LODRS Sunday Results from Chicago

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION
ROUTE 66 RACEWAY, JOLIET, ILL.
SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2002

HOWARD, CHEESEMAN VICTORIOUS ON ROUTE 66 

JOLIET, Ill. -Defending NHRA North Central Division Top Alcohol Dragster
Champion Shelly Howard picked up her first win of the season at this
weekend's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Route 66 Raceway. 
        Howard took out Russ Lindert in the final with her best run of the
day covering the quarter mile in 5.605 seconds at 254.42. It was Howard's
0.484-second reaction time, however, that gave her the lead she needed and
sent her to the winner's circle. Howard ran 5.60's throughout eliminations,
defeating Jeff Wilson and Ken Perry on her way to the final.
        Lindert ended a long weekend for Marty Thacker in their semi-final
match-up when Thacker lost a blower belt giving Lindert the win and the
trip to the finals to face Howard. Thacker competed in the NHRA
Southeastern Division event in Bristol, Tenn. on Saturday where he took
home the win over number one qualifier John Haley.
        Multiple Top Alcohol Funny Car Champions faced off in the final at
Route 66 with defending Division Champion Chuck Cheeseman taking the win
over Very Moats with a pass of 5.923-seconds at 245.36 mph to Moats' 5.946,
241.89. Cheeseman has four North Central Funny Car Championships to his
name while Moats is a multiple funny car champion in the NHRA West Central
Division.
        Decatur, Ill., resident David Billingsley took the win in Comp
Eliminator over Fred Allen with a run of 7.634 at 178.19 mph.
        Winner's from Saturday's eliminations were Craig Michael of
Coshoeton, Ohio, in Super Stock; Larry Hodge of LaPlace, Ill., in Stock;
Brian Folk of Durand, Ill., in Super Comp; Robert Zimmerman of Fon du Lac,
Wis., in Super Gas; and Wayne Christopher of Milan, Ill., in Super Street.
        The NHRA North Central Division makes its next stop on the Lucas
Oil Drag Racing Series at Edgewater Sports Park, August 2-4.

      The following are final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing
Series event at Route 66 Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
8. Ken Perry, Gormley, ONT CAN, 5.678 seconds, 251.63 mph def. 1. Keith
        Stark, Danville, Ill., 5.810, 220.84
2. Russ Lindert, Manteno, Ill., 5.590, 252.14 def. 7. Tim Rudy, Mason,
Ohio, 10.908, 76.17
3. Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.593, 259.16 def. 6. David Wells,
Lemars, Iowa, 5.759, 250.55
4. Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.624, 255.15 def. 5. Jeff Wilson,
Winfield, Mo., 6.074, 188.04

Semi-Finals
Howard, 5.652, 253.14 def. Perry, 5.810, 209.79
Lindert, 5.943, 228.73 def. Thacker, 9.944, 82.49

Finals
Howard, 5.605, 254.42 def. Lindert, 5.587, 251.11

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR 
Round 1
1. Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '01 Firebird, 5.857 seconds, 
   241.84 mph def. 8. Ray Drew, Union Grove, Wis., '98 Mustang, 6.513,
163.89
7. John Reikas, Glendale Hts., Ill., '97 Camaro, 6.176, 230.69 def. 2. Kim
        Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 6.587, 179.92
3. Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '01 Firebird, 6.031, 242.63 def. 6. Bobby
        Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '00 Avenger, 6.215, 237.38
5. Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '01 Firebird, 5.928, 243.85 def. 4. Jeff
        Craig, Muncie, Ind., '01 Dodge, 5.942, 243.63

Semi-Finals
Cheeseman, 5.912, 245.00 def. White, no time recorded
Moats, 6.056, 241.11 def. Reikas, 6.629, 214.93

Finals
Cheeseman, 5.923, 245.36 def. Moats, 5.946, 241.89

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
David Billingsley, Decatur, Ill., '93 Cutlass C/AA, 7.634, 178.19 def. Fred
Allen, Winamac, Ind., '23 Ford A/EA, 7.622, 173.34

SUPER STOCK
Craig Michael, Coshocton, Ohio, '66 Belvedere SS/EA, 10.631, 122.30 def.
Brad Zaskowski, Grand Rapids, Mich., '87 Camaro GT/I, 10.505, 127.44

STOCK
Larry Hodge, LaPlace, Ill., '75 Skylark M/SA, 12.577, 104.15 def. Keith
Lynch, Mount Ayr, Ill., '69 Camaro H/SA, 12.114, 108.30

SUPER COMP
Brian Folk, Durand, Ill., '99 dragster, 8.920, 157.39 def. Shannon Mingee,
St. Joe, Ill., '01 dragster, 8.880, 155.63

SUPER GAS
Robert Zimmerman, Fon du Lac, Wis., '92 Cavalier, 9.905, 140.24 def. Keith
McPherson, Leonard, Mich., '63 Corvette, 11.226, 102.39

SUPER STREET
Wayne Christopher, Milan, Ill., '84 Monte Carlo, 10.913, 120.24 def. Robert
Richardson, Fort Wayne, Ind., '68 Camaro, 10.911, 138.58