter!" said Hentges after the win. "Boise is good to me. The semi-final against Mike (Johnson) and Brian (Hough) was a big one this weekend. Those two are going to be around a lot this year." This is Hentges sixth final round this year and his third win at Firebird dating back to 1991 when in won in Super Comp. In the upset of the day, and possibly the year, Gregg Lawrence of Salem, Ore. took out Federal-Mogul Dragster National Champion Rick Santos in round one. Lawrence's .491 second reaction was the difference as his 5.480 second, 262.77 mph run took out Santos who ran quicker at 5.464, 259.29. Austin took out veteran racer and team owner Larry Minor in the final of Federal-Mogul Funny Car with a pass of 5.975 seconds, 240.25 mph to Minor's 6.165 at 237.46 mph. The win should move Austin into the point's lead for the national championship. With back to back 5-second passes, Mac McCord had the fans on their feet as he took the overall win in the Nittro class beating out Ron Fassl with a pass of 5.940 at 231.71 mph. Fassl, however, did not go away empty handed, as he set a new track and personal record on Saturday with a run of 272.64 mph. The old AA Fuel Altered record, held by Fassl, was set in August of last year. Eighteen national records were set this weekend between the Comp., Super Stock, and Stock categories along with numerous track records. The most notable record was in the Stock category when Robert Pond drove his '67 Fairlane to the first ever nine second run. NHRA times and records are adjusted for the air and altitude and with Pond's run of 10.229 seconds, Pond becomes the first driver to break the 10-second barrier in the A/Stock category. Moments after Pond's run, Joe Aluise Jr. ran a 10.266 in his A/Stock Automatic '63 Belvedere. NHRA requires a driver to back up a run, with a second run within one percent of the first. Aluise beat pond to the "9-second" record by backing up his run first, hence, setting the first 9-second NHRA National Record in Stock.

The following are and final results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Firebird Raceway:

FEDERAL-MOUGL DRAGSTER Round 1 1. Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.466 seconds, 259.44 mph vs. bye 5. Gregg Lawrence, Salem, Ore., 5.480, 262.77 def. 2. Rick Santos, Brentwood, Calif., 5.464, 259.29 3. Brian Hough, Eugene, Ore. 5.517, 257.95 def. 4. Steve Federlin, Oregon City, Ore., 5.704, 249.03

Round 2 Hentges, 5.519, 257.43 def. Hough, 5.545, 256.99 Lawrence, 5.518, 260.41 def. Bye

Final Hentges, 5.522, 252.38 def. Lawrence, 5.601, 258.62

FEDERAL-MOUGL FUNNY CAR Round 1 1. Bucky Austin, Fife, Wash., '00 Camaro, 5.902 seconds, 240.77 miles per hour def. 8. Kerry Moreira, Richfield, Idaho, '96 Firebird, no time-broke 2. John Hyland, Springfield, Ore., '00 Camaro, 6.052, 226.81 def. 7. Jon Rice, Pocatello, Idaho, '98 Camaro, no time-broke 3. Larry Miner, Woodbridge, Calif., '98 Dodge, 6.246, 205.99 def. 6. Kevin Therres, Humbolt, SK CAN, '97 Lumina, 6.742, 158.59 4. Roger Bateman, Calgary, AB CAN, '97 Firebird, 6.202, 231.95, def. 5. Randy Parker, Payallup, Wash., '99 Avenger, 6.213, 228.83

Round 2 Austin, 5.879, 240.89 def. Bye Minor, 7.768, 103.59 def. Hyland, broke

Final Austin, 5.975, 240.25 def. Minor, 6.165, 237.46

COMPETITION Adam Bowdish, Lake Oswego, Ore., '89 Firebird, C/SM, 9.334, 139.08 def. Jim Warter, Fox Island, Wash., '92 Camaro, B/SM, 8.968, 150.57

SUPER STOCK Gary Faul, Spanaway, Wash., '66 El Camino, SS/MA, 12.137, 110.06 def. Rick Ellinger, Eric, Colo, '66 Nova, SS/IA, 10.509, 126.01

STOCK Norm Webber, Vancouver, Wash., '83 Chevy, M/SA, 13.181, Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., '70 Plymoth, C/SA, 10.874, 121.65

SUPER COMP Holly Gaynor, Vancouver, Wash., '94 dragster, 9.192, 150.95 def. Kari Theobald, St. George, Utah, '91 dragster, 9.172, 151.20

SUPER GAS Troy Moyle, Carson City, Nev., '67 Corvette, 10.227, 149.10 def. Rodney Lee, Portland, Ore., '64 Fury, 10.167, 136.19

SUPER STREET Jeff Jackson, Wilsonville, Ore., '68 Mustang, 11.208, 148.58 def. Ron Cross, Springfield, Ore., '67 Camaro, 11.198, 123.05

TOP COMP Mark Kidd, Twin Falls, Idaho, '96 dragster, 7.986, 162.27 def. Greg Pessemier, Tacoma, Wash., '96 dragster, 7.732, 173.51

MOTORCYCLE Joe Collette, Boise, Idaho, '96 Kawasaki, 9.092, 141.22 def. Randy Morken, Columbia Falls, Mont., '86 Suzuki, 9.089, 145.39

SUPER PRO John Shaffer, Boise, Idaho, '66 Chevelle, 9.610, 139.68, def. Clay Brooks, Boise, Idaho, '74 Camaro, 9.663, 139.16

PRO Mark Kidd, Twin Falls, Idaho, '27 roadster, 9.208, 136.48 def. Jamie Lanningham, Nampa, Idaho, '73 Dart, 12.849, 102.66

-30-