NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Saturday from Thunder Valley Raceway Park

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
> THUNDER VALLEY RACEWAY PARK
> SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2002
> 
> FORMER TOP FUEL RACER LEADING FIELD
> 
> Noble, Okla. - Competitors continued to arrive at Thunder Valley Raceway Park well into Saturday morning, pushing the car count to over 500 racers for the for the track> '> s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race.  
> After the final day of qualifying, former Top Fuel and Funny Car racer Gene Snow will head into tomorrow> '> s eliminations seated number one in Top Alcohol Dragster.  The Fort Worth, Texas, resident> '> s A-fuel dragster posted the top three times in qualifying with 5.48, 5.49, and 5.48-second runs.  This the first time in Snow's career that he has qualified number one in the racing category.  
> "> I> '> m just amazed at how consistent we were, I don> '> t know how to act,> ">  said Snow.  > "> We found out that our compression was lower than it should have been.  We made the adjustment and after that, the car just came alive.> "> 
> Steve Gasparrelli of West Covina, Calif., wasn> '> t qualified after Friday> '> s session, but made amends by making the two quickest times in his class on Saturday.  By qualifying for Sunday> '> s eliminations, Gasparrelli has clinched the Top Alcohol Funny Car Championship for the Pacific Division.  
>  In the battle for the South Central Division Top Alcohol Dragster Championship, the microscope will be on Lee Callaway and Shelly Howard tomorrow as the two drivers find themselves number one and two in the division point standings.  Callaway needs to reach the finals to clinch the division, while Howard will need to take home a win at this event and hope that Callaway doesn't reach the final.  Howard will have no direct impact on Callaway's performance tomorrow, as the earliest the two would face off would be in the final.  
> "> I> '> m just focusing on the first round right now,> ">  said Howard.  > "> Take it one round at a time and try to put the right combination together.> "> 
> Top qualifiers in other classes are Greg Williams of Carthage, Texas, in Comp; Randall Klein of Lincoln, Neb., in Super Stock; and Robert Shaw of Sedalia, Mo., in Stock.  Lisa Bennett of Plano, Texas, will also be the top qualifier heading into eliminations tomorrow in NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series competition.  
> 	Tickets for the final day of racing at Thunder Valley Raceway Park> '> s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event is $20.  Children ages 6-12 are $5 and 5 and younger are free. Gates open tomorrow at 8 a.m. and eliminations begin at 9 a.m.  Round one of Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car is scheduled for noon.  For more information, call Thunder Valley Raceway Park at (405) 872-3429 or visit www.okthunder.com.
> 	
> The following are 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 Thunder Valley Raceway Park:
> 
> TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
> 1) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.482 seconds, 252.10 mph
> 2) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.519, 259.21
> 3) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, 5.602, 258.54
> 4) Ed Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.611, 253.44
> 5) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.612, 257.36
> 6) Ben Marshall, New Carlisle, Ohio, 5.683, 240.32
> 7) Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., 5.770, 246.98
> 8) James Thompson Jr., Vernon, Texas, 5.782, 246.17
> 
> Not Qualified
> 9) Brian Ratliff, Hulbert, Okla., 5.885, 248.27
> 10) Chris Ricketts, N. Kansas City, Mo., 6.034, 220.21
> 11) Gary Ormsby Jr., Granite Bay, Calif., 6.089, 211.36
> 12) Mike Bowers, Plano, Texas, 6.303, 221.40
> 13) Larry Becktold, Luther, Okla., 6.742, 222.99
> 
> Round 1
> 1) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.482, 252.10 vs. 8) James Thompson Jr., Vernon, Texas, 5.782, 246.17
> 2) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.519, 259.21 vs. 7) Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., 5.770, 246.98> 
> 3) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, 5.602, 258.54 vs. 6) Ben Marshall, New Carlisle, Ohio, 5.683, 240.32
> 4) Ed Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.611, 253.44 vs. 5) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.612, 257.36
>  
> TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
> 1) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, > '> 99 Firebird, 5.803, 246.03
> 2) Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., > '> 00 Camaro, 5.840, 246.98
> 3) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., > '> 00 Avenger, 5.907, 242.52
> 4) Richard Shaver, San Antonio, Texas, > '> 99 Camaro, 6.016, 240.32
> 5) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, > '> 98 Camaro, 6.039, 238.98 
> 6) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., > '> 99 Firebird, 6.039, 237.59
> 7) Scott Palmer, Nixa, Mo., > '> 98 Achieva, 6.121, 209.44
> 8) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., > '> 97 Camaro, 6.144, 236.84
> 
> Not Qualified
> 9) Kirk Johnson, Dallas, > '> 98 Firebird, 6.235, 226.13
> 10) Eddie McDow, Waco, Texas, > '> 00 Camaro, 6.324, 226.24
> 11) Bob Alberty, Muskogee, Okla., > '> 97 Firebird, 6.491, 206.37
> 12) Ronald Rice, Oklahoma City, Okla., > '> 96 Daytona, 6.728, 201.97
> 
> Round 1
> 1) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, > '> 99 Firebird, 5.803, 246.03 vs. 8) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., > '> 97 Camaro, 6.144, 236.84
> 2) Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., > '> 00 Camaro, 5.840, 246.98 vs. 7) Scott Palmer, Nixa, Mo., > '> 98 Achieva, 6.121, 209.44
> 3) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., > '> 00 Avenger, 5.907, 242.52 vs. 6) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., > '> 99 Firebird, 6.039, 237.59
> 4) Richard Shaver, San Antonio, Texas, > '> 99 Camaro, 6.016, 240.32 vs. 5) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, > '> 98 Camaro, 6.039, 238.98 
> 
> COMP ELIMINATOR
> 1) Greg Williams, Carthage, Texas, > '> 02 Cavalier, C/SMA, 8.507 seconds, -0.623 under index
> 2) Mike Trumble Jr., Pasadena, Texas, > '> 01 Grand Am, A/SMA, 8.166, -0.584
> 3) Fred Gross, La Crescenta, Calif., > '> 98 Pontiac, G/A, 8.609, -0.581
> 4) Robert Freeman, Oklahoma City, Okla., > '> 02 Cavalier, C/A, 7.491, -0.579
> 5) Sean Dodd, Lewisville, Texas, > '> 01 Camaro, D/AA, 7.846, -0.554
> 6) Buddy Nickens, Spring, Texas, > '> 01 S-10, B/TA, 8.603, -0.547
> 7) Roger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, > '> 02 Chevy, A/SM, 8.023, -0.537
> 8) Bob Yonke, Burleson, Texas, > '> 02 Cavalier, C/A, 7.552, -0.518
> 9) Al Weiss, Wichita Falls, Texas, > '> 32 Bantam, E/EA, 8.575, -0.515
> 10) Edward Shalkowski, Hawley, Texas, > '> 96 Frameworks, F/ED, 8.475, -0.515
> 
> SUPER STOCK
> 1) Randall Klein, Lincoln, Neb., > '> 56 Nomad, SS/NA, 11.296, -1.154
> 2) Bobby Dennis, Shorter, Ala., > '> 95 Achieva, GT/KA, 10.648, -1.102
> 3) Buz Post, Arlington, Texas, > '> 98 Grand Am, SS/BM, 8.599, -1.101
> 4) Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., > '> 96 Corvette, SS/AX, 8.903, -1.097
> 5) Steven Reynolds, Pasadena, Texas, > '> 86 Monte Carlo, GT/MA, 10.989, -1.061
> 6) Tyler Cassil, Belton, Mo., > '> 66 Chevy, SS/K, 10.290, -1.010
> 7) Terry Emmons, Pasadena, Texas, > '> 96 Firebird, SS/JA, 10.305, -0.995 
> 8) John Schiess, N. Hills, Calif., > '> 91 Cutlass, GT/FA, 10.107, -0.993
> 9) Chad Guilford, Highlands Ranch, Colo., > '> 84 Cougar, GT/EA, 9.974, -0.976
> 10) Larry Schmidt, Grand Island, Neb., > '> 55 Belair, SS/PA, 11.988, -0.962
> 
> STOCK ELIMINATOR
> 1) Robert Shaw, Sedalia, Mo., > '> 85 El Camino, V/SA, 14.491, -1.309
> 2) Ed O> '> Brien, Yorba Linda, Calif., > '> 89 Chrysler, DF/SA, 14.442, -1.158
> 3) RJ Sledge, Boerne, Texas, > '> 67 Fairlane, F/SA, 11.009, -1.141
> 4) John Hladky, Stuart, Neb., > '> 66 Nova, G/S, 11.079, -1.121
> 5) Ben Wenzel Sr., Freeland, Mich., > '> 67 Camaro, E/S, 10.877, -1.073
> 6) Steve Brack, Lawrence, Kan., > '> 86 Chevy, I/S, 11.472, -1.028
> 7) Gary Slaton, Liberty Hill, Texas, > '> 94 Camaro, E/SA, 10.979, -1.021
> 8) Jerry Emmons, Pasadena, Texas, > '> 98 Firebird, G/SA, 11.304, -0.996 
> 9) Steven Hall, Sweeney, Texas, > '> 68 Mustang, B/SA, 10.558, -0.992
> 10) Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., > '> 97 Camaro, E/SA, 11.039, -0.961
> 
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