NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series--Silver Dollar Raceway, Reynolds, Ga.
3 April 2000
DAUZAT, GUNDERSON DRIVE THROUGH THE RAIN FOR WINS AT SILVER DOLLAR RACEWAY
REYNOLDS, Ga.- A three hour rain delay couldn't put a damper on a
great day of racing at the Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Silver
Dollar Raceway or on the first win by Federal-Mogul Funny Car driver Warren
Dauzat or Baton Rouge, La. Dauzat has only made a Federal-Mogul Drag
Racing Series event as an alternate and has never won a round of racing. In
Sunday's eliminations, Dauzat won three rounds including a win in the
Federal-Mogul Funny Car final against No. 1 qualifier Jay Payne of Upland,
Calif. Four-time Southeast Division Federal-Mogul Dragster Champion,
Michael Gunderson of Middleburg, Fla. took his second win of the year
defeating Bob Bears of Clearwater, Fla.
Dauzat didn't know he was coming to Silver Dollar Raceway until three days
before the event was to start. He used a little luck and determination to
take home the win in Federal-Mogul Funny Car. In round one, Dauzat faced
Mark Billington of Apopka, Fla. and took the win when Billington slowed at
half-track after losing an engine. Dauzat was to face fellow South Central
Division racer, Tate Branch of Artesia, N.M. in round two, but Branch
couldn't get his car back together in time, giving Dauzat the free-pass to
the finals. In the finals, Dauzat was to face Payne, but Payne lost an oil
line on his burnout and Dauzat made the single pass for his first ever
victory in Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series Competition.
"I've been racing for twelve years, been to one final round in Super Comp
and never won a Federal-Mogul event," said an estatic Dauzat. "I came here
with a crew of two, my crew chief, Mike Hill and old time racer, Terry
Sanders, they deserve this win more than I do. We worked hard this weekend
and everything fell into place."
Defending Silver Dollar Raceway Champion, Gunderson won his second race of
the season in Federal-Mogul Dragster beating Bob Bears in a close final.
Bears took the advantage at the line with a .474 reaction time to
Gunderson's reaction time of .531. Gunderson had a car length lead at
half-track when he started losing cylinders. He had enough at the finish
line with a run of 5.795 seconds at 226.73 mph to Bear's run of 5.993
seconds at 232.23 mph.
"We broke a lifter after our burnout and I thought we had problems," said a
relieved Gunderson. "The car started losing cylinders and I just held on
until the finish. I guess it is better to be lucky than good."
The following are the final results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing
Series event at Silver Dollar Raceway:
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
Round One
1) Michael Gunderson, Middleburg, Fla., 5.563 seconds, 251.30 mph def. 8)
Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 6.274 seconds,
221.82 mph
7) Bob Bears, Clearwater, Fla., 6.056, 234.90 def. 2) Billy Bybee, McLean,
Texas, 8.546, 116.52
6) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 6.101, 228.77 def. 3) Darryl Hitchman,
Hanford, Calif., 6.210, 229.86
5) Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., 5.882, 233.24 def. 4) Bill McCornack,
Lexington, Ky., 5.869, 246.17
Semifinals
Gunderson, 5.712, 247.34 def. Fiorelli, 5.905, 229.00
Bears, 6.011, 233.08 def. Allen, 6.469, 220.84
Final
Gunderson, 5.795, 226.73 def. Bears, 5.993, 232.23
FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
Round One
1) Jay Payne, Upland, Calif., '00 Chevrolet Camaro, 6.546 seconds, 151.90
mph def. 6) Mike Preslar Sr., Arden, N.C., '00 Chevrolet Corvette, (Broke)
2) Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., '99 Dodge Avenger, 5.920, 234.94 def. 5)
Jerry Freeman, Mew Market, Ala., '98 Avenger, 6.461, 212.73
3) Warren Dauzat, Baton Rouge, La., '96 Achieva, 6.212, 231.08 def. 3)
Mark Billington, Apopka, Fla., '95 Oldsmobile Achieva, 9.529, 89.60
Semifinals
Payne, 5.830, 227.00 def. Bye
Dauzat, 14.041, 62.93 def. Branch, (Broke)
Final
Dauzat, 6.639, 221.78 def. Payne, (Broke)
COMP ELIMINATOR
Larry Mayes, Greenwood, Ind., '96 Oldsmobile Achieva, D/SM, 8.237 seconds,
148.07 mph def. David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '99 Dragster, B/ED, 7.070,
178.97
SUPER STOCK
Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '99 Pontiac Firebird, GT/IA, 10.679
seconds, 124.89 mph def. Herbie Null, Elgin, S.C., '87 Chevrolet Camaro,
GT/BA, 9.889, 133.09
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Scott Bailey, Seffner, Fla., '72 Ford Mustang, G/S, 11.578 seconds, 103.23
mph def. Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., '68 Chevrolet Camaro, F/SA,
14.587, 63.92
SUPER COMP
David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., 8.914 seconds, 162.70 mph def. Ed Richardson,
Bradenton, Fla., 8.900, 155.78
SUPER GAS
Peabody Harrell, Vidalia, Ga., '29 Roadster, 9.887 seconds, 136.93 mph def.
Don Barrett, Gainesville, Fla., '64 Chevrolet II, 9.878, 136.30
SUPER STREET
Al Holt, Holly Hill, Fla., '71 Mercury Comet, 10.919 seconds, 130.39 mph
def. Dwight Limbaugh, Decherd, Tenn., 10.952, 129.23
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