NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Saturday from Beech Bend Raceway Park, Bowling Green, Ky.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION

BEECH BEND RACEWAY PARK, BOWLING GREEN, KY.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Contact: Eric Lotz, NHRA (626) 688-8646

 

QUALIFYING COMPLETE; HIRATA, SNYDER LEAD FIELDS

 

            BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Dave Hirata and Mick Snyder grabbed the top spots in their respective classes for this weekend's $200,000 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Holley Performance Parts event at Beech Bend Raceway Park.

Hirata of Lowell, Ind., jumped ahead of Marty Thacker and Bill Reichert posting a track record of 5.397 seconds at 259.56 mph to qualify No. 1 in Top Alcohol Dragster.  Thacker, a former division champion from Robinson, Ill., is second at 5.461, 262.44 and current NHRA North Central Division Champion Reichert of Owasso, Mich., is third.

Snyder, out of Demotte, Ind., covered the quarter-mile in 5.831 seconds at 249.07 mph for the top spot in Top Alcohol Funny Car.  Veteran racer Chuck Cheeseman of Galena, Ohio, is second in his '02 Firebird running 5.835 seconds, 243.81 mph.

            Rodger Brogdon of Tomball, Texas, bettered his qualifying time from Friday's session with an 8.489 second run in Comp Eliminator.   Brogdon is followed by Jason Coan of Greentown, Ind., running a '32 roadster.

            In the final rounds of qualifying for Super Stock it was Jeff Gillman holding on to the No. 1 spot with a lap of 8.895 seconds in his '05 Sunfire.  The Marne, Mich., racer was followed by Dave Layer of Dayton, Ohio, in the No. 2 spot while hometown racer Brandon Wilkinson of Bowling Green, Ky., is tenth in his '69 Corvette.

            George Widuch and Jerry Bennett remained in the first and second spots in Stock Eliminator with Widuch of Hermitage, Tenn., running 11.360 seconds in his '77 Volare.

            Ronnie Davis of Suwanee, Ga., drove his '63 Corvette to a 6.601 second pass at 213.37 mph to qualify No. 1 in the Dart Top Sportsman class and Marengo, Ill.,  resident Anthony Bronge moved ahead of the Spitzer Race Cars Top Sportsman field with a pass of 6.479 seconds at 215.68 mph.  

Racing continues Sunday at 9 a.m. with round one of Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car scheduled for 1 p.m.  Gates open at 7 a.m.  Tickets are $20 and children 12 and under are free with a paid adult.  The track is located 2 ½ miles south of downtown Bowling Green. From I-65, take 31W South toward Bowling Green to the fifth traffic light, turn right on Riverview and follow the signs to Beech Bend Park.  For more information, call Beech Bend Raceway Park, (270) 781-7634.

 

            The following are Saturday's final qualifying results and Sunday's first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Holley Performance Products event at Beech Bend Raceway Park:

 

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.397 seconds, 259.56 mph
2) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.461, 262.44
3) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.515, 261.88
4) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.533, 258.91
5) Dave Heitzman, Decatur, Mich., 5.584, 257.87
6) Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell, Mich., 5.584, 254.18
7) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.613, 229.51
8) Tim Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 5.796, 249.81
Not Qualified
9) Brian Mans, Godfrey, Ill., 5.805, 225.94
10) Dave Weber, N Ridgeville, Ohio, 5.879, 190.94

First round TAD pairings
1) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.397 seconds, 259.56 mph vs. 8) Tim Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind.,
5.796, 249.81
2) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.461, 262.44 vs. 7) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.613, 229.51
3) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.515, 261.88 vs. 6) Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell, Mich., 5.584,
254.18
4) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.533, 258.91 vs. 5) Dave Heitzman, Decatur, Mich., 5.584, 257.87

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.831 seconds, 249.07 mph
2) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.835, 243.81
3) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '00 Firebird, 5.840, 248.34
4) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '07 Charger, 5.846, 252.76
5) John Sullivan, Pike Road City, Ala., '04 Trans Am, 5.886, 249.53
6) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.894, 235.93
7) Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., '07 Mustang, 5.919, 246.17
8) Wayne Butler, Forest City, Ill., '02 Firebird, 5.962, 238.93
Not Qualified
9) Nancy Matter, Austin, Texas, '02 Camaro, 5.971, 252.47
10) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., '07 Charger, 6.017, 238.22
11) Russ Mudd, Fairdale, Ky., '98 Mustang, 6.608, 208.71
12) Steve Franke, Indianapolis, '99 Lumina, (no time)

First round TAFC pairings
1) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.831 seconds, 249.07 mph vs. 8) Wayne Butler, Forest
City, Ill., '02 Firebird, 5.962, 238.93
2) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.835, 243.81 vs. 7) Keeter Ray, Newport Bch,
Calif., '07 Mustang, 5.919, 246.17
3) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '00 Firebird, 5.840, 248.34 vs. 6) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '06
Monte Carlo, 5.894, 235.93
4) Marty Nothstein, Orefield, Pa., '07 Charger, 5.846, 252.76 vs. 5) John Sullivan, Pike Road City,
Ala., '04 Trans Am, 5.886, 249.53

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, '02 Cavalier, D/SM, 8.489 seconds, -0.611 (under index)
2) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.421, -0.569
3) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, 7.286, -0.534
4) Douglas Stewart, Edwardsburg, Mich., '03 Stratus, B/SMA, 8.246, -0.524
5) David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.406, -0.504
6) Craig Bourgeois, Metarie, La., dragster, A/ND, 7.028, -0.472
7) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.755, -0.465
8) Grant Lewis, Jesup, Ga., '05 Grand Am, H/SMA, 9.108, -0.462
9) Dale Spencer, Greenwood, Ind., dragster, F/ED, 8.450, -0.460
10) Charles Watson, Humble, Texas, '07 Cobalt, D/SM, 8.655, -0.445

SUPER STOCK
1) Jeff Gillman, Marne, Mich., '05 Sunfire, SS/BS, 8.895 seconds, -1.155 (under index)
2) Dave Layer, Dayton, Ohio, '85 Camaro, SS/KA, 10.414, -1.136
3) Roger Keeling, Scott Depot, W.V., '02 Firebird, GT/CA, 9.620, -1.080
4) Colin Wigle, Amherstburg, Ont., '05 Mustang, GT/EA, 9.874, -1.076
5) J.W. Hames, Madison, Miss., '89 Daytona, GT/IA, 10.455, -1.045
6) Charlie Bohannon, Valley Station, Ky., '67 Corvette, SS/IA, 9.959, -1.041
7) Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., '96 Corvette, SS/AX, 8.818, -1.032
8) John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '07 Cobalt, SS/CM, 8.952, -0.998
9) Jim Meredith, Louisville, Ky., '65 Chevelle, SS/MA, 11.173, -0.977
10) Brandon Wilkinson, Bowling Green, Ky., '69 Corvette, SS/AA, 9.032, -0.968

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) George Widuch, Hermitage, Tenn., '77 Volare, I/SA, 11.360 seconds, -1.240 (under index)
2) Jerry Bennett, Hickory, Ky., '77 Volare, G/SA, 11.135, -1.165
3) James Harrison, Albion, Ill., '66 Nova, K/SA, 11.854, -1.096
4) Ben Wenzel Sr., Freeland, Mich., '67 Camaro, D/S, 10.757, -1.043
5) Mike Welfel, Nashville, Tenn., '69 Camaro, F/SA, 11.121, -1.029
6) Trance Baker, Franklin, Ky., '85 Mustang, O/S, 12.375, -1.025
7) Tim Lowe, Macy, Ind., '72 Skylark, L/SA, 11.979, -1.021
8) David Buckner, New Waverly, Texas, '72 Duster, E/SA, 10.983, -1.017
9) Larry Hill, Hickory, Ky., '71 Charger, E/SA, 10.983, -1.017
10) David Walther, Lanesville, Ind., '69 Camaro, H/S, 11.289, -1.011

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Ronnie Davis, Suwanee, Ga., '63 Corvette, 6.601 seconds, 213.37 mph
2) Tom Stultz, Terre Haute, Ind., '92 Firebird, 6.917, 203.19
3) Chris Rini, Carmel, N.Y., '07 Stratus, 6.936, 204.39
4) Jason Wood, Live Oak, Fla., '68 Camaro, 6.957, 200.02
5) Belva Brinegar Jr, Middletown, Ohio, '03 Mustang, 6.971, 200.38
6) Jerry Barker, Fort Valley, Ga., '06 Cobalt, 7.024, 198.79
7) Tim Kirman, Morris, Ill., '01 Grand Am, 7.030, 196.56
8) Stephen Brineger, Germantown, Ohio, '97 Probe, 7.062, 198.67
9) Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '01 S-10, 7.070, 191.62
10) Rick Sojka Sr., Batavia, Ill., '97 Firebird, 7.075, 195.25

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Anthony Bronge, Marengo, Ill., dragster, 6.479 seconds, 215.68 mph
2) Tom Elliott, Brooks, Ky., dragster, 6.570, 208.26
3) Bart Morris, Manchester, Ky., dragster, 6.666, 204.26
4) David Jamison, Twinsburg, Ohio, dragster, 6.756, 199.08
5) Rick Firebaugh, Imperial, Mo., dragster, 6.759, 200.53
6) Jerry Powell II, Kokomo, Ind., dragster, 6.895, 203.55
7) Lauren Freer, Lewisville, N.C., dragster, 6.968, 191.46
8) Lester Adkins, Corydon, Ky., dragster, 7.091, 184.47
9) Ryan Simonton, Lubbock, Texas, dragster, 7.093, 189.23
10) Terry Hoke, Lawrenceville, Ill., dragster, 7.145, 183.79

 

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