COOL TEMPERATURES POSTPONE FINAL ELIMINATIONS AT THE STRIP
LAS VEGAS (November 6, 2011) – Sunday evening brought on cold weather with temperatures dropping into the 50’s forcing NHRA and track officials to postpone the remainder of eliminations until Monday morning for this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Short Line Express Gambler Showdown event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The event marks the final Lucas Oil divisional event of the year leaving next weekend’s Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals to end the season and the national championship points chase.
All NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Divisional Championships will be finalized tomorrow morning with the conclusion of final eliminations, as may some of the national championships which, depending on tomorrow’s outcome, could carry over to next weekend and the final event of the season at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Frank Manzo in Top Alcohol Dragster and Gary Stinnett in Super Comp are the only two who have clinched National Championships as the other five are yet to be decided. Manzo clinched his several weeks ago with a perfect scored season while Stinnett clinched his last weekend at the NHRA Full Throttle event here at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
In Top Alcohol Dragster, Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., has advanced to the final round this weekend and will face off with Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., on Monday. Severance is in a battle for the national championship with Boulder City, Nev., racer Duane Shields while Whitely looks to capture the NHRA Pacific Division Championship.
In Top Alcohol Funny Car John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., will face off with Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., in the final round. Lombardo will take the Pacific Division Championship over Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., with a win in the final.
The following are final for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Short Line Express Gambler Shootout event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:
Round 1
2) Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., 5.401, 265.90 def. 7) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 7.188, 132.09
4) Jackie Fricke, Flemington, N.J., 5.422, 261.17 def. 5) Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, 13.863, 78.21
3) Megan McKernan, Sierra Madre, Calif., 6.318, 175.27 def. 6) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 11.631, 52.09
1) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 6.072, 246.98 def. 8) Don St. Arnaud, Edmonton, Alb., 6.866, 174.50
Semifinals
Severance, 5.380, 266.37 def. McKernan, 5.377, 267.22
Whiteley, 5.368, 266.90 def. Fricke, 7.519, 114.39
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
Round 1
1) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., '08 Mustang, 5.570, 259.41 def. 8) Nick Bastiao, Sacramento, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.692, 256.99
6) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.726, 256.21 def. 3) Shane Westerfield, Lake Forest, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.784, 254.18
4) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., '10 Monte Carlo, 5.764, 253.80 def. 5) Annie Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., '10 Mustang, 5.712, 253.95
2) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '10 Mustang, 5.755, 255.48 def. 7) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.788, 255.29
Semifinals
Thompson, 5.675, 246.62 def. Payne, 5.713, 252.85
Lombardo Jr., 6.178, 249.63 def. Gill, 7.597, 93.84
