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NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Saturday from Southwestern International Raceway


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION
SOUTHWESTERN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Saturday, March 25, 2006


Niver, Weaver Lead Fields at SIR

	TUCSON, Ariz. - Qualifying concluded today for the NHRA Lucas
Oil Drag Racing Series presented by Budweiser at Southwestern
International Raceway with more than half the Top Alcohol Dragster Field
posting their best qualifying time in Saturday's final session. 
Mark Niver, who won here at SIR back in 2003, held onto the No. 1 spot
running a 5.462 second pass at 254.57 mph while Sean O'Bannon jumped to
the No. 2 spot with a 5.543 second lap at 259.11 mph. Niver recorded
runs of 5.469, 5.502, and 5.462 seconds.
Top Alcohol Funny Car driver John Weaver leads the field with a 5.860
second run at 243.90 mph and is followed by Doug Gordon in second and
Peoria, Ariz., racer John Patton in third. Gordon ran 5.885 at 244.16
and Patton clocked in at 5.903 seconds, 244.83 mph.
"We're real happy with the Meer Capitol Partners funny car. We've run in
the 5.80's (seconds) all weekend and are looking forward to tomorrow's
eliminations," expressed Weaver.
	George Clark, of Phoenix, grabbed the top spot in the Team Super
Stores Top Comp class running 6.844 seconds at 193.40 mph. Clark is
followed by Del Cox Jr. in second along with nine local Tucson racers
mixed into the 48-car field. Tom Koenen is the top Tucson runner landing
in the No. 8 spot with a pass of 7.026 seconds at 197.54 mph.
	The No. 1 spot in Comp Eliminator went to Lou Ficco Jr. in his
'04 Cavalier running 7.296 seconds, 0.704 under the index. The Wheat
Ridge, Colo., resident is followed by Jim Cowan of Dewey, Ariz., and
reigning Pacific Division Champion Dean Carter of Glendale, Ariz.
	Jim Weakland and Scott Burton held on to their No. 1 qualifying
positions from Friday in Super Stock and Stock respectively. Weakland
ran 9.798 seconds in his '69 Camaro while Burton recorded a 10.798
second run in his '71 Firebird. Don Bevers of Tucson, Ariz., is fifth in
Super Stock going into Sunday's eliminations.
	In the NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle presented Harley Davidson class
Ken Van Buren of New River, Ariz., is on top with a 0.007 reaction time
followed by Leo Shaver of Las Vegas in the No. 2 spot.
	The KD Kanopy Super Shootouts were ran during Saturday's time
trails with Keith Downing of Glendale, Ariz., beating out Chris Thode of
Manteca, Calif., in Super Comp; John Steffen of Littleton, Colo., won
over Larry Marshall of Phoenix; Gary Thompson won in Super Street over
Eddie Gilbert; and Mike Solina took the Korbel Super Eliminator win over
Kevin Quinlan.
Racing continues Sunday at 9:00 with round one of Top Alcohol Dragster
and Funny Car set for noon.  Gates open at 7 a.m. Tickets are $20.  For
more information, call Southwestern International Raceway at (520)
762-9700.


	The following are Saturday's qualifying results and first-round
pairings for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car for the NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series presented by Budweiser event at
Southwestern International Raceway.

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Mark Niver, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5.462 seconds, 254.57 mph
2) Sean O'Bannon, Alta Loma, Calif., 5.543, 259.11
3) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.555, 255.39
4) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.576, 257.28
5) Larry Miersch, Huntington Bch, Calif., 5.678, 241.45
6) Jeff Isbell, Erda, Utah, 5.734, 252.00
7) Mike Austin, Medford, Ore., 5.909, 199.73
8) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 6.031, 171.64

First round TAD pairings
1) Mark Niver, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5.462 seconds, 254.57 mph vs. 8) Jim
Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 6.031, 171.64
2) Sean O'Bannon, Alta Loma, Calif., 5.543, 259.11 vs. 7) Mike Austin,
Medford, Ore., 5.909, 199.73
3) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.555, 255.39 vs. 6) Jeff Isbell,
Erda, Utah, 5.734, 252.00
4) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.576, 257.28 vs. 5) Larry Miersch,
Huntington Bch, Calif., 5.678,
241.45

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) John Weaver, Newport Beach, Calif., '05 Camaro, 5.860 seconds, 243.90
mph
2) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.885, 244.16
3) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '99 Firebird, 5.903, 244.83
4) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.925,
246.89
5) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.952, 244.96
6) Mert Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 6.010,
241.41
7) Ross Stickler, Gilbert, Ariz., '04 Corvette, 6.048, 235.39
8) Charles McLaws, Winslow, Ariz., '03 Firebird, 6.450, 211.89

First round TAFC pairings
1) John Weaver, Newport Beach, Calif., '05 Camaro, 5.860 seconds, 243.90
mph vs. 8) Charles McLaws, Winslow, Ariz., '03 Firebird, 6.450, 211.89
2) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.885, 244.16 vs. 7)
Ross Stickler, Gilbert, Ariz., '04 Corvette, 6.048, 235.39
3) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '99 Firebird, 5.903, 244.83 vs. 6) Mert
Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 6.010, 241.41
4) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.925,
246.89 vs. 5) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.952, 244.96

Comp Eliminator
1) Lou Ficco Jr., Wheat Ridge, Colo., '04 Cavalier, B/AA, 7.296 seconds,
-0.704 (under index)
2) Jim Cowan, Dewey, Ariz., '04 Cavalier, D/EA, 8.556, -0.684
3) Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., dragster, A/ND, 7.081, -0.669
4) Vinnie Deceglie, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/A, 6.723,
-0.667
5) Tom Huggins, Santa Paula, Calif., '06 GTO, B/A, 7.296, -0.664
6) Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, '23 roadster, A/AA, 6.975, -0.645
7) Doug Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., '05 Pontiac, D/SMA, 8.737, -0.613
8) Ken Justice Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz., '99 Firebird, B/AA, 7.390, -0.610
9) Jeff Lion, Fresno, Calif., '04 Cavalier, F/A, 8.387, -0.593
10) Ed Sigmon, Chatsworth, Calif., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.913, -0.577

Super Stock
1) James Weakland, Morrison, Colo., '68 Camaro, SS/GA, 9.798 seconds,
-1.452 (under index)
2) Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '68 Dart, SS/GA, 9.907, -1.343
3) Ken Etter, Riverside, Calif., '00 Sebring, GT/IA, 10.629, -1.301
4) Kip Martin, Phoenix, '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.694, -1.286
5) Don Bevers, Tucson, Ariz., '91 Probe, SS/BM, 8.800, -1.260
6) Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., '05 Sunfire, GT/AA, 9.558, -1.232
7) Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '67 Camaro, SS/GA, 10.020, -1.230
8) Mike Blackstone, Castro Valley, Calif., '90 Calais, SS/BS, 9.200,
-1.220
9) Terry Sherrill, Klamath Falls, Ore., '04 Cavalier, SS/AM, 8.598,
-1.202
10) Ron Parness, Conifer, Colo., '67 Chevy II, SS/HA, 10.118, -1.192

Stock Eliminator
1) Scott Burton, Golden, Colo., '71 Firebird, D/SA, 10.798 seconds,
-1.492 (under index)
2) Tony Hernandez, Denver, '65 Corvette, I/S, 11.509, -1.461
3) Charlie Smith, Modesto, Calif., '69 Dart, C/SA, 10.732, -1.408
4) Robert Schroeder, Peconic, N.Y., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.355, -1.365
5) Bob Pott, Cornville, Ariz., '88 Mustang, F/FI, 11.989, -1.341
6) Don Forester, Riverside, Calif., '80 Delta 88, M/SA, 12.306, -1.334
7) Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '02 Firebird, A/FIA, 10.388,
-1.332
8) Wesley Libby, Spokane, Wash., '71 Challenger, A/SA, 10.390, -1.330
9) Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., '70 GTX, A/SA, 10.393, -1.327
10) Joe Faherty, Apple Valley, Calif., '79 Duster, H/SA, 11.628, -1.282

TOP COMP
1) George Clark, Phoenix, dragster, 6.844 seconds, 193.40 mph
2) Del Cox Jr., Downey, Calif., dragster, 6.861, 195.68
3) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., dragster, 6.957, 193.57
4) Jim Luttrell, Apache Junction, Ariz., dragster, 6.997, 193.52
5) Joe Roubicek, West Lake Village, Calif., dragster, 7.013, 191.16
6) Todd Hoerner, Deer Park, Wash., '04 Grand Am, 7.026, 197.31
7) Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, 7.031, 191.59
8) Tom Koenen, Tucson, Ariz., dragster, 7.301, 181.06
9) Greg Hindman, Boring, Ore., '92 Grand Prix, 7.306, 189.31
10) Shane Molinari, Battle Ground, Wash., dragster, 7.320, 182.75

Motorcycle
1) Ken Van Buren, New River, Ariz., '84 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.007 seconds
reaction time
2) Leo Shaver, Las Vegas, '87 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.014
3) Craig Wood, Tucson, Ariz., '97 Suzuki, SMC, 0.019
4) Sean Conner, Boulder City, Nev., '98 Koenig, SMC, 0.025
5) Tom Patterson, Tucson, Ariz., '94 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.025
6) John Widman, Garberville, Calif., '97 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.027
7) Kehea Woods, Las Vegas, '80 Suzuki, SMC, 0.027
8) Greg Liskey, Salinas, Calif., '95 Suzuki, SMC, 0.029
9) Lance Sampson, Tucson, Ariz., dragster, SMC, 0.030
10) Wayne Cox, Eureka, Calif., '97 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.033