The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Sat Results-Dallas, Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NHRA SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
TEXAS MOTORPLEX
SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2002

Ormsby and Branch Tops In Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car 
DALLAS, Texas. -In the final rounds of qualifying at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series being held at Texas Motorplex, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Gary Ormsby Jr. and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Tate Branch are leading their respective fields.
	After an absence of more than a year, Ormsby Jr. of Auburn, Calif. seems to be making his return behind the wheel of a Top Alcohol Dragster known. He piloted his Top Alcohol Dragster to a 5.459-second pass at 239.48 mph to claim the top spot in the class. A surprise non-qualifier in the class is defending South Central Division Top Alcohol Dragster Champion Shelly Howard, of Tulsa, Okla. Typically a strong runner in the class, Howard ran an off pace 5.750 at 249.51 which was not quick enough to qualify for the 8-car dragster field. 
In Top Alcohol Funny Car Branch of Artesia, N.M. laid down a 5.808-second pass at 249.44 mph to take the lead in Funny Car. Branch, who already has one South Central Division win this year, will face Kebin Kinsley of Kennedale, Texas in the opening round of funny car competition. 
Top qualifiers in other classes are Davis Rampy of Piedmont, Ala., in Competition Eliminator; Randall Klein of Lincoln, Neb., in Super Stock; and Martin Burke of Flowermound, Texas in Stock. Each of the five low qualifiers earns a piece of the $2500 Sealed Power Low Qualifier Bonus. 
Gates at Texas Motorplex will open tomorrow at 8 a.m. with eliminations set to begin at 9 a.m. Eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car are scheduled to begin at noon. For more information please contact Texas Motorplex at (972) 878-2641 or on the web at www.texasmotorplex.com.
The following are Saturday's final qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at the Texas Motorplex and first round pairings in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car: 

Top Alcohol Dragster
1.	Gary Ormsby Jr., Auburn, Calf., 5.459 seconds,  239.48 mph 
2.	Paul Jones, Stockton, Calif., 5.503, 259.59 
3.	Troy Buff, Spring, Texas, 5.524, 258.84 
4.	Karl Brounkowski, Magnolia, Texas, 5.556, 263.08
5.	Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.563, 255.17
6.	James Copeland II, Red Oak, Texas, 5.588, 257.51
7.	Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 5.612, 242.52
8.	James Thompson Jr., Vernon, Texas, 5.648, 251.81 
	------------ Not Qualified ------------ 
9.	Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., 5.727, 251.81 
10.	Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.750, 249.51 
11.	Michael Bowers, Plano, Texas, 5.933, 232.49
12.	Brian Ratliff, Hulbert, Okla., 6.177, 239.74 
13.	Carl Magee, Victoria, Texas, 6.469, 222.11 
14.	Vitali Kazakevich, Houston, Texas, 8.303, 163.45 
15.	David Christy, Carthage, Texas, 9.081, 154.40 
16.	Larry Becktold, Luther, Okla., 9.388, 82.63 
17.	Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, (DQ)

First Round Pairings:
1)	Gary Ormsby Jr., Auburn, Calif. vs. 8) James Thompson, Vernon, Texas 
2)	Paul Jones, Stockton, Calif. vs. 7) Daryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif.
3)	Troy Buff, Spring, Texas vs. 6) James Copeland II, Red Oak, Texas
4)	Karl Brounkowski, Magnolia, Texas vs. 5) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas


Top Alcohol Funny Car
1.	Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '99 Dodge Avenger, 5.808 seconds, 249.44 mph 
2.	Marc White, Glendale Heights, Ill., '01 Pontiac, 5.861, 247.18 mph 
3.	Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '00 Dodge Avenger, 5.967, 243.57 
4.	Warren Dauzat, Baton Rouge, La., '00 Pontiac, 6.045, 240.44 
5.	Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '98 Chevy Camaro, 6.074, 235.66
6.	Thomas Frickenschmidt, Lockwood, Mo., '00 Firebird, 6.096, 233.34
7.	Burl Brown, Gainesville, Texas, Daytona, 6.222, 228.07
8.	Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale, Texas, '98 Oldsmobile, 6.247, 237.15
------------Not Qualified------------
9.   Steve Burck, Corpus Christi, Texas, '98 Dodge, 6.509, 218.87

First Round Pairings: 
1)	Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M. vs. 8) Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale, Texas
2)	Marc White, Glendale Heights, Ill. vs. 7) Burl Brown, Gainesville, Texas
3)	Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas vs. 6) Thomas Frickenschmidt
4)	Warren Dauzat, Baton Rouge, La. vs. 5) Jimmy Jones, Cleburn, Texas

Competition Eliminator
1.	David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., B/AA, '32 Bantam, 7.246 seconds, -0.574 (under index)
2.	Brian Self, Spring, Texas, B/T, '02 S-10, 8.280, -0.560 
3.	Robert Freeman, Oklahoma City, Okla., C/A, '02 Chevy, 7.547, -0.543 
4.	Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, B/SM, '02 Cavalier, 8.329, -0.521 
5.	Scott Benham, La Grange, Texas, D/AA, '02 S-10, 7.926, -0.494 
6.	James Stewart, Edwardsburg, Mich., PSTA, '02 Dakota, 7.826, -0.494 
7.	Bob Haynes, Pilot Point, Texas, C/ED, Dragster, 7.524, -0.486
8.	Mike Trumble Jr., Pasadena, Texas, A/SM, '01 Grand Am, 8.166, -0.484 
9.	Dean Howerton, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., C/D, Dragster, 7.145, -0.465 
10.	Joe Shalkowski, Hawley, Texas, F/ED, Dragster, 8.526, -0.464

Super Stock
1.	Randall Klein, Lincoln, Neb., SS/NA, '56 Nomad, 11.341 seconds, -1.109 (under index) 
2.	Buz Post, Arlington, Texas, SS/BM, '98 Grand Am, 8.601, -1.099 
3.	Steven Reynolds, Pasadena, Texas, GT/MA, '86 Monte Carlo, 11.038, -1.012
4.	Dan Larson, St Paul Minn., SS/KA, '85 Camaro, 10.555, -0.995
5.	Red LeBlanc, Bartlett Tenn., SS/G, '69 Mustang, 9.768, -0.982
6.	Delmer Wood, Tulsa, Okla., GT/JA, '90 Camaro, 10.684, -0.966 
7.	Sid Bonnecarrere, Gray, La., SS/AA, '68 Dart, 9.047, -0.953
8.	Shaun LeBlanc, Bartlett, Tenn., GT/A, '88 Mustang, 9.388, -0.912
9.	Larry Stewart Jr., Clinton, Miss., SS/GA, '66 Nova, 9.950, -0.900
10.	Gilbert Johnson Jr., Lecompte, La., GT/JA, '91 Calais, 10.759, -0.891 
 
Stock
1.	Martin Burke, Flowermound, Texas, C/SA, '69 Mustang, 10.575 seconds,  -1.125 (under index) 
2.	Debbie Cardwell, Ruston, La., K/SA, '90 Trans Am, 11.873, -1.077 
3.	Steve Brack, Lawrence, Kan., I/S, '86 Chevy, 11.438, -1.062 
4.	Robert Murray, Onalaska, Texas, CT/SA, '00 Dakota, 12.000, -1.050 
5.	Ronnie Cardwell, Ruston, La., K/SA, '90 Firebird, 11.906, -1.044
6.	Matt Wenke, Conway Springs, Kan., D/SA, '69 Torino, 10.831, -1.019
7.	Justin Cardwell, Ruston, La., K/SA, '85 Camaro, 11.948, -1.002
8.	Jeff Swanson, Arlington, Tenn., I/S, '93 Mustang, 11.526, -0.974 
9.	Jeffrey Johnson, Englewood, Colo., '67 Mustang, E/SA, 11.040, -0.960 
10.	Greg Hill, Tyler, Texas, '71 Camaro, F/SA, 11.213, -0.937