NHRA Finals from Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The final rounds of the Spring Sportsman
Challenge, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Memphis
Motorsports Park, had nine drivers putting a mark in the win column for the
first time this season.  In both the Top Alcohol Funny Car (TAFC) and in
Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) finals, the No. 1 qualifiers were defeated. 
TAFC pilot Tate Branch beat Von Smith and in TAD, Michael Gunderson took
the win over Keith Stark.
        The only driver in the final rounds of the alcohol classes to claim
the South Central Division as his home is Branch, who hales from Atesia,
N.M.  Branch drove his 2001 Avenger to victory with 5.905-second,
247.25-mph pass.  Oak Ridge, Tenn., resident Smith shut his 2001 Firebird
off after nosing over the centerline just past the 200-foot mark.
        Reining Southeast Division TAD champion Gunderson, from Middleburg,
Fla., picked up his first victory with a 5.790-second, 255.87-mph pass to
Stark's 6.166-second, 200.80-mph effort.  Stark is from Danville, Ill.
        Winners in other categories were Larry Pritchett of Clarkrange,
Tenn., in Comp Eliminator; Larry Stewart of Clinton, Miss., in Super Stock;
Al Corda of Elk Mound, Wis., in Stock; Dan Phelps of Labadle, Mo., in Super
Comp; Jesse Glenn of Memphis, Tenn., in Super Gas; Bryan Sandlin of
Baytown, Texas, in Super Street; and Wiliam Keeler of San Antonio, Texas,
in Sportsman Motorcycle.
        South Central Division NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
competitors will have their next opportunity to earn points toward national
and divisional championships April 19-21 at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas. 
  

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Following are final round results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing
Series event at Memphis Motorsports Park, including round-by-round
information for TAD and TAFC:
Top Alcohol Dragster
FIRST ROUND, ELIMINATIONS
1) Keith Stark, Danville, Ill., 5.389 seconds, 252.76 mph def. 8) Karl
Brounkowski, Magnolia, Texas, 5.794, 251.49
7) Michael Gunderson, Middleburg, Fla., 5.506, 262.59 def. 2) Shelly
Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 8.177, 105.27 
3) Gary Ormsby Jr., Auburn, Calif., 6.143, 175.43 vs. 6) Gene Snow, Ft.
Worth, Texas, 13.297, 55.69
5) Lee Calaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.755, 133.68 def. 4) James Thompson,
Vernon, Texas, 10.292, 72.72

SEMIFINALS
Gunderson, 6.837, 152.12 def. Ormsby, BROKE
Stark, 5.703, 224.92 def. Callaway, 6.837, 152.12

FINALS
Gunderson, 5.790, 255.87 def. Stark, 6.166, 200.80

Top Alcohol Funny Car
FIRST ROUND, ELIMINATIONS
1) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '01 Firebird, 5.906 seconds, 214.79 mph
def. BYE
7) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '01 Avenger, 6.027, 242.71 def. 2) Todd
Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '99 Avenger, 6.927, 127.98

3) Marc White, Glendale, Ill., '01 Pontiac, 5.880, 240.29 def. 6) Vern
Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '02 Pontiac, 6.566, 213.10
5) Thomas Frickenschmidt, Lockwood, Mo., '00 Firebird, 14.435, 53.32 def.
4) Warren Dauzat, Baton Rouge, La., '98 Pontiac, BROKE

SEMIFINALS
Branch, 5.894, 248.75 (.441 rt) def. White, 5.855, 250.41 (.491 rt)
Smith, 6.101, 243.19 def. Frickenschmidt, 6.459, 225.82

FINALS
Branch, 5.905, 247.25 def. Smith, 14.668, 52.15

Comp Eliminator
Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '98 Pontiac, D/SM, 8.875 seconds,
129.69 mph def. Michael Johnson, Lowell, Ark., '95 dragster, C/ED, 7.685,
141.02

Super Stock
Larry Stewart, Clinton, Miss., '67 Chevy, SS/GA, 9.897, 128.09 def. Mike
Cates, Milan, Tenn., '68 Camaro, SS/E, 9.685, 1.8.36


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Stock
Al Corda, Elk Mound, Wis., '01 Firebird, C/SA, 10.509, 123.64 def. Chris
Jackson, Epps, La., '69 Chevy, H/SA, 11.606, 108.16

Super Comp
Dan Phelps, Labadle, Mo., '01 dragster, 8.962, 166.15 def. Carl Cochran,
Bossier City, La., '00 dragster, 8.896, 171.12

Super Gas
Jesse Glenn, Memphis, Tenn., '91 Beretta, 9.885, 150.36 def. Don Holcomb,
Crosby, Texas, '97 Monte Carlo, 9.873, 150.15

Super Street
Bryan Sandlin, Baytown, Texas, '78 Camaro, 10.906, 137.27 def. G.S. Abbott,
Strawn, Texas, '76 Vega, 10.909, 138.03

Sportsman Motorcycle
William Keeler, San Antonio, Texas, '82 Kawasaki, 9.271, 139.65 def. Larry
Eperjesi, Lake Dallas, Texas, '00 Koenig, 8.064, 159.82