NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series -- Final results from Gainesville
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NHRA SOUTHWEST DIVISION GAINESVILLE RACEWAY Saturday, October 30, 2004 KELLY, FERRO GO TO LUCAS SERIES WINNERS CIRCLE AT GAINESVILLE RACEWAY GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Guy Kelly finished his sweep through the Southeast Division by taking his fifth win in a row in Top Alcohol Dragster at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series showdown at Gainesville Raceway Saturday night. He came in a lock for the season title in the division and hopes that his victory will help him improve in the national standings as well. He was 12th coming in to Gainesville. While Kelly was taking his victory, Mickey Ferro made his trip to Florida from his home in Stamford, Conn., pay off with a win in Top Alcohol Funny Car that will no doubt improve his standing in the NHRA Northeast Division. With the Southeast Division TAD title sewed up and the division TAFC points leaders Jay Payne and Mark Billington not in attendance, a lot of the intrigue at Gainesville involved drivers from outside the division. For instance, low qualifier Mick Snyder of Indiana and fellow North Central Division TAFC ace Chuck Cheeseman of Ohio met in the second round and when the young Snyder took the win he locked up the NHRA North Central Division title. Racers in the Lucas Oil Series are allowed to earn a certain amount of points outside their home division and Snyder used that opportunity. He shook the tires and shut down the car in the final against Ferro or his outing would have been perfect. What's more, the runner-up to Kelly was Marty Thacker from Illinois, who was also tracking down some North Central Division points. This was the final of seven 2004 events for the Lucas Oil Racing Series in the Southeast Division. The following are Saturday's final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division event at Gainesville Raceway: TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER: ROUND ONE 1) Michael Gunderson, Middleburg, Fla., 7.250, 123.47 def. 8) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., broke; 4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.547, 259.06 def. 5) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.676, 247.18; 3) Guy Kelly, Wadley, Ala., 5.579, 257.06 def. 6) Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., 6.005, 221.23; 2) Jason Cannon, Middleburg, Fla., 5.433, 258.91 def. 7) Jeremy Haskett, Wilkesboro, N.C., 5.650, 242.58; SEMI-FINALS Thacker, 5.475, 260.71 def. Gunderson, 13.925, 76.73; Kelly, 5.567, 257.36 def. Cannon, 5.569, 260.04; FINALS Kelly, 5.506, 259.74 def. Thacker, 8.829, 97.61. FINALS Kelly, 5.506, 259.74 def. Thacker, 8.829, 97.61. TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR: ROUND ONE 4) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.804, 250.48 def. 5) Mark Billington, Apopka, Fla., '01 Avenger, 5.825, 249.23; 3) Kris Hool, Casper, Wyo., '98 Firebird, 5.990, 242.84 def. 6) William Fulford, Virginia Beach, Va., '01 Corvette, 6.449, 216.45; 2) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '01 Camaro, 6.732, 201.07 def. 7) Steve Franke, Indianapolis, Ind., '98 Lumina, 6.588, 218.23; 1) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.838, 249.16 was unopposed; SEMI-FINALS Snyder, 5.784, 249.93 def. Cheeseman, 5.895, 250.97; Ferro, 5.796, 249.03 def. Hool, 5.963, 233.34; FINALS Ferro, 5.913, 246.23 def. Snyder, 10.594, 79.33. TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER Guy Kelly, Wadley, Ala., 5.506, 259.74 def. Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 8.829, 97.61. TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '01 Camaro, 5.913, 246.23 def. Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 10.594, 79.33. COMPETITION ELIMINATOR Don Eberly, Brunswick, Ga., '03 Cavalier, C/EA, 8.209, 163.45 def. Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., '92 Cutlass, H/A, 8.884, 150.35. TOP SPORTSMAN Mitch Smith, Anderson, Ind., '03 Grand Am, 7.345, 183.52 def. Scott Davis, Pompano Beach, Fla., '97 Cutlass, 7.652, 178.39. SUPER STOCK Larry Stewart Jr, Clinton, Miss., '67 Nova, SS/HA, 10.187, 126.38 def. Joe Tysinger Jr, Wrightsville Bch, N.C., '87 Firebird, GT/IA, 10.609, 122.00. STOCK ELIMINATOR David Lindsay, Fort Pierce, Fla., '95 Cobra, C/FI, 11.078, 118.79 def. Bryan Merkle, Johnstown, Ohio, '02 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.616, 120.22. SUPER COMP Victor Fera Jr., Merrit Island, Fla., dragster, 8.902, 152.64 def. Mike Fuqua, Hendersonville, Tenn., dragster, 8.919, 170.03. SUPER GAS Tracy Barnes, Jackson, Ga., '67 Corvette, 18.619, 59.48 def. Jonathan Womack, Houston, Texas, '00 Corvette, 10.459, 115.96. SUPER STREET Raymond Balian, Valley Stream, N.Y., '66 Chevelle, 10.883, 141.44 def. Jimmy Fuller, Savannah, Ga., '68 Camaro, 10.874, 136.05.