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NHRA FMDRS final qualifying from Texas Motorplex

30 May 1999


STORMY WEATHER CANCELS FINAL QUALIFYING AT TEXAS MOTORPLEX

      Ennis, Texas- Heavy rain began coming down during the last sessions
of qualifying on Saturday at the O'Reilly NHRA Federal-Mogul Divisional
event at Texas Motorplex.
     Because the rain came at such a late point of the qualifying it was
determined that the race would have to be cancelled for the day and the
Winston Top Qualifiers would be determined by the current leaders.
     One Federal-Mogul Funny Car racer saw the rain as a blessing in
disguise.  Anaheim, Calif.'s Jason Rupert and his Lucas Oil Federal-Mogul
Funny Car had not had good luck during qualifying on Friday when their
engine exploded a cylinder shaft causing several of their important gears
and other parts to crack making a difficult situation. The resolution to
that situation was that they would not make a run during the first
qualifying session on Saturday, but they had hoped to make the second.
     "This weather changes every minute" Rupert exclaimed.  "For once the
change of weather was in our favor so we don't have to hurray for a session
today [Saturday] and we can work on the car so it's ready for
eliminations."
     Eliminations will begin tomorrow at 10 a.m. for the O'Reilly NHRA
Federal-Mogul divisional at Texas Motorplex.  Gates will open at 9 a.m.
with Federal-Mogul Funny Car and Dragster running at approximately 1 p.m.  



        The following are the final qualifying results from the NHRA
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Texas Motorplex, the fifth of six
events in the NHRA South Central Division:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Darrell Russell, Cypress, Texas, 5.616 seconds elapsed time, 249.93
miles per hour vs. 8. Larry Traugott, Woodward, Okla., 6.207, 220.53
2. Greg Roberts, Kenner, La., 5.797, 243.24 vs. 7. Gene Snow, Ft. Worth,
Texas, 6.113, 194.30
3. Troy Buff, Spring, Texas, 5.809, 245.70 vs. 6. Billy Bybee, Mclean,
Texas, 5.933, 230.76
4. Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 5.832, 241.28 vs. 5. James Thompson,
Vernon, Texas, 5.865, 245.09
(Did not qualify)
9. Brian Ratliff, Tahlequah, Okla., 7.564, 122.00
10. Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 12.275, 86.78



FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR 

1. Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '97 Chevy Camaro, 5.910 seconds elapsed
time, 245.03 miles per hour vs. 8. Skater Chambers, Del City, Okla., '93
Dodge, 7.973, 116.82 
2. Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., '98 Olds Acheiva, 6.005, 243.11 vs. 7.
Jason Rupert, Anaheim, Calif., '98 Chevy Camaro, 7.804, 115.71
3. Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '98 Dodge Avenger, 6.044, 244.89 vs. 6. Bill
Howry, Oklahoma City, '93 Dodge Daytona, 7.490, 164.47
4. Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, '97 Olds Cutlass, 6.046, 229.88 vs. 5. Todd
Simpson, Ponder, Texas, '99 Dodge Avenger, 6.067, 207.37

COMP ELIMINATOR

1. Ruben Celedon, Edinburg, Texas, D/A '94 Chevy Cutlass, 8.101 (-0.429
seconds under index)
2. John Fairleigh, Scott City, Kan., B/A '97 Pontiac Firebird, 7.454
(-0.416)
3. Greg Williams, Carthage, Texas, D/SM '90 Pontiac Trans Am, 8.362
(-0.408)
4. Joey Tanksley, Greenwell Springs, La., B/EDragster, 7.215 (-0.405)
5. Ben Coates, Cypress, Texas, B/EDragster, 7.222 (-0.398)
6. Taylor Lastor, Austin, Texas, C/A '99 Chevy S-10, 7.833 (-0.397)
7. Mike Johnson, Lowell, Ark., C/EDragster, 7.600 (-0.390)
8. Larry Doggett, Austin, Texas, B/EDragster, 7.230 (-0.390)
9. Maryann Austin, Lowell, Ark., C/EDragster, 7.620 (-0.370)
10. David Myers, Dallas, Texas, B/EA '99 Chevy Camaro, 8.152 (-0.368) 

SUPER STOCK

1. Randall Klein, Lincoln, Neb., SS/NA '56 Chevy Nomad Wagon 11.378 (-1.072
seconds under index)
2. Ronnie Cardwell, Ruston, La., GT/HA '95 Olds Acheiva, 10.454 (-0.896)
3. Brent Johnson, Lecompte, La., SS/NA '66 Chevy Impala, 11.554 (-0.896) 
4. Dave Dupuis, Baton Rouge, La., SS/BM '98 Olds Acheiva, 8.860 (-0.840)
5. Kirk Neal, Greenville, Miss., GT/EA '89 Chevy Camaro, 10.122 (-0.828)
6. Bobby Shahan, Little Rock, Ark., SS/C '66 Chevy Corvette, 9.554 (-0.796)
7. James Caro, Houma, La., GT/CA '97 Dodge Avenger, 10.015 (-0.785)  
8. Brent Brooking, La Porte, Texas, SS/DM '89 Pontiac Trans Am, 9.424
(-0.776)
9. Keith Mahwee, Carrollton, Texas, SS/CM '98 Pontiac Grand Am, 9.125
(-0.775)
10. Ken Howell, Baytown, Texas, GT/D '90 Pontiac Firebird, 9.879 (-0.771)

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Verne Buchanan, Conway, Ark., '73 Ford Mustang, 11.778 (-0.972 seconds
under index)
2. Billy Lynn, Searcy, Ark., K/SA '79 Chevy Malibu, 11.980 (-0.970)
3. Ronnie Cardwell, Ruston, La., K/SA '90 Pontiac Firebird, 11.998 (-.0952)
4. Marty Woffard, Gore, Okla., L/S '66 Chevy Nova, 12.067 (-0.933)
5. Mike Cotton, Broken Arrow, Okla., H/SA '73 Plymouth Duster, 11.523
(-0927)
6. Jim Cimarolli, Sulphur Springs, Texas, C/SA Chevy Nova, 10.778 (-0.922)
7. Martin Burke, Flower Mound, Texas, C/SA '69 Ford Mustang, 10.807
(-0.893)
8. Debbie Cardwell, Ruston, La., L/SA '90 Pontiac Trans Am, 12.109 (-0.891)
9. Delmer Wood, Tulsa, Okla., C/SA '69 Chevy Camaro, 10.810 (-0.890)
10. Justin Cardwell, Baton Rouge, La., K/SA '83 Chevy Camaro, 12.113
(-0.837)
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