RAIN POSTPONES ELIMINATIONS AT THUNDER VALLEY
NOBLE, Okla. (October 10, 2011) – Sunday’s final elimination rounds were canceled and have been rescheduled to this coming Thursday for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Thunder in the Heartland event at Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Noble, Okla. Heavy rains on Saturday night with light rain continuing on Sunday forced NHRA and track officials to postpone the event.
Early elimination rounds began on Saturday afternoon in several of the classes prior to rain moving into the area and stopping the action. Eliminations will continue on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. with round 1 of Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car at approximately 11 a.m.
Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., will lead the Top Alcohol Dragster field into eliminations posting a lap of 5.371 seconds at 267.14 mph for the No. 1 qualifying spot followed by Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., and Chase Copland, Gainesville, Texas, in the second and third spots.
In Funny Car, it was Roger Bateman grabbing the top spot out of Grand Junction, Colo., with a 5.701 second lap in his ’10 Mustang at 253.30 mph. Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa is second at 5.786, 250.76 and Brain Hough, Junction City, Ore., is third in an ’11 Mustang.
Gates open at 8 a.m. on Thursday, October 13. For more information, call Thunder Valley Raceway Park (405) 872-3429 or visit www.okthunder.com
The following are Saturday’s final qualifying results and first-round pairings for TAD and TAFC at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Thunder in the Heartland event at Thunder Valley Raceway Park:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.371 seconds, 267.14 mph
2) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.424, 265.95
3) Chase Copeland, Gainesville, Texas, 5.431, 269.54
4) Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, 5.438, 267.93
5) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.442, 260.71
6) Brandon Pierce, Moore, Okla., 5.519, 256.19
7) Forrest Fair, Haughton, La., 5.661, 250.76
8) James Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 5.662, 249.51
Not Qualified
9) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.683, 253.87
10) Aaron Tatum, Oklahoma City, 6.992, 119.18
First round TAD pairings
1) Randy Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., 5.371 seconds, 267.14 mph vs. 8) James Thompson, Vernon, Texas, 5.662, 249.51
2) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.424, 265.95 vs. 7) Forrest Fair, Haughton, La., 5.661, 250.76
3) Chase Copeland, Gainesville, Texas, 5.431, 269.54 vs. 6) Brandon Pierce, Moore, Okla., 5.519, 256.19
4) Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, 5.438, 267.93 vs. 5) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.442, 260.71
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Roger Bateman, Grand Junction, Colo., '10 Mustang, 5.701 seconds, 253.30 mph
2) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '10 Mustang, 5.786, 250.76
3) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '11 Mustang, 5.805, 250.06
4) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.809, 249.93
5) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.847, 248.68
6) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '04 Camaro, 5.856, 249.23
7) Steve Burck, Corpus Christi, Texas, '02 Camaro, 5.965, 242.84
8) Steve Griboski, Aurora, Colo., '04 Firebird, 6.020, 232.31
Not Qualified
9) Billy Davis, Rogers, Ark., '06 Avenger, 6.320, 205.15
10) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, '06 Monte Carlo, 7.278, 198.67
First round TAFC pairings
1) Roger Bateman, Grand Junction, Colo., '10 Mustang, 5.701 seconds, 253.30 mph vs. 8) Steve Griboski, Aurora, Colo., '04 Firebird, 6.020, 232.31
2) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '10 Mustang, 5.786, 250.76 vs. 7) Steve Burck, Corpus Christi, Texas, '02 Camaro, 5.965, 242.84
3) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '11 Mustang, 5.805, 250.06 vs. 6) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '04 Camaro, 5.856, 249.23
4) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.809, 249.93 vs. 5) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.847, 248.68
COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Bruno Massel, Woodridge, Ill., '10 Cobalt, DD/AT, 7.146 seconds, -0.564 (under index)
2) Chuck Haubiel, Gahanna, Ohio, '09 Cobalt, C/SM, 8.198, -0.562
3) Lou Ficco Jr., Wheatridge, Colo., '09 GXP, B/AP, 7.235, -0.555
4) David Rampy, Piedmont, Ala., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.287, -0.553
5) Shaun Vincent, Omaha, Neb., '02 S-10, C/TA, 8.517, -0.553
6) Chase Williams, Carthage, Texas, '09 GXP, E/A, 7.784, -0.526
7) Todd Patterson, Augusta, Kan., '63 Corvette, E/A, 7.790, -0.520
8) Rick Brown, Lebanon, Ohio, '00 S-10, B/TA, 8.297, -0.503
9) Kevin Self, Caddo, Okla., '32 Bantam, F/EA, 7.962, -0.498
10) Matt Harris, Nebraska City, Neb., '05 Grand Am, E/A, 7.813, -0.497
SUPER STOCK
1) Jeff Colvert, Arkadelphia, Ark., '69 Mustang, SS/F, 9.294 seconds, -1.056 (under index)
2) Robert Cruzen, Las Vegas, '06 Cobalt, GT/AA, 9.170, -0.930
3) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '08 Cobalt, GT/BA, 9.361, -0.889
4) Chad Taylor, Sellersburg, Ind., '87 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.312, -0.888
5) Kyle Ratcliff, Denton, Texas, '91 Calais, GT/FA, 9.919, -0.881
6) Gary Emmons, Friendswood, Texas, '96 Firebird, SS/JA, 10.124, -0.876
7) Norman Marsden, Santo, Texas, '66 Chevy II, SS/KA, 10.379, -0.871
8) Bryan Chaney, Claremore, Okla., '92 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.357, -0.843
9) Chris Chaney, Claremore, Okla., '02 Cavalier, GT/EA, 9.824, -0.826
10) Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., '10 Cobalt, SS/CM, 8.704, -0.796
STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Bob Johnson, Aurora, Colo., '67 Mustang, D/SA, 10.602 seconds, -0.948 (under index)
2) Jimmy Hidalgo Sr., Donaldsonville, La., '91 Corvette, G/SA, 11.089, -0.911
3) Jimmy Holzman, Wichita, Kan., '08 Mustang, AA/SA, 9.703, -0.897
4) Carson Pedigo, Andover, Kan., '70 Chevelle, C/SA, 10.510, -0.890
5) Slate Cummings, Hammond, La., '99 Firebird, B/SA, 10.385, -0.865
6) Kevin Stubbs, Searcy, Ark., '99 Camaro, B/SA, 10.398, -0.852
7) Billy Lynn, McRae, Ark., '79 Malibu, K/SA, 11.805, -0.845
8) Scott Burton, Golden, Colo., '70 Firebird, B/SA, 10.434, -0.816
9) Jerry Davis, Santa Fe, Texas, '72 Duster, G/SA, 11.195, -0.805
10) Verne Buchanan, Conway, Ark., '73 Mustang, H/SA, 11.356, -0.794
TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., '68 Camaro, 6.714 seconds, 203.38 mph
2) Allen Firestone, Velma, Okla., '01 S-10, 6.724, 203.71
3) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '05 Grand Am, 6.746, 208.14
4) Keith Sasich, Bartonville, Texas, '07 GTO, 6.903, 201.79
5) Jerry Holt, Collinsville, Okla., '68 Camaro, 6.904, 202.15
6) Mitch Withers, Pratt, Kan., '07 GTO, 6.905, 198.50
7) Jeffrey Cummins, Cypress, Texas, '04 Cavalier, 6.913, 203.11
8) Rick Wilson, Independence, Mo., '69 Camaro, 7.031, 196.97
9) J.J. Heber, Centennial, Colo., '06 Mustang, 7.054, 197.93
10) Brad Klein, Amarillo, Texas, '10 Cobalt, 7.127, 195.01
TOP DRAGSTER
1) Michael Kile, Westlake, La., dragster, 6.196 seconds, 221.40 mph
2) Rob McKinley, Conroe, Texas, dragster, 6.258, 219.13
3) Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., dragster, 6.449, 214.13
4) Jerry Holt, Collinsville, Okla., dragster, 6.471, 213.92
5) Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., dragster, 6.484, 205.01
6) Jenifer White, Conroe, Texas, dragster, 6.504, 209.93
7) Scott Barker, Davis, Okla., dragster, 6.559, 207.37
8) Larry Eidson, Mineral Wells, Texas, dragster, 6.569, 201.47
9) David Smith, Healdton, Okla., dragster, 6.571, 203.38
10) Keith McCullar, McAlester, Okla., dragster, 6.582, 206.46
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1) Mike McCullah, Houston, '00 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.002 seconds reaction time
2) Raegan Gentili, Crosby, Texas, '83 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.002
3) Micheal Nash, Texarkana, Texas, '83 Honda, ETMX, 0.004
4) Robert Sanders, Katy, Texas, '10 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.005
5) James Enloe, Prairieville, La., '99 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.007
6) David Zemula, Bellevue, Neb., '98 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.009
7) Mike Hudson, Broken Arrow, Okla., '97 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.011
8) Rob Bennett, Lucas, Texas, '07 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.012
9) Rich Gentili, Humble, Texas, '83 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.017
10) Curtis Spracklin, Omaha, Neb., '78 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.018
