LODRS-Saturday from Atlanta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTHEAST DIVISION
ATLANTA DRAGWAY
Saturday, May 10, 2001

TAD, TAFC FINISH ELIMINATIONS AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY; QUALIFYING COMPLETE IN
OTHER CLASSES
        COMMERCE, Ga. - Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) and Top Alcohol Funny
Car (TAFC) completed all rounds of eliminations today at the NHRA Lucas Oil
Drag Racing Series event at Atlanta Dragway and the fields are set for
eliminations in all other categories.
        The race for the TAFC division title got a little tighter today
when Jay Payne took the win over Von Smith.  Payne made a 5.665-second,
255.75 mph pass to Smith's 5.802-second, 251.88 mph effort.  This is
Payne's third win of the season but the Claremont, Calif., resident is
still 22 points behind Smith for the division crown.  Going into this race,
Smith, of Oak Ridge, Tenn., had scored back-to-back wins, giving him three
victories on the year.  
After making final-round appearances at the division's last two events,
John Haley of Wayzata, Minn., finally earned his first win of the year. 
Haley's 6.702-second, 142.85 mph run was enough to take the win when
opponent Marty Thacker of Robinson, Ill., could not get his dragster out of
reverse after the burnout.  Haley ran strong all weekend and was the No. 1
qualifier of the event.
Also earning Sealed Power Low Qualifier bonus money were Larry Pritchett of
Clarkrange, Tenn., Comp Eliminator; Everett Hill of Fayetteville, Ga., in
Super Stock; and Richard Taylor of Byhalia, Miss., in Stock.
        Racing continues Sunday with eliminations in Top Sportsman, Comp
Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. 
Gates at Atlanta Dragway open at 9 a.m. and eliminations begin at 
10 a.m.  General admission tickets, including pit pass, are $15.  Children
5-13 are $5 and kids 4 and under are admitted free.  For more information
call Atlanta Dragway, (706) 335-2301.

        The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and
elimination results for TAD and TAFC:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1) John Haley, Wayzata, Minn., 5.552 seconds, 252.31 mph def. 6) Duke
McDonald, Gainesville, Fla., 7.945, 118.71
2) Guy Kelly, Wadley, Ala., 5.528, 257.80 def. 5) Artie Allen,
Jacksonville, Fla., 5.747, 250.41
3) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.545, 260.19 def. 4) Jason Cannon,
Middleburg, Fla., 5.714, 250.76

Semifinals
Haley, 5.537, 255.31 def. BYE
Thacker, 5.531, 259.14 def. Kelly, 5.564, 256.41

Final
Haley, 6.702, 142.85 def. Thacker, broke


TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR 
Round 1
1) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.694 seconds, 250.62 mph def.
BYE
2) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '01 Firebird, 5.794, 250.62 def. 3) Mark
Billington, Apopka, Fla., '01 Avenger, 6.040, 243.77

Final
Payne, 5.663, 255.75 def. Smith, 5.802, 251.88 

COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '98 Grand Am, A/SM, 8.083    
   seconds, -0.537 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, 8.744, -0.496
4. Fred Allen, Winamac, Ind., '23 Ford, A/EA, 7.584, -0.446
5. Tim Freeman, Roan Mtn., Tenn., '92 Camaro, H/SM, 9.384, -0.396
6. George Gallimore Jr., Memphis, Tenn., '32 roadster, A/AP, 7.171, 
   -0.359
7. Wayne Hutton, Portland, Tenn., '91 Calais, C/SH, 8.599, -0.341
8. David Hornaday, West Columbia, S.C., '68 Opel, C/A, 7.754, -0.326
9. Keith Roberts, Mooresville, N.C., '96 Cutlass, C/EA, 8.619, -0.261
10. Donald Eberly Jr., Brunswick, Ga., '96 Cutlass, C/EA, 8.638, -0.242

SUPER STOCK
1. Everett Hill, Fayetteville, Ga., '64 Mustang, SS/M, 10.860 seconds,
   -1.040 under index
2. Jeff Miller, Pearland, Texas, '98 Grand Am, SS/BM, 8.742, -0.958
3. Ronnie Courtney, Johnston, S.C., '02 Cavalier, GT/F, 9.960, -0.950
4. Wayne Hayes, Elgin, S.C., '56 Chevy, SS/OA, 11.681, -0.919
5. Brad Allen, Winamac, Ind., '02 S-10, GT/TB, 10.237, -0.913  
6. John Fogle, Norway, S.C., '67 Camaro, SS/HA, 10.00, -0.900
7. Joe LoCicero, Snellville, Ga., '87 Camaro, GT/CA, 9.847, -0.853
8. Larry Strunk, Odessa, Fla., '64 Comet, SS/MA, 11.305, -0.845
9. Larry Stewart Jr., Clinton, Miss., '87 Camaro, GT/FA, 10.260, -0.840
10. Jim Smiley, Springfield, Tenn., '91 Calais, SS/BM, 8.874, -0.826

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, 10.590, -1.110
3. Danny Holder, Chapmansboro, Tenn., '91 Camaro, 11.893, -1.057
4. Robert Shaw, Douglasville, Ga., '87 Formula, N/SA, 12.259, -1.041
5. Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., '97 Camaro, E/SA, 11.028, -0.972
6. Ronald Urquart, Chesterfield, Va., '68 Camaro, F/SA, 11.181, -0.969
7. Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, N.C., '87 Camaro, K/SA, 11.990, -0.960
8. Arnold Greene, Matthews, N.C., '69 Camaro, A/S, 10.350, -0.900
9. Harold Culpepper, Pine Mtn. Valley, Ga., '94 Camaro, D/SA, 10.954, 
   -0.896
10. Mark Lewis, Inman, S.C., '73 Nova, 11.717, -0.883

TOP SPORTSMAN
1. Ronnie Davis, Lilburn, Ga., '63 Corvette, 6.992 seconds, 199.60 mph
2. Robert Sellers, Bunnell, Fla., '97 Avenger, 7.014, 196.67
3. Jeff Rudiski, Rutherford College, N.C., '92 Trans Am, 7.160, 196.54
4. Sandy Wilkins, Fuquay Varina, N.C., '01 Camaro, 7.168, 187.86
5. Aaron Glaser, Shepherdsville, Ky., '63 Corvette, 7.258, 193.13
6. Troy Cagle, Ranburne, Ala., '00 S-10, 7.273, 186.41
7. Will Robertson, Williston, S.C., '57 Belair, 7.314, 184.57
8. Joel Douglas, Statesville, N.C., '94 Cutlass, 7.462, 184.95
9. Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '89 Beretta, 7.480, 183.07
10. Michael Osborn, Athens, Ala., '94 Cutlass, 7.590, 181.81 

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