FINAL RESULTS-NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Event-Darlington Dragway, Darlington, SC

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NHRA SOUTHEAST DIVISION
DARLINGTON INTERNATIONAL DRAGWAY
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2002

Thacker finishes season with third NHRA Southeast Division win
DARLINGTON, S.C. - In the final results at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event being held at Darlington International Dragway, Marty Thacker and Steve Harker both won in their respective fields.
	In Top Alcohol Dragster, Robinson, Ill., driver Marty Thacker captured his third NHRA Southeast Division win of the year, when he defeated NHRA Northeast Division runner Fran Monaghan of Meadowbrook, Pa. In the final, Thacker used a .419 reaction time and 5.553 second pass at 256.04 mph to take out Monaghan, who reacted with a .512 and ran a quicker 5.519 at 253.02 mph.    
	In other Top Alcohol Dragster racing action, Las Vegas, Nev., runner Duane Shields' national championship hopes came to an abrupt end when he was defeated in the opening round by top qualifier John Haley. Despite being out of the race for the title, Shields plans to finish the season by competing in the final NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at his home track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, November 1-3. He also plans to attend the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Pomona Raceway, November 7-10.  
In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Steve Harker of Brisbane, Australia nabbed his first Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series win of the year when he defeated Stanford, Conn., racer Micky Ferro in the class final. Harker, who qualified second in the funny car field, ran a 5.870-second pass at 246.50 mph in the final to take out Ferro, who struggled to a 6.184-second pass at 199.51. Despite being eliminated in the final by Harker it was still a huge day for Ferro, who the opening round and semifinals defeated two of the Southeast Division's heaviest hitters, divisional points leader Von Smith and defending Southeast Division champ Jay Payne. 
In Comp Eliminator, Mike Saye of Johnston, S.C., defeated Clarkrange, Tenn., driver Larry Pritchett to take the class title and clinch his second divisional championship in a row in the class. This was an important win for Saye who is currently neck and neck with defending NHRA National Champion Don Stratton of Beloit, Ohio, in the race for the Comp Eliminator National Championship.     
Winners in other categories are Andy Fogle of Norway, S.C., in Super Stock; Brandon Wood of Tallahassee, Fla., in Stock Eliminator; Frank Altilio of Ocoee, Fla., in Super Comp; Steve Furr of Harrisburg, N.C., in Super Gas; and Kevin Mac Nicol of North Port, Fla., in Super Street.
In John Bleakley Motorhomes Top Sportsman, the win went to Robert Sellers of Bunnell, Fla. In the final he defeated Knoxville, Tenn., racer Billy Vaughn. 
The following are Sunday's final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Darlington International Dragway:
Top Alcohol Dragster
Round 1
1) John Haley, St. Louise, Minn., 6.718 seconds, 181.96 mph def. 8) Duane Shields, Las Vegas, Nev., 14.531, 49.95
2) Jason Cannon, Middleburg, Fla., 5.503 seconds, 256.11 mph def. 7) Tim Rudy, Mason, Ohio, 11.050, 106.81
3) Fran Monaghan, Meadowbrook, Pa., 5.575 seconds, 249.58 mph def. 6) Billy Gibson, Chaptico, Md., 10.048, 92.58
4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.568 seconds, 252.10 mph def. 5) Richard Bourke, Old Tappan, N.J., 11.882, 85.91
Semifinals
Thacker, 5.535 seconds, 256.19 seconds def. Haley, 15.224, 49.22
Monaghan, 5.543 seconds, 251.95 mph def. Cannon, 5.696, 238.22
Final
Thacker, 5.553 seconds, 256.04 mph def. Monaghan, 5.519, 253.02

Top Alcohol Funny Car
 Round 1
1) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.811 seconds, 250.00 mph def. BYE
2) Steve Harker, Brisbane, Australia, '99 Avenger, 5.741 seconds, 247.72 mph def. 5) Craig English, Mount Holly, N.J., '98 Mustang, 9.204, 83.29 
4) Micky Ferro, Stanford, Conn., '98 Avenger, 5.861 seconds, 242.98 mph def. 3) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '01 Firebird, 5.936, 219.51
Semifinals
Ferro, 5.873 seconds, 242.71 mph def. Payne, 6.016, 244.03
Harker, 5.809 seconds, 246.57 mph def. BYE
Final
Harker, 5.870 seconds, 246.50 mph def. Ferro, 6.184, 199.51

Comp Eliminator  
Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., G/A, '92 Cutlass, 8.673 seconds, 153.92 mph def. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., B/SM, '98 Grand Am, 8.351, 159.68
Super Stock 
Andy Fogle, Norway, S.C., SS/HA, '67 Camaro, 9.976 seconds, 130.45 mph def. Grace Howell, Aiken, S.C., GT/KA, '93 Mustang, 11.074, 114.41 
Stock 
Brandon Wood, Tallahassee, Fla., K/SA, '85 Camaro, 11.882 seconds, 104.99 mph def. Tom O'Loughlin, Braintree, Mass., F/SA, '68 Chevelle, 11.419, 113.80
Super Comp
Frank Altilio, Ococee, Fla., '02 Dragster, 8.922 seconds, 165.47 mph def. James Perry, Jr., Orlando, Fla., '00 Dragster, 8.911, 155.01
Super Gas
Steven Furr, Harrisburg, N.C., '68 Camaro, 9.906 seconds, 152.77 mph def. Jason Wood, Live Oak, Fla., '98 Chevy S-10, 9.893, 153.63 
Super Street
Kevin Mac Nicol, North Port, Fla., '78 Trans Am, 10.877 seconds, 123.98 mph def. Michael Ruff, Orlando, Fla., '92 Camaro, 10.857, 127.65
John Bleakley Motorhomes Top Sportsman 
Robert Sellers, Bunnell, Fla., '97 Avenger, 10.700 seconds, 81.33 mph def. Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '84 Beretta, No Time