NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series-Friday from Beech Bend Raceway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION

BEECH BEND RACEWAY PARK, BOWLING GREEN, KY.

Friday, August 25, 2006

Contact: Jerrie Foss, NHRA (626) 278-1956

 

RECORD-BREAKING RUN SETS THE TONE FOR NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING AT 

BEECH BEND RACEWAY PARK

            BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - In the first rounds of qualifying at the
NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event presented by Holley at Beech Bend
Raceway Park, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Timothy Bowgren and Top Alcohol
Funny Car pilot Steve Harker took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their
classes. 

With a 5.493-secon, 260.56 mph run, Bowgren reset both ends of the track
record.  In his record-setting run, the Valparaiso, Ind., resident was
three-tenths quicker than second place qualifier Noah Condo of Monticello,
Ind.  NHRA North Central division director Jay Hullinger attributes the
outstanding pass to the facility's new racing surface.  

"Obviously, the team is running well to run those kinds of numbers right out
of the box," said Hullinger.  "But it's also a testament to the work that
the Jones family has put into the track.  Hopefully this will set the bar
for the weekend and we'll continue to see some great numbers.  That will
make it exciting for racers and fans."

Fresh off a two month hiatus from racing his Top Alcohol Funny Car, Harker,
of Gainesville, Ga., outpaced the field with a 5.836-second, 251.30 mph
pass.  The No. 2 qualifier, Jeff Wilson of Winfield, Mo., ran 5.904 seconds
at 235.84 mph.  Wilson is a former division Top Alcohol Dragster champion in
his first year wheeling a Funny Car.

Bo Butner, Floyds Knobs, Ind., led Comp Eliminator qualifiers and Jerry
Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, set the pace in Super Stock.  The Stock Eliminator
class was headed up by Donald Holmes of Dayton, Ohio, and Chris Ray,
Louisville, Ky., was the top qualifier in Top Sportsman.

            Racing continues Saturday at Beech Bend Raceway Park.  Gates
open at 7 a.m. and qualifying and time trials resume from 8 a.m. to noon.
Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman qualifying is scheduled for noon and 3:30
p.m., and Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will qualify at 1
and 4:30 p.m.  Racers in Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super
Gas, and Super Street will run first round of eliminations starting at 2
p.m.  Eliminations for all classes will continue Sunday at 9 a.m.  Top
Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will run first round at 1 p.m.

Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event presented by Holley
are $20 Saturday and $20 Sunday.  A two-day pass is $30.  Children 12 and
under are admitted free with a paid adult.

For more information call Beech Bend Raceway Park, (270) 781-7634, or visit
the web site, www.BeechBend.com.

 

            The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event presented by Holley at Beech Bend Raceway
Park:

 

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Timothy Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 5.493 seconds, 260.56 mph

2) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.520, 258.96

3) Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell, Mich., 5.521, 255.19

4) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.576, 257.04

5) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.577, 257.92

6) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.599, 236.80

7) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.630, 253.75

8) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.631, 259.01 

Not Qualified

9) Randy Bayne, Elwood, Ind., 5.817, 244.43

 

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., '99 Avenger, 5.836 seconds, 251.30 mph

2) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.904, 235.84

3) Jeff Burnett, Brownsburg, Ind., '00 Avenger, 6.117, 232.75

4) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 6.144, 191.32

5) Brian Grisham, Chicago, '92 Probe, 6.396, 220.94

 

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Bo Butner, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '05 Cavalier, AA/SM, 7.152 seconds, -0.698
(under index)

2) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, 7.185, -0.635

3) Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23 roadster, J/AA, 7.831, -0.609

4) David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.311, -0.599

5) Jeff Taylor, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '05 Grand Am, E/SM, 8.635, -0.585

6) Greg Kamplain, Brownsburg, Ind., dragster, C/ED, 7.394, -0.536

7) Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '05 Sunfire, A/SM, 7.958, -0.522

8) Terry Smith, Williamstown, W.V., '32 Bantam, D/EA, 8.475, -0.505

9) Jesse Plant, Terre Haute, Ind., dragster, D/ED, 7.502, -0.498

10) Wayne Henderson, Fishers, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.738, -0.492

 

SUPER STOCK

1) Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '05 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.575 seconds,
-1.125 (under index)

2) Robin Brown, Madisonville, Ky., '66 Chevy II, SS/K, 10.205, -1.095

3) Ken Shawver, Bryan, Ohio, '78 Firebird, SS/KA, 10.463, -1.087

4) Mark Nowicki, Gaylord, Mich., '98 Avenger, GT/GA, 10.122, -1.078

5) Roger Keeling, Scott Depot, W.V., '02 Firebird, GT/CA, 9.623, -1.077

6) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '02 Cavalier, GT/DA, 9.728, -1.072

7) Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., '96 Corvette, SS/AX, 8.788, -1.062

8) Dave Layer, Dayton, Ohio, '85 Camaro, SS/KA, 10.503, -1.047

9) Tom Sheehan, Belle Vernon, Pa., '00 Sebring, GT/HA, 10.303, -1.047

10) Gilbert Johnson Jr., Lecompte, La., '90 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.463, -1.037

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Donald Holmes, Dayton, Ohio, '77 Firebird, K/SA, 11.723 seconds, -1.227
(under index)

2) Charlie Ingram, Sante Fe, Tenn., '96 Corvette, B/FI, 10.532, -1.118

3) Jeff Velde, Vero Beach, Fla., '67 Shelby GT, A/SA, 10.185, -1.115

4) Mike Welfel, Nashville, '69 Camaro, F/SA, 11.039, -1.111

5) Rick Winchester, Cincinnati, '73 Camaro, I/SA, 11.493, -1.107

6) Jim Marshall, Scottsville, N.Y., '80 Corvette, F/SA, 11.045, -1.105

7) Bruce Witherspoon, Lansing, Mich., '90 Corvette, D/FIA, 11.216, -1.084

8) George Widuch, Hermitage, Tenn., '78 Volare, H/SA, 11.406, -1.044

9) Brent Darroch, Monaca, Pa., '96 Impala, F/FIA, 11.917, -1.033

10) John Livingston, Murfreesboro, Tenn., '91 Camaro, E/FIA, 11.584, -1.016

 

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Chris Ray, Louisville, Ky., '04 Cavalier, 6.856 seconds, 201.19 mph

2) Tim Kirman, Morris, Ill., '01 Grand Am, 6.945, 199.76

3) Rick Corn, Benton, Ill., '05 Stratus, 6.968, 202.70

4) Jerry Barker, Fort Valley, Ga., '06 Cobalt, 6.983, 200.32

5) Bill Gibson, Grand Rapids, Mich., '01 Grand Am, 7.012, 197.83

6) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '04 Grand Am, 7.025, 198.20

7) Dan Morrow, Bradenton, Fla., '06 GTO, 7.043, 197.91

8) Lee Adkins Jr., Linden, Tenn., '57 Chevy, 7.069, 153.75

9) Jeff Fleming, Winfield, Ill., '97 Camaro, 7.126, 194.69

10) Jerry Duke Jr., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., '00 Firebird, 7.160, 193.16

 

 

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