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NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Saturday from Pacific Raceway s

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHWEST DIVISION
PACIFIC RACEWAYS
SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2002


MARK HENTGES & BUCKY AUSTIN TOP QUALIFIERS

Kent, Wash. - Mark Hentges in Top Alcohol Dragster and Bucky Austin in Top Alcohol Funny Car battled fluctuating track conditions throughout both days of qualifying at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Pacific Raceways, but enter tomorrow's eliminations at the top of their classes.
"If it can stay in the 70s, racing conditions will be ideal.  They've got good air here," said Austin, driver of the Centennial Batteries Northwest Energy Top Alcohol Funny Car.  "When the track gets hot, it's hard to negotiate."
Hentges, of Federal Way, Wash., held pole position throughout all three rounds of qualifying.  His second round pass of 5.408 seconds, at 258.27 mph is nearly a tenth of a second better than Joey Severance of Spanaway, Wash., who is seated second.
Fife, Wash., resident Austin, also ran his best run during his second pass down the quarter-mile, when he ran 5.760 seconds at 252.47 mph.  In pursuit of Austin, is Jason Rupert of Anaheim, Calif., who jumped from seventh, to third in qualifying on his final pass.  
"We'll take it one round at a time tomorrow and try not to outsmart ourselves," said the Lucas Oil Icon TV Top Alcohol Funny Car racer.
	Rupert will be competing in the Northwest Division this year, after competing last year in the Pacific Division.
	"The team and I want to win every event," said Rupert.  "But if there is one event we will especially be pushing to win, it's the Lucas Oil NHRA Northwest Nationals."
Both Hentges and Austin, as well as Tom Tucker of Bend, Ore., in Comp; Bill Stewart of Marysville, Wash., in Super Stock; and Calvin Queahpama of Warm Springs, Ore., in Stock; will earn bonuses from Sealed Power for being the top qualifiers in their respected classes.
In NHRA Kerker Motorcycles Series qualifying, Andre Williams of Tacoma, Wash., earned the Motorsports Unlimited Low Qualifier bonus after posting a .401 second reaction time during his fifth and final qualifying run.  Qualifying in Sportsman Motorcycle is based on reaction time.    
The Brandon Lundeen's Black Diamond Motorsports Low Qualifier bonus was rewarded to Shane Harter of E. Wenatchee, Wash., for his 6.645 second, 208.36 mph run in Top Comp.
Eliminations begin tomorrow at 9 a.m., with round one of eliminations for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car scheduled to begin at noon.  Gates open tomorrow at 7 a.m.  For more information, call the track at (253) 639-5927.   

	The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and first round pairings in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Pacific Raceways:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1)	Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.408 seconds, 258.27 mph
2)	Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 5.505, 257.43
3)	Steve Federlin, Oregon City, Ore., 5.518, 251.91
4)	Mitch Myers, Hermiston, Ore., 5.547, 233.08
5)	Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., 5.550, 243.37
6)	Gary Anderson, Anaheim, Calif., 5.600, 253.71
7)	Michael Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 5.605, 248.61
8)	Greg Tacke, Great Falls, Mont., 5.681, 250.04

Not Qualified
9)	William Edwards Jr., Sumas, Wash., 5.739, 233.36
10)	Kim Parker, Graham, Wash., 5.808, 240.64
11)	Jason Howell, Tacoma, Wash., 8.228, 106.20

Round 1
1)	Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.408 seconds, 258.27 mph vs. 8) Greg Tacke, Great Falls, Mont., 5.681, 250.04
2)	Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 5.505, 257.43 vs. 7) Michael Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 5.605, 248.61
3)	Steve Federlin, Oregon City, Ore., 5.518, 251.91 vs. 6) Gary Anderson, Anaheim, Calif., 5.600, 253.71
4)	Mitch Myers, Hermiston, Ore., 5.547, 233.08 vs. 5) Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., 5.550, 243.37

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1)	Bucky Austin, Fife, Wash., '02 Firebird, 5.760 seconds, 252.47 mph
2)	Pat Austin, Tacoma, Wash., '00 Firebird, 5.887, 244.69
3)	Jason Rupert, Anaheim, Calif., '00 Avenger, 5.997, 238.05
4)	Rod Clough, Abbotsford, B.C., '97 Firebird, 6.006, 237.13
5)	Forrest LeBlanc, Kent, Wash., '98 Daytona, 6.157, 228.96
6)	John Knox, Lacey, Wash., '97 Mustang, 6.160, 231.04
7)	Dave Germain, Toledo, Wash., '02 Firebird, 6.163, 232.15
8)	Randy Parker, Graham, Wash., '99 Avenger, 6.519, 168.45

Not Qualified
9)	Jon Rice, Pocatello, Idaho, '98 Camaro, 7.024, 201.70

Round 1
1)	Bucky Austin, Fife, Wash., '02 Firebird, 5.760 seconds, 252.47 mph vs. 8) Randy Parker, Graham, Wash., '99 Avenger, 6.519, 168.45
2)	Pat Austin, Tacoma, Wash., '00 Firebird, 5.887, 244.69 vs. 7) Dave Germain, Toledo, Wash., '02 Firebird, 6.163, 232.15
3)	Jason Rupert, Anaheim, Calif., '00 Avenger, 5.997, 238.05 vs. 6) John Knox, Lacey, Wash., '97 Mustang, 6.160, 231.04
4)	Rod Clough, Abbotsford, B.C., '97 Firebird, 6.006, 237.13 vs. 5) Forrest LeBlanc, Kent, Wash., '98 Daytona, 6.157, 228.96

COMP ELIMINATOR
1)	Tom Tucker, Bend, Ore., '98 Lumina, G/A, 8.609 seconds, -0.631 under index
2)	Brian Hyerstay, Eugene, Ore., '97 Dragster, G/D, 9.324, -0.586
3)	Bob Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., '98 Oldsmobile, D/SMA, 8.859, -0.541
4)	Jeffrey Lane, North Bend, Wash., '34 Chevrolet, B/SR, 8.119, -0.531
5)	Jim Warter, Fox Island, Wash., '95 Chevrolet, E/SM, 8.815, -0.525
6)	Rob Harrison, N. Vancouver, B.C., '91 Beretta, J/A, 8.041, -0.519
7)	Danny Anderson, Bonney Lake, Wash., '00 Dragster, C/ED, 7.493, -0.517
8)	Mike Pessemier, Graham, Wash., '99 Dragster, B/D, 6.908, -0.512
9)	Rick Dingle, Olympia, Wash., '00 Dragster, C/ED, 7.519, -0.491
10)	Dennis Myers, Prosser, Wash., '98 Dakota, B/TA, 8.672, -0.478

SUPER STOCK
1)	Bill Stewart, Marysville, Wash., '74 Barracuda, SS/LA, 10.751 seconds, -0.999 under index
2)	Jeffrey Lane, North Bend, Wash., '02 Grand Am, SS/CM, 8.985, -0.915
3)	Byron Setters, Red Deer, Alta., '96 Camaro, GT/EA, 10.041, -0.909
4)	Sean Cour, Brush Prairie, Wash., '92 Ciera, GT/DA, 9.933, -0.867
5)	Art Congdon, Calgary, Alta., '91 Calais, GT/CA, 9.893, -0.807
6)	James Caughlin, Woodburn, Ore., '78 Pinto, SS/CC, 12.486, -0.764
7)	Jim Johnston, Ladner, B.C., '55 Chevy, SS/OA, 11.855, -0.745
8)	Steve Polack, Enumclaw, Wash., '92 Camaro, GT/FA, 10.395, -0.705
9)	Jack Bystrom, Rancho Cucamonga, '68 Camaro, SS/GA, 10.168, -0.682
10)	Alan Falcone, Normandy Park, Wash., '91 Oldsmobile, GT/CA, 10.022, -0.678

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1)	Calvin Queahpama, Warm Springs, Ore., '65 Chevrolet, T/SA, 13.490 seconds, -1.210 under index
2)	Brad Plourd, Covington, Wash., '90 Camaro, D/SA, 10.750, -1.100
3)	Sean Cour, Brush Prairie, Wash., '97 Camaro, D/SA, 10.756, -1.094
4)	Tim Lisson, Canby, Ore., '72 Camaro, H/SA, 11.372, -1.078
5)	Mary Ann Method, Kennewick, Wash., '70 Nova, B/SA, 10.475, -1.075
6)	Don Elgin, Desmoines, Wash., '74 Grand Am, N/SA, 12.234, -1.066
7)	Cal Method, Kennewick, Wash., '71 Chevrolet, G/SA, 11.257, -1.043
8)	Jim Durham, Vacaville, Calif., '72 Duster, F/SA, 11.114, -1.036
9)	Bill Kost, Renton, Wash., '77 Cutlass, L/SA, 11.982, -1.018
10)	Tommy Gaynor, Vancouver, Wash., '96 Pontiac, F/SA, 11.135, -1.015

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