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NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Final Qualifying Results from Woodburn Dragstrip

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHWEST DIVISION
WOODBURN DRAGSTRIP
SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2003

LUCAS & AUSTIN QUICKEST CARS IN QUALIFYING

WOODBURN, Ore. - Morgan Lucas and Bucky Austin continued to have the quickest cars in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car and will head into eliminations tomorrow atop of their fields at the Les Schwab Tires Challenge at Woodburn Dragstrip.
	Competition heated up on Saturday as spectators witnessed one of the quickest Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying fields in Northwest Division NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series history.   
	"It's pretty cool to be a part of this, but the kicker is that we could have been the number one qualifier," said Greg Lawrence of Salem, Ore.  "On the pass where we ran the 5.52, we kicked a couple rods and we weren't running on all eight cylinders."
	Lucas, driving the Lucas Oil Products Top Alcohol Dragster made the two quickest runs of the event thus far with times of 5.475 and 5.487-second.  The Riverside, Calif., resident ran low elapsed time during all three qualifying sessions and is arguably the favorite to win the event tomorrow.  
	In Lucas' path is a formidable line-up of competitors that include division champions, former winners at this event, and the track record holder in Mitch Myers.
	 "We're tickled to death with this race car.  It's running good and we think we have one of the baddest hot rods in the division," said the driver of the EPHA A-fuel dragster.  "We're going to be hard to beat."
	Myers set the track record at Woodburn Dragstrip earlier this spring and won last month's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at the track, despite qualifying as an eighth seat.
Austin bettered his Friday qualifying pass with a 5.775-second, 248.48 mph during Saturday's first session.  The Fife, Wash., resident opted to skip Saturday's second session and will face Clint Thompson of Klamath, Falls, Ore., in the first round tomorrow.  
	Tom Tucker of Bend, Ore., in Comp; Sean Cour of Brush Prairie, Wash., in Super Stock; Ken Etter of Riverside, Calif., in Stock.; and Shawn Cowie of Richmond, B.C., in Top Comp have also secured number one qualifying positions in their respective classes.  In Sportsman Motorcycle competition of the NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series, Leo Shaver earned top qualifier honors.  
Gates open Sunday for the final day of racing at the Les Schwab Tires Challenge at 8 a.m., with eliminations scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.  Round one of Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car is scheduled for noon.  Tickets are $25 and children ages six to fourteen are $5.  For more information, call Woodburn Dragstrip at (503) 982-4461.

The following are final qualifying results and first round pairings in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car from the Les Schwab Tires Challenge at Woodburn Dragstrip:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1)	Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., 5.457 seconds, 251.53 mph
2)	Greg Lawrence, Salem, Ore., 5.524, 242.19
3)	Duane Shields, Las Vegas, 5.525, 258.24
4)	Mitch Myers, Hermiston, Ore., 5.544, 245.49
5)	Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 5.563, 250.06
6)	Mike Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 5.576, 253.73
7)	Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., 5.583, 252.31
8)	Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.590, 243.77

	Not Qualified
9)	Steve Federlin, Oregon City, Ore., 5.632, 247.32
10)	Kim Parker, Graham, Wash., 5.769, 243.17
11)	Mike Austin, Medford, Ore., 6.221, 199.60
12)	Jason Howell, Tacoma, Wash., no time

Round 1
1)	Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., 5.457 seconds, 251.53 mph v. 8) Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.590, 243.77
2)	Greg Lawrence, Salem, Ore., 5.524, 242.19 v. 7) Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., 5.583, 252.31
3)	Duane Shields, Las Vegas, 5.525, 258.24 v. 6) Mike Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 5.576, 253.73
4)	Mitch Myers, Hermiston, Ore., 5.544, 245.49 v. 5) Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 5.563, 250.06

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1)	Bucky Austin, Fife, Wash., '02 Firebird, 5.775 seconds, 248.48 mph
2)	John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alta., '99 Firebird, 5.892, 238.47
3)	John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., '98 Firebird, 5.913, 240.89
4)	Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '03 Pontiac, 5.926, 235.10
5)	Henry Coolidge, Sunburst, Mont., '97 Firebird, 5.930, 239.48
6)	Ed Marx, Discover Bay, Calif., '98 Avenger, 5.973, 239.55
7)	Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alta., '97 Firebird, 5.980, 238.47
8)	Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '02 Camaro, 6.017, 231.89

	Not Qualified
9)	Dave Germain, Toledo, Wash., '01 Dodge Avenger, 6.068, 234.61
10)	Matt Goss, Junction City, Ore., '01 Firebird, 6.078, 235.10
11)	Kevin Therres, Humboldt, Sask., '97 Lumina, 6.107, 236.03
12)	John Knox, Tumwater, Wash., '92 Probe, 6.132, 230.35

Round 1
1)	Bucky Austin, Fife, Wash., '02 Firebird, 5.775 seconds, 248.48 mph v. 8) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '02 Camaro, 6.017, 231.89
2)	John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alta., '99 Firebird, 5.892, 238.47 v. 7) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alta., '97 Firebird, 5.980, 238.47
3)	John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., '98 Firebird, 5.913, 240.89 v. 6) Ed Marx, Discover Bay, Calif., '98 Avenger, 5.973, 239.55
4)	Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '03 Pontiac, 5.926, 235.10 v. 5) Henry Coolidge, Sunburst, Mont., '97 Firebird, 5.930, 239.48

COMP ELIMINATOR
1)	Tom Tucker, Bend, Ore., '98 Lumina, G/A, 8.599 seconds, -0.581 under index
2)	Randy Jones, Monarch Beach, Calif., '03 Cavalier, D/SMA, 8.770, -0.580
3)	Steve Wilmoth, Peoria, Ariz., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.714, -0.556
4)	Chuck Smithfield, Battle Ground, Wash., '96 Beretta, BB/A, 7.646, -0.544
5)	Dennis Myers, Prosser, Wash., '98 Dakota, G/AA, 8.678, -0.532
6)	Gary Anderson, Graham, Wash., '97 Firebird, F/A, 8.311, -0.529
7)	J.D. Zink, Chico, Calif., Dragster, A/ND, 7.225, -0.515
8)	Maureen Jondahl, Battleground, Wash., '96 Beretta, G/AA, 8.702, -0.508
9)	Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., Oldsmobile, B/D, 6.924, -0.476
10)	Mike Pessemier, Graham, Wash., N&P, B/D, 6.924, -0.476

SUPER STOCK
1)	Sean Cour, Brush Prairie, Wash., '97 Firebird, GT/FA, 9.878 seconds, -1.222 under index
2)	Terry Sherrill, Klamath Falls, Ore., '03 Cavalier, SS/AM, 8.407, -1.143
3)	Tony De Frank, Tarzana, Calif., '98 Grand Am, GT/GA, 10.147, -1.053
4)	Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '03 Grand Am, SS/CM, 8.921, -1.029
5)	Jimmy De Frank, Tarzana, Calif., '89 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.362, -0.988
6)	Kevin Cour, Hackettstown, N.J., '92 Ciera, GT/EA, 9.974, -0.976
7)	Mike Booker, Davenport, Wash., '68 Barracuda, SS/AA, 9.077, -0.923
8)	Steven Wann, Modesto, Calif., '98 Dakota, GT/TA, 9.932, -0.918
9)	Art Congdon, Calgary, Alta., '91 Calais, GT/CA, 9.837, -0.863
10)	Bill Blakeney, Bell, Calif., '68 Camaro, SS/IA, 10.141, -0.859

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1)	Ken Etter, Riverside, Calif., '77 Volare, I/SA, 11.293 seconds, -1.307 under index
2)	Bill Kost, Renton, Wash., '77 Cutlass, K/SA, 11.732, -1.218
3)	Tommy Gaynor, Vancouver, Wash., '85 Camaro, J/SA, 11.535, -1.215
4)	Terry Ryan, Cascade Locks, Ore., '90 Cavalier, EF/SA, 14.688, -1.212
5)	Steven Wann, Modesto, Calif., '70 GTX, C/SA, 10.491, -1.209
6)	Calvin Queahpama, Warm Springs, Ore, '65 Impala, T/SA, 13.502, -1.198
7)	Joe Sorensen, Woodburn, Ore., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.140, -1.160
8)	Bill Bushmaker, Auburn, Wash., '76 Roadrunner, J/SA, 11.618, -1.132
9)	Tim Lisson, Canby, Ore., '72 Camaro, H/SA, 11.521, -0.929
10)	Gary Hodges, Salem, Ore., '65 Corvette, J/SA, 11.825, -0.925

TOP COMP
1)	Shawn Cowie, Richmond, B.C., 6.710 seconds, 203.11 mph
2)	Brian Preszler, Kennewick, Wash., 7.054, 189.07
3)	Nick Drzayich, Auburn, Wash., 7.113, 195.14
4)	Rod Langley, Boise, Idaho, 7.205, 184.12
5)	Todd Hoerner, Spokane, Wash., 7.291, 186.56
6)	Jeff Snell, Sandy, Utah, 7.366, 174.01
7)	Tom Malicki, Vancouver, Wash., 7.425, 181.01
8)	Mike Henderson, Tacoma, Wash., 7.435, 178.89
9)	Mike Weiss, Port Orchard, Wash., 7.447, 179.39
10)	Wes Garvin III, Kennewick, Wash., 7.473, 176.12

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1)	Leo Shaver, Las Vegas, '87 Kawasaki, +0.000-second reaction time
2)	Tom Rice, Snohomish, Wash., '80 Suzuki, +0.000
3)	Mark Kosler, Keizer, Ore., '84 Suzuki, +0.001
4)	Mike Scott, Sumner, Wash., '00 Kawasaki, +0.002
5)	Dan Patridge, Kennewick, Wash., '90 Suzuki, +0.004
6)	David Le Blanc, Port Moody, B.C., '84 Suzuki, +0.004
7)	Dan Tipsword, Aumsville, Ore., '78 Kawasaki, +0.007
8)	Jerry Stinson, Medford, Ore., '84 Ninja, +0.008
9)	Jeff Havens, Yakima, Wash., '94 Suzuki, +0.009
10)	Anita Cunningham, Bellingham, Wash., '90 Suzuki, +0.011

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