LODRS NHRA Friday from Atlanta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTHEAST DIVISION
ATLANTA DRAGWAY, COMMERCE, GA.
Friday, August 09, 2002

HALEY, PAYNE LEAD ALCOHOL FIELDS AT LUCAS OIL RACE AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY

        COMMERCE, Ga. - In the first rounds of qualifying at Atlanta
Dragway, Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) driver John Haley and Top Alcohol Funny
Car (TAFC) pilot Jay Payne took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their
classes. 
        Haley, of Wayzata, Minn., outran the field with a pass of 5.488
seconds at 256.92 mph.  Haley was the low qualifier at the division's last
event at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn., and went on to make his second
final-round appearance of the season.  He is still looking for his first
win of the year.
        Claremont, Calif., resident Payne made a 5.700-second, 253.16 mph
run to take the pole.  This is the fifth time in Payne has earned the
Sealed Power Low Qualifier bonus this season.  He is looking for his third
divisional event win of the year.  Payne won here a year ago. 
        Top qualifiers in other classes are: Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange,
Tenn., in Comp Eliminator; Everett Hill, Fayettville, Ga., in Super Stock;
and Richard Taylor, Byhalia, Miss., in Stock.
        The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series continues Saturday at 
10 a.m.  Gates at Atlanta Dragway open at 9 a.m.  The Top Sportsman class
is scheduled to qualify at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.  TAD and TAFC will run all
rounds of eliminations beginning at 6 p.m. 
        General admission tickets are $20 Saturday and $15 Sunday.  A
two-day ticket is $30.  Children 5-13 are $5 each day and kids 4 and under
are admitted free.  For more information call Atlanta Dragway, (706)
335-2301 or visit www.AtlantaDragway.com.  
        

        The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas
Oil Drag Racing Series event at Atlanta Dragway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1. John Haley, Wayzata, Minn., 5.488 seconds, 256.92 mph
2. Guy Kelly, Wadley, Ala., 5.513, 266.33
3. Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.515, 258.76
4. Jason Cannon, Middleburg, Fla., 5.660, 250.27
5. Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.677, 251.04
6. Duke McDonald, Gainesville, Fla., 6.793, 152.41

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR 
1. Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.700 seconds, 253.16 mph
2. Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '01 Firebird, 5.800, 246.23
3. Mark Billington, Apopka, Fla., '01 Avenger, 5.941, 244.83

COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '98 Grand Am, A/SM, 8.090    
   seconds, -0.530 under index
2. Jeff Taylor, Lumberton, N.C., '01 Grand Am, C/A, 7.564, -0.516
3. Mike Saye, Johnston, N.C., '92 Cutlass, G/A, 8.772, -0.468
4. Fred Allen, Winamac, Ind., '23 Ford, A/EA, 7.584, -0.446
5. George Gallimore Jr., Memphis, Tenn., '32 roadster, A/AP, 7.171, 
   -0.359
6. Wayne Hutton, Portland, Tenn., '91 Calais, C/SH, 8.602, -0.338
7. Steve Conner, Fletcher, N.C., '91 Camaro, H/SM, 9.454, -0.326
8. David Hornaday, West Columbia, S.C., '68 Opel, C/A, 7.801, -0.279
9. Donald Eberly Jr., Brunswick, Ga., '96 Cutlass, C/EA, 8.692, -0.188
10. Craig Smitherman, Winston Salem, N.C., '88 Thunderbird, D/A, 8.320,    
-0.040

SUPER STOCK
1. Everett Hill, Fayetteville, Ga., '64 Mustang, SS/M, 10.902 seconds,
   -0.998 under index
2. Jeff Miller, Pearland, Texas, '98 Grand Am, SS/BM, 8.742, -0.958
3. Brad Allen, Winamac, Ind., '02 S-10, GT/TB, 10.237, -0.913  
4. John Fogle, Norway, S.C., '67 Camaro, SS/HA, 10.00, -0.900
5. Wayne Hayes, Elgin, S.C., '56 Chevy, SS/OA, 11.703, -0.897
6. Ronnie Courtney, Johnston, S.C., '02 Cavalier, GT/F, 10.014, -0.886
7. Joe LoCicero, Snellville, Ga., '87 Camaro, GT/CA, 9.876, -0.824
8. Bruce Campbell, Waynesville, N.C., '88 Firebird, GT/HA, 10.535, 
   -0.815
9. Larry Strunk, Odessa, Fla., '64 Comet, SS/MA, 11.340, -0.810
10. Larry Stewart Jr., Clinton, Miss., '87 Camaro, GT/FA, 10.291, -0.809

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Richard Taylor, Byhalia, Miss., '01 S-10, JT/SA, 15.458 seconds, 
   -1.342 under index
2. Woodro Josey, Byron, Ga., '98 Firebird, C/SA, 10.639, -1.061
3. Danny Holder, Chapmansboro, Tenn., '91 Camaro, 11.917, -1.033
4. Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, N.C., '87 Camaro, K/SA, 11.993, -0.957
5. Robert Shaw, Douglasville, Ga., '87 Formula, N/SA, 12.355, -0.945
6. Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., '97 Camaro, E/SA, 11.062, -0.938
7. Tom Marinelli, Tallahassee, Fla., '79 Malibu, K/SA, 12.098, -0.852
8. John Wentling, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., '94 Camaro, E/SA, 11.182, -0.818
9. Hugh Meeks III, Montgomery, Ala., '73 Nova, I/SA, 11.792, -0.808
10. Brandon Wood, Tallahassee, Fla., '85 Camaro, N/SA, 12.503, -0.797

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