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NHRA FMDRS: Route 66 Raceway hosts Federal Mogul Drag Racing Event

22 September 2000


        JOLIET, Ill., - Drivers from within and outside of the North
Central Division strapped on their helmets and donned their protective
suits to take aim at more than $158,000 in cash and contingency awards at
stake at the remarkable Route 66 Raceway located about 35 miles from
downtown Chicago.  With division championships on the line, more than 500
racers from eight classes try to closeout the final event of the 2000
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series on a winning note. 

        Leading the way in Federal-Mogul Dragster is division points leader
Jeff Wilson. Wilson of Winfield, Missouri, blazed a trail in qualifying
with a blistering time of 5.581 at 256.02 mph. Said Wilson, "With the low
temperatures and the tires sticking to the track like bubble gum, we feel
good about the race this weekend.  Hopefully the rain will stay away long
enough to get a full event in."  Following closely in second place is
Cincinnati, Ohio resident, Gary Ward with an elapsed time of 5.660 at
244.92 mph.  

Federal-Mogul Funny Car pilot and division points leader, Chuck Cheeseman
of Galena, Ohio drove his '98 Pontiac Firebird to Friday's number one
qualifying position as he out raced the nine other contestants with a time
of 5.777 and 244.21 mph. Meanwhile, missing from Federal-Mogul Funny Car
action is two-time division winner Marc White of Glendale Heights,
Illinois. White, who is second in points, wrecked his car at last weekend's
National event and is unable to compete in this category at Rocky Mountain
Raceway. 

In Competition Eliminator, Louisville, Ken., resident Mike Farrell held off
a tough field and completed the quarter mile track with an elapsed time of
7.514 and -0.556 under index to lead all challengers on the first day of
qualifying.

In the Stock and Super Stock categories, Don Holmes of Dayton, Ohio and
Joey Wilkes of Zanesville, Ohio both remained on top of the leader board in
their respective classes.

        Gates open at 7:00 a.m. with Federal-Mogul Dragster and
Federal-Mogul funny Car qualifying sessions scheduled at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00
p.m. at Route 66 Raceway.

        The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Route 66 Raceway:

Federal-Mogul Dragster

1) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.581 e.t., 256.02 mph
2) Gary Ward, Cincinnati, Ohio, 5.660 e.t., 244.92 mph
3) Russ Lindert, Manteno, Ill., 5.661 e.t., 248.71 mph
4) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.670 e.t., 262.85 mph
5) Keith Stark, Danville, Ill., 5.719 e.t., 253.52 mph
6) Randy Bayne, Elwood, Ind., 5.755 e.t., 239.95 mph
7) T.J. Zizzo, Prairie View, Ill., 5.884 e.t., 217.77 mph
8) Tony Zizzo, Prairie View, Ill., 6.007 e.t., 232.55 mph
9) Dave Hedges, Plainwell, Mich., 6.439 e.t., 202.05 mph
10) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 13.918 e.t., 54.99 mph
11) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 15.413 e.t., 45.25 mph
12) Kenneth Perry, Gormley Ontario, Can., Did not Qualify

Federal-Mogul Funny Car

1) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '98 Firebird, 5.777 e.t., 244.21 mph
2) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '99 Trans Am, 5.785, 252.00
3) Dave Kovar, New Lenox, Ill., '99 Firebird, 6.228, 227.88
4) Fred Hagan, Chicago, Ill., '99 Avenger, 6.369, 188.15
5) Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., '99 Avenger, 6.374, 168.60
6) John Freikas, Glendale Heights, Ill., '96 Camaro, 6.617, 209.01
7) Jeff Lancaster, Chicago, Ill., '97 Pontiac, 6.664, 203.61
8) John Hart, Hicksville, Ohio, '00 Dodge, 10.592, 78.89
9) Todd Veney, Indianapolis, Ind., Did not Qualify

Competition

1) Mike Farrell, Louisville, Ky., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.514 e.t., -0.566
(under index)
2) Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23 Ford, I/A, 7.948, -0.562
3) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., '97 McKinney, D/D, 7.477, -0.533
4) Jerry Arnold, Kalamazoo, Mich., '32 Bantam, E/ED, 8.618, -0.522
5) Don Stratton, Beloit, Ohio, '34 Chevy, B/SR, 8.227, -0.513
6) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., '97 Dragster, F/ED, 8.528, -0.492
7) Charlie Westcott, Parma, Mich., '98 Pontiac, F/SM, 9.320, -0.490
8) Fred Allen, Winamac, Ind., '23 T, A/EA, 7.595, -0.485
9) Jesse Plant, Terre Haute, Ind., '96 Dragster, D/ED, 7.645, -0.475
10) Terry Smith, Williamstown, W.V., '32 Bantam, D/EA, 8.609, -0.471

Stock Eliminator

1) Don Holmes, Dayton, Ohio, '78 Firebird, K/SA, -1.333 (under Index)
2) Christopher Sniesak, Wales Township, Mich., '99 Dakota, DT/SA, -1.230
3) Bill Rink, Naperville, Ill., '74 GTO, L/SA, -1.148
4) Charles Blossom, Woodbury, Minn., '91 GMC, AT/SA, -1.127
5) John Foxbower, Franklin, Ohio, '68 Mustang, C/SA, -1.111
6) Joey Wilkes, Zanesville, Ohio, '99 Firebird, G/SA, -1.086
7) Harry Doolittle, Grosse Ile, Mich., '00 Firebird, Q/SA, -1.065
8) Randy Wilkes, Zanesville, Ohio, '00 Camaro, F/SA, -1.025
9) Dave Colthorp, Breckenridge, Mich., '74 Pontiac, K/SA,  -1.021
10) Al Provoast, Whittemore, Mich., '79 Buick, N/SA, -1.008

Super Stock

1) Joey Wilkes, Zanesville, Ohio, '86 Camaro, GT/FA, 9.900, -1.200
2) Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '99 Firebird, GT/JA, 10.536, -1.114
3) Michael Beachy, Kokomo, Ind., '82 Firebird, GT/EA, 9.838, -1.112
4) Fred Allen, Winamac, Ind., '00 S-10, GT/TB, 10.150, -1.050
5) Brian Olson, Peru, Ind., '67 Nova, SS/GA, 9.808, -1.042
6) Charlie Westcott, Parma, Mich., '97 Pontiac, GT/E, 9.787, -1.013
7) Gary Tompa, Saginaw, Mich., '84 Pontiac, SS/J, 10.094, -1.006
8) Jeff Sexton, Fairborn, Ohio, '84 Camaro, SS/AX, 9.009, -0.991
9) Gene McBean, Chardon, Ohio, SS/FA, '69 Mustang, 9.810, -0.940
10) Scott Richardson, Goodlettsville, Tenn., '99 Firebird, GT/FA, 10.182,
-0.918