LODRS Sunday from Columbus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION
NATIONAL TRAIL RACEWAY, HEBRON, OHIO    
Sunday, September 22, 2002

CHEESEMAN GRABS FIFTH TAFC WIN IN SIX RACES; NICHOLSON LOGS SECOND TAD
VICTORY

        HEBRON, Ohio - In the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag
Racing Series event at National Trail Raceway, out-of-division competitor
Darren Nicholson took the win in Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) and Chuck
Cheeseman added another Top Alcohol Funny Car (TAFC) trophy to his
collection.  
        With the win today, Cheeseman has won five out of the division's
six Lucas Oil events, giving him a solid points lead for the season.  The
Galena, Ohio, resident's 5.911-second, 242.19-mph pass was enough to get
him to the finish line ahead of Steve Harker of Queensland, Aust.  Harker
made it a side-by-side race with a 5.962-second, 247.34-mph effort.
        Nicholson, of Mission Viejo, Calif., had a free pass in the final
round when Plymouth, Mich., resident Jeff Bohr broke on the burn-out.  The
win helped Nicholson in his bid for a Pacific Division championship but he
will remain in second place in the point standings.
        Winners in other categories were Steve Ambrose of Woodhaven, Mich.,
in Comp Eliminator; Delaware, Ohio, resident John Coughlin in Super Stock;
defending division champion Clint Blezien of Bensenville, Ill., in Stock;
David Connolly of Elyria, Ohio, in Super Comp; Ron Erks of Clinton, Ohio,
who is also a defending division champion, in Super Gas; and Columbus,
Ohio, resident Tim Gary in Super Street.
        This was the last NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event of the
season for North Central Division competitors.  They can still earn points
in races out of the division if they choose.


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

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
8) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Pa., 5.587 seconds, 257.04 mph def. 1) Keith Stark,
Danville, Ill., 7.181, 130.87 

7) Tim Rudy, Mason, Ohio, 5.668, 232.87 def. 2) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind.,
5.852, 232.67

6) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.786, 211.36 def. 3) Jeff Wilson, Winfield,
Mo., 10.299, 78.41

5) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.551, 255.87 def. 4) Bill
Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.729, 248.20

Semi-Finals
Bohr, 5.640, 250.69 def. Rudy, 5.578, 250.55
Nicholson, 5.521, 253.99 def. Kosky, 7.140, 128.04

Final Round
Nicholson, 15.596, 83.97 def. Bohr, broke (shut off by starter)

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR 
Round 1
1) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '01 Firebird, 5.794 seconds, 238.68 mph
def. 8) Jeff Lancaster, Hamilton, Ont., '96 Firebird, 6.484, 165.03

2) Steve Harker, '99 Avenger, Brisbane, Queensland, Aust., 6.000, 238.43
def. 7) Andrew Tarr, Louisville, Ky., '98 Pontiac, 6.359, 208.30

6) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '01 Firebird, 5.778, 244.34 def. 3) Jim
Sickles, Caledonia, N.Y., '99 Camaro, 5.801, 247.29

5) Jeff Craig, Muncie, Ind., '01 Dodge, 5.822, 246.71 def. 4) Kim Fritts,
Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 11.465, 69.17

Semi-Finals
Cheeseman, 5.828, 242.19 def. Craig, 5.835, 246.62
Harker, 10.989, 73.73 def. White, broke (shut off by starter)

Final Round
Cheeseman, 5.911, 242.19 def. Harker, 5.962, 247.34

COMP ELIMINATOR*
Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23 roadster, 7.903 seconds, -0.577 under
index def. Jack Slagle, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, '98 Grand Am, 8.820, 
-0.530

SUPER STOCK*
John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '02 Cavalier, 8.946, -1.004 def. Jimbo
Fields, Gallatin, Ind., '63 Corvette, 10.225, -0.775

STOCK ELIMINATOR*
Clint Blezien, Bensenville, Ill., '91 Camaro, 12.548, -0.752 def. Larry
Hill, Hickory, Ky., '70 Cuda, 10.443, -0.857

SUPER COMP*
David Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, dragster, 9.043, +0.143 def. Steve Eckard,
Pataskala, Ohio, dragster, 8.967, +0.067

SUPER GAS*
Ron Erks, Clinton, Ohio, '63 Corvette, 9.912, +0.012 def., Jeff Gerber,
Massillon, Ohio, '27 roadster, 9.923, +0.023

SUPER STREET*
Tim Gary, Columbus, Ohio, '67 Barracuda, 10.923, +0.023 def. Robert
Ruderick, Centerburg, Ohio, '85 Thunderbird, 10.954, +0.054

*Speeds were not available for Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super
Comp, Super Gas or Super Street.


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