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NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES--Sears Point Raceway--Saturday Results

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES--PACIFIC DIVISION
SEARS POINT RACEWAY
SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2001


PAT AUSTIN, BERNSTEIN GAINING CHAMPIONSHIP STEAM AT SEARS POINT RACEWAY

        SONOMA, Calif. - Warm temperatures and clear skies once again
greeted the nearly 500 racers that turned out for Saturday's qualifying at
the Bank of the West Festival of Fire, presented by Live 105 and News
Channel 50. Current NHRA Northwest Division Federal-Mogul Funny Car
Champion Pat Austin of Tacoma, Wash. and current NHRA Pacific Division
points leader Brandon Bernstein of Lake Forest, Calif. seized the No. 1
qualifying positions after the second round of qualifying.
        Fresh off a victory last weekend at Mission Raceway Park in Mission
B.C., Canada, Federal-Mogul Funny Car veteran Pat Austin set the pace for
the second qualifying session when he improved on his 6.030 seconds pass
from yesterday with a run of 5.966 seconds at 243.89 mph taking his '01
Pro-Max Firebird to the pole. Local favorite Ron August, Danville, Calif.,
improved on his No. 8 qualifying position from yesterday, improving on his
first qualifying attempt to jump into the No. 3 position with an impressive
6.016 seconds at 238.92 mph.
        In Federal-Mogul Dragster, rookie standout and son of NHRA Top Fuel
Dragster legend Kenny Bernstein, Brandon Bernstein, came from the No. 12
spot to take the pole behind the wheel of his Budweiser sponsored dragster
with a stellar 5.491 second pass at 259.57 mph. This was the first time in
his short career that Bernstein, who currently leads the points in the NHRA
Pacific Division, qualified in the top spot with the Jerry Darien tuned
dragster at a Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event. 
        "We had disappointing race last weekend in St. Louis but this great
qualifying effort takes some of the sting away," said Bernstein.  "Jerry
[Darien] and the crew did a great job getting this car ready today and we
are looking to bring home a win tomorrow."
        Sealed Power Low Qualifier bonus awards went to Brandon Bernstein
Lake Forest, Calif., in Federal-Mogul Dragster, Pat Austin, Tacoma, Wash.,
in Federal-Funny Car, Bill Wayne, Bullhead City, Calif., in Competition
Eliminator, Harry Holton, Modesto, Calif., in Super Stock and defending
NHRA Pacific Division Federal-Mogul champion Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif.,
in Stock 
        Qualifying and time trials will continue at Sears Point Raceway on
Sunday at 8 a.m.  Gates open at 7 a.m.  Eliminations for Federal-Mogul
Dragster and Federal-Mogul Funny Car begin at noon. 
                                 
The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and first round
results for Federal-Mogul Dragster and Funny Car from the NHRA
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Sears Point Raceway:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif., 5.49 seconds, 259.57 mph 
2. Mark Niver Scottdale, Ariz., 5.622, 249.71
3. Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.658, 252.13
4. Paul Jones, Stockton, Calif., 5.667, 250.80
5. Brandon Henkleman, San Jose, Calif., 5.680, 249.59
6. David Baca, Brentwood, Calif., 5.717, 263.42
7. Don Hudson, Stockton, Calif., 5.748, 253.00
8. Darryl Hitchman Hanford, Calif., 5.823, 219.31
9. Kevin Brown, Clearfield, Utah, 5.841, 223.61
10. Mike Strasburg, Lindon, Utah, 5.923, 194.49
11. Gary Anderson, Anaheim, Calif., 5.998, 246.92
12. Steve Federlin, Oregon City, Ore., 6.097, 178.93
13. Mark Foster, Santa Cruz, Calif., 6.402, 199.78
14. Tony Meredyk, Cypress, Calif., 6.788, 231.84
15. Marshall Topping, Costa Mesa, Calif., 14.788, 62.57
16. Larry Miersch, Fallbrook, Calif., 25.476, 49.05

Eliminations--Round One
Bernstein, 5.534 seconds, 253.79 mph def. Miersch, 12.653, 66.06
Brown, 5.610, 251.15 def. Hitchman, 6.505, 168.76
Jones, 5.660, 249.34 def. Foster, 7.006, 178.30
Henkleman, 5.596, 258.16 def. Federlin, 5.749, 239.12
Niver, 5.790, 242.08 def. Topping, broke
Hudson, 5.610, 251.15 def. Strasburg, 5.699, 250.43
Nicholson, 5.594, 253.63 def. Merdyk, 11.622, 84.81
Baca, 5.965, 231.14 def. Anderson, 6.162, 233.56

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR 
1. Pat Austin, Tacoma, Wash., '01 Pontiac Firebird, 5.966 seconds, 243.89
mph 
2. Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '00 Chevrolet, Camaro, 6.009, 241.07
3. Ron August, Danville, Calif., '00 Camaro, 6.016, 238.92
4. John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., '99 Firebird, 6.044, 239.75
5. Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '99 Firebird, 6.044, 239.75
6. Pete Swayne, Orange, Caif., '01 Firebird, 6.072, 230.12
7. Bret Williamson, Campbell, Calif., .'01 Chevrolet Corvette, 6.100,
233.87
8. John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '99 Firebird, 6.143, 233.99
9. Mert Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., '01 Chevrolet Camaro, 6.309,
225.12
10. Jason Rupert, Placentia, Calif., '00 Dodge Avenger, 6.315, 225.60
11. Bernie Harrington, Apple Valley, Calif., '01 Honda Intergra Type R,
6.315, 225.60
12. Mike Drake, Glendora, Calif., '97 Oldsmobile Cutlass, 14.400, 56.69   

Eliminations-Round One
P. Austin, 5.913, 243.32 def Drake, Broke
Swayne, 6.941, 178.89 def. Williamson, 16.115, 48.93
Gordon, 6.019, 241.41 def. Harrington, 6.002, 237.82
Gasparrelli, 6.007, 233.26 def. Patton, 6.143, 229.90
Rupert, 6.332, 222.39 def. August, 7.022, 178.68
Littlefield, 6.043, 231.93 def Weaver, 6.033, 242.42

COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Bill Wayne, Bullhead City, Calif., '99 Dragster , A/ND, 7.353 seconds
(0.647-seconds under Index)
2. Wayne Ramay, Simi Valley, Calif., '96 Dragster, A/ND, 7.365 (-0.635) 
3. Bryan Hyerstay, Eugene, Ore, '00 Dragster, G/D, 9.435 (-0.625)
4. Andy Manna, Covina, Calif., '92 Pontiac Firebird, D/EA, 8.456 (-0.574)
5. Todd Movius, Long Beach, Calif., Dragster, A/ND, 7.432 (-0.568)
6. Fred Gross, La Crecenta, Calif., '97 Pontiac Firebird, D/A, 8.052
(-0.548)
7. Maureen Jondahl, Battle Ground, Wash., '92 Firebird, G/AA, 9.054
(-0.536)
8. John Edwards, Claremont, Calif., C/EA, 8.395, (-0.535) 
9. Tom Tucker, Bend, Ore., '96 Chevrolet Lumina, E/A, 8.370 (-0.530)
10. John Chamberlin, Napa, Calif., '00 Dragster, B/D, 6.985 (.525) 

SUPER STOCK
1. Harry Holton, Modesto, Calif., SS/AA, 8.849 seconds, (-1.151-under
Index)
2. Tony Hewes, Reno, Nev., '69 Ford Mustang, SS/GA, 9.786 (-1.064)
3. Bill Bennett, Mountain View, Calif., '87 Chevrolet Camaro, GT/EA, 9.895
(-1.055)
4. Gary Williams, Mariposa, Calif., '64 Mercury Comet, SS/MA, 11.149
(-1.001)
5. Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., '01 Pontiac Grand Am, GT/BA, 9.572
(-0.978)
6. Doug Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., SS/BS, 9.037, (-0.963)
7. Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '89 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.394 (-0.956)
8. Bob Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., '98 Oldsmobile Cutlass, SS/BM, 8.773
(-0.927)
9. Curt Auman, Yorba Linda, Calif., '90 Chevrolet Beretta, SS/AM, 8.631
(-0.919)
10. Tony DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., GT/FA, 10.192 (-0.908)  

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., '70 Plymouth GTX, C/SA, 10.539 (-1.161)
2. Don Durham, Vacaville, Calif., '73 Plymouth Duster, G/SA, 11.140
(1.160-seconds under Index)
3. Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '00 Dodge Dakota, DT/SA, 12.994 (-1.156)
4. Robert Pond, Riverside, Calif., '67 Ford Fairlane, A/S, 10.188 (-1.062)
5. Ken Etter, Riverside, Calif., '76 Plymouth Volare, I/SA, 11.553 (-1.047)
6. Gary Harper, San Jose, Calif., '81 Dodge D-150, ET/SA, 12.284 (-1.016)
7. Larry Maxwell, Salinas, Calif., '72 Pontiac Firebird, F/SA, 11.167
(-0.983)
8. Don Keen, Palmdale, Calif., '68 Mustang, B/S, 10.530(0.970)
9. Jim Waldo, Richland, Wash., '69 Ford Mustang, B/S, 10.539 (-0.961)
10. Danny Missbrenner, San Ramon, Calif., '71 Dodge Demon, E/SA, 11.039
(-0.961)


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