NHRA FMDRS: Different event, same story for Santos at Rocky Mountain
18 September 2000
SALT LAKE CITY- The Fifth event of the 2000 Pacific Division
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series took place over the weekend at the Rocky
Mountain Raceway located southwest of Salt Lake City. More than 325
drivers and grandstands full of adoring race fans endured the intense heat
on the final day of elimination's at the Rocky Mountain Nationals.
As the temperature reached record levels in the Salt Lake City area, top
honors went to Rick Santos of San Leandro, Calif. in the Federal-Mogul
Dragster category. Santos, who is undefeated in divisional races this year,
posted a time of 5.628 seconds narrowly beating Mission Viejo, Calif.,
resident Darren Nicholson who had a time of 5.697 seconds. The top
qualifying position in the Federal-Mogul funny Car field, Larry Miner of
Woodbridge, Calif. was defeated by division rival Roger Bateman of Calgary
Alberta, Can., with a fantastic run in the finals. Bateman had a time of
6.027 at 242.00 mph compared to Miner's run of 6.128 at 223.93 mph.
Santos continues to be a force in the Federal-Mogul Dragster division.
Santos, aiming for his fourth consecutive national championship, out-dueled
a very strong field here at Rocky Mountain Raceway. Said Santos, "It's
nice to get a win here at Rocky Mountain Raceway, we have had success here
in the past and anytime that we can beat a strong field is a great feeling,
especially after the way we left the U.S. nationals."
In other action, sharing the $2500 Winston Top Qualifier money were
Rick Santos, Federal-Mogul Dragster; Larry Miner, Federal-Mogul Funny Car;
Brian Hyerstay, Competition; Rick Ryan, Super Stock; and Steve Coach,
Stock. The Best Appearing Car Award went to Washington, Utah; resident
Brent Theobold while Kent Justice of Phoenix, Ariz. landed the Best
Engineered Car Award. Finally, Paul Bishop's team of Salt Lake City, Utah
won for the Best Appearing Crew Award.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul
Drag Racing Series event at Division Seven's Rocky Mountain Raceway's:
FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
Round 1
4) Duane Shields, Las Vegas, Nev., 5.785 e.t., 243.50 mph def. 5)Bob
Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 6.020 e.t., 229.41 mph
1) Rick Santos, San Leandro, Calif., 5.635 e.t., 249.58 mph def 8) Brent
Ducray, Grand Junction, Utah, 5.899 e.t., 236.03 mph
2) Mike Strasburg, Lindon, Utah, 5.772 e.t., 246.37 mph def 7) John
Shoemaker, Sacramento, Calif., 5.798 e.t., 241.35 mph
3) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.814 e.t., 239.80 def 6) Paul
Jones, Stockton, Calif., 5.856 e.t., 235.78 mph
Semi-Finals
Nicholson, 5.735 e.t., 245.76 mph def. Strasburg, 5.732 e.t., 243.50 mph
Santos, 5.689 e.t., 247.11 mph def. Shields, 5.987 e.t., 178.96 mph
Final Round
Santos, 5.628 e.t., 250.13 mph def Nicholson, 5.697 e.t., 247.79 mph
FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1) Larry Miner, Woodbridge, Calif, 6.011 e.t., 242.06 mph def. 8) Ed Marx,
Stockton, Calif., 6.075 e.t., 238.47 mph
7) Roger Bateman, Calgary Alberta, Can., 6.079 e.t, 239.80 def 2) John
Weaver, Hanford, Calif., DID NOT RUN
6 Bucky Austin, Fife, Wyo., 6.096 e.t., 230.17 def. 3) Rod Austin, Simi
Valley, Calif., 6.174 e.t., 205.80 mph
5) Jimmy Bartoli, Duarte, Calif., 6.005 e.t., 234.80 mph def. 5) Steve
Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., 6.008 e.t., 240.00 mph
Semi-Finals
Miner, 6.128 e.t., 223.93 mph def. Bartoli, 6.249 e.t., 232.13 mph
Bateman, 6.027 e.t., 242.00 def. Austin, 6.123 e.t., 232.79
Final Round
Bateman, 5.979 e.t., 243.44 mph def. Miner, 5.936 e.t., 240.70 mph
COMP ELIMINATOR
Brian Hyerstay, Eugene, Oregon, '96 Dragster, G/D, 9.96 e.t., 128.62 mph,
def. John Chamberlin, Napa, Calif., '88 Uyehara, A/D, 9.62 e.t., 90.20 mph
SUPER STOCK
Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '89 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.96 e.t., 123.47 mph,
def. Tony DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '98 Pontiac , GT/FA, 10.75 e.t., 122.14
mph
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Robert Pond, Riverside, Calif., '67 Fairlane, A/S, 10.74 e.t., 118.00 mph,
def. Gary Humrichouse, Livermore, Calif., '69 Camaro, F/SA, 12.11 e.t.,
109.42 mph
SUPER COMP
Ed Olpin, Lindon, Utah, '99 Nielsen, S/C, 9.33 e.t., 155.11 mph, def. Frank
Kohutek, Mesquite, Texas, '00 Camaro, S/C, 9.36 e.t., 143.72 mph
SUPER GAS
Frank Kohutek, Mesquite, Tex., '96 Pontiac, S/G, 10.34 e.t., 145.77 mph,
def. Ed DeStatue, Rosemead, Calif., '85 Daytona, S/G, 10.35 e.t., 122.41
mph
SUPER STREET
Jim Glenn, Kent, Wash., '69 Firebird, S/ST, 11.39 e.t., 117.29 mph, def.
Diana Anderson, Twin Falls, Idaho, '67 Chevy, S/ST, 11.37 e.t., 130.13 mph