Mon, 18 Aug 2003, 05:17 PM 22nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Special Awards

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

BRAINERD, Minn. -- Special awards from the 22nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

Best Appearing Cars – Both Stoen Racing/Jostens Super Comp dragster entries. Drivers: Roger Stoen, Medford, Minn., and Jami Stoen, Owatonna, Minn.

Best Appearing Crew – O’Reilly Auto Parts/ACDelco Top Fuel entry. Driver: Scott Palmer, Highlandville, Mo.

Hedman Hedders Best Engineered Vehicle Award ($1,000 to the best engineered vehicle) – National Guardian Life/AMRCA Competition Eliminator entry. Driver: Bill Riemenapp, La Crosse, Wis.

Budweiser Shootout At Pomona Award ($4,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel) – Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Miller Lite dragster, 4.638 seconds, 321.42 mph.

Budweiser Shootout At Indianapolis Award ($4,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car) – Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Oakley Dodge Stratus, 4.940 seconds, 311.63 mph.

NHRA King Demon Crown Award ($3,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock) – Kurt Johnson, Lawrenceville, Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cavalier, 6.876 seconds, 200.23 mph.

K&N Filters Pro Bike Klash ($1,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock Bike) – Reggie Showers, Philadelphia, Prosthetic Design Incorporated Suzuki, 7.231 seconds, 185.03 mph.

Motel 6 “Who Got the Light” ($1,000 to the individual Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock driver who earns a round win in eliminations by the narrowest margin.) – Bob Bode defeated Johnny Gray by .0015-of-a-second margin of victory in the first round of Funny Car eliminations.

Strange Engineering “Perfectly Strange” Performance Award ($250 bonus to the first racer in Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street who wins an elimination round by running dead-on their dial-in or index) – Ernie Penner, Super Stock; and Bruce Johnson, Super Gas.