NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Final Results from Thunder Va lley

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
THUNDER VALLEY RACEWAY PARK
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2002

BERTOZZI WINS SUPER STOCK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Noble, Okla. - Competition for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Thunder Valley Raceway Park concluded with Anthony Bertozzi clinching the Super Stock National Championship after earning the event win on Sunday.
"This is the first year that I chased the points," said Bertozzi.  "I just tried to do the best I can."
The Richmond, Va., resident would have never attempted to race for a national and divisional championship this year without the encouragement of his friend and fellow Super Stock racer Peter Biondo.
	"Peter talked me into racing after winning at Montgomery and Orlando," said Bertozzi.  "It's kind of bittersweet that I won this championship.  We should have won it together."
Ed Schmeeckle of Gothenburg, Neb., was unopposed in the Top Alcohol Dragster final after Larry Traugott was unable to make the call to the starting line.  The Top Alcohol Funny Car final would have featured a battle of 2002 division champions, as Steve Gasparrelli of the Pacific Division and Tate Branch of the South Central were set to square off.  Unfortunately, mechanical problems prevented Branch from racing in the final as well, forcing him to forfeit the event win to Gasparrelli.  Both Gasparrelli and Branch clinched division championships with their performances here this weekend.  
Branch of Artesia, N.M., clinched his second career division championship after defeating five-time South Central Division Champion Jackie Stidham in the semifinals.  
"It was a lot of pressure, I just tried to concentrate and do my job," said Branch.  
The South Central Division Top Alcohol Dragster championship was also clinched on Sunday as Lee Callaway of Channelview, Texas, took the title.  Despite red-lighting in the first round, Callaway will make the drive home to Texas knowing that he has won his first division championship of his racing career.  Shelly Howard of Tulsa, Okla., had an opportunity to repeat as division champion, but also left before the green light in the first round.  Howard will finish in second place in the division standings.
"It takes a lot of luck to be successful at this level," said Callaway.  "It doesn't matter if you have the best stuff, you still have to get a break."
Winners in other categories are Robert Freeman of Oklahoma City, Okla., in Comp; Ron Watson of Kennedale, Texas, in Stock; Jeremy Siffring of Fremont, Neb., in Super Comp; Frank Kohutek of Mesquite, Texas, in Super Gas; and Bryan Sandlin of Baytown, Texas, in Super Street.  Brian Johnson of Runaway, Minn., also earned the win in NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series competition.  
	The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will head next to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the final divisional event of the year, November 7-10.  Thursday's race will feature the conclusion of Pomona Raceway's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event and time trials and qualifying for Vegas' race will begin on Friday.  
	NHRA 2Day and its staff were also in attendance at Thunder Valley Raceway Park Sunday to feature the track and its racers on the weekly show's "Sportsman Spotlight".  The show is scheduled to air on November 3rd on ESPN 2.

The following are final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Thunder Valley Raceway Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.613, 234.55 def. 8) James Thompson Jr., Vernon, Texas, 5.739, 249.23
7) Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., 5.846, 243.50 def. 2) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.506, 256.26
3) Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, 5.638, 255.24 def. 6) Ben Marshall, New Carlisle, Ohio, 5.861, 230.82
4) Ed Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.673, 249.23 def. 5) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 8.893, 86.43
 
Semifinal
Schmeeckle, 6.179, 219.29 def. Snow, 13.101, 51.03
Traugott, 5.750, 247.32 def. Bradshaw, 5.837, 249.93

Final
Schmeeckle, 6.879, 145.65 def. Traugott, no show

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, '99 Firebird, 5.839, 241.09 def. 8) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., '97 Camaro, 6.315, 227.79
2) Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., '00 Camaro, 5.824, 244.83 def. 7) Scott Palmer, Nixa, Mo., '98 Achieva, 7.207, 132.58
3) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '00 Avenger, 5.875, 241.74 def. 6) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '99 Firebird, 6.757, 167.41
5) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '98 Camaro, 6.165, 235.17 def. 4) Richard Shaver, San Antonio, Texas, '99 Camaro, 6.127, 238.03

Semifinal
Gasparrelli, 5.806, 248.34 def. Jones, 6.529, 163.96
Branch, 5.883, 240.96 def. Stidham, 6.073, 233.46

Final
Gasparrelli, no time def. Branch, no show

COMP ELIMINATOR
Robert Freeman, Oklahoma City, Okla., '02 Cavalier, 7.492 seconds, 182.00 mph. def. Brian Self, Spring, Texas, '01 S-10, 7.545, 178.89

SUPER STOCK
Anthony Bertozzi, Richmond, Va., '98 Grand Am, 9.433, 140.91 def. Gilbert Johnson, Lecompte, La., '91 Calais, 10.688, 125.15

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Ron Watson, Kennedale, Texas, '79 Malibu, 12.328, 101.79 def. Bobby Roper, Toad Suck, Ark., '69 Camaro, 10.658, 117.08

SUPER COMP
Jeremy Siffring, Fremont, Neb., '01 Neil & Parks, 8.974, 152.98 def. Tony Gray, Moore, Okla., '02 Mondon, 8.937, 152.69

SUPER GAS
Frank Kohutek, Mesquite, Texas, '96 Grand Prix, 9.937, 139.53 def. Jeff Franklin, Grand Prairie, Texas, '69 AMX AMC, 9.876, 140.60

SUPER STREET
Bryan Sandlin, Baytown, Texas, '78 Camaro, 10.881, 139.12 def. Doug Baumgardner, Wichita, Kan., '88 Mustang, 10.845, 130.71

NHRA KERKER MOTORCYCLE SERIES
Brian Johnson, Runaway, Minn., '02 Suzuki, 9.140, 132.39 def. Gerald Jordan, Buda, Texas, '02 Suzuki, 10.149, 120.91