FMDRS: Bowen, Cheeseman are Champs at Quaker City
19 July 1999
SALEM, Ohio - Shawn Bowen of Montrose, Mich. returned to the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Quaker City Dragway after last years runner-up finish and took home the championship in Federal-Mogul Dragster. Chuck Cheeseman who was unbeatable all weekend continued his winning ways to take the win in Federal-Mogul Funny Car. Bowen leaves Quaker City Dragway with the championship and a headache. He won the championship by beating 5-time division champion, Mike Kosky of Cuddy, Penn and got the headache from the severe tire shake his dragster endured in all three rounds on Sunday. Bowen advanced to the final due to a red light by Jeff Wilson, but ran a full run to get the prized lane choice. In the final Bowen left Kosky at the line with a .459 second reaction time to Kosky's .597. Bowen kept on the gas and again shook the tires at mid-track, but pedaled the car home to the win light. Bowen ended up running the quickest lap of the day with a run of 5.762 seconds at 244.60 mph to Kosky's run of 5.935 seconds at 225.03 mph. "Something was just not right with the track today", said a relieved Bowen. "We couldn't get the set-up right today, the car would start fine and just start shaking. We are lucky to come out of here with the win." Only one bad thing happened to Chuck Cheeseman this weekend at Quaker City Dragway, he lost the track speed record to Marc White of Glendale Heights, Ill on Saturday. But Cheeseman made up for that by beating White in the final round on Sunday. In the final White took a commanding lead on Cheeseman with a reaction time of .506 to Cheeseman's .775. White was running smooth until the engine let go about 200 feet from the finish and gave the certain win to a hard charging Cheeseman. Cheeseman recorded a run of 5.970 seconds at 238.13 mph to White's run of 6.901 seconds at 147.55 mph. "I didn't see the [green] light", said Cheeseman. I saw Marc [White] leave and I hit the gas. I was catching up fast and I just blew by him. When I saw the win light all I felt was relief because I knew the crew would be on me about the bad reaction time." The following are the final results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Quaker City Dragway: FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER Round 1 1) Bill Reichert, Owqsso, Mich., 5.767 seconds, 245.94 mph def. 8) Mike Miller, Okemos, Mich., 6.114, 218.48 2) Shawn Bowen, Montrose, Mich., 5.782, 241.97 def. 7) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 6.651, 155.19 3) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 6.093, 240.68 def. 6) Don DeVault, Kentland, Ind., Foul 5) Mike Kosky, Cuddy, Penn., 10.688, 73.17 def. Gary Ward, Cincinnati, Ohio, Broke Round 2 Kosky, 11.257, 67.06 def. Reichert, 15.073, 40.79 Bowen, 6.094, 236.88 def. Wilson, 6.762, 167.93 Final Round Bowen, 5.762, 244.60 def. Kosky, 5.935, 225.03 FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR Round 1 1) Chuck Cheeseman, Columbus, Ohio, '98 Pontiac, 6.021 seconds, 240.68 mph def. 8) Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., '98 Dodge, 6.611, 208.36 2) Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., '99 Pontiac, 6.001, 241.97 vs. 7) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Penn., '99 Dodge, 6.605, 208.36 6) Bob Gottschalk, Toledo, Ohio, '99 Dodge, 6.734, 203.65 def. 3) Danny Townsend, Muncie, Ind., '97 Pontiac, 31.274, 40.57 5) Conrad Dahl, Salem, Ohio, '99 Dodge, 6.341, 218.48 def. 4) John Lawson, Joliet, Ill, '99 Pontiac, 10.902, 64.38 Round 2 Cheeseman, 6.032, 240.68 def. Dahl, 6.360, 214.31 White, 5.978, 241.97 def. Gottschalk, 6.707, 204.57 Final Round Cheeseman, 5.970, 238.13 def. White, 6.901, 147.55 COMP ELIMINATOR Ed Bennett III, Carleton, Mich., '63 Chevrolet, 7.142, 195.68 def. Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., '99 Dragster, 6.910, 192.33 SUPER STOCK Rick Yanen, Glendale, W.V., '95 Ford, 10.006, 132.36 def. Todd Brown, Loagan, Ohio, '98 Chevrolet, 9.429, 131.97 STOCK ELIMINATOR Steve Klacik, Aliquippa, Penn., '88 Ford, 12.926, 101.58 def. Billy Leber, Buffalo, N.Y., '88 Oldsmobile, 12.818, 100.67 SUPER COMP Nick Folk, Durand, Ill., '99 Dragster, 8.983, 160.16 def. Rock Haas, White Lake, Mich., '98 Dragster, 8.991, 163.06 SUPER GAS Sean Graham, Westerville, Ohio, '27 Ford, 9.971, 147.55 def. Dan Northrop, Doylestown, Penn., '75 Chevrolet, 9.948, 138.90 SUPER STREET Linn Bebout, Gambier, Ohio, '67 Cheverolet, 10.990, 132.75 def. Tim Shuck, West Lafayette, Ohio, '67 Chevrolet, 10.978, 123.63 JR. DRAGSTER Mike Kopko, Clinton, Penn., 9.879, 60.64 def. Bryan Yanchik, Aliquippa, Penn., 10.430, 61.06
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