NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Saturday from State Capitol Dragway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION
STATE CAPITOL DRAGWAY
SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2003
 
FIELDS SET AT STATE CAPITOL DRAGWAY
 
        BATON ROUGE, La. - Points leaders Tate Branch and Gene Snow grabbed the number one qualifying spots for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at State Capitol Dragway.
    Branch, who leads both the National and the NHRA South Central Division Top Alcohol Funny Car points, leads the funny car field with a pass of 5.897 seconds at 244.69 mph and is followed by Kebin Kinsley with a run of 5.979 at 237.84 mph. Branch picked up a win at the season opener and hopes to return to the winner's circle at this, the fourth event in the six race series.
    Snow is on top of the Top Alcohol Dragster class qualifying with a 5.558-second pass at 237.65 mph. Snow leads the division points standings but is still looking for his first win of the season. There has yet to be a repeat winner in the NHRA South Central Division's dragster or funny car classes this year.
    Lee Callaway and Shelly Howard follow Snow in the second and third qualifying spots respectively with Lafayette, La., resident Erica Credeur in fourth. Credeur covered the quarter mile in 5.743 seconds at a speed of 244.69 mph.
    Buddy Nickens of Spring, Texas is number one in Comp. Eliminator, Buz Post is on top in Super Stock with his '02 Pontiac, and local driver Sam Lusco Jr. of Houma, La., leads the field in Stock.
    Harold Laird of Baton Rouge leads the Sunset Racing Engines Top Sportsman qualifying and Rob Bennett in on top in the Kerker Motorcycle Series. 
    Eliminations begin on Sunday at 9 a.m. Gates at State Capitol Dragway open at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car round one is scheduled for noon. For more information call the track, (225) 627-4574.
 
    The following are final qualifying results and first round pairings for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at State Capitol Dragway:
 
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.558 seconds, 239.23 mph
2) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.612, 252.52
3) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.654, 253.87
4) Erica Credeur, Lafayette, La., 5.743, 244.69
5) Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 5.759, 241.35
6) James Copeland II, Red Oak, Texas, 5.849, 250.97
7) Carl Magee, Victoria, Texas, 6.852, 207.42
8) Duke Mc Donald, Gainesville, Fla., 7.732, 150.40
 
First round TAD pairings
1) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.558 seconds, 239.23 mph vs. 8) Duke Mc Donald,
Gainesville, Fla., 7.732, 150.40
2) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.612, 252.52 vs. 7) Carl Magee, Victoria, Texas,
6.852, 207.42
3) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.654, 253.87 vs. 6) James Copeland II, Red Oak, Texas,
5.849, 250.97
4) Erica Credeur, Lafayette, La., 5.743, 244.69 vs. 5) Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif.,
5.759, 241.35
 
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '03 Camaro, 5.897 seconds, 244.69 mph
2) Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale, Texas, '98 Achieva, 5.979, 237.84
3) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '98 Camaro, 6.056, 236.46
4) Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '00 Avenger, 6.086, 233.22
5) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, '97 Camaro, 6.201, 230.71
6) Ron Rice, Oklahoma City, '96 Daytona, 7.158, 173.41
 
First round TAFC pairings
1) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '03 Camaro, 5.897 seconds, 244.69 mph vs. 6) Ron Rice,
Oklahoma City, '96 Daytona, 7.158, 173.41
2) Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale, Texas, '98 Achieva, 5.979, 237.84 vs. 5) Ron Morrison,
Oklahoma City, '97 Camaro, 6.201, 230.71
3) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '98 Camaro, 6.056, 236.46 vs. 4) Todd Simpson, Ponder,
Texas, '00 Avenger, 6.086, 233.22
 
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
1) Buddy Nickens, Spring, Texas, '02 S-10, B/TA, 8.518 seconds, -0.602 (under index)
2) David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.435, -0.595
3) Scott Brown, Odesa, Mo., '34 Chevy, B/SR, 8.029, -0.581
4) Al Weiss, Wichita Falls, Texas, '32 Bantam, E/EA, 8.504, -0.576
5) Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, '03 Cavalier, B/SM, 8.265, -0.565
6) Mike Trumble, Pasadena, Texas, '03 Sunfire, A/SMA, 8.192, -0.558
7) Greg Williams, Carthage, Texas, '02 Cavalier, C/SMA, 8.456, -0.544
8) Brian Self, Spring, Texas, '02 S-10, B/T, 8.187, -0.543
9) Donald Manichia, Houston, Boulton, A/ND, 7.218, -0.522
10) Sean Dodd, Lewisville, Texas, '01 Camaro, D/AA, 7.853, -0.507
 
SUPER STOCK
1) Buz Post, Arlington, Texas, '02 Pontiac, SS/AM, 8.313 seconds, -1.237 (under index)
2) Steven Reynolds, Pasadena, Texas, '66 Impala, SS/NA, 11.245, -1.205
3) Brent Johnson, Lecompte, La., '91 Calais, GT/JA, 10.580, -1.070
4) Butch Marlow, Canton, Texas, '90 Camaro, GT/JA, 10.652, -0.998
5) Terry Emmons, Pasadena, Texas, '96 Firebird, SS/JA, 10.314, -0.986
6) Terry Pearson, Spanish Fort, Ala., '02 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.584, -0.966
7) Bobby Cassard, Donaldsonville, La., '86 Firebird, SS/LA, 10.817, -0.933
8) Shaun LeBlanc, Bartlett, Tenn., '88 Mustang, GT/A, 9.384, -0.916
9) Larry Stewart, Clinton, Miss., '67 Nova, SS/HA, 9.985, -0.915
10) James Caro, Houma, La., '00 Avenger, GT/CA, 9.803, -0.897
 
STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Sam Lusco Jr, Houma, La., '96 Dakota, CT/SA, 11.622 seconds, -1.378 (under index)
2) Floyd Russo, Gonzales, La., '01 Pontiac, B/FIA, 10.498, -1.202
3) Austin Ford, Spring, Texas, '67 Shelby, D/SA, 10.682, -1.168
4) Steve Haulman, Navarre, Fla., '85 Camaro, J/S, 11.506, -1.144
5) Mike Cotten, Broken Arrow, Okla., '73 Duster, H/SA, 11.372, -1.078
6) Ronnie Cardwell, Ruston, La., '90 Firebird, F/FIA, 11.906, -1.044
7) Amy Faulk, Memphis, Tenn., '01 Firebird, C/FIA, 10.962, -1.038
8) Sammy LaPorte, New Iberia, La., '87 Firebird, G/FIA, 12.147, -1.003
9) Bobby Brannon, Bossier City, La., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.322, -0.978
10) Brad Bogues, Keithville, La., '72 Nova, I/SA, 11.629, -0.971
 
TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Harold Laird, Baton Rouge, La., '63 Corvette, 6.638 seconds, 216.60 mph
2) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '02 Grand Am, 7.092, 196.37
3) Bert Prejean, St. Amant, La., '00 Firebird, 7.552, 178.64
4) Phillip Muse, Tomball, Texas, '92 Pontiac, 7.581, 179.89
5) Steve Wheeler, Ventress, La., '93 S-10, 7.661, 180.90
6) Larry J. Smith, Ridgeland, Miss., '94 Cutlass, 7.692, 180.07
7) Craig Hughes, Portales, N.M., '79 Charger, 7.724, 181.70
8) Thomas Clarke, Richland, Miss., '98 Corvette, 7.736, 176.40
9) Scott Randall, Carrollton, Texas, '00 Firebird, 7.743, 174.21
10) Ed Ridenhour, Fort Worth, Texas, '98 Pontiac, 7.751, 177.13
 
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1) Robert Bennett, Plano, Texas, '84 Suzuki
2) Curtis Nichols III, Alvin, Texas, '95 Kawasaki
3) Larry Eperjesi, Lake Dallas, Texas, '00 Suzuki
4) Eric Cook, Houston, '85 Suzuki
5) Eddie Glaze, Houston, '90 Suzuki
6) Demetria Brooks-Glaze, Houston, '90 Suzuki
7) Lisa Bennett, Plano, Texas, '84 Suzuki
8) Shane Eperjesi, Lake Dallas, Texas, '01 Kawasaki
9) Michael Nash, Texarkana, Texas
10) David Latino, Donaldsville, Texas,