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'05 LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES SEASON KICKS OFF AT BRADENTON MOTORSPORTS PARK


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NHRA SOUTHEAST DIVISION
BRADENTON MOTORSPORTS PARK
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2005


BRADENTON, Fla. - More than 300 NHRA racers turned out today for the opening day of qualifying and time trials at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event being held this weekend at Bradenton Motorsports Park. This weekend's event, which runs through Sunday, is the first of seven events in NHRA's Southeast division. The event will feature competition in eight Lucas Oil categories as well as the TracStar Systems Satellites Top Sportsman Series. 
Today, competitors in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street and Top Sportsman completed their first rounds of qualifying and time trials. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car racers will get their first shot at the Bradenton quarter-mile on Saturday at 3 and 6 p.m.  
	 In today's qualifying action, Comp Eliminator racer Michael Hardee of Wilmington, N.C., leads his field with an 8.609-second pass. Qualified in the second spot is Gerry Russo, of Saddle River, N.J. Russo is followed by Monroe, Ga., racer Van Puckett, who is third.  
Leading the pack in Super Stock, behind the wheel of his '69 Corvette, is West Chester, Pa., racer Dave Thomas. Claiming the No. 2 spot is Brian Oakes of De Bary, Fla. Jimmy Bridges Nashville, Tenn., is third. 
In Stock Eliminator, Jim Wahl of Deltona, Fla., wheeled his '91 Dodge to the No. 1 spot. Qualified second is Perry, Ga., racer Jeff Hairrington, while Boca Raton, Fla., runner Doug Patrick is third. 
In TracStar Systems Satellites Top Sportsman Series competition, Mike Rahilly of Cape Coral, Fla., leads the field with a 6.967 second pass at 200.80 mph. Qualified in the No. 2 spot with a 7.264 second pass at 191.65 mph is Billy Vaughn of Knoxville, Tenn. In the third spot is Michael Forsythe of Orange Park, Fla. 
Saturday's racing action will feature the 260-mph Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars, as well as the continuation of qualifying in all classes. 
Gates at Bradenton Motorsports Park open Saturday at 8 a.m. with qualifying set to begin at 9 a.m.  Qualifying sessions for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car are scheduled for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets, including a pit pass, are $20 each day. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. 
Bradenton Motorsports Park is located on SR 64 in Bradenton, nine miles east of I-75 exit 220. For more information please contact Bradenton Motorsports Park at (727) 748-1320 or log on to www.BradentonMotorsports.com. 
The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event being held this weekend at Bradenton Motorsports Park:

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Michael Hardee, Wilmington, N.C., '05 Sunfire, E/SMA, 8.609 seconds, -0.681 (under
index)
2) Gerry Russo, Saddle River, N.J., '04 Cavalier, E/SMA, 8.623, -0.667
3) Van Puckett, Monroe, Ga., '04 Cavalier, G/AA, 8.396, -0.664
4) Charles Watson Jr., Humble, Texas, '98 Lumina, H/A, 8.767, -0.653
5) Donald Eberly, Brunswick, Ga., '03 Cavalier, C/EA, 8.117, -0.633
6) Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., '92 Cutlass, H/A, 8.840, -0.580
7) Tim Timmerman, Clinton, S.C., '00 Firebird, B/EA, 8.018, -0.512
8) Mike Schaefer, Lewiston, Ohio, '91 Daytona, B/AP, 7.587, -0.433
9) Ernest Watson Sr., Humble, Texas, '95 Beretta, G/AA, 8.701, -0.359
10) John Eyer, Cocoa, Fla., dragster, C/ED, 7.878, -0.062

SUPER STOCK
1) David Thomas, West Chester, Pa., '69 Corvette, SS/CA, 9.018 seconds, -1.332 (under
index)
2) Brian Oakes, De Bary, Fla., '69 Camaro, SS/EA, 9.424, -1.226
3) Jimmy Bridges, Nashville, Tenn., '66 Corvette, SS/C, 9.160, -1.190
4) Everett Hill, Fayetteville, Ga., '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.391, -1.159
5) Terry Pearson, Spanish Fort, Ala., '02 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.414, -1.136
6) Mike Crutchfield, Montgomery, Ala., '90 Camaro, SS/BS, 8.917, -1.133
7) Ronnie Jones, Orange City, Fla., '67 Dodge, SS/EA, 9.627, -1.023
8) Peter Biondo, Mt. Laurel, N.J., '00 Firebird, GT/DA, 9.812, -0.988
9) Hugh Meeks, Wetumpka, Ala., '93 Achieva, GT/BA, 9.577, -0.973
10) Jimbo Fields, Gallatin, Tenn., '68 Corvette, SS/IA, 10.035, -0.965

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Jim Wahl, Deltona, Fla., '91 Spirit, BF/S, 13.605 seconds, -1.345 (under index)
2) Jeff Hairrington, Perry, Ga., '69 Camaro, H/SA, 11.135, -1.315
3) Doug Patrick, Boca Raton, Fla., '72 Cutlass, M/SA, 11.847, -1.303
4) Arnold Greene, Matthews, N.C., '69 Camaro, B/S, 10.204, -1.296
5) Daran Summerton, Panama City, Fla., '89 Pontiac, U/SA, 13.901, -1.249
6) Scott Demmy, Ft. Pierce, Fla., '87 Mustang, G/FIA, 11.923, -1.227
7) Garry Glazener, Jackson, S.C., '72 Mustang, F/SA, 10.953, -1.197
8) Al Provoast, Whittemore, Mich., '79 Buick, N/SA, 12.129, -1.171
9) Brenda Grubbs, Plant City, Fla., '69 Camaro, H/SA, 11.291, -1.159
10) Tom Hemmingson, Concord, N.C., '66 Chevelle, L/S, 11.847, -1.153

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Mike Rahilly, Cape Coral, Fla., '04 Cavalier, 6.967 seconds, 200.80 mph
2) Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '92 Camaro, 7.264, 191.65
3) Mike Forsythe, Orange Park, Fla., '63 Corvette, 7.392, 181.45
4) Fred Gallo, Shirley, N.Y., '95 Olds, 7.491, 177.61
5) Jim Carlton Jr., Hernando, Fla., '04 Corvette, 7.522, 179.53
6) Robert Guido, Eastchester, N.Y., '63 Corvette, 7.538, 181.19
7) Matt Buck, Lantana, Fla., '96 Firebird, 7.686, 173.51
8) Daniel Morrow, St. Petersburg, Fla., '01 Corvette, 7.847, 183.33
9) Tom Waters, Orlando, Fla., '86 Thunderbird, 7.996, 169.81
10) John Dancu, Valrico, Fla., '91 Grand Prix, 8.022, 185.64