FIELDS SET FOR ELIMINATIONS AT IRP’S LUCAS OIL EVENT; HIRATA, SNYDER LEAD THE CHARGE (NHRA)

INDIANAPOLIS – In the final rounds of qualifying at Indianapolis Raceway Park’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, Dave Hirata is atop the Top Alcohol Dragster field, and Mick Snyder is No. 1 in Top Alcohol Funny Car. Eliminations for the event, which kicked off Friday, are set for Sunday.

Hirata did not make a qualifying run in Friday’s opening session and then on his first attempt today, he broke on the burnout and did not make a pass. In the third and final qualifying session for the class, the Lowell, Ind., racer ripped off a 5.297-second, 267.37 mph run to catapult to the No. 1 spot ahead of yesterday’s best qualifier, Bill Reichert of Owosso, Mich. Reichert, the defending division champ did not improve on his 5.381-second, 264.96 mph effort from Friday but did stay in the second qualifying position. Hirata will take on Valpariaso’s Tim Bowgren in the first round of eliminations.

Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Snyder, a Demotte, Ind., resident, improved with each pass down the quarter-mile and moved up from his No. 3 qualifying spot to overtake Danny Townsend with a 5.711-second, 250.74 mph pass. Townsend, Muncie, Ind., also improved from his opening qualifying run but not enough to cover Snyder. Snyder will open eliminations against Brian Grisham of Chicago.

In Comp Eliminator qualifying, Jeff Taylor, the reigning national champion from Floyds Knobs, Ind., stayed in the No. 1 position as did Super Stocker Thomas Plant of Rosedale, Ind. Charles Blossom, Woodbury, Minn., is the best qualifier in Stock Eliminator and Cathy Belcher, Rantoul, Ill., set the pace in Top Sportsman.

Racing continues Sunday at IRP. Gates open at 7 a.m. and eliminations begin at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will run first round of eliminations at noon.

Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event are $15. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.

IRP is located on Indiana Highway 136, four miles west of I-465 at exit 16. For more information call the track, (317) 291-4090, or visit www.IRPonline.com.

The following are Saturday’s final qualifying results and Sunday’s first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Indianapolis Raceway Park:

The following are Saturday’s final qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division event at Indianapolis Raceway Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.297 seconds, 267.37 mph
2) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.381, 264.96
3) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.432, 263.67
4) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.453, 257.78
5) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.479, 268.76
6) Jeff Hamelink, Savage, Minn., 5.480, 259.01
7) Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell, Mich., 5.496, 259.06
8) Timothy Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 5.507, 257.53
Not Qualified
9) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.509, 258.07
10) Jeff Veale, Binbrook, Ont., 5.557, 256.06
11) Ray Hack, Valpraiso, Ind., 5.573, 259.91
12) Paul Fishburn, Rensselaer, Ind., 5.702, 251.30
13) Dick Garlets, Lowell, Ind., 5.879, 219.69
14) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ill., 6.171, 234.74
15) Jared Dreher, Clinton, Ind., 6.708, 145.44
16) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 8.723, 114.88
17) Todd Datweiler, Herscher, Ill., 10.069, 88.66
18) Randy Bayne, Elwood, Ind., 11.568, 65.09

First round TAD pairings

1) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 5.297 seconds, 267.37 mph vs. 8) Timothy Bowgren, Valparaiso, Ind., 5.507, 257.53
2) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.381, 264.96 vs. 7) Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell, Mich., 5.496, 259.06
3) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.432, 263.67 vs. 6) Jeff Hamelink, Savage, Minn., 5.480, 259.01
4) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.453, 257.78 vs. 5) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.479, 268.76

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., ’02 Firebird, 5.711 seconds, 250.74 mph
2) Danny Townsend, Muncie, Ind., ’05 Stratus, 5.792, 247.02
3) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, ’02 Firebird, 5.824, 251.53
4) Bruce Carlson, Prior Lake, Minn., ’97 Firebird, 5.838, 238.68
5) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., ’00 Firebird, 5.966, 235.47
6) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., ’01 Avenger, 6.301, 240.85
7) Rick Cortino, Wheaton, Ill., ’97 Firebird, 6.320, 225.33
8) Brian Grisham, Chicago, ’92 Probe, 6.329, 221.78
Not Qualified
9) Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., ’97 Firebird, 6.335, 237.75
10) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., ’06 Monte Carlo, 6.554, 178.64
11) Steve Franke, Indianapolis, ’99 Lumina, 6.917, 175.50
12) Michael Dolph, Greensburg, Ind., ’95 Beretta, 7.821, 180.67
13) Jeff Burnett, Brownsburg, Ind., ’01 Avenger, 7.900, 191.62

First round TAFC pairings

1) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., ’02 Firebird, 5.711 seconds, 250.74 mph vs. 8) Brian Grisham, Chicago, Ill., ’92 Probe, 6.329, 221.78
2) Danny Townsend, Muncie, Ind., ’05 Stratus, 5.792, 247.02 vs. 7) Rick Cortino, Wheaton, Ill., ’97 Firebird, 6.320, 225.33
3) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, ’02 Firebird, 5.824, 251.53 vs. 6) Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., ’01 Avenger, 6.301, 240.85
4) Bruce Carlson, Prior Lake, Minn., ’97 Firebird, 5.838, 238.68 vs. 5) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., ’00 Firebird, 5.966, 235.47

Competition Eliminator

1) Jeff Taylor, Floyds Knobs, Ind., ’05 Grand Am, H/SMA, 9.033 seconds, -0.677 (under index)
2) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, 7.197, -0.633
3) Robert Book, Frankfort, Ill., dragster, A/D, 6.494, -0.616
4) Nick Panagiotaros, Elburn, Ill., ’00 Neon, B/AA, 7.169, -0.611
5) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., dragster, F/ED, 8.373, -0.607
6) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.656, -0.604
7) Douglas Stewart, Edwardsburg, Mich., ’03 Stratus, B/SMA, 8.196, -0.594
8) Dale Spencer, Greenwood, Ind., dragster, F/ED, 8.402, -0.578
9) Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., ’23 roadster, J/AA, 7.864, -0.576
10) Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., ’05 Sunfire, A/SM, 7.904, -0.576

Super Stock

1) Thomas Plant, Rosedale, Ind., ’03 S-10, SS/TD, 9.992 seconds, -1.508 (under index)
2) Dave Layer, Dayton, Ohio, ’85 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.229, -1.271
3) Ray Vierheller, Barberton, Ohio, ’92 Camaro, SS/GM, 9.464, -1.236
4) Steve Graham, Fulton, Ind., ’88 Cutlass, SS/NA, 11.257, -1.193
5) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., ’02 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.540, -1.160
6) John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, ’04 Cavalier, SS/CM, 8.796, -1.154
7) Zackary Running, Lapeer, Mich., ’82 Cutlass, SS/MA, 10.999, -1.151
8) Blair Patrick, S. Pittsburg, Tenn., ’68 Mustang, SS/FA, 9.621, -1.129
9) Roger Keeling, Scott Depot, W.V., ’02 Firebird, GT/DA, 9.676, -1.124
10) Todd Frantz, Louisville, Ky., ’67 Chevy II, SS/GA, 9.734, -1.116

Stock Eliminator

1) Charles Blossom, Woodbury, Minn., ’03 SRT 4, AF/S, 12.805 seconds, -1.345 (under index)
2) Bert Morgan, Charleston, Ill., ’76 Buick Wgn, R/SA, 13.052, -1.298
3) Robert Schroeder, Peconic, N.Y., ’69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.260, -1.290
4) Marty Buth, Freeport, Ill., ’86 Thunderbird, J/FIA, 13.117, -1.233
5) Donald Holmes, Dayton, Ohio, ’77 Firebird, K/SA, 11.717, -1.233
6) John Foxbower, Franklin, Ohio, ’68 Mustang, B/SA, 10.332, -1.218
7) Steve Sullivan, W. Chester, Ohio, ’88 Mustang, G/FIA, 11.973, -1.177
8) Rick Winchester, Cincinnati, ’73 Camaro, I/SA, 11.460, -1.140
9) Bill Sempsrott, Franklin, Ohio, ’66 Nova, K/S, 11.713, -1.137
10) Tim Lowe, Macy, Ind., ’72 Skylark, J/SA, 11.623, -1.127

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Cathy Belcher, Rantoul, Ill., ’90 Camaro, 6.719 seconds, 204.20 mph
2) Jarod Wenrick, Tipp. City, Ohio, ’68 Camaro, 6.933, 199.05
3) Aaron Glaser, Louisville, Ky., ’68 Camaro, 6.933, 195.62
4) Josh Harmon, Rockport, Ind., ’95 Monte Carlo, 6.974, 201.55
5) Rick Corn, Benton, Ill., ’05 Stratus, 6.977, 194.24
6) Christopher Ray, Louisville, Ky., ’99 Firebird, 7.067, 195.73
7) Anthony Munao, Elgin, Ill., ’06 Cobalt, 7.098, 194.60
8) Keith McPherson, Leonard, Mich., ’06 GTO, 7.112, 192.44
9) Don Peden, Edinburg, Ill., ’06 Cobalt, 7.122, 192.99
10) Glenn Butcher, Doylestown, Ohio, ’04 Corvette, 7.126, 192.11