NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Friday from Firebird International Raceway, Chandler, Ariz.

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION
FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Friday, March 2, 2007

DEMKE, BELLEMEUR ON TOP AT PACIFIC DIVISION OPENER

CHANDLER, Ariz. - In the first rounds of qualifying at Firebird International Raceway for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Top Alcohol Dragster driver and defending NHRA Pacific Division champion Chris Demke ran 5.442 seconds at 261.32 mph to take the pole. The Sunland, Calif., resident is followed by Mike Austin of Medford, Ore., with a 5.460 second run at 265.59 mph while Phoenix racer Mark Neiver sits in the eighth position. Neiver was the runner-up at the season opening CarQuest Winternationals last month in Pomona, Calif.

Joining Demke on top of the class is Sean Bellemeur in Top Alcohol Funny Car with a lap of 5.648 seconds, 252.85 mph with Steve Gasparrelli out of West Covina, Calif., in second. Gasparrelli ran 5.653 seconds at 257.24 mph and is followed by Doug Gordon of Paso Robles, Calif., in the No. 3 spot.

In Comp Eliminator it was Lou Ficco Jr. of Wheat Ridge, Colo., taking the top spot followed by Vinnie Deceglie of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., in second in his '63 Corvette. Glendale, Ariz., resident and 4-time NHRA Pacific Division Champion Dean Carter is tenth in the 32-car field running 6.923 seconds.

Ron Roddel and Harry Doolittle joined in on the fun qualifying No. 1 in the Super Stock and Stock classes respectively. Roddel out of Sioux Falls, S.D., put his '02 Grand Am on top and is followed by Justin Lamb of Henderson, Nev., while Kip Martin of Phoenix is fourth in Super Stock. Doolittle of Wickenburg, Ariz., ran 12.178 seconds in his '02 Firebird with Mark Yacavore in second out of Glendale, Ariz.

Denny Hill grabbed the No. 1 spot in the Hughes Performance Top Dragster class out of Gilbert Ariz., running 6.628 seconds at 204.73 mph. Del Cox Jr. of Downey, Calif., and George Clark of Phoenix follow in the second and third qualifying spots.

Rounding out the top qualifiers was Greg Lair out of Canyon, Texas, leading the Sunset Racecraft Top Sportsman Class with a lap of 6.862 seconds at 199.43 mph with Chip Runis stopping the clocks at 7.097 seconds at 193.82 mph for second. Division Champion Greg Liskey, of Salinas, Calif., leads the Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson class with Tracey Bailey and Ron Gledhill in the No. 2 and 3 spots.

Racing continues Saturday at 8 a.m. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Tickets are $26 Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call Firebird International Raceway, (602) 268-0200.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Pacific Division Opener at Firebird International Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.442 seconds, 261.32 mph

2) Mike Austin, Medford, Ore., 5.460, 265.59

3) Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., 5.476, 265.95

4) Brian Smith, Fullerton, Calif., 5.557, 256.31

5) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.614, 253.99

6) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.701, 274.11

7) Frank Dischbein, Las Vegas, 6.554, 148.94

8) Mark Niver, Phoenix, 8.376, 162.29 

Not Qualified

9) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 14.461, 76.41

10) Jeff Isbell, Salt Lake City, Utah, 16.065, 61.50

11) Jeff Veale, Hannon, Ont., (no time)

 

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Sean Bellemeur, Fullerton, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.648 seconds, 252.85
mph

2) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.653,
257.24

3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '07 Monte Carlo, 5.681, 256.31

4) Ron August Jr, Pleasanton, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.705, 255.24

5) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim Hills, Calif., '05 Camaro, 5.725, 247.25

6) Jeff Carroll, Santa Barbara, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.825, 246.62

7) Pete Swayne, Santa Rosa, Calif., '07 Monte Carlo, 5.838, 251.16

8) Ken Kraus, Great Falls, Mont., '03 Camaro, 5.890, 248.25 

Not Qualified

9) Paul Crifasi, Henderson, Nev., '02 Firebird, 5.890, 245.05

10) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '02 Firebird, 5.939, 240.38

11) Jeremy Johnson, Flagstaff, Ariz., '06 Stratus, 6.170, 202.73

12) Jason Rupert, Yorba Linda, Calif., '03 Camaro, 6.555, 158.24

13) Mark Woznichak, Ontario, Calif., '02 Camaro, 9.591, 91.29

14) Alexis De Joria, Venice, Calif., '02 Camaro, 10.528, 79.70

15) Dale Van Gundy, Anaheim, Calif., '97 Firebird, 10.569, 89.68

16) Bret Williamson, Campbell, Calif., '01 Corvette, 12.828, 71.93

 

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Lou Ficco Jr., Wheat Ridge, Colo., '04 Cavalier, B/AA, 7.047 seconds,
-0.673 (under index)

2) Vinnie Deceglie, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/A, 6.489,
-0.671

3) David Beckley, Wildomar, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/AA, 6.625, -0.655

4) Ed Sigmon, Chatsworth, Calif., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.579, -0.641

5) Frank Aragona, Old Bridge, N.J., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.434, -0.636

6) Bub Miller, Overland Park, Kan., '97 Cutlass, D/EA, 8.304, -0.626

7) Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '34 Chevy, B/SR, 7.959, -0.621

8) Bill Morse, McKinney, Texas, '07 Cobalt, G/SM, 8.883, -0.607

9) Tom Mettler, Bakersfield, Calif., '01 Dakota, PST, 7.447, -0.603

10) Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., dragster, A/ND, 6.923, -0.597

 

SUPER STOCK

1) Ron Roddel, Sioux Falls, S.D., '02 Grand Am, GT/MA, 10.796 seconds,
-1.254 (under index)

2) Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., '07 Cobalt, SS/BS, 8.871, -1.179

3) Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '68 Dart, SS/GA, 9.721, -1.129

4) Kip Martin, Phoenix, '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.470, -1.080

5) Wayne Taylor, Chino, Calif., '99 sebring, GT/IA, 10.421, -1.079

6) Joe Schweigert, Ontario, Calif., '85 Camaro, SS/KA, 10.480, -1.070

7) Brian McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '67 Camaro, SS/HA, 9.832, -1.068

8) Rick Houser, Pasadena, Calif., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.734, -1.066

9) Dan Mason, San Clemente, Calif., '85 Camaro, GT/BA, 9.513, -1.037

10) Tony DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., '07 Cobalt, GT/BA, 9.532, -1.018

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Harry Doolittle, Wickenburg, Ariz., '02 Firebird, H/FIA, 12.178
seconds, -1.272 (under index)

2) Mark Yacavore, Glendale, Ariz., '80 Mustang, V/S, 14.359, -1.191

3) Don Forester, Riverside, Calif., '80 Delta 88, M/SA, 11.981, -1.169

4) Bobby DeArmond, Gallup, N.M., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.146, -1.154

5) Jack Foshee, Taylor, Ariz., '80 D-150, K/SA, 11.804, -1.146

6) Duane Dickens, San Clemente, Calif., '98 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.597,
-1.103

7) Joe Faherty, Apple Valley, Calif., '79 Duster, H/SA, 11.372, -1.078

8) Nick Ariotti, Boulder City, Nev., '76 Volare, I/SA, 11.526, -1.074

9) Stan Bottom, Hemet, Calif., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.245, -1.055

10) Jim Durham, Stanford, Calif., '72 Duster, F/SA, 11.098, -1.052

 

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '04 Grand Am, 6.862 seconds, 199.43 mph

2) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., '05 Cobalt, 7.097, 193.82

3) Ray Martin, Anchorage, Alaska, '63 Corvette, 7.174, 191.81

4) Dave Setten, Fort Collins, Colo., '05 Grand Am, 7.338, 185.43

5) Name not on file, dragster, 7.360, 187.31

6) Roger Hall, Las Vegas, '63 Vette, 7.422, 186.05

7) Todd Stewart, Atwater, Calif., '67 Camaro, 7.461, 184.50

8) Gary Ross, Teaguco, Calif., '03 Grand Am, 7.516, 182.43

9) Wayne Silva, Upland, Calif., '04 Cavalier, 7.578, 182.92

10) Jed Bourquin, Canyon Country, Calif., '93 Daytona, 7.662, 179.61

 

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Denny Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., dragster, 6.628 seconds, 204.73 mph

2) Del Cox Jr, Downey, Calif., dragster, 6.641, 201.40

3) George Clark, Phoenix, dragster, 6.667, 196.62

4) Carolyn Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., dragster, 6.701, 202.67

5) Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, 6.723, 200.53

6) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., dragster, 6.741, 199.79

7) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., dragster, 6.820, 196.07

8) Les Figueroa, Lake Havasu, Ariz., dragster, 6.835, 198.09

9) Shane Molinari, Battleground, Wash., dragster, 7.020, 190.27

10) Kevin Ford, Amarillo, Texas, dragster, 7.035, 191.95

 

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

1) Greg Liskey, Salinas, Calif., '95 GSX-R, SMC, 0.010 seconds reaction
time

2) Tracy Bailey, Coos Bay, Ore., '75 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.016

3) Ron Gledhill, Taylorsville, Utah, '01 Hayabusa, SMC, 0.030

4) Rick Newport, West Valley, Utah, '95 Suzuki, SMC, 0.031

5) Dave Phillips, Las Vegas, '77 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.036

6) Don Tanklage, Huntington Beach, Calif., '06 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.049

7) Kehea Woods, Las Vegas, '95 Suzuki, SMC, 0.054

8) Jordan Miclette, Redway, Calif., '83 Suzuki, SMC, 0.070

9) Tom Medlin, La Mirada, Calif., '86 Suzuki, SMC, 0.070

10) Mitchel Lippen, Cave Creek, Ariz., '02 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.075