Sat, 21 Oct 2000, 03:10 PM Event Postponed

By Larry Sullivan

ENNIS, Texas - Relentless rain and an unfavorable five-day weather forecast forced NHRA officials to postpone the completion of the 15th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec for two weeks. Scattered showers ruined both of Friday's scheduled qualifying sessions and delayed the start of Saturday's opening round before continuing rain washed out the completion of the event.

Two Pro Stock Trucks, driven by Jody Schmeisser and Bob Yonke, were the only professional vehicles to make qualifying runs before the event was postponed.

Racers will return to the Texas Motorplex for qualifying runs Friday, November 3, and eliminations Saturday, November 4, to complete the event.

Professional competitors will make qualifying runs at 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 6:00 PM on Friday.

Sportsman competitors in all categories except Federal-Mogul Funny Car completed qualifying prior to the postponement and several categories completed one or more rounds of eliminations. FMFC competitors will be given one more qualifying attempt when the event resumes.

The tour will continue as planned with the fourth annual Matco Tools SuperNationals presented by Racing Champions on Oct. 26-29 at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, and then return to the Texas Motorplex for the completion of the O'Reilly Fall Nationals on Nov. 3-4.

Fans holding tickets for Friday's and Saturday's qualifying action can use those tickets on Friday, Nov. 3 in either the original seat indicated or a comparable location assigned by the Texas Motorplex ticket office. Tickets that were originally intended for Sunday, Oct. 22, will now be honored on Saturday, Nov. 4.