NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series-Friday from Memphis Motorsports Park

MEMPHIS, Tenn. March 23, 2007; Brandon Pierce opened qualifying at the NHRA Mid-South Championships presented by TCI, a round of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, in the No. 1 spot while Steve Harker set the pace in Top Alcohol Funny Car. Friday was the first day of the three-day event which will feature one more day of qualifying and time trials before moving into eliminations on Sunday.

Moore, Okla.'s Pierce ran a tenth of a second quicker than No. 2 qualifier, Lindsey Wood of McAlpin, Fla. Pierce laid down a 5.384-second, 256.50 mph pass to Wood's 5.486-second, 259.61 mph effort. Morgan Lucas of Brownsburg, Ind., who drives a Top Fuel Dragster in NHRA's PowerAde Drag Racing Series, is currently the No. 8 qualifier in Top Alcohol Dragster.

Harker, whose daughter Kate is qualified fourth in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, and No. 2 qualifier Daniel Wilkerson of Springfield, Ill., set virtually identical elapsed times at 5.677 seconds. Harker moved to the top spot by virtue of a faster speed, 256.60 mph to 255.24 mph.

Joey Tanksley, Greenwell Springs, La., is the top qualifier in Comp Eliminator and Robert Harrison, Albion, Ill., drove his 1966 Nova to the No. 1 spot in Super Stock. In Stock Eliminator, George Widuch, Hermitage, Tenn., is No. 1 in his 1978 Volare. Top Sportsman competitor, Allen Firestone of Velma, Okla., is No. 1 in his 2001 S-10 pickup. Joey Marcotte, Denham Springs, La., leads the Top Dragster class and Ken Kinsella, Paris, Tenn., tops the Sportsman Motorcycle category. NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle standout Craig Treble of Hensley, Ark., is the No. 10 qualifier in the class.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Memphis Motorsports Park. Gates open at 8 a.m. both days. Qualifying and time trials continue on Saturday at 9 a.m. Top Sportsman and Top Dragster will run at 10 a.m. and noon while Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are slated at 1 and 5 p.m. Eliminations start Sunday at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will run first round at noon.

Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Memphis Motorsports Park are $20 Saturday and $20 Sunday. Children, 6 to 12 years old, are $5 each day. Kids 5 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. For more information call Memphis Motorsports Park, (866) 40-SPEED, or visit www.MemphisMotorsportsPark.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Mid-South Championships presented by TCI at Memphis Motorsports Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Brandon Pierce, Moore, Okla., 5.384 seconds, 256.50 mph

2) Lindsey Wood, McAlpin, Fla., 5.486, 259.61

3) Todd Datweiler, Herscher, Ill., 5.498, 255.34

4) Kate Harker, Gainesville, Ga., 5.585, 246.30

5) Shawn Langdon, Mira Loma, Calif., 5.644, 255.05

6) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 9.152, 113.59

7) Spencer Massey, Fort Worth, Texas, 11.933, 67.38

8) Morgan Lucas, Brownsburg, Ind., 13.282, 88.74

 

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.677 seconds, 256.60
mph

2) Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.677, 255.24

3) Brandon Lewis, Broken Arrow, Okla., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.760, 247.84

4) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '99 Camaro, 5.811, 251.91

5) John Foster, Davenport, Iowa, '06 Avenger, 6.404, 221.67

6) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '02 Camaro, 6.561, 211.89

7) Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale, Texas, '02 Camaro, (no time)

 

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Joey Tanksley, Greenwell Springs, La., dragster, C/D, 6.892 seconds,
-0.678 (under index)

2) Michael Johnson, Springdale, Ark., '03 Cavalier, H/AA, 8.657, -0.643

3) Chase Williams, Carthage, Texas, '05 Grand Am, G/SM, 8.855, -0.635

4) Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '06 Sunfire, B/SM, 8.106, -0.614

5) Cordis Johnson, Springdale, Ark., '07 Cobalt, H/SMA, 9.011, -0.609

6) Adam Hickey, Hammond, La., '07 Cobalt, C/SMA, 8.272, -0.598

7) Scott Cashio, Ventress, La., '07 Cobalt, G/SMA, 8.824, -0.586

8) Bub Miller, Overland Park, Kan., '97 Cutlass, D/EA, 8.336, -0.584

9) Steve Kent, Lottie, La., '02 Cavalier, G/SM, 8.907, -0.583

10) David Billingsley, Decatur, Ill., '93 Cutlass, C/AA, 7.483, -0.567

 

SUPER STOCK

1) Robert Harrison, Albion, Ill., '66 Nova, SS/KA, 10.301 seconds, -1.249
(under index)

2) Shaun LeBlanc, Bartlett, Tenn., '88 Mustang, GT/A, 9.081, -1.219

3) Don Barber, Hohenwald, Tenn., '05 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.518, -1.182

4) Richard South, Pickerington, Ohio, '05 Sunfire, GT/EA, 9.770, -1.180

5) Brandon Wilkinson, Bowling Green, Ky., '69 Corvette, SS/AA, 8.840, -1.160

6) Todd Frantz, Louisville, Ky., '99 Grand Am, SS/BM, 8.550, -1.150

7) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '02 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.558, -1.142

8) Jim Smiley, Springfield, Tenn., '91 Calais, SS/BM, 8.562, -1.138

9) Kenny Schindler, Hendersonville, Tenn., '71 Corvette, SS/BA, 9.063,
-1.137

10) Nick Morris, Bardstown, Ky., '98 Mustang, GT/MA, 10.915, -1.135

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) George Widuch, Hermitage, Tenn., '78 Volare, I/SA, 11.332 seconds, -1.268
(under index)

2) Wayne Shaw, Douglasville, Ga., '83 Malibu, K/SA, 11.705, -1.245

3) James Harrison, Albion, Ill., '66 Nova, K/SA, 11.723, -1.227

4) Amy Faulk, Collierville, Tenn., '02 Firebird, C/FIA, 10.799, -1.201

5) Kent LaPorte, New Iberia, La., '91 Camaro, F/FIA, 11.750, -1.200

6) Jim Cimarolli, Sulphur Springs, Texas, '69 Nova, B/SA, 10.404, -1.146

7) John Livingston, Murfreesboro, Tenn., '90 Camaro, E/FIA, 11.456, -1.144

8) Paula Cotten, Broken Arrow, Okla., '73 Duster, G/SA, 11.164, -1.136

9) John Duzac, Covington, La., '67 Camaro, D/S, 10.700, -1.100

10) Jim Hale, Van Buren, Ark., '67 Barracuda, G/SA, 11.203, -1.097

 

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Allen Firestone, Velma, Okla., '01 S-10, 6.839 seconds, 203.92 mph

2) Bert Prejean, St. Amant, La., '06 GTO, 6.840, 202.97

3) Jerry Barker, Fort Valley, Ga., '07 Cobalt, 6.943, 202.18

4) Joseph Mohana, Bourg, La., '07 Cobalt, 6.963, 199.58

5) Rick Corn, Benton, Ill., '05 Stratus, 7.023, 191.24

6) Jeffrey Barker, Warner-Robins, Ga., '02 Camaro, 7.174, 192.08

7) Mark Mabry, W. Frankfort, Ill., '05 Grand Am, 7.220, 186.07

8) Corey Glidewell, Corinth, Miss., '02 Cavalier, 7.276, 190.30

9) Jeffery Pittman, Conover, N.C., '68 Chevelle, 7.280, 187.11

10) Jeremy Glidewell, Corinth, Miss., '95 Cutlass, 7.331, 188.07

 

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Joey Marcotte, Denham Spgs, La., dragster, 6.109 seconds, 227.46 mph

2) John Garner, Houston, dragster, 6.851, 194.07

3) Brandon Chauvin, Gonzales, La., dragster, 6.926, 194.38

4) Kevin Ford, Amarillo, Texas, dragster, 6.988, 192.93

5) Peter Vicari, Morrero, La., dragster, 7.021, 190.73

6) David Strain, Kenner, La., dragster, 7.057, 192.25

7) Kurt Damron Jr., Fruitland Park, Fla., dragster, 7.065, 189.98

8) Mark Jones, Marrero, La., dragster, 7.079, 192.17

9) Chris Bermond, Bay St. Louis, Miss., dragster, 7.121, 191.10

10) Jason Covington, Center, Texas, dragster, 7.136, 187.96

 

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

1) Ken Kinsella, Paris, Tenn., '95 Suzuki, 0.000 seconds reaction time

2) Bruce Calhoun, Hope, Ark., '84 Ninja, 0.000

3) Todd Blanchard, Napoleonville, La., '91 Honda, 0.002

4) Brent Bradley, Mason, Tenn., '80 Suzuki, 0.003

5) Doug Enge, Albertville, Ala., '86 Suzuki, 0.008

6) Eddie Glaze, Houston, '90 Suzuki, 0.015

7) Alex Barmettler, Maplewood, Minn., '78 Kawasaki, 0.018

8) Rich Gentili, Humble, Texas, '83 Suzuki, 0.019

9) James Enloe, Prairieville, La., '86 Suzuki, 0.020

10) Craig Treble, Hensley, Ark., '02 Suzuki, 0.022