NHRA Drag Racing Series - Final Results from State Capitol Dragway

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
STATE CAPITOL DRAGWAY
SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2002

COPELAND EARNS FIRST CAREER WIN

Baton Rouge, La. - Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car racers James Copeland II and Jackie Stidham earned wins at State Capitol Dragway in South Central Division competition of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
Copeland, of Red Oak, Texas, earned his first win of his career after being uncontested in the finals by Hanford, Calif., resident Darryl Hitchman.  Despite defeating Lee Callaway of Channelview, Texas, in the semi-finals, Hitchman could not challenge Copeland in the finals due to mechanical problems with his dragster.
Stidham's 5.965 second, 242.65 mph pass was good enough to earn the win lights and prevent Tate Branch of Artesia, N.M. from winning his third straight South Central Division event.  With his win at State Capitol Dragway, Stidham, of Chickasha, Okla., earned his second win of the year and is currently second in points behind Branch in the division.
Winners in other classes are Mike Saye of Johnston, S.C., in Comp; Mike Crutchfield of Montgomery, Ala., in Super Stock; Jeff Hefler of Mansfield, Texas, in Stock; Steve Cohen of Trilby, Fla., in Super Comp; Gary Risk of Waxahachie, Texas, in Super Gas; and Bryan Sandlin of Baytown, Texas, in Super Street.
In NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series racing action, Demetria Brooks-Glaze of Houston, defeated her husband Eddie Glaze with a 10.335 second, 120.59 mph run.  
South Central Division competition of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series makes its next in Houston at Houston Raceway Park, on June 21-22.  This race was originally scheduled for March 1-3, but was postponed due to rain.  
	
	The following are final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at State Capitol Dragway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1)	Troy Buff, Spring, Texas, '89 Dragster, 5.539 seconds, 256.84 mph def. 8) Larry Becktold, Luther, Okla., '89 Dragster, 6.897, 188.56
2)	Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., '90 Dragster, 5.567, 248.34 def. 9) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., '01 Dragster, 6.409, 157.92
3)	Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, '96 Dragster, 5.670, 251.32 def. 6) Carl Magee, Victoria, Texas, '02 Dragster, 6.617, 218.07
4)	James Copeland II, Red Oak, Texas, '98 Dragster, 5.679, 250.97 def. 5) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, '94 Dragster, no time recorded

Semi-finals
Copeland, 5.672, 249.72 def. Buff, 5.820, 249.30
Hitchman, 5.676, 246.50 def. Callaway, 5.724, 247.25

Finals
Copeland, 8.712, 89.65 def. Hitchman, broke

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1)	Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '99 Avenger, 6.054 seconds, 238.85 mph def. 8) Burl Brown, Gainesville, Texas, '98 Avenger, 7.367, 141.44
2)	Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., '00 Camaro, 6.014, 242.06 def. 7) Steve Burck, Corpus Christi, Texas, '98 Dodge, 6.378, 221.67
4)   Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '01 Camaro, 5.952, 231.36 def. 5) Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale,   
      Texas, '98 Oldsmobile, 6.076, 227.84
6)   Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '00 Avenger, 6.017, 235.97 def. 3) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas,   
      '98 Camaro, 6.038, 237.27

Semi-finals
Branch, 5.947, 240.12 def. Gordon, broke
Stidham, 5.961, 243.04 def. Simpson, 6.161, 234.86

Finals
Stidham, 5.965, 242.65 def. Branch, 5.915, 239.10

COMP ELIMINATOR
Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., '92 Cutlass, H/A, 8.919 seconds, 150.45 mph def. Robert Freeman, Oklahoma City, '02 Cavalier, C/A, 7.539, 180.39

SUPER STOCK
Mike Crutchfield, Montgomery, Ala., '90 Camaro, SS/BS, 9.157, 137.38 def. Monty Campbell, Georgetown, Miss., '66 Chevy, SS/LA, 11.174, 115.26

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jeff Hefler, Mansfield, Texas, '97 Trans Am, F/SA, 11.143, 116.73 def. Gary Slaton, Liberty Hill, Texas, '94 Camaro, E/SA, 10.887, 120.98

SUPER COMP
Steve Cohen, Trilby, Fla., '00 Dragster, 8.945, 153.84 def. Vince Roberts, Mesquite, Texas, '00 Dragster, 8.917, 158.11

SUPER GAS
Gary Risk, Waxahachie, Texas, '87 Regal, 9.917, 150.75 def. Joe Harper, Florence, Miss., '96 Avenger, 9.914, 157.39

SUPER STREET
Bryan Sandlin, Baytown, Texas, '78 Camaro, 10.919, 133.86 def. Delbert Hemby, Ft. Worth, Texas, '77 Chevy Vega, 10.905, 129.96

NHRA KERKER MOTORCYCLE SERIES
Demetria Brooks-Glaze, Houston, '97 Kawasaki, 10.335, 120.59 def. Eddie Glaze, Houston, '90 Suzuki, 8.782, 135.13