Fri, 3 Nov 2006, 07:39 AM Cowan, Biondo, Buell and Mitzel Lead Day One Qualifying

Courtesy of NHRA Marketing Photo copyright 2006 Bob Johnson Photography

LAS VEGAS -- Racers from all across the country converged on Las Vegas Motor Speedway today for the final NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event of the season and the Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout. Racing kicked off this morning with time trials and qualifying for upwards of 900 competitors.

Jim Cowan grabbed the early pole in Comp Eliminator running an 8.368 second pass at 158.17 mph. The Dewey, Ariz., resident is followed by David Beckley of Wildomar, Calif., in the No. 2 position.

Peter Biondo

Maspeth, N.Y., racer Peter Biondo leads the Super Stock field in his '06 Cobalt with a lap of 8.824 seconds. Biondo is the 2005 NHRA Stock Eliminator National Champion and is leading the points in Super Stock this year looking for his fifth National Championship. Brian McClanahan of Alta Loma, Calif., sits in second in his '67 Camaro.

In Stock Eliminator it was Gene Buell finishing the day in the No. 1 spot running 10.596 seconds in his '70 Challenger out of Hesperia, Calif. Buell is followed by Wickenburg, Ariz., resident Harry Doolittle in second. Clif Bakx leads the Top Comp class with a pass of 6.667 seconds at 202.24 mph with Steve Holloway in second with a 6.750 second run at 199.85 in his '06 GTO.

Rounding out the day's leaders is Mike Mitzel in the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley Davidson. Mitzel qualified No. 1 with a perfect 0.000 second reaction time followed by local rider Leo Shaver of Las Vegas with a 0.001 second reaction on his '87 Kawasaki.

Mixed in with today's racing action was the KD Kanopy Ultimate Shootouts. Racers have accumulated points all season with the top eight in each category facing off today for cash and prizes. In Super E it was Mike Polina of Poway, Calif., taking the win while Mike Gomez won in Super Comp out of Novato, Calif. Loreen Johnson won in Super Gas and Dwight Downing won in Super Street.

Racing continues Friday at 8 a.m. with Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Cars qualifying at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. Tickets are $20 each day. For more information, call Las Vegas Motor Speedway, (702) 644-4444.

The following are Thursday's qualifying results and KD Kanopy final round results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

COMP ELIMINATOR
1)  Jim Cowan, Dewey, Ariz., '04 Cavalier, D/EA, 8.368 seconds, -0.712 (under index)
2)  David Beckley, Wildomar, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/AA, 6.787, -0.703
3)  Lee Sharp, Maryville, Tenn., '04 Cavalier, D/SMA, 8.584, -0.666
4)  Tom Mettler, Bakersfield, Calif., '01 Dakota, PST, 7.553, -0.657
5)  Jeff Taylor, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '05 Grand Am, E/SM, 8.724, -0.646
6)  Tom Huggins, Santa Paula, Calif., '06 GTO, B/A, 7.177, -0.643
7)  Vinnie Deceglie, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., '63 Corvette, A/A, 6.638, -0.642
8)  Todd Patterson, Augusta, Kan., '06 Cobalt, E/A, 7.873, -0.627
9)  Mike DePalma, Glendale, Ariz., '04 Cavalier, F/A, 8.214, -0.626
10) Joey Tanksley, Greenwell Springs, La., '05 Ballistic, C/D, 7.077, -0.623
 
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)  Don Little, Westley, Calif., '70 Challenger, SS/JA, 10.335, -1.245
10) Tony DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., '06 Cobalt, GT/BA, 9.569, -1.241
 
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)  Don Keen, Palmdale, Calif., '69 Mustang, C/S, 10.682, -1.258
6)  Charlie Smith, Modesto, Calif., '69 Dart, C/SA, 10.733, -1.257
7)  Rod Greene, Dunlap, Tenn., '72 Demon, G/S, 11.254, -1.246
8)  John Schloe, Garden Grove, Calif., '69 Firebird, D/SA, 10.906, -1.244
9)  Kristin Ariotti, Boulder City, Nev., '99 Dakota, F/FIA, 12.027, -1.243
10) Jim Waldo, Richland, Wash., '02 Firebird, A/FI, 10.345, -1.185
 
TOP COMP
1)  Clif Bakx, Kleefeld, Manit., '00 Dragster, 6.667 seconds, 202.24 mph
2)  Steve Holloway, Lakewood, Colo., '06 GTO, 6.750, 199.85
3)  Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, 6.820, 196.19
4)  Shawn Cowie, Richmond, B.C., dragster, 6.830, 193.49
5)  Todd Hoerner, Deer Park, Wash., '04 Grand Am, 6.835, 202.88
6)  Greg Tucker, Lindsay, Okla., '06 GTO, 6.895, 203.06
7)  Joe Roubicek, West Lake Village, Calif., dragster, 6.917, 193.49
8)  Tommy Turner, Naples, Fla., '04 Cavalier, 6.947, 200.74
9)  Kurtis Tamez, Yakima, Wash., '97 Mustang, 7.039, 194.86
10) Frank Tamez, Yakima, Wash., '05 Grand Am, 7.069, 195.68
 
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)  Tom Patterson, Tucson, Ariz., '94 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.007
8)  Brett Hordemann, Spokane, Wash., '95 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
 
KD KANOPIES ULTIMATE SUPER E SHOOTOUT
Mike Solina, Poway, Calif., dragster, 8.031, 156.21  def. 
John Freer, Sacramento, Calif., dragster, foul

KD KANOPIES ULTIMATE SUPER COMP SHOOTOUT
Mike Gomez, Novato, Calif., dragster, 9.087, 165.29  def. 
Thomas Bayer, Fontana, Calif., dragster, 9.081, 166.03

KD KANOPIES ULTIMATE SUPER GAS SHOOTOUT
Loreen Johnson, Flagstaff, Ariz., '94 Grand Prix, 10.065, 153.21  def. 
Alan Hoefer, Calimesa, Calif., '81 Camaro, 10.051, 145.66

KD KANOPIES ULTIMATE SUPER STREET SHOOTOUT 
Dwight Downing, Glendale, Ariz., '80 Arrow, 11.133, 125.68  def. 
Ryan Mangus, Fontana, Calif., '69 Dart, 11.128, 118.34