NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series JEG'S.com Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway, Bella Rose, La.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES
JEG'S.COM NHRA CAJUN SPORTSNATIONALS
NO PROBLEM RACEWAY
SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2005
Contact: Eric Lotz, NHRA (626) 688-8646
ASHLEY, COUGHLIN LEAD WINNER'S FOR JEG'S.COM CAJUN SPORTSNATIONALS

	BELLE ROSE, La. - A pair of Mike's headlined the winners for the
Second Annual JEG'S.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem
Raceway.  Mike Ashley grabbed the win in the AMS/TLR Pro Mod Challenge
while Mike Coughlin joined him in the winner's circle with his JEG'S
Mail Order Super Comp Dragster.
		Defending AMS/TLR National Champion Ashley knocked off
Frankie Taylor for his second win in as many weeks with a 6.177 second
lap at 230.41 mph. The win will close the gap between Ashley and point's
leader Jay Payne as Payne went out in round one in a wild ride that took
him from one side of the track to the other after getting out of the
grove early in the run. Taylor, running 6.204 seconds, was right on
Ashley's tail tripping the clocks at 228.89 mph.
	"What a great event," remarked Ashley during winner's circle
celebrations. "This facility is amazing, the weather was perfect and the
fans were incredible. I want to race here every week."
	Coughlin, of Delaware, Ohio, left the starting line first and
held off Bryan Robinson with a run of 8.929 seconds at 158.73 mph to
Robinson's 8.933, 164.51. The Coughlin family had four cars competing
this weekend between Mike and his brothers John and Troy. John pulled
double duty driving in both Super Stock and Super Comp while Troy ran
his '67 Mustang in Pro Mod.
Comp driver Michael Johnson and Top Sportsman driver Keith Raftery took
home the honors in their classes with Johnson ousting Brian Browell with
a pass of 8.959 seconds at 125.37 mph. Raftery clocked in at 7.045
seconds at 189.98 mph taking out Roger McCombs of Pensacola, Fla., with
a 7.240 at 196.42.
	The battle of champions came in Super Gas when Scotty Richardson
took on Tom Stalba with Richardson taking the win with a 9.908 second
run at 142.42 mph to Stalba's 9.910 at 149.40.  Richardson has picked up
five NHRA National Championships in his career while Stalba has five
division championships to his name.
	Local racer Johnathan Blades of Baker, La., worked his way
through the Super Street field and into the final before falling to Sid
Norwood of Brandon, Ms. Norwood ran a 10.856 second pass at 148.12 to
Blades 10.893, at 128.13 in his '68 Camaro. 
	Alabama racers took home the wins in Super Stock and Stock
Eliminator with Hugh Meeks III beating number one qualifier Bobby Dennis
in Super Stock and Jeff Strickland winning over Lee Bannister in Stock.
Meeks ran 9.577 seconds at 138.29 to Dennis' 10.667, 117.91 and
Stricklands's 10.965 at 101.96 was enough to hold off Bannister.
The NHRA South Central Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series makes its
next stop at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, April 29 - May 1.

	The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag
Racing Series JEG'S.com Cajun SPORTSnationals event at No Problem
Raceway:

PRO MODIFIED
Mike Ashley, Melville, N.Y., '67 Mustang, 6.177, 230.41  def. Frankie
Taylor, Dickinson, Texas, '68 Camaro, 6.204, 228.89.

COMP ELIMINATOR
Michael Johnson, Springdale, Ark., '03 Cavalier, G/SMA, 8.959, 125.37
def. Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, broke.

SUPER STOCK
Hugh Meeks III, Wetumpka, Ala., '93 Achieva, GT/AA, 9.577, 138.29  def.
Bob Dennis, Shorter, Ala., '95 Achieva, GT/KA, foul.

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., '95 Camaro, B/FIA, 10.965, 101.96  def.
Lee Bannister, LaVernia, Texas, '72 Formula, E/SA, foul.

SUPER COMP
Mike Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, dragster, 8.929, 158.73  def. Bryan
Robinson, Iuka, Miss., dragster, 8.933, 164.51.

SUPER GAS
Scotty Richardson, Springfield, Tenn., '63 Corvette, 9.908, 142.42  def.
Tom Stalba Jr, Williamstown, N.J., '63 Corvette, 9.910, 149.40.

SUPER STREET
Sid Norwood, Brandon, Miss., '80 Corvette, 10.856, 148.12  def.
Johnathan Blades, Baker, La., '68 Camaro, 10.893, 128.13.

TOP SPORTSMAN
Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., '03 Grand Am, 7.045, 189.98  def.
Roger McCombs, Pensacola, Fla., '02 Grand Am, 7.240, 196.42.

MOPAR HEMI SHOOTOUT
Charlie Westcott Jr., Parma, Mich., '68 Barracuda, 8.661, 151.48  def.
Jim Pancake, Delaware, Ohio, '68 Barracuda, 8.684, 151.60.

PRO MOD round by round
Round 1:
Shelly Payne, Ontario CA, '05 Stratus, 6.205 231.64 def. Joey Martin,
Milton FL, '41 Willys, 6.359 222.66
Chip King, Semora NC, '01 Avenger, 14.227 59.46 def. Joshua Hernandez,
Conroe TX, '57 Bel Air, NT-Left Before Tree
Perry Herring, Gondo AL, '63 Corvette, 6.923 202.70 def. Kirk Kuhns,
Yorba Linda CA, '01 Viper, 17.693 43.41
Troy Coughlin, Delaware OH, '67 Mustang, 6.266 225.18 def. Glen
Kerunsky, Priddis AB, '57 Bel Air, 6.381 226.09
Frankie Taylor, Dickinson TX, '68 Camaro, 6.173 228.69 def. Troy
Critchley, Wylie TX, '41 Willys, 6.960 161.83
Doug Palmer, Prairieville LA, '63 Corvette, 6.476 218.30 def. Jay Payne,
Ontario CA, '05 Stratus, DQ-Centerline
Mike Ashley, Melville NY, '67 Mustang, 6.486 229.59 def. Bill Hill, St
Louis MO, '53 Corvette, 15.488 57.72
Thomas Patterson, Houston TX, '41 Willys, 6.188 218.51 def. Brandon
Pesz, The Woodlands TX, '53 Corvette, 6.316 223.88

Round 2:
P Herring, 6.759 213.84 def. D Palmer, 6.893 206.51
F Taylor, 6.260 226.09 def. T Coughlin, 6.243 225.41
M Ashley, 6.142 230.65 def. C King, 7.866 123.11
S Payne, 9.431 138.34 def. T Patterson, NT-Broke Before Staging

Round 3:
F Taylor, 6.212 227.61 def. S Payne, 6.362 219.08
M Ashley, 6.192 229.31 def. P Herring, 6.299 227.23

Round 4:
M Ashley, 6.177 230.41 def. F Taylor, 6.204 228.89

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