Sat, 4 Nov 2006, 11:15 AM Finke and Smith Lead Qualifying at Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout

Courtesy of NHRA Marketing Photo copyright 2006 Bob Johnson Photography

LAS VEGAS -- Racing continued today at the Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. John Finke set the pace in Top Alcohol Dragster and in Top Alcohol Funny Car Von Smith took the No. 1 qualifying spot.

Selkirk, N.Y., resident Finke lead the 21 competitors vying for the eight qualifying spots with a 5.371-second, 263.67 mph pass in the opening round of qualifying for the class. Garrett Bateman of Cameron Park, Calif., is in the second spot with a 5.381-second run at 252.08 mph.

In Funny Car, there are 26 racers trying to make the eight-car field for Sunday's eliminations. Smith, of Oak Ridge, Tenn., outpaced the field with a 5.738-second, 250.27 mph effort. Yorba Linda, Calif., racer Jason Rupert's 5.800-second, 245.00 pass was enough to make him the No. 2 qualifier.

Jim Cowan, Dewey, Ariz., leads the Comp Eliminator class, and Peter Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., is No. 1 in Super Stock. In Stock Eliminator, Hesperia, Calif., racer Gene Buell is the best qualifier. Top Comp is headed up by Provo, Utah's Gary Groves while Mike Mitzel, Billings, Mont., is No. 1 in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson.

The event, which kicked off on Thursday and runs through Sunday, is the last for 43 across the country where racers can earn points toward divisional and national championships.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Competitors in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Super Eliminator, Top Comp and Sportsman Motorcycle will run first round of eliminations Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. Eliminations will continue Sunday morning at 9. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car racers will have two more qualifying sessions on Saturday, at noon and 4 p.m., and begin eliminations on Sunday at noon.

Gates open at Las Vegas Motor Speedway at 8 a.m. both days. Tickets for the Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout are $20 each day. Children 6 to 12 are $6 each day and kids 5 and under are admitted free. For more information call Las Vegas Motor Speedway, (800) 644-4444, or visit http://www.lvms.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.371 seconds, 263.67 mph
2) Garrett Bateman, Cameron Park, Calif., 5.381, 262.08
3) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.461, 253.04
4) Mark Niver, Phoenix, 5.494, 240.98
5) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.507, 259.11
6) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.510, 232.47
7) Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 5.585, 260.51
8) Kate Harker, Gainesville, Ga., 5.612, 250.18 

Not Qualified
9)  Ashley Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., 5.615, 262.90
10) Darryl Hitchman, Celeste, Texas, 5.845, 251.95
11) Brian Smith, Fullerton, Calif., 5.865, 247.97
12) Johnny Ahten, Santa Clarita, Calif., 5.902, 218.83
13) Dick Garlets, Lowell, Ind., 5.915, 238.89
14) Jeff Isbell, Salt Lake City, Utah, 6.665, 145.06
15) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 6.738, 137.37
16) Aaron Olivarez, Sandy, Utah, 7.318, 126.68
17) Mark Foster, Santa Cruz, Calif., 7.338, 139.66
18) Frank Dischbein, Las Vegas, 11.248, 65.57
19) Sean O'Bannon, Alta Loma, Calif., 13.312, 77.80
20) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 15.521, 77.39
21) Dave Heitzman, Grand Rapids, Ohio, 15.663, 73.36
 
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., '02 Camaro, 5.738 seconds, 250.27 mph
2) Jason Rupert, Yorba Linda, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.800, 245.00
3) Steve Harker, Brisbane, Australia, '05 Monte Carlo, 5.811, 249.58
4) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.860, 249.16
5) Ross Stickler, Gilbert, Ariz., '03 Corvette, 5.903, 244.25
6) Jeff Carroll, Santa Barbara, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.905, 248.98
7) Ken Kraus, Great Falls, Mont., '02 Camaro, 5.912, 219.97
8) Hank Coolidge, Sunburst, Mont., '02 Firebird, 5.917, 247.61 

Not Qualified
9)  John Patton, Peoria, Ariz., '99 Trans Am, 5.967, 244.29
10) Bernie Harrington, Apple Valley, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.971, 239.19
11) Ron August Jr, Pleasanton, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.989, 239.10
12) Dale Van Gundy, Anaheim, Calif., '97 Firebird, 5.999, 239.65
13) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '02 Camaro, 6.062, 245.72
14) Mark Woznichak, Riverside, Calif., '02 Camaro, 6.255, 180.98
15) Mike Drake, Glendora, Calif., '01 Avenger, 6.295, 172.32
16) Larry Miner, Lodi, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 6.660, 151.00
17) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., '02 Camaro, 6.969, 142.66
18) Paul Crifasi, Las Vegas, '05 Honda, 7.816, 122.70
19) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '02 Camaro, 8.153, 123.71
20) John Weaver, Newport Beach, Calif., '02 Camaro, 8.192, 150.41
21) Don Hudson, Stockton, Calif., '02 Camaro, 8.477, 106.60
22) Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 9.943, 110.15
23) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '02 Firebird, 10.543, 103.71
24) David Ray, Plaistow, N.H., '01 Avenger, 10.965, 78.72
25) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '05 Monte Carlo, 10.988, 96.66
26) Mert Littlefield, Garden Grove, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, (no time)

COMP ELIMINATOR
1)  Jim Cowan, Dewey, Ariz., '04 Cavalier, D/EA, 8.350 seconds, -0.730 (under index)
2)  David Beckley, Wildomar, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/AA, 6.787, -0.703
3)  Jacklyn Gebhardt, Jacksonville, Ill., dragster, A/ED, 6.661, -0.699
4)  Jeff Taylor, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '05 Grand Am, E/SM, 8.686, -0.684
5)  Randy Jones, Monarch Beach, Calif., '04 Cavalier, F/SM, 8.900, -0.680
6)  Lee Sharp, Maryville, Tenn., '04 Cavalier, D/SMA, 8.573, -0.677
7)  Tom Mettler, Bakersfield, Calif., '01 Dakota, PST, 7.540, -0.670
8)  Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, '23 roadster, A/AA, 6.820, -0.670
9)  Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '34 Chevy, B/SR, 8.079, -0.661
10) Vinnie Deceglie, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/A, 6.630, -0.650
 
SUPER STOCK
1)  Peter Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., '06 Cobalt, SS/CM, 8.824 seconds, -1.376 (under index)
2)  Brian McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '67 Camaro, SS/GA, 9.784, -1.336
3)  Mark Nowicki, Gaylord, Mich., '98 Avenger, GT/GA, 10.174, -1.306
4)  Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., '05 Sunfire, GT/AA, 9.365, -1.295
5)  Dominic Camera, Tustin, Calif., '83 Camaro, GT/EA, 9.948, -1.272
6)  Tom Albritton, West Jordan, Utah, '90 Trans Am, SS/DM, 9.180, -1.270
7)  Eric Bell, Chandler, Ariz., '70 Barracuda, SS/FA, 9.757, -1.263
8)  Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '68 Dart, SS/GA, 9.866, -1.254
9)  Jon Percy, Pocatello, Idaho, '64 Savoy, SS/AA, 9.001, -1.249
10) Don Little, Westley, Calif., '70 Challenger, SS/JA, 10.335, -1.245
 
STOCK ELIMINATOR
1)  Gene Buell, Hesperia, Calif., '70 Challenger, C/SA, 10.596 seconds, -1.394 (under index)
2)  Harry Doolittle, Wickenburg, Ariz., '02 Firebird, H/FIA, 12.411, -1.369
3)  Don Forester, Riverside, Calif., '80 Delta 88, M/SA, 12.177, -1.303
4)  Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., '69 Barracuda, B/SA, 10.550, -1.290
5)  Bill Howell, Aiken, S.C., '90 Caravan, CF/S, 14.550, -1.280
6)  Don Keen, Palmdale, Calif., '69 Mustang, C/S, 10.682, -1.258
7)  Charlie Smith, Modesto, Calif., '69 Dart, C/SA, 10.733, -1.257
8)  Rod Greene, Dunlap, Tenn., '72 Demon, G/S, 11.254, -1.246
9)  John Schloe, Garden Grove, Calif., '69 Firebird, D/SA, 10.906, -1.244
10) Kristin Ariotti, Boulder City, Nev., '99 Dakota, F/FIA, 12.027, -1.243
 
TOP COMP
1)  Gary Groves, Provo, Utah, dragster, 6.569 seconds, 190.08 mph
2)  Clif Bakx, Kleefeld, Manit., dragster, 6.630, 203.25
3)  Steve Holloway, Lakewood, Colo., '06 GTO, 6.704, 206.73
4)  Del Cox Jr., Downey, Calif., dragster, 6.737, 198.29
5)  Todd Hoerner, Deer Park, Wash., '06 GTO, 6.810, 202.91
6)  Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, 6.820, 196.19
7)  Greg Tucker, Lindsay, Okla., '06 GTO, 6.821, 207.72
8)  Shawn Cowie, Richmond, B.C., dragster, 6.830, 200.62
9)  Gary Mason, Dewington, Alb., '66 Corvette, 6.881, 210.47
10) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., dragster, 6.916, 194.24
 
SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1)  Mike Mitzel, Billings, Mont., '00 Suzuki, SMC, 0.000 seconds reaction time
2)  Doug Rathbun, Oak Harbor, Wash., '74 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.000
3)  Leo Shaver, Las Vegas, '87 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.001
4)  Mike Scott, Bonney Lake, Wash., '06 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.002
5)  John Widman, Garberville, Calif., '93 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.003
6)  Don Tanklage, Huntington Beach, Calif., '06 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.005
7)  Brett Hordemann, Spokane, Wash., '95 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.005
8)  Tom Patterson, Tucson, Ariz., '94 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.007
9)  Buff Kobs, Coeur D'lene, Idaho, '95 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.008
10) Andy Lewis, Las Vegas, '84 Suzuki, SMC, 0.008

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