Sat, 4 Oct 2008, 08:14 AM Edwards, Grossi, Forester, Broguiere and Rumis Lead Qualifying

Courtesy of NHRA Field Marketing Photo copyright 2008 Bob Johnson Photography

FONTANA, Calif. --

John Edwards

The NHRA JEGS SPORTSnationals presented by K&N kicked off today at Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway. The three-day event is an NHRA national event designed to highlight sportsman racers. More than 400 of the best drivers in eight categories from the West Coast are on hand vying for points leading to national championships and a share of the purse worth nearly $65,000. It is the last of three NHRA JEGS SPORTSnationals events scheduled across the country this year. Claremont resident John Edwards set the pace in Comp Eliminator while Upland's Frank Grossi leads the Super Stock qualifiers.

Edwards slipped his '99 Neon in just .533 seconds under his 8.02 index. The No. 2 qualifier is Dan Fletcher of Churchville, N.Y. This is veteran racer Fletcher's first season in Comp Eliminator, driving the entry of longtime Pacific division racer Rick Braun, and he is in contention for a national championship.

Grossi is just ahead of Fred Moreno of La Verne in the Super Stock field. Don Forester of Riverside wheeled his '80 Delta 88 to the top of the Stock Eliminator field. He is followed closely by Jimmy DeFrank, Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Alta Loma racer Ryan McClanahan. In Top Sportsman, Robert Broguiere, Wildomar, Calif., leads the field in his '06 GTO. Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., is No. 1 in Top Dragster.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Auto Club Dragway. Qualifying and time trials resume at 8 a.m. Saturday. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman qualify at 10:30 a.m. The Top Sportsman/Top Dragster Shootout starts at 1 p.m. Eliminations start Sunday at 8 a.m.

Tickets for the NHRA JEGS SPORTSnationals presented by K&N are $20 Saturday and $20 Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.

Auto Club Dragway is located on the grounds of Auto Club Speedway at 9300 Cherry Ave. For more information call the track, (909) 429-5060, or visit www.AutoClubSpeedway/Dragway.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Third annual NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals:

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
1) John Edwards, Claremont, Calif., '99 Neon, C/AA, 7.487 seconds, -0.533 (under index)
2) Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., '08 Cobalt, C/EA, 8.131, -0.529
3) Tom Mettler, Bakersfield, Calif., '01 Dakota, PST, 7.487, -0.523
4) Ross Wilson, Upland, Calif., '05 Sunfire, C/SMA, 8.344, -0.516
5) Jim Cowan, Dewey, Ariz., '08 Cobalt, I/AA, 8.275, -0.515
6) Tom Brown, Riverside, Calif., dragster, F/ED, 8.319, -0.511
7) Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., dragster, A/ND, 6.959, -0.501
8) Doug Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., '06 Sunfire, D/SMA, 8.506, -0.494
9) Jon Rowley, Amado, Ariz., dragster, A/ND, 6.991, -0.469
10) Steve Graham, S. San Francisco, Calif., '04 Grand Am, C/A, 7.522, -0.458

SUPER STOCK
1) Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., '05 Sunfire, GT/AA, 9.237 seconds, -1.163 (under index)
2) Fred Moreno, La Verne, Calif., '69 Mustang, SS/GA, 9.742, -1.108
3) John Schiess, Granada Hills, Calif., '91 Calais, GT/CA, 9.623, -1.077
4) Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '68 Dart, SS/FA, 9.684, -1.066
5) Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., '69 Barracuda, SS/IA, 9.962, -1.038
6) Brian McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '67 Camaro, SS/GA, 9.817, -1.033
7) Eric Bell, Chandler, Ariz., '70 Barracuda, SS/EA, 9.647, -1.003
8) Alan Falcone, Seattle, Wash., '91 Calais, GT/CA, 9.701, -0.999
9) Jack Bystrom, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., '68 Camaro, SS/FA, 9.755, -0.995
10) Dan Mason, San Clemente, Calif., '85 Camaro, GT/BA, 9.558, -0.992

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Don Forester, Riverside, Calif., '80 Delta 88, M/SA, 12.062 seconds, -1.088 (under index)
2) Jimmy DeFrank, Thousand Oaks, Calif., '69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.483, -1.067
3) Ryan McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '02 Firebird, A/SA, 10.269, -1.031
4) Peter Dodge, Redding, Calif., '68 Camaro, B/S, 10.478, -1.022
5) Bryan Phillips, Alta Loma, Calif., '67 Firebird, D/SA, 10.848, -1.002
6) Jim Durham, Stonyford, Calif., '72 Duster, F/SA, 11.154, -0.996
7) Harry Doolittle, Wickenberg, Ariz., '02 Firebird, N/SA, 12.309, -0.991
8) John Schloe, Garden Grove, Calif., '69 Firebird, D/SA, 10.859, -0.991
9) Paul Cannan, Devore Hts, Calif., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.325, -0.975
10) Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '96 Corvette, C/SA, 10.726, -0.974

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Robert Broguiere, Wildomar, Calif., '06 GTO, 7.019 seconds, 197.54 mph
2) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., '07 Cobalt, 7.084, 194.74
3) Gary Ross, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., '05 Grand Am, 7.097, 194.66
4) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., '63 Corvette, 7.231, 191.76
5) Wayne Silvia, Upland, Calif., '04 Cavalier, 7.234, 190.35
6) Brad Wagner, Henderson, Nev., '96 Cutlass, 7.305, 190.32
7) Val Torres Jr., Valinda, Calif., '08 Cobalt, 7.353, 188.70
8) Chris Newman, Lancaster, Calif., '08 Cobalt, 7.448, 184.95
9) Gary Forkner, Temecula, Calif., '06 GTO, 7.488, 183.10
10) Rich Takahashi, San Gabriel, Calif., '04 Cavalier, 7.520, 185.00

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Chip Rumis, Ramona, Calif., dragster, 6.777 seconds, 199.17 mph
2) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., dragster, 6.823, 197.97
3) Del Cox Jr., Downey, Calif., dragster, 6.878, 196.24
4) Will Boxold, Orangevale, Calif., dragster, 6.882, 197.02
5) Tom Koenen, North Bend, Ore., dragster, 6.958, 194.18
6) Stewart Koch, Mountain View, Calif., dragster, 7.043, 193.16
7) Roy Cracraft, Mesa, Ariz., dragster, 7.079, 191.59
8) Dave Morgan, Concord, Calif., dragster, 7.109, 191.29
9) Ryan Priddy, Chino, Calif., dragster, 7.115, 188.36
10) Geoff Nelson, Canyon Lake, Calif., dragster, 7.138, 188.38