NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series-Saturday from Route 66 Raceway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION
ROUTE 66 RACEWAY, JOLIET, ILL.
Saturday, April 26, 2003

QUALIFYING COMPLETE AT ROUTE 66 RACEWAY'S NHRA LUCAS OIL EVENT
        JOLIET, Ill. - In the final rounds of qualifying at the NHRA Lucas
Oil Drag Racing Series event at Route 66 Raceway, Top Alcohol Dragster
pilot Tony Bartone and Top Alcohol Funny Car veteran Vern Moats were the
best qualifiers in their respective classes.
Bartone led the charge that featured 22 drivers vying for a spot in the
eight-car field.  The Manhasset, N.Y., racer's 5.242-second, 271.08 mph
pass in the final round of qualifying was enough to move him into the No. 1
spot.  It was also the quickest and fastest Top Alcohol Dragster pass in
North Central division history.  This was also the quickest eight-car field
in the division's history with the No. 8 driver making a 5.508-second pass
at 260.81 mph.
Moats, a resident of Des Moines, Iowa, was the best of the 19 Top Alcohol
Funny Car looking trying to make the eight-car field.  His 5.653-second,
252.90-mph effort in the last qualifying session was enough to catapult him
from No. 5 to No. 1.
        Top qualifiers in other classes were Jerry Arnold, Kalamazoo,
Mich., in Comp Eliminator; Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., in Super Stock;
Donald Holmes, Dayton, Ohio, in Stock; and Steve Spiess, Manhatten, Ill.
Racing continues Sunday at Route 66 Raceway.  Gates open at 7 a.m.  Adult
tickets, including pit pass, are $20 and children 12 and under are admitted
free.  For more information, call Route 66 Raceway, (815) 727-RACE.


        The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and Sunday's
first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing
Series event at Route 66 Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Tony Bartone, Manhasset, N.Y., 5.242 seconds, 271.08 mph
2) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.370, 274.78
3) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.383, 263.56
4) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.413, 253.52
5) Ken Perry, Toronto, Ont., 5.422, 260.21
6) David Wells, LeMars, Iowa, 5.452, 259.56
7) Keith Stark, Danville, Ill., 5.464, 269.83
8) Todd Datweiler, Herscher, Ill., 5.508, 260.81
Not Qualified
9) Shawn Bowen, Grand Blanc, Mich., 5.522, 261.37
10) Phil Mass, Gurnee, Ill., 5.556, 253.42
11) Gary Ward, Cincinnati, 5.590, 251.44
12) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.695, 245.58
13) Evan Knoll, Decatur, Mich., 5.888, 241.50
14) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.988, 177.72
15) Randy Bayne, Elwood, Ind., 6.018, 190.43
16) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 6.032, 225.71
17) Timothy Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 6.075, 232.55
18) Robert Ginther, Lansing, Mich., 6.097, 242.76
19) Klaus Zimmer, Wildwood, Ill., 6.695, 163.79
20) Russ Lindert, Manteno, Ill., 9.285, 81.75
21) Robert Badgett, Maryland Hts., Mo., 11.363, 112.42
22) Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell, Mich., (no time)

First round TAD pairings
1) Tony Bartone, Manhasset, N.Y., 5.242 seconds, 271.08 mph vs. 8) Todd
Datweiler, Herscher,
Ill., 5.508, 260.81
2) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.370, 274.78 vs. 7) Keith Stark,
Danville, Ill., 5.464, 269.83
3) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.383, 263.56 vs. 6) David Wells, LeMars,
Iowa, 5.452, 259.56
4) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.413, 253.52 vs. 5) Ken Perry, Toronto,
Ont., 5.422, 260.21

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '02 Firebird, 5.653 seconds, 252.90 mph
2) Jeff Craig, Muncie, Ind., '01 R/T, 5.668, 254.86
3) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '01 Firebird, 5.683, 246.93
4) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '98 Firebird, 5.744, 250.18
5) Paul Lee, Gaithersburg, Md., '98 Firebird, 5.744, 247.84
6) Dale Brand, Sully, Iowa, '03 Firebird, 5.796, 246.12
7) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.874, 247.43
8) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '00 Avenger, 5.911, 242.41
Not Qualified
9) Fred Hagen, Chicago, '01 Avenger, 5.948, 246.66
10) Steve Addleman, Fishers, Ind., '03 Firebird, 5.954, 244.96
11) John Reikas III, Glendale Hts., Ill., '97 Camaro, 5.975, 233.96
12) David Kovar, New Lenox, Ill., '00 Trans Am, 5.980, 232.55
13) Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., '99 Avenger, 6.013, 235.02
14) Andrew Tarr, Louisville, Ky., '98 Trans Am, 6.108, 232.87
15) Bruce Carlson, Prior Lake, Minn., '97 Firebird, 6.139, 236.01
16) Larry Bakke, Madison, Wis., '01 Firebird, 6.206, 225.86
17) Greg Elliott, Bedford, Ind., '96 Firebird, 6.255, 221.71
18) Jeff Lancaster, Hamilton, Ont., '96 Firebird, 6.456, 226.51
19) Russell Mudd, Fairdale, Ky., '98 Mustang, 7.305, 131.23

First TAFC round pairings
1) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '02 Firebird, 5.653 seconds, 252.90 mph
vs. 8) Bobby Martin,
Beaver Falls, Pa., '00 Avenger, 5.911, 242.41
2) Jeff Craig, Muncie, Ind., '01 R/T, 5.668, 254.86 vs. 7) Chuck Cheeseman,
Galena, Ohio, '02
Firebird, 5.874, 247.43
3) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '01 Firebird, 5.683, 246.93 vs. 6) Dale
Brand, Sully, Iowa,
'03 Firebird, 5.796, 246.12
4) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '98 Firebird, 5.744, 250.18 vs. 5) Paul
Lee, Gaithersburg, Md.,
'98 Firebird, 5.744, 247.84

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
1) Jerry Arnold, Kalamazoo, Mich., '32 Bantam, E/ED, 8.416 seconds, -0.674
(under index)
2) Bo Butner, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '01 Sonoma, PSTA, 7.661, -0.639
3) Ian Landies Jr., Chardon, Ohio, '03 Cavalier, F/A, 8.232, -0.638
4) Patrick Ross Sr., Avon Lake, Ohio, '03 Grand Am, F/A, 8.276, -0.594
5) Mike Lund, Bettendorf, Iowa, '34 Chevrolet, A/SR, 8.113, -0.587
6) Wayne Henderson, Fishers, Ind., Spitzer, A/ED, 6.714, -0.586
7) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., Dragster, A/ED, 6.715, -0.585
8) Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23 Roadster, J/AA, 7.897, -0.583
9) Rob Kropfeld, Hamilton, Ohio, Dragster, A/D, 6.528, -0.582
10) Jack Slagle, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, '98 Grand Am, D/SMA, 8.774, -0.576

SUPER STOCK
1) Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., '96 Corvette, SS/AX, 8.697 seconds,
-1.303 (under index)
2) Dan Larson, St. Paul, Minn., '85 Camaro, SS/KA, 10.364, -1.186
3) Alex Denysenko, Lyons, Ill., '65 Mustang, SS/MA, 10.975, -1.175
4) Kerri Voges, Arlington, Ohio, '00 Pontiac, SS/NA, 11.305, -1.145
5) John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '02 Cavalier, SS/CM, 8.821, -1.129
6) Rod Dorsey, N. Judson, Ind., '95 Achieva, SS/EM, 9.399, -1.101
7) Robin Brown, Madisonville, Ky., '66 Nova, SS/K, 10.207, -1.093
8) Don O'Malley, Decatur, Ill., '64 Corvette, SS/JA, 10.240, -1.060
9) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '02 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.493, -1.057
10) Darrell Marvel, Big Rapids, Mich., '68 Barracuda, SS/AA, 8.949, -1.051

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Donald Holmes, Dayton, Ohio, '78 Firebird, K/SA, 11.539 seconds, -1.411
(under index)
2) Marty Buth, Freeport, Ill., '86 Thunderbird, K/FIA, 13.774, -1.376
3) Jim Paquet, Eaton Rapids, Mich., '98 Dakota, FT/SA, 12.368, -1.232
4) MJ Quinn, Louisville, Ky., '85 Camaro, I/SA, 11.388, -1.212
5) Jerry Stealy, E Moline, Ill., '86 Camaro, H/SA, 11.274, -1.176
6) Danny Byrd, Sikeston, Mo., '67 Chevy II, F/S, 10.945, -1.155
7) Chris Sniesak, Wales, Mich., '99 Dakota, CT/SA, 11.848, -1.152
8) Bret Velde, Farmington, Ill., '87 Mustang, G/FIA, 12.000, -1.150
9) Jason McCormack, Oxford, Mich., '66 Plymouth, B/S, 10.398, -1.102
10) Jack Briner, Waterloo, Iowa, '85 Camaro, I/SA, 11.504, -1.096

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Steve Spiess, Manhatten, Ill., '02 Grand Am, 6.641 seconds, 208.46 mph
2) Kevin Lawrence, Palos Hills, Ill., '02 Cavalier, 6.922, 199.73
3) Greg Clevenger, Camden, Mich., '92 Cutlass, 7.031, 196.30
4) David Howard, Bridwood, Ill., '97 Camaro, 7.129, 607.01
5) Rick Corn, Benton, Ohio, '00 Dodge, 7.242, 188.99
6) Jeff Belloma, Della, Iowa, '63 Corvette, 7.248, 185.36
7) Don Peden, Edinburg, Ill., '03 Cavalier, 7.259, 190.08
8) Michael Donato, Buffalo Grove, Ill., '00 Firebird, 7.280, 181.37
9) Aaron Glaser, Shepherdsville, Ky., '63 Corvette, 7.286, 183.47
10) Rod Burgoyne, Colma, Mich., '93 Lumina, 7.312, 187.73