The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Saturday from Beech Bend Raceway


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION
BEECH BEND RACEWAY, BOWLING GREEN, KY.
Saturday, August 28, 2004

QUALIFYING COMPLETE AT BEECH BEND RACEWAY, THACKER SETS TRACK RECORDS
        
        BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - NHRA North Central division racers completed
qualifying at Beech Bend Raceway's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event.  Top
Alcohol Dragster competitor Marty Thacker moved from fifth place to the No.
1 qualifying position while Mark Billington held off his Top Alcohol Funny
Car rivals to remain in the top spot.
        In his final qualifying pass Thacker reset both ends of the track
record.  The 5.826-second, 243.50 mph run catapulted him over Jeff Bohr and
Jeff Wilson who were ahead of him after today's first run.  This is
Thacker's third top qualifying effort of the season but he goes into
eliminations looking for his first win.  The Robinson, Ill., resident has
been runner-up three times.
        For Norcross, Ga., racer Billington, yesterday's 5.864-second,
247.47 mph run was enough to stave off the competition.  Billington races
out of NHRA's Southeast division and has a win and a runner-up finish on
the season.
         In Comp Eliminator, David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., remained in the
No. 1 position as did Super Stock racer Larry Wilson of Mt. Washington,
Ky., and Tom Stultz of Terre Haute, Ind., in Top Sportsman.  In Stock
Eliminator, Donald Holmes of Dayton, Ohio, finished qualifying in the top
spot.
        In other racing action today, the division held its Top Sportsman
VP Racing Fuels Shootout.  The event was the culmination of a season-long
battle for the top eight qualifying positions.  In the final, Tim Kirman,
Morris, Ill., beat Bill Gibson of Beecher, Ill.
        Racing continues Sunday at Beech Bend Raceway.  Gates open at 7
a.m. and eliminations begin at 9 a.m.  Tickets are $20.  For more
information call Beech Bend Raceway, (270) 782-1138.


        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 Beech Bend Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.524 seconds, 260.31 mph
2) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.597, 251.39
3) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.599, 253.42
4) Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 5.614, 252.52
5) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.615, 247.88
6) Steve Federlin, Oregon City, Ore., 5.645, 253.80
7) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 5.719, 245.49
8) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.743, 248.61 
Not Qualified
9) Phil Mass, Gurnee, Ill., 5.745, 248.66
10) Randy Bayne, Elwood, Ind., 6.142, 186.48

First round TAD pairings
1) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.524 seconds, 260.31 mph vs. 8) Noah
Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.743, 248.61
2) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.597, 251.39 vs. 7) Jared Dreher, Clinton,
Ind., 5.719, 245.49
3) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.599, 253.42 vs. 6) Steve Federlin, Oregon
City, Ore., 5.645, 253.80
4) Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 5.614, 252.52 vs. 5) Artie Allen,
Jacksonville, Fla., 5.615, 247.88

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 5.864 seconds, 247.47 mph
2) Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 5.871, 244.03
3) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.883, 247.16
4) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.898, 245.76
5) Greg Elliott, Bedford, Ind., '02 Firebird, 6.038, 236.92
6) Don DeVault, Kentland, Ind., '01 Avenger, 6.040, 241.89
7) Danny Townsend, Muncie, Ind., '02 RT, 6.051, 246.21
8) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '01 Avenger, 6.085, 233.88 
Not Qualified
9) David Kovar, New Lenox, Ill., '02 Firebird, 6.372, 223.06
10) Russell Mudd, Fairdale, Ky., '98 Mustang, 6.608, 216.69
11) Steve Franke, Indianapolis, '98 Lumina, 7.136, 201.34

First round TAFC pairings
1) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 5.864 seconds, 247.47 mph
vs. 8) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '01 Avenger, 6.085, 233.88
2) Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '98 Firebird, 5.871, 244.03 vs. 7) Danny
Townsend, Muncie, Ind., '02 RT, 6.051, 246.21
3) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.883, 247.16 vs. 6) Don
DeVault, Kentland, Ind., '01 Avenger, 6.040, 241.89
4) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.898, 245.76 vs. 5) Greg
Elliott, Bedford, Ind., '02 Firebird, 6.038, 236.92

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.455 seconds, -0.535
(under index)
2) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, 7.304, -0.526
3) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., dragster, F/ED, 8.465, -0.525
4) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.802, -0.488
5) Brian Stufflebeam, Peoria, Ill., '23 roadster, B/AA, 7.335, -0.465
6) Terry Smith, Williamstown, W.V., '32 Bantam, D/EA, 8.553, -0.457
7) Glen Treadwell, Sorrento, Fla., dragster, E/ED, 8.617, -0.453
8) Dick Maris, Valrico, Fla., dragster, C/D, 7.157, -0.453
9) Greg Kamplain, North Salem, Ind., dragster, C/ED, 7.506, -0.434
10) Tim Freeman, Roan Mtn., Tenn., '92 Camaro, H/SM, 9.348, -0.432

SUPER STOCK
1) Larry Wilson, Mt. Washington, Ky., '66 Bel Air, SS/NA, 11.372 seconds,
-1.078 (under
index)
2) Mark Nowicki, Gaylord, Mich., '98 Avenger, GT/IA, 10.452, -1.048
3) John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '04 Cavalier, SS/CM, 8.902, -1.048
4) Everett Hill, Fayetteville, Ga., '64 Mustang, SS/M, 10.860, -1.040
5) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '02 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.676, -1.024
6) Jerry Holman, Hendersonville, Tenn., '86 Firebird, SS/KA, 10.548, -1.002
7) Brad Allen, Winamac, Ind., '03 S-10, GT/TB, 10.172, -0.978
8) Ken Shawver, Bryan, Ohio, '78 Firebird, SS/LA, 10.775, -0.975
9) Mike Cates, Milan, Tenn., '64 Mercury, SS/M, 10.936, -0.964
10) Scooter Anderson, Bartlett, Tenn., '67 Nova, SS/G, 9.788, -0.962

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Donald Holmes, Dayton, Ohio, '77 Firebird, K/SA, 11.685 seconds, -1.265
(under index)
2) George Widuch, Hermitage, Tenn., '78 Volare, I/SA, 11.353, -1.247
3) Larry Hill, Hickory, Ky., '86 C-10, R/SA, 13.165, -1.185
4) Jerry Bennett, Hickory, Ky., '79 Aspen, H/SA, 11.273, -1.177
5) Carlton Sweasy, Louisville, Ky., '77 Corvette, J/SA, 11.591, -1.159
6) John Livingston, Murfreesboro, Tenn., '91 Camaro, F/FIA, 11.840, -1.110
7) Jim Marshall, Scottsville, N.Y., '80 Corvette, I/SA, 11.540, -1.060
8) Steve Sullivan, West Chester, Ohio, '88 Mustang, G/FIA, 12.099, -1.051
9) Jonathan Tarrance, Bremen, Ky., '84 Monte Carlo, V/SA, 14.774, -1.026
10) Terry Landry, Baton Rouge, La., '69 Camaro, H/SA, 11.431, -1.019

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Tom Stultz, Terre Haute, Ind., '92 Firebird, 7.002 seconds, 197.77 mph
2) Todd Suhling, Anna, Ill., '01 S-10, 7.067, 196.13
3) Earle Folse, Raceland, La., '86 Cutlass, 7.139, 195.90
4) Michael Donato, Arlington Hts., Ill., '04 Grand Am, 7.253, 191.32
5) Don Peden, Edinburg, Ill., '04 Cavalier, 7.302, 189.04
6) Troy Cagle, Ranburne, Fla., '00 S-10, 7.302, 187.03
7) Jerry Barker, Byron, Ga., '02 Camaro, 7.359, 186.56
8) Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '92 Camaro, 7.373, 187.91
9) Mitch Smith, Anderson, Ind., '04 Grand Am, 7.389, 185.66
10) Tim Kirman, Morris, Ill., '01 Grand Am, 7.405, 185.38