NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Final Round Results from Mission Raceway Park
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTHWEST DIVISION MISSION RACEWAY PARK SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2003 MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, AUSTIN 5 FOR 5 IN NORTHWEST MISSION, B.C. - In the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Mission Raceway Park, Mark Hentges and Bucky Austin emerged victorious at the Summer Nationals presented by Lordco Auto Parts and Lucas Oil Products, Inc. Canada. The Top Alcohol Dragster final featured a battle of Northwest Division champions as Hentges faced off against Brandon Johnson. Hentges earned the honor in 2000 and 2001 while Johnson was crowned division champion last year after his rookie season. Both drivers had near identical reaction times but it was Hentges who powered his way for the win with a 5.740-second, 226.07 mph run. The Federal Way, Wash., resident earned his third win of the season and was able to build upon his points lead in the division standings. A reaction time .08-second slower than Roger Bateman in the semifinals nearly eliminated Austin from the event as he reached the finish line .006-second quicker to defeat the Calgary, Alta., resident. After scathing by Bateman, Austin then faced Henry Coolidge in the final and posted a 5.762-second, 250.63 mph run for the win lights for his fifth win in Northwest Division competition. The "Northwest Hitter" has won six of his last seven races with his only loss coming behalf of Steve Gasparrelli at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event in Seattle. Winners in other categories are Jirka Kaplan of Calgary, Alta., in Comp; Byron Setters of Red Deer, Alta., in Super Stock; Steve Kelly of Vancouver, Wash., in Stock; Anthony Castillo of Grandview, Wash., in Super Comp; Mike Coltrin of Star, Idaho, in Super Gas; and Darrell Pasher of Spokane, Wash., in Super Street. Dave Jackson of Poulsbo, Wash., also earned a win in Top Comp competition and Steve Miller of Yakima, Wash., earned the event win in Sportsman Motorcycle racing of the NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series. Northwest Division competition of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series heads next to Southern Oregon Dragway in Medford, Ore., September 19-20 for race seven of seven. For more information, call Mission Raceway Park at (604) 826-6315. The following are final round results from the Summer Nationals presented by Lordco Auto Parts and Lucas Oil Products, Inc. Canada at Mission Raceway Park: TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER Round 1 8) Steve Federlin, Oregon City, Ore., 5.570 seconds, 255.97 mph def. 1) Greg Lawrence, Salem, Ore., 5.604, 249.79 2) Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.414, 258.62 def. 7) Kim Parker, Graham, Wash., 5.531, 256.84 6) Mitch Myers, Hermiston, Ore., 5.472, 245.09 def. 3) Mike Cofini, Spokane, Wash., 5.489, 260.26 4) Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., 5.501, 256.04 def. 5) Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 17.520, 80.16 Semifinals Johnson, 5.559, 253.16 def. Federlin, 5.650, 254.16 Hentges, 5.429, 259.29 def. Myers, 15.522, 68.24 Final Hentges, 5.740, 226.07 def. Johnson, 6.079, 175.64 TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR Round 1 1) Bucky Austin, Fife, Wash., '03 Firebird, 5.655 seconds, 255.53 mph def. 8) Trevor Lebsack, Slave Lake, Alta., '97 Mustang, 6.359, 181.30 2) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '02 Camaro, 5.751, 249.86 def. 7) Shawn Nault, Anchorage, Alaska, '00 Firebird, no time 3) Henry Coolidge, Sunburst, Mont., '98 Firebird, 5.999, 197.28 def. 6) John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alta., '99 Firebird, 6.283, 229.53 4) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alta., '97 Firebird, 5.952, 245.16 def. 5) Dave Germain, Toledo, Wash., '01 Avenger, 6.129, 232.61 Semifinals Austin, 5.824, 250.83 def. Bateman, 5.910, 243.83 Coolidge, 5.805, 248.68 def. Thompson, 8.453, 103.53 Final Austin, 5.762, 250.63 def. Coolidge, 5.932, 245.23 COMPETITION ELIMINATOR Jirka Kaplan, Calgary, Alta., '23-T Ford, BB/AM, 7.293 seconds, 172.71 mph def. Maureen Jondahl, Battle Ground, Wash., '92 Firebird, H/AA, 8.909, 150.82 SUPER STOCK Byron Setters, Red Deer, Alta., '96 Camaro, GT/DA, 9.881, 129.72 def. Rick Johnston, Surrey, B.C., '55 Chevrolet, SS/OA, 11.849, 105.57 STOCK ELIMINATOR Steve Kelly, Vancouver, Wash., '69 El Camino, I/SA, 12.014, 104.99 def. Mike Sumner, North Bend, Wash., '66 Nova, F/SA, 11.608, 110.48 SUPER COMP Anthony Castillo, Grandview, Wash., Dragster, 8.919, 167.87 def. Adam Drzayich, Auburn, Wash., Dragster, 8.945, 161.00 SUPER GAS Mike Coltrin, Star, Idaho, 9.917, 154.79 def. Ken Mostowich, Calgary, Alta., '99 Corvette, 9.905, 151.64 SUPER STREET Darrell Pasher, Spokane, Wash., '75 Monza, 10.896, 131.57 def. Jerry Earp, Edmonds, Wash., '67 Nova, 10.892, 141.39 TOP COMP Dave Jackson, Poulsbo, Wash., 8.131, 166.54 def. Doug Hemenway, Auburn, Wash., 7.568, 178.46 SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE Steve Miller, Yakima, Wash., '89 Suzuki, 8.636, 149.60 def. Buff Kobs, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, '95 Kawasaki, 7.855 -30-