FMDRS Preliminary Results from Bristol (Friday)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTHEAST DIVISION
BRISTOL DRAGWAY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2001

RACERS SCRAMBLE FOR POINTS AT BRISTOL DRAGWAY

	BRISTOL, Tenn. - Racers from 15 different states patiently waited through morning showers to compete in the NHRA Southeast Division's final Federal-Mogul Drag Series event of the season, at Bristol Dragway, in Bristol, Tenn.  This weekend's event is the final chance in the region for racers to compete for points leading to divisional and national championships as well as cash and contingency awards of $147,935, part of the $6.5 million, 43-race series.
	Although Michael Gunderson of Middleburg, Fla., and Mike Saye of Johnston, S.C., have already clinched Southeast Division titles in Federal-Mogul Dragster and Comp classes, division titles are wide open for six other categories including: Federal-Mogul Funny Car, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street.
	Saye also enters this weekend looking to win his fourth consecutive Southeast Division event, and is currently first in the national standings.  Overall, the Comp racer has won one national event and four divisional events this year.  
	Billy Bybee and Jay Payne are the number one qualifiers in Federal-Mogul Dragster and Federal-Mogul Funny Car after the first round of qualifying.  Bybee, of Mc Lean, Texas, ran a 5.639 second, 254.38 mph pass to earn the top spot, while Payne had a 5.770 second, 248.84 mph run.  
	The Claremont, Calif., resident is currently first in divisional points, and is attempting to hold off Von Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn., for the divisional title.  If Smith   wins the event this weekend, he will surpass Payne in points and win the division.  
	Racing continues into the night, with final qualifying results to be released as soon as they are available.  	

	The following are Friday's preliminary qualifying results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series at Bristol Dragway:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1.	Billy Bybee, Mc Lean, Texas, '01 Dragster, 5.639 seconds, 254.38 mph
2.	Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., '99 Dragster, 5.643, 246.93
3.	Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., '01 Dragster, 5.809, 221.96
4.	Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., '96 Dragster, 5.899, 239.95
5.	Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., '95 Dragster, 5.908, 238.60
6.	Bruce Horner, Bergenfield, N.J., '89 Dragster, 5.921, 238.81

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR 
1.	Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '01 Camaro, 5.770 seconds, 248.84 mph
2.	Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '01 Pontiac, 5.969, 245.76 
3.	Bruce Peterson Jr., Wappingers Falls, N.Y., '98 Avenger, 6.119, 232.39
4.	Steve Harker, Brisbane, Quebec, CAN, '99 Avenger, 6.173, 242.36
5.	William Fulford, Virginia Beach, Va., '00 Corvette, 7.267, 196.82
6.	Bruce Mullins, Fredericksburg, Va., '98 Mustang, 28.642, 25.30

COMP ELIMINATOR
1.	Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '98 Grand Am, D/SM, 8.160 seconds, -0.600 under index
2.	Michael Hardee, Wilmington, N.C., '96 Grand Am, B/SMA, 8.986, -0.584
3.	George Gallimore, Memphis, Tenn., '32 Bantam, A/A, 6.817, -0.533
4.	Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., '92 Cutlass, G/A, 9.110, -0.490
5.	Fred Allen, Winamac, Ind., '23 Ford, A/EA, 7.637, -0.432
6.	Glen Treadwell, Sorrento, Fla., '23 Ford, E/EA, 8.805, -0.415
7.	Jerry Hemmingson, Concord, N.C., '94 Lumina, B/A, 7.556, -0.334
8.	Kevin Houghtaling, Ashland, Va., '91 Calais, F/SM, 9.571, -0.309
9.	Jim Kimbrough, Pace, Fla., '23 Chevy, A/EA, 7.784, -0.276
10.	Tim Freeman, Roan Mountain, Tenn., '67 Corvette, F/A, 9.031, -0.269

SUPER STOCK
1.	Bruce Campbell, Waynesville, N.C., '88 Firebird, GT/KA, 10.779 seconds, -1.171 under index
2.	Jeff Sexton, Fairborn, Ohio, '97 Cutlass, SS/AX, 9.047, -1.123
3.	Robin Brown, Madisonville, Ky., '66 Chevy, SS/K, 10.397, -1.093
4.	Andy Fogle, Norway, S.C., '67 Camaro, SS/HA, 10.002, -1.078
5.	Wes Leopold Jr., Bridgeville, Pa., '93 Daytona, SS/AS, 8.994, -1.076
6.	Matt Hensley, Knoxville, Tenn., '68 Barracuda, SS/A, 9.072, -1.048
7.	Everett Hill, Fayettville, Ga., '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.693, -1.047
8.	Ken Vaughn, Columbia, Tenn., '68 Camaro, SS/D, 9.656, -1.024
9.	Bob Dodson, Beaver Dam, Va., '95 Achieva, GT/KA, 10.969, -0.981
10.	Michael Iacono, Wading River, N.Y., '90 Camaro, GT/EA, 10.164, -0.966

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1.	Tom Hemmingson, Concord, N.C., '66 Chevelle, M/S, 12.073 seconds, -1.297 under index
2.	Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, N.C., '85 Camaro, K/SA, 12.085, -1.085
3.	Woodro Josey, Byron, Ga., '98 Firebird, D/SA, 10.971, -1.079
4.	John Livingston, Nashville, Tenn., '91 Camaro, K/SA, 12.094, -1.076
5.	Brandon Wood, Tallahassee, Fla., '85 Camaro, K/SA, 12.178, -0.992
6.	Wayne Shaw, Douglasville, Ga., '99 Firebird, C/SA, 10.915, -0.985
7.	Harold Culpepper, Pine Mountain Valley, Ga., '94 Camaro, D/SA, 11.098, -0.952
8.	Craig Couris, Atlanta, Ga., '97 Firebird, D/SA, 11.103, -0.947
9.	Arnold Greene, Matthews, N.C., '69 Camaro, A/S, 10.536, -0.904
10.	Peter Noriega, Hialeah, Fla., '81 Malibu, V/SA, 15.179, -0.891

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