NHRA: Gasparrelli on the Pole at Woodburn
11 July 1999
WOODBURN, Ore. - In 1998, Steve Gasparrelli's rookie season, the
West Covina, Calif., driver qualified at just one NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag
Racing Series event: at Woodburn Dragstrip. At three others he attended he
was left on the outside looking in.
What a difference a year makes. Returning to Woodburn Dragstrip
for the Les Schwab Tire Centers Federal-Mogul Series race, Gasparrelli
drove his father, Lou's, Pontiac Firebird Federal-Mogul Funny Car to his
first-career pole position with a 5.88-second run.
"I thought Pat [Austin] and Bucky [Austin] would bump us down for
sure," said Gasparrelli, who skipped the third and final qualifying session
Saturday after breaking a lifter in his engine on his 5.88-second lap.
"When we returned to the pits and discovered the engine damage we actually
began to wonder if we even should have come here," added Gasparrelli. "Now
we're glad we did come here!"
The Southern California team said they could have made repairs in
time for the final qualifying session, but preferred to concentrate on
preparing for Sunday's eliminations. In the third qualifying sessions
Fife, Wash.'s, Bucky Austin spun the rear tires on his attempt; Pat Austin
of Tacoma, Wash., just missed snatching the pole position with a
5.89-second run but did have the satisfaction of setting top speed of the
meet at 244.63 mph.
Two-time defending world champion Rick Santos kept his grip on the
Federal-Mogul Dragster field, lowering his day-old track record to 5.53
seconds, giving the San Leandro, Calif., driver a one-tenth of a second
lead over second-placed Mark Hentges of Federal Way, Wash.
Eliminations begin Sunday at 9:00 a.m., with the first round of
Federal-Mogul Dragster and Federal-Mogul Funny Car scheduled to begin at 12
noon.
WOODBURN, Ore. - Final qualifying results Saturday from Woodburn Dragstrip,
the fifth of six events in the 1999 NHRA Northwest Division Federal-Mogul
Drag Racing Series.
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
First-round pairings: 1. Rick Santos, San Leandro, Calif., 5.530 seconds,
253.95 mph vs. 8. Kim Parker, Graham, Wash., 5.997, 229.35; 2. Mark
Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.639, 249.16 vs. 7. Steve Federlin, Oregon
City, Ore., 5.895, 240.51; 3. Dale Carlson, Olympia, Wash., 5.651, 251.32
vs. 6. Mike McHargue, Lewiston, Idaho, 5.871, 246.91; 4. Melanie Troxel,
Littleton, Colo., 5.667, 248.27 vs. 5. Gary Ormsby Jr., Auburn, Wash.,
5.833, 232.19.
Did Not Qualify
9. Gary Anderson, Anaheim, Calif., 6.201, 226.64
10. Duane Shields, Las Vegas, Nev., DQ
FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
First-round pairings: 1. Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '99
Firebird, 5.885 seconds, 241.74 mph vs. 8. Mike Giuliani, Abbotsford, BC,
'95 Achieva, 6.056, 232.13; 2. Pat Austin, Tacoma, Wash., '99 Firebird,
5.889, 244.63 vs. 7. Mitch Myers, Hermiston, Ore., '99 Camaro, 6.012,
234.13; 3. Russ Parker, Salem, Ore., '97 Firebird, 5.913, 239.87 vs. 6.
Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '97 Camaro, 6.006, 234.19; 4. Bucky
Austin, Fife, Wash., '98 Firebird, 5.932, 240.44 vs. 5. John Hyland,
Springfield, Ore., '98 Mustang, 5.970, 239.17
Did Not Qualify
1. Pete Swayne, Orange, Calif., '97 Firebird, 6.072, 242.00
2. Larry Miner, Woodbridge, Calif., '98 Avenger, 6.076, 236.90
3. Dave Hix, Central Point, Ore., '96 Achieva, 7.048, 214.23
COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Jim Kennedy, San Jose, Calif., F/A '97 Firebird, 8.642 seconds (0.498-second under index)
2. Brian Hyerstay, Eugene, Ore., G/D dragster, 9.474 seconds (-0.476)
3. Rich Howell, Yorba Linda, Calif., B/A '32 Bantam, 7.415 (-0.455)
4. Alan Freese, Monterey, Calif., C/EA '90 Grand Prix, 8.357 (-0.453)
5. Rob Robinson, Portland, Ore., C/EA '96 Oldsmobile, 8.359 (-0.451)
6. Tommy Brown, Westminster, Calif., F/ED dragster, 8.579 (-0.451)
7. Nick Jondahl, Battle Ground, Wash., G/A '92 Pontiac, 9.018 (-0.442)
8. Bruce Perkin, Maple Ridge, BC, B/SM '87 Trans Am, 8.960 (-0.410)
9. Jim Warter, Fox Island, Wash., B/SM '92 Camaro, 8.968 (-0.402)
10. Doug Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., C/SM '90 Chevrolet, 9.266 (-0.364)
SUPER STOCK
1. Tony DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., GT/GA '98 Pontiac, 10.148 seconds (1.052-seconds under Index)
2. Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., GT/HA '89 Chevrolet, 10.352 (-0.998)
3. Terry Sherrill, Klamath Falls, Ore., SS/AM '57 Corvette, 8.629 (-0.921)
4. Harry Holton, Modesto, Calif., SS/BA '65 Belvedere, 9.284 (-0.916)
5. Guy Czarniak, Redding, Calif., SS/DA '69 Camaro, 9.603 (-0.897)
6. Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., GT/TD '98 Dodge, 10.859 (-0.891)
7. Byron Setters, Red Deer, Alberta, GT/EA '96 Camaro, 10.097 (-0.853)
8. Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., GT/BA '96 Achieva, 9.698 (-0.852)
9. Don Thomas, Spruce Grove, Alberta, GT/DA '89 Camaro, 10.002 (-0.798)
10. Bill Bennett, Mt. View, Calif., GT/DA '89 Camaro, 10.007 (-0.793)
STOCK
1. Steve Hanby, Salem, Ore., N/SA '85 Camaro, 12.174 seconds (1.126-seconds under Index)
2. Don Elgin, Desmoines, Wash., N/SA '74 Grand Am, 12.214 (-1.086)
3. Bill Kost, Renton, Wash., M/SA '77 Cutlass, 12.078 (-1.072)
4. Bill Heard Jr., Vancouver, Wash., E/SA '96 Firebird, 10.937 (-1.063)
5. Rob Youngblood, Nampa, Idaho, D/S '71 Mustang, 10.739 (-1.061)
6. Sean Cour, Brush Prairie, Wash., D/SA '97 Camaro, 10.843 (-1.007)
7. Kris Johnson, Eatonville, Wash., K/SA '78 Delta, 11.962 (-0.988)
8. Darin Grossi, Soulsbyville, Calif., B/SA '71 Chrysler, 10.597 (-0.953)
9. Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., C/SA '70 Plymouth, 10.769 (-0.931)
10. Ron Durham, Cameron Park, Calif., B/SA '71 Chevelle, 10.640 (-0.910)
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