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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES - PACIFIC DIVISION

FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

Saturday, March 1, 2008

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

 

Shields, Thompson on Top at Firebird

 

            CHANDLER, Ariz. - Duane Shields and Clint Thompson grabbed
the top spots for this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
Pacific Division Opener at Firebird International Raceway.   Shields
covered the quarter mile strip in 5.327 seconds at 269.83 mph to lead
the Top Alcohol Dragster field with Jim Whiteley following in the No. 2
spot at 5.333, 270.43 mph.  Phoenix resident Mark Niver is sixth best
with a run of 5.497 seconds.

Thompson, of Klamath Falls, Ore., drove his '06 Monte Carlo to a lap of
5.668 seconds at 253.22 mph for the No. 1 spot in Top Alcohol Funny Car.
Terry Ruchman was second at 5.685 seconds, 249.12 mph. 

            In Comp Eliminator it was Dean Carter of Glendale, Ariz.,
bettering his No. 1 qualifying time from Friday with a pass of 7.026
seconds on Saturday.  Jimmy DeFrank of Chatsworth, Calif., and Mark
Yacavone, also of Glendale, are No. 1 in Super Stock and Stock
Eliminator.

            The Hughes Performance Top Dragster class is led by Danny
Hills of Gilbert, Ariz., running 6.477 seconds at 207.05 mph with George
Clark of Phoenix, in third.  

            Rounding out the qualifying action was Aaron Pine of
LaMirada, Calif., in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson
and Todd Hoerner of Deer Park, Wash., on top in the Sunset Racecraft Top
Sportsman class.

            Racing continues Sunday at Firebird International at 8 a.m.
Tickets are $28 for adults and children 12 and under are free with a
paid adult.  FIR is located at 20000 S. Maricopa Road in Chandler.  Take
I-10 to Maricopa Road, exit No. 162.  For more information call the
track, (602) 268-0200, or visit www.FirebirdRaceway.com 

 

            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 event at Firebird International Raceway:

 

 TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.327 seconds, 269.83 mph
2) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.333, 270.43
3) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.360, 265.53
4) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.367, 263.31
5) Shawn Cowie, Delta, B.C., 5.411, 265.43
6) Mark Niver, Phoenix, 5.497, 263.26
7) Brandon Johnson, Sheldon, Wash., 5.506, 260.41
8) Bob Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.528, 256.99
Not Qualified
9) James Stevens, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.530, 260.26
10) Johnny Ahten, Santa Clarita, Calif., 5.573, 252.71
11) Mike Austin, Medford, Ore., 5.634, 259.56
12) Gary Ormsby Jr, Granite Bay, Calif., 5.675, 257.87
13) Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., 5.681, 258.96

First round TAD pairings
1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.327 seconds, 269.83 mph vs. 8)
Bob Perkins, Bluffdale,
Utah, 5.528, 256.99
2) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.333, 270.43 vs. 7) Brandon
Johnson, Sheldon, Wash.,
5.506, 260.41
3) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.360, 265.53 vs. 6) Mark Niver,
Phoenix, 5.497, 263.26
4) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.367, 263.31 vs. 5) Shawn
Cowie, Delta, B.C., 5.411,
265.43

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.668 seconds,
255.58 mph
2) Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., '01 Firebird, 5.685, 249.12
3) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.699, 255.10
4) Sean O'Bannon, Ontario, Calif., '07 Charger, 5.707, 255.58
5) Ron August Jr, Pleasanton, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.717, 254.04
6) Von Smith, Santa Clarita, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.727, 253.14
7) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.745, 253.99
8) Rian Konno, Rosemead, Calif., '02 Trans Am, 5.774, 247.66
Not Qualified
9) Alexis De Joria, Venice, Calif., '07 Charger, 5.908, 243.81
10) Ken Kraus, Great Falls, Mont., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.919, 247.84
11) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '07 Mustang, 5.949, 251.02
12) Paul Crifasi, Henderson, Nev., '03 Firebird, 6.290, 223.73
13) Charles McLaws, Winslow, Ariz., '03 Firebird, 6.379, 218.12
14) John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '99 Firebird, 9.017, 141.64
15) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., '05 Camaro, 9.431, 92.46

First round TAFC pairings
1) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.668 seconds,
255.58 mph vs. 8) Rian
Konno, Rosemead, Calif., '02 Trans Am, 5.774, 247.66
2) Terry Ruckman, Grand Junction, Colo., '01 Firebird, 5.685, 249.12 vs.
7) Doug Gordon, Paso
Robles, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.745, 253.99
3) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.699, 255.10 vs.
6) Von Smith, Santa
Clarita, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.727, 253.14
4) Sean O'Bannon, Ontario, Calif., '07 Charger, 5.707, 255.58 vs. 5) Ron
August Jr, Pleasanton,
Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.717, 254.04

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
1) Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., dragster, B/ND, 7.026 seconds, -0.694
(under index)
2) Clint Neff, Westminster, Colo., '23 roadster, K/A, 7.987, -0.613
3) Ross Wilson, Alta Loma, Calif., '05 Sunfire, C/SMA, 8.275, -0.595
4) Steve Holloway, Lakewood, Colo., '06 GTO, A/AA, 6.606, -0.584
5) Mike DePalma, Glendale, Ariz., '98 Firebird, I/A, 8.274, -0.576
6) John Edwards, Claremont, Calif., '99 Neon, C/AA, 7.447, -0.573
7) Doug Lambeck, Corona Del Mar, Calif., '06 Sunfire, D/SMA, 8.447,
-0.573
8) Jim Cowan, Dewey, Ariz., '08 Cobalt, I/AA, 8.243, -0.547
9) Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., '07 Cobalt, C/EA, 8.183, -0.537
10) Bill Kent, Midland, Texas, dragster, C/D, 7.017, -0.523

SUPER STOCK
1) Jimmy DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., '08 Cobalt, SS/BS, 8.789 seconds,
-1.261 (under index)
2) Don Bevers, Tucson, Ariz., '91 Probe, SS/BM, 8.463, -1.187
3) Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '08 Cobalt, SS/BS, 8.863, -1.187
4) John Rains, Santa Paula, Calif., '68 Dart, SS/AH, 8.639, -1.161
5) Kip Martin, Phoenix, Ariz., '64 Mustang, SS/L, 10.412, -1.138
6) Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., '69 Barracuda, SS/IA, 9.894, -1.106
7) Ryan McClannahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '08 Cobalt, SS/BM, 8.545, -1.105
8) Jack Bystrom, Alta Loma, Calif., '68 Camaro, SS/FA, 9.679, -1.071
9) Brittany Johnson, Palm Desert, Calif., '67 Chevy, SS/GA, 9.820,
-1.030
10) Byron Setters, Red Deer, Alb., '04 Cavalier, GT/AA, 9.374, -1.026

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Mark Yacavone, Glendale, Ariz., '80 Mustang, V/S, 14.217 seconds,
-1.333 (under index)
2) Don Forester, Riverside, Calif., '80 Delta 88, M/SA, 11.906, -1.244
3) Paula Cotten, Broken Arrow, Okla., '73 Duster, G/SA, 11.113, -1.187
4) Harry Doolittle, Herber City, Ariz., '02 Firebird, N/SA, 12.122,
-1.178
5) Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '02 Firebird, A/SA, 10.127,
-1.173
6) Mike Cotten, Broken Arrow, Okla., '73 Duster, H/SA, 11.305, -1.145
7) Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '96 Corvette, C/SA, 10.557, -1.143
8) Jimmy DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.414, -1.136
9) Brad Burton, Golden, Colo., '72 Formula, E/SA, 10.899, -1.101
10) Joe Faherty, Apple Valley, Calif., '79 Duster, H/SA, 11.364, -1.086


SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1) Aaron Pine, La Mirada, Calif., '91 GSX-R, SMC, 0.000 seconds reaction
time
2) Dave Parfett, Red Deer, Alb., '82 Suzuki, SMC, 0.006
3) Tony McVey, North Hills, Calif., '06 H-D, ETMX, 0.009
4) John Widman, Garberville, Calif., '88 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.019
5) Tracy Bailey, Coos Bay, Ore., '75 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.020
6) Greg Liskey, Salinas, Calif., '95 Suzuki, SMC, 0.021
7) Wayne Cox, Eureka, Calif., '97 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.022
8) Jay Matthews, Henderson, Nev., '98 GSX-R, SMC, 0.025
9) Mike Scott, Bonney Lake, Wash., '06 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.028
10) John Gidcumb, Riverside, Calif., '81 Suzuki, SMC, 0.030

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Todd Hoerner, Deer Park, Wash., '07 Stratus, 6.656 seconds, 208.36
mph
2) Frank Tamez, Yakima, Wash., '07 Mustang, 6.892, 200.38
3) Tommy Turner, Naples, Fla., '04 GTO, 6.912, 202.27
4) Robert Broguiere, Wildomar, Calif., '06 GTO, 6.991, 198.99
5) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., '07 Cobalt, 7.063, 195.99
6) Gary Ross, Traboco Canyon, Calif., '05 Grand Am, 7.066, 196.13
7) Mike Willoughby, Huntington Beach, Calif., '03 Cavalier, 7.113,
196.39
8) Wayne Silvia, Upland, Calif., '04 Cavalier, 7.246, 187.13
9) Kurtis Tamez, Yakima, Wash., '67 Nova, 7.263, 187.18
10) Dean Hall, Guerneville, Calif., '63 Corvette, 7.265, 189.50

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Denny Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., dragster, 6.477 seconds, 207.05 mph
2) Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, 6.671, 201.82
3) George Clark, Phoenix, dragster, 6.716, 200.32
4) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., dragster, 6.799, 197.97
5) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., dragster, 6.825, 197.80
6) Del Cox Jr., Downey, Calif., dragster, 6.848, 195.56
7) Jimmy Johnson, Santa Rose, Calif., dragster, 6.872, 199.32
8) Tom Koenen, Tucson, Ariz., dragster, 6.881, 195.76
9) Martin Schmidt, Oak Grove, Minn., dragster, 6.912, 192.17
10) Carolyn Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., dragster, 6.920, 195.03





 

 

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