NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Saturday from SIR

TUCSON, Ariz. MARCH 10, 2007; Qualifying is in the books at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag
Racing Series being held this weekend at Southwestern International
Raceway.  Top Alcohol Dragster Racer Duane Shields and Top Alcohol Funny
Car Driver Von Smith will go into Sunday's eliminations as No. 1
qualifiers.

Shields of Boulder City, Nev., ran a pass of 5.289 seconds at 268.17 mph
to lead the field in Top Alcohol Dragster.  Shields edged out 2006
Pacific Division defending champion Chris Demke of Sunland, Calif., who
ran a pass of 5.530 seconds at 259.41 mph.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, it was Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn., that
qualified in the top spot just ahead of Sean Bellemeur of Fullerton,
Calif.  Smith ran a pass of 5.829 seconds at 242.98 mph, while Bellemeur
ran 5.831 seconds at 242.15 mph.

The top qualifier in Comp Eliminator was Thomas Schmidt of Lindstrom,
Minn., driving a '34 Chevrolet and making a pass of 8.684 seconds.
David Beckley of Wildomar, Calif., took the second qualifying spot
driving his '63 Corvette.

Super Stock driver Justin Lamb of Henderson, Nev., ended the day with a
No. 1 qualifying run of 9.069 seconds driving his '07 Cobalt.  Lamb
edged out Darren Smith of Palmdale, Calif., who drove a '68 Dart and
qualified second.

Chris Denton of Chandler, Ariz., ran a pass of 12.827 seconds driving a
'80 Trans Am to qualify first, while Jack Foshee of Tayler, Ariz.,
qualified in the second position with a pass of 12.064 seconds in Stock
Eliminator.

The first qualifying position in the Hughes Performance Top Dragster
category went to Denny Hills of Gilbert, Ariz., with a pass of 6.81
seconds at 193.35 mph.  The second spot was clinched by Carolyn Hills
also of Gilbert, Ariz., with a time of 6.846 seconds at 197.45 mph.

In the Sunset Racecraft Top Sportsman category Greg Lair of Canyon,
Texas, qualified first with a pass of 6.842 seconds at 203.65 mph, while
Chip Rumis of Ramona, Calif., took the No. 2 position with a time of
7.350 seconds at 187.34 mph.

Qualifying first in the Top Sportsman Motorcycle category presented by
Harley Davidson was Tracy Bailey of Coos Bay, Ore., with a reaction time
of 0.008 seconds.  Jordan Miclette of Redway, Calif., qualified second
with a reaction time of 0.015 seconds.

            
Racing continues on Sunday with gates opening at 7:00 a.m.
Tickets are $20 for adults and children under 10 are free with a paid
adult.  For more information please call Southwestern International
Raceway at 520-762-9700 or log on to www.SIRace.com.

 

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

 

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.289 seconds, 268.17 mph

2) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.530, 259.41

3) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.547, 255.29

4) Jeff Veale, Hannon, Ont., 5.575, 256.60

5) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.575, 256.84

6) Randy Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 5.814, 226.32

7) Brian Smith, Fullerton, Calif., 10.473, 50.11

 

First round TAD pairings

1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.289 seconds, 268.17 mph vs. Bye

2) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.530, 259.41 vs. 7) Brian Smith,
Fullerton, Calif., 10.473, 50.11

3) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.547, 255.29 vs. 6) Randy
Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 5.814, 226.32

4) Jeff Veale, Hannon, Ont., 5.575, 256.60 vs. 5) Edwin Schmeeckle,
Gothenburg, Neb., 5.575, 256.84

 

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '02 Camaro, 5.829 seconds, 242.98 mph

2) Sean Bellemeur, Fullerton, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.831, 244.07

3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.839, 250.09

4) Pete Swayne, Santa Rosa, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.845, 246.03

5) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.883,
245.27

6) Kirk Kuhns, Huntington Park, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.932, 244.38

7) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '02 Firebird, 5.935, 240.81

8) Bret Williamson, Campbell, Calif., '01 Corvette, 5.968, 235.02 Not
Qualified

9) Dale Van Gundy, Anaheim, Calif., '97 Firebird, 6.081, 238.47

10) Jason Rupert, Yorba Linda, Calif., '02 Camaro, 6.154, 234.45

 

First round TAFC pairings

1) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '02 Camaro, 5.829 seconds, 242.98 mph
vs. 8) Bret Williamson, Campbell, Calif., '01 Corvette, 5.968, 235.02

2) Sean Bellemeur, Fullerton, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.831, 244.07 vs. 7)
John Patton, Peoria, Ariz.,

'02 Firebird, 5.935, 240.81

3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.839, 250.09 vs.
6) Kirk Kuhns, Huntington Park, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.932, 244.38

4) Pete Swayne, Santa Rosa, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.845, 246.03 vs.
5) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.883,
245.27

 

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Thomas Schmidt, Lindstrom, Minn., '34 Chevrolet, C/SR, 8.684 seconds,
-0.746 (under index)

2) David Beckley, Wildomar, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/AA, 6.767, -0.713

3) Tom Huggins, Santa Paula, Calif., '07 GTO, B/A, 7.220, -0.690

4) Lou Ficco Jr., Wheat Ridge, Colo., '04 Cavalier, B/AA, 7.264, -0.676

5) Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., dragster, B/D, 6.799, -0.671

6) Vinnie Deceglie, Alta Loma, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/A, 6.697, -0.663

7) Ed Sigmon, Chatsworth, Calif., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.771, -0.659

8) Lucky Snyder, Longmont, Colo., '62 Alpine, G/A, 8.669, -0.631

9) Jim Cowan, Dewey, Ariz., '04 Cavalier, D/EA, 8.544, -0.626

10) Tom Mettler, Bakersfield, Calif., '01 Dakota, PST, 7.658, -0.622

 

SUPER STOCK

1) Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., '07 Cobalt, SS/BS, 9.069 seconds,
-1.351 (under index)

2) Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '68 Dart, SS/GA, 9.933, -1.317

3) Brian McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '67 Camaro, SS/GA, 9.934, -1.316

4) Don Bevers, Tucson, Ariz., '91 Probe, SS/BM, 8.753, -1.307

5) Dan Mason, San Clemente, Calif., '85 Camaro, GT/BA, 9.638, -1.302

6) Kip Martin, Phoenix, Ariz., '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.686, -1.294

7) Larry Dowty, Tacoma, Wash., '99 Grand Am, SS/GS, 13.612, -1.278

8) Wayne Taylor, Chino, Calif., '99 sebring, GT/HA, 10.505, -1.265

9) Gary McGlasson, Los Lunas, N.M., '69 Camaro, SS/HA, 10.064, -1.246

10) Jimmy DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., '98 Grand Am, SS/BS, 9.188,
-1.232

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Chris Denton, Chandler, Ariz., '80 Trans Am, P/SA, 12.827 seconds,
-1.433 (under index)

2) Jack Foshee, Taylor, Ariz., '80 D-150, K/SA, 12.064, -1.366

3) Don Forester, Riverside, Calif., '80 Delta 88, M/SA, 12.314, -1.326

4) Harry Doolittle, Wickenburg, Ariz., '02 Firebird, H/FIA, 12.674,
-1.276

5) Nick Ariotti, Boulder City, Nev., '76 Volare, I/SA, 11.800, -1.270

6) Mike Johnston, Beaumont, Calif., '97 Firebird, C/FIA, 11.181, -1.269

7) Joe Faherty, Apple Valley, Calif., '79 Duster, H/SA, 11.656, -1.254

8) Spencer Duron, El Paso, Texas, '69 Camaro, H/SA, 11.658, -1.252

9) Glenn Person, Regina, Sask., '70 Challenger, B/SA, 10.731, -1.249

10) Bob Pott, Cornville, Ariz., '88 Mustang, F/FI, 12.081, -1.249

 

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '04 Grand Am, 6.842 seconds, 203.65 mph

2) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., '05 Cobalt, 7.350, 187.34

3) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., '63 Corvette, 7.600, 181.15

4) Dave Slatten, Fort Collins, Colo., '05 Grand Am, 7.605, 177.88

5) Todd Stewart, Atwater, Calif., '67 Camaro, 7.689, 178.10

6) Timothy O'Moore, Tucson, Ariz., '69 AMC, 7.720, 174.89

7) Tom Radeff, Mesa, Ariz., '98 Avenger, 8.019, 168.07

8) Darin Dolezal, Chandler, Ariz., '90 Firebird, 8.045, 171.36

9) Jim Momjian, Apple Valley, Calif., '05 Grand Am, 8.270, 165.70

10) Shane Molinari, Battleground, Wash., '68 LaMans, 8.344, 163.41

 

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Denny Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., dragster, 6.841 seconds, 195.11 mph

2) Carolyn Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., dragster, 6.846, 197.45

3) Del Cox Jr, Downey, Calif., dragster, 6.860, 195.31

4) George Clark, Phoenix, Ariz., dragster, 6.887, 192.66

5) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., dragster, 6.916, 194.72

6) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., dragster, 6.993, 191.92

7) Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, 6.999, 192.33

8) Jimmy Johnson, Santa Rosa, Calif., dragster, 7.021, 194.86

9) Rick Smyth, North Bend, Ore., dragster, 7.106, 168.41

10) Ric Orosco, Hobbs, N.M., dragster, 7.186, 186.64

 

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

1) Tracy Bailey, Coos Bay, Ore., '75 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.008 seconds
reaction time

2) Jordan Miclette, Redway, Calif., '97 Suzuki, SMC, 0.015

3) Rick Newport, West Valley, Utah, '95 Suzuki, SMC, 0.018

4) William Wilson, Phoenix, Ariz., '69 Honda, SMC, 0.020

5) Tom Patterson, Tucson, Ariz., '94 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.021

6) Greg Liskey, Salinas, Calif., '95 GSX-R, SMC, 0.026

7) Pete Wichette, Garberville, Calif., '97 GSX-R, SMC, 0.026

8) Ron Gledhill, Taylorsville, Utah, '01 Hayabusa, SMC, 0.027

9) Marlene Patterson, Tucson, Ariz., '81 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.027

10) Sean Conner, Boulder City, Nev., '98 Koenig, SMC, 0.028