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NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Saturday Qualifying Results from Famoso Raceway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION
FAMOSO RACEWAY
SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2003

NIVER & TAYLOR TOP QUALIFIERS AT FAMOSO

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Mark Niver vaulted himself into the top spot in Top Alcohol Dragster on Saturday, while Dennis Taylor maintained his number one qualifier position in Top Alcohol Funny Car as qualifying concluded at the Budweiser Tire, Fire & Fury at Famoso Raceway.  
Niver was seated fourth after Friday's qualifying session, but made a 5.469-second, 255.75 mph run during Saturday's first session to make him the quickest Top Alcohol Dragster during qualifying.  The Scottsdale, Ariz., resident will have the opportunity to head into Sunday as the number one qualifier for this first time this year as he looks to win his second straight race within the division.  
	Taylor's initial pass of 5.798-second, 244.56 mph on Friday, held through two qualifying sessions on Saturday and will also give him a top seat as he heads into Top Alcohol Funny Car eliminations.  The Anaheim, Calif., resident had qualified no better than tenth at three previous events this year.
	Top qualifiers in other categories are Ken Duttweiler of Ventura, Calif., in Comp; Dave Raybourn of Modesto, Calif., in Super Stock; and Robert Mulry of Hollister, Calif., in Stock.  Trace St. Germain of San Jose, Calif., is also the number one qualifier in Sportsman Motorcycle competition of the NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series.  
	Gates open tomorrow for the final day of competition at the Budweiser Tire, Fire & Fury at Famoso Raceway at 7:30 a.m., with eliminations scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.  Round one of Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will start at noon.  For more information, call Famoso Raceway at (661) 399-2210.
The following are final qualifying results and first round pairings in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car from the Budweiser Tire, Fire & Fury at Famoso Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER 
1)	Mark Niver, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5.469 seconds, 255.75 mph
2)	Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.525, 248.41
3)	Chris Demke, Tujung, Calif., 5.533, 256.04
4)	Duane Shields, Las Vegas, 5.564, 255.31
5)	Larry Miersch, Fullerton, Calif., 5.613, 231.36
6)	Don Hudson, Stockton, Calif., 5.748, 236.28
7)	Fred Notzka, Las Vegas, Nev., 5.806, 247.59 
8)	Randy Eakins, Bradbury, Calif., 5.907, 245.09

Not Qualified 
9)	Chris Lane, San Leandro, Calif., 6.200, 221.89 
10)	Mark Foster, Santa Cruz, Calif., 6.287, 209.25

Sunday's First Round TAD Pairings
1)	Mark Niver, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5.469 seconds, 255.75 mph v. 8) Randy Eakins, Bradbury, Calif., 5.907, 245.09
2)	Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.525, 248.41 v. 7) Fred Notzka, Las Vegas, Nev., 5.806, 247.59 
3)	Chris Demke, Tujung, Calif., 5.533, 256.04 v. 6) Don Hudson, Stockton, Calif., 5.748, 236.28
4)	Duane Shields, Las Vegas, 5.564, 255.31 v. 5) Larry Miersch, Fullerton, Calif., 5.613, 231.36

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR 
1)	Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.798 seconds, 244.56 mph
2)	Doug Gordon, Paso Roles, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.802, 248.96
3)	Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '03 Firebird, 5.808, 227.84
4)	Mark Woznichak, Ontario, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.840, 245.03
5)	John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., '98 Pontiac, 5.855, 244.96
6)	Mert Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., '99 Camaro, 5.876, 245.16
7)	Ed Marx, Discovery Bay, Calif., '95 Camaro, 5.900, 248.82
8)	Ron August Jr., Pleasanton, Calif., '01 Camaro, 5.946, 231.74

Not Qualified
9)	Bret Williamson, Cambell, Calif., '01 Corvette, 5.984, 233.22 
10)	Tom Bristow, Chino Hills, Calif., '02 Pontiac, 6.148, 238.72 
11)	Bill Gallio, Anaheim, Calif., '02 Camaro, 6.683, 194.55
12)	Jeff Carroll, Santa Barbara, Calif., '97 Firebird, 6.861, 185.60 
13)	John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '02 Pontiac, 7.302, 136.44 
14)	Dale Van Gundy III, Anaheim, Calif., '97 Pontiac, 9.848, 80.97 

Sunday's First Round TAFC Pairings
1)	Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.798 seconds, 244.56 mph v. 8) Ron August Jr., Pleasanton, Calif., '01 Camaro, 5.946, 231.74
2)	Doug Gordon, Paso Roles, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.802, 248.96 v. 7) Ed Marx, Discovery Bay, Calif., '95 Camaro, 5.900, 248.82
3)	Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '03 Firebird, 5.808, 227.84 v. 6) Mert Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., '99 Camaro, 5.876, 245.16
4)	Mark Woznichak, Ontario, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.840, 245.03 v. 5) John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., '98 Pontiac, 5.855, 244.96

COMP ELIMINATOR 
1)	Ken Duttweiler, Ventura, Calif., '96 Oldsmobile, BB/AT, 6.928 seconds, -0.732 under index
2)	Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., '02 Chevy, A/ND, 7.097, -0.643
3)	Tom Huggins, Santa Paula, Calif., '02 Grand Am, B/A, 7.233, -0.567 
4)	Rick Braun, Redlands, Calif., '01 Firebird, B/EA, 7.969, -0.561 
5)	Tom Mettler, Bakersfield, Calif., '01 Dodge Truck, PST, 7.575, -0.525 
6)	Fred Gross, Glendale, Calif., '01 Firebird, B/EA, 7.969, -0.561
7)	Joe Mozeris, Phoenix, '97 Frameworks, B/ED, 7.001, -0.509 
8)	Doug Lambeck, Corona Del Mar, Calif., '03 Sunfire, D/SMA, 8.849, -0.501
9)	John Edwards, Claremont, Calif., '96 Avenger, F/AA, 8.389, -0.491
10)	Ed Sigmon, Chatsworth, Calif., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.785, -0.485 

SUPER STOCK 
1)	Dave Raybourn, Modesto, Calif., '68 Dart, SS/AA, 8.859 seconds, -1.141 under index 
2)	Terry Sherrill, Klamath Falls, Ore., '02 Chevy, SS/AM, 8.477, -1.073
3)	Steven Wann, Modesto, Calif., '97 Dart, GT/TB, 10.137, -1.013 
4)	Don Studley, Orange, Calif., '99 Dakota, GT/TC, 10.476, -0.974 
5)	Jimmy De Frank, Tarzana, Calif., '87 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.377, -0.973 
6)	Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., '03 Grand Am, GT/BA, 9.620, -0.930 
7)	Larry Zavala, San Gabriel, Calif., '91 Calais, GT/FA, 10.179, -0.921
8)	Tony De Frank, Tarzana, Calif., '87 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.289, -0.911
9)	Mike Blackstone, Castro Valley, Calif., '90 Culis, SS/BS, 9.150, -0.900 
10)	John Ancona, Covina, Calif., '82 Camaro, GT/JA, 10.771, -0.879

STOCK ELIMINATOR 
1)	Robert Mulry, Gilroy, Calif., '74 Firebird, K/SA, 11.519 seconds, -1.431 under index
2)	Gary Harper, Santa Clara, Calif., '81 Dodge, FT/SA, 12.316, -1.284
3)	Steven Wann, Modesto, Calif., '70 GTX, C/SA, 10.577, -1.123 
4)	Ken Etter, Riverside, Calif., '77 Plymouth, I/SA, 11.492, -1.108 
5)	Scott Hilton, Burbank, Calif., '67 Mustang, E/S, 10.852, -1.098
6)	Dave Bridgewater, Devore, Calif., '97 Firebird, C/FIA, 10.941, -1.059
7)	Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '00 Dodge, CT/SA, 11.956, -1.044 
8)	Bill Nelson, Tucson, Ariz., '02 Pontiac, I/FIA, 12.716, -1.034 
9)	Don Wann, Modesto, Calif., '73 Plymouth, I/SA, 11.578, -1.022 
10)	Clark Holroyd, Chino, Calif., '68 Nova, B/SA, 10.536, -1.014

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1)	Trace St. Germain, San Jose, Calif., '78 Kawasaki, +0.000 second reaction time
2)	Scott Hewitt, Bakersfield, Calif., '93 Suzuki, +0.001
3)	Scott Pollacheck, Medford, Ore., '76 Kawasaki, +0.002
4)	Leo Shaver, Las Vegas, '87 Kawasaki, +0.003
5)	Phillip Nasca, Citrus Heights, Calif., '02 Kawasaki, +0.004
6)	Jack Holsey, Rancho Cordovia, Calif., '84 Motorcycle, +0.007
7)	Gary Oaks, Salinas, Calif., '95 Suzuki, +0.008
8)	Charles Rand, Bakersfield, Calif., '95 Suzuki, +0.010
9)	Eddy Palmer, Los Banos, Calif., '91 Suzuki, +0.010
10)	Jason Whitenack, Henderson, Nev., '96 Kawasaki, +0.016