Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Saturday from Gainesville Raceway

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - SOUTHEAST DIVISION

GAINESVILLE RACEWAY
FEBRUARY 24, 2006

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Qualifying is complete and the field is set at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series being held this weekend at Gainesville Raceway. Olivarez and Newberry qualified in the top spots in Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny car fields.

Aaron Olivarez of Sandy, Utah, outran the field with a qualifying time of 5.299 seconds at 267.45 mph. Olivarez was able to clinch the top spot over Marty Thacker of Robinson, Ill., who made a pass of 5.466 seconds at 257.43 mph to gain the second position.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Bob Newberry of Morriston, Fla., ran the field qualifying first with a pass of 5.708 seconds at 254.81 mph. Jay Payne, of Claremont, Calif., ran 5.730 seconds at 254.02 mph to earn the number two position.

David Eaton of Merritt Island, Fla., made a pass of 6.754 seconds and -0.736 under the index to clinch the top qualifying spot in the Comp Eliminator category. Arnie Martel of Tewksbury, Mass., dropped to the second position with a qualifying time of 8.004 seconds and -0.706 under the index.

In Super Stock, Brian Oakes of Williamstown, N.J., drove a '69 Camaro, and made a pass of 9.206 seconds, to qualify in the top position, while Jay Higgins of Fayetteville, N.C., driving an '07 Cobalt qualified in second position.

In other categories today, Stock Eliminator driver, Gary Richard of Bay Shore, N.Y., made a pass of 10.245 seconds (-1.305 under index), clinching the top qualifying spot. Top Sportsman racer, Ronnie Davis of Suwanee, Ga., held on to the first position driving his '63 Corvette and making a pass of 6.633 seconds at 211.41 mph. Robert Davis of Boca Raton, Fla., qualified in the second spot with a pass of 6.738 seconds at, 210.72 mph. In Top Dragster, Eddie Careccia of Mars Hill, N.C., found the top qualifying position with a time of 6.245 seconds at 219.72 mph.

Racing continues on Sunday with gates opening at 8:00 a.m. and Eliminations starting at 9:00 a.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and children under 12 are free with a paid adult. For more information please call Gainesville Raceway at 352-377-0046 or log on to www.gainesvilleraceway.com.

The following are Saturday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division event at Gainesville Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Aaron Olivarez, Sandy, Utah, 5.299 seconds, 267.45 mph

2) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.466, 257.43

3) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.467, 264.55

4) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., 5.581, 255.46

5) Lindsey Wood, McAlpin, Fla., 5.642, 197.54

6) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.712, 248.00

7) Cherissa Smallwood, Gainesville, Fla., 6.713, 147.90

8) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 9.484, 139.53

 

First round TAD pairings

1) Aaron Olivarez, Sandy, Utah, 5.299 seconds, 267.45 mph vs. 8) Robin
Samsel, Marion, Ind., 9.484, 139.53

2) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.466, 257.43 vs. 7) Cherissa
Smallwood, Gainesville, Fla., 6.713, 147.90

3) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.467, 264.55 vs. 6) Artie Allen,
Jacksonville, Fla., 5.712, 248.00

4) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., 5.581, 255.46 vs. 5) Lindsey Wood,
McAlpin, Fla., 5.642, 197.54

 

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Bob Newberry, Morriston, Fla., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.708 seconds, 254.81
mph

2) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.730, 254.02

3) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '07 Charger, 5.740, 253.73

4) Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., '99 Mustang, 5.854, 241.80

5) Frank Schuster, Chesterfield, N.J., '02 Firebird, 6.129, 232.31

6) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 6.132, 200.35

7) Charles Gambino, Daytona Beach, Fla., '00 Corvette, 6.289, 225.05

8) William Fulford, Virginia Beach, Va., '04 Corvette, 6.373, 217.33 Not
Qualified

9) Mike Bell, Fulton, Mo., '05 Monte Carlo, 9.211, 86.44

10) Bill Naves, Salisbury, N.C., '01 Avenger, 9.338, 97.91

11) Bobby Martindale, Glen Allen, Va., '96 Daytona, 11.557, 62.21

 

First round TAFC pairings

1) Bob Newberry, Morriston, Fla., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.708 seconds, 254.81
mph vs. 8) William Fulford, Virginia Beach, Va., '04 Corvette, 6.373,
217.33

2) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.730, 254.02 vs. 7)
Charles Gambino, Daytona Bch, Fla., '00 Corvette, 6.289, 225.05

3) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '07 Charger, 5.740, 253.73 vs. 6)
Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 6.132, 200.35

4) Keeter Ray, Newport Bch, Calif., '99 Mustang, 5.854, 241.80 vs. 5)
Frank Schuster, Chesterfield, N.J., '02 Firebird, 6.129,

232.31

 

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., '32 Bantam, A/AP, 6.754 seconds,
-0.736 (under index)

2) Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '06 GTO, F/AA, 8.004, -0.706

3) Van Puckett, Monroe, Ga., '04 Cavalier, F/AA, 8.053, -0.657

4) Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '06 Sunfire, B/SM, 8.101, -0.639

5) Pat Ross, Avon Lake, Ohio, '04 Grand Am, F/A, 8.060, -0.630

6) Gary Merrick, Girard, Ohio, dragster, C/ED, 7.340, -0.590

7) Ernest Watson, Humble, Texas, '04 Cavalier, C/SM, 8.240, -0.560

8) Pam Miskovosky, Quakertown, Pa., dragster, C/DA, 7.115, -0.555

9) Lonnie Johnson, Ettrick, Va., '99 Neon, B/AA, 7.195, -0.535

10) Charles Watson, Humble, Texas, '07 Cobalt, H/A, 8.879, -0.531

 

SUPER STOCK

1) Brian Oakes, Williamstown, N.J., '69 Camaro, SS/DA, 9.206 seconds,
-1.294 (under index)

2) Jay Higgins, Fayetteville, N.C., '07 Cobalt, SS/BM, 8.416, -1.284

3) David Thomas, West Chester, Pa., '69 Corvette, SS/BA, 8.921, -1.279

4) Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '07 Cobalt, SS/DM, 8.929, -1.271

5) Ray Vierheller, Barberton, Ohio, '92 Camaro, SS/BX, 9.580, -1.270

6) Rick Brewer, Jacksonville, Fla., '67 Corvette, SS/IA, 9.762, -1.238

7) Brandon Wilkinson, Bowling Green, Ky., '69 Corvette, SS/AA, 8.772,
-1.228

8) Bob Shaw, Sedalia, Mo., '97 Firehawk, GT/MA, 10.827, -1.223

9) Gary Richard, Bay Shore, N.Y., '07 Cobalt, GT/AA, 9.182, -1.218

10) Kenny Schindler, Hendersonville, Tenn., '71 Corvette, SS/BA, 8.985,
-1.215

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Gary Richard, Bay Shore, N.Y., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.245 seconds,
-1.305 (under index)

2) John Livingston, Murfreesboro, Tenn., '90 Camaro, E/FIA, 11.418,
-1.182

3) Jimbo Fields, Gallatin, Tenn., '86 Camaro, G/SA, 11.149, -1.151

4) Edmond Richardson, Greenbrier, Tenn., '02 Camaro, B/FIA, 10.549,
-1.151

5) Jeff Warren, Clinton, N.C., '98 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.550, -1.150

6) Jim Wahl, Deltona, Fla., '91 Spirit, BF/S, 13.804, -1.146

7) Jim Schaechter, St. Charles, Ill., '66 Nova, I/S, 11.356, -1.144

8) Wayne Shaw, Douglasville, Ga., '83 Malibu, K/SA, 11.811, -1.139

9) Woodro Josey, Byron, Ga., '98 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.568, -1.132

10) Doug Patrick, Boca Raton, Fla., '72 Cutlass, L/SA, 11.873, -1.127

 

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Ronnie Davis, Suwanee, Ga., '63 Corvette, 6.633 seconds, 211.41 mph

2) Robert Davis, Boca Raton, Fla., '63 Corvette, 6.738, 210.72

3) Tommy Turner, Naples, Fla., '06 GTO, 6.828, 203.11

4) Jerry Barker, Fort Valley, Ga., '07 Cobalt, 6.872, 203.48

5) Daniel Morrow, Bradenton, Fla., '06 GTO, 6.904, 200.49

6) Bob Maudell Jr., Cullacka, Tenn., '92 Cutlass, 6.920, 202.42

7) Fred Gallo, Shirley, N.Y., '03 Cavalier, 6.929, 200.62

8) Curt Steinbach, St. Petersburg, Fla., '63 Corvette, 6.976, 200.00

9) Jason Wood, Live Oak, Fla., '68 Camaro, 7.068, 194.00

10) Scott Davis, Pompano Beach, Fla., '97 Cutlass, 7.082, 195.10

 

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Eddie Careccia, Mars Hill, N.C., dragster, 6.245 seconds, 219.72 mph

2) Peter Vicari, Morrero, La., dragster, 6.710, 195.22

3) Henry Outhouse, Apopka, Fla., dragster, 6.784, 197.10

4) Jeffy Duke Jr, Ft Lauderdale, Fla., '00 Boz, 6.802, 196.42

5) Ken Wells, Orlando, Fla., dragster, 6.874, 191.40

6) Bill Empke, West Palm Beach, Fla., dragster, 6.903, 195.90

7) Charlie Culotto, Palm City, Fla., dragster, 6.908, 191.00

8) Randy Folk, Bradenton, Fla., dragster, 6.972, 196.63

9) Dan Seidel, Port St Lucie, Fla., dragster, 6.983, 192.14

10) Kurt Damron Jr., Fruitland Park, Fla., dragster, 7.018, 190.59