NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Friday Qualifying Results from Texas Motorplex

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
TEXAS MOTORPLEX
FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2003

SNOW STORMS TO TOP SPOT AT TEXAS MOTORPLEX

ENNIS, Texas - Former Top Fuel and Funny Car racer Gene Snow is the low qualifier in Top Alcohol Dragster after day one of qualifying at Texas Motorplex's O'Reilly NHRA Divisional, presented by TBC Indoor Kart Racing.  
The Fort Worth, Texas, resident's 5.427-second, 251.46 mph run during the opening round of qualifying is the best pass he has made this season.  Snow will hope to fend off his competitor for two more qualifying sessions so he can earn his second career low qualifier award in the racing class.  
Leading the field in Top Alcohol Funny Car is Jay Payne of Claremont, Calif., after a 5.707 second, 255.82 mph pass.  The former national and seven-time division champion finished the season last year in third place in the national points standings with five event wins and will be looking for his first win of the year this weekend.    
Low qualifiers in other classes are Buz Post of Arlington, Texas, in Super Stock and Sam Lusco Jr. of Houma, La., in Stock.  Held in conjunction with this NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event is NHRA Kerker Motorcycle and NHRA Sunset Racecraft Racing Engines Top Sportsman Series competition.  Jose Trevino of San Antonio, Texas, and Greg Lair of Canyon, Texas, are low qualifiers in these series.  
Gates open tomorrow at 8 a.m. and day two of qualifying will begin at 9 a.m.  Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, and Top Sportsman qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1 and 4 p.m.  For more information, call Texas Motorplex at (972) 878-2641 or visit www.texasmotorplex.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the O'Reilly NHRA Divisional, presented by TBC Indoor Kart Racing at Texas Motorplex:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.427 seconds, 251.46 mph
2) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.467, 259.81
3) Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., 5.472, 265.09
4) Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 5.536, 246.23
5) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.591, 255.46
6) Karl Brounkowski, Magnolia, Texas, 5.657, 252.10
7) James Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 5.687, 255.75
8) Tim Rudy, Mason, Ohio, 5.717, 246.17

Not Qualified
9) James Copeland II, Red Oak, Texas, 5.887, 250.62
10) Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., 5.978, 243.77
11) Brandon Pierce, Moore, Okla., 6.998, 147.63
12) Larry Becktold, Luther, Okla., 11.996, 65.14

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.707 seconds, 255.82 mph
2) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '03 Camaro, 5.740, 251.95
3) Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '00 Avenger, 5.886, 242.13
4) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '99 Camaro, 5.929, 246.91
5) Ben Harper, Arroyo Grande, Calif., '99 Firebird, 5.929, 243.70
6) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., '97 Camaro, 6.035, 231.12
7) Shawn Jones, Albuquerque, N.M., '02 Camaro, 6.470, 230.94
8) Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., '00 Camaro, 9.083, 95.36

Not Qualified
9) EJ Johnson, Dallas, Texas, '00 Avenger, No time, 48.99

SUPER STOCK
1) Buz Post, Arlington, Texas, '02 Grand Am, SS/AM, 8.343 seconds, -1.207 under index
2) Steven Reynolds, Pasadena, Texas, '66 Impala, SS/NA, 11.283, -1.167
3) Gilbert Johnson Jr., Lecompte, La., '91 Calais, GT/JA, 10.651, -0.999
4) Jeff Hefler, Mansfield, Texas, '98 Trans Am, SS/BM, 8.731, -0.969
5) Butch Marlow, Canton, Texas, '65 Chevy, GT/JA, 10.686, -0.964
6) Terry Emmons, Pasadena, Texas, '96 Firebird, SS/JA, 10.352, -0.948
7) Brent Johnson, Lecompte, La., '91 Calais, GT/IA, 10.600, -0.900
8) Pete Peery, Bowie, Texas, '91 Calais, GT/CA, 9.838, -0.862
9) Ken Howell, Baytown, Texas, '82 Firebird, GT/D, 9.788, -0.862
10) Larry Stewart Jr., Clinton, Miss., '66 Nova, SS/HA, 10.063, -0.837

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Sam Lusco Jr., Houma, La., '96 Dakota, CT/SA, 11.745 seconds, -1.255 under index
2) Billy Lynn, Searcy, Ark., '95 S-10, GT/SA, 12.690, -1.160
3) R.J. Sledge, Boerne, Texas, '67 Fairlane, E/SA, 10.926, -1.074
4) Austin Ford, Spring, Texas, '67 Shelby, D/SA, 10.834, -1.016
5) Marty Burke, Leonard, Texas, '69 Mustang, D/SA, 10.874, -0.976
6) Mike Wenke, Conway Springs, Kan., '69 Mustang, B/SA, 10.593, -0.957
7) Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., '97 Camaro, C/FIA, 11.076, -0.924
8) R. Lux, San Antonio, Texas, '69 Mustang, B/SA, 10.643, -0.907
9) Bobby Brannon, Bossier City, La., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.401, -0.899
10) Jim Hanig, Houston, Texas, '70 Camaro, B/SA, 10.660, -0.890

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '02 Grand Am, 7.103 seconds, 196.50 mph
2) Rickey Cate, Grand Saline, Texas, , 7.646, 176.29
3) Craig Hughes, Portales, N.M., '79 Charger, 7.650, 180.57
4) Steve Wheeler, Ventress, La., , 7.656, 180.83
5) Larry J. Smith, Ridgeland, Miss., '94 Cutlass, 7.668, 178.96
6) Keith Raferty, Lake Charles, La., '00 Dodge, 7.746, 175.06
7) David Hensley, Norman, Okla., '89 Pontiac, 7.797, 178.07
8) Larry Edmundson, Pasadena, Texas, '90 Probe, 7.896, 173.71
9) Allen Firestone, Velma, Okla., '01 S-10, 7.910, 177.54
10) Phillip Muse, Tomball, Texas, '92 Pontiac, 7.916, 171.49