Sat, 19 Mar 2005, 10:21 PM No. 16 Patterson Stuns Hoover

Courtesy of Duke Ritenhouse Payne Posts a 6.10

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A 7.10 won't win many Pro Mod races - especially against a No. 1 qualifier - but it was enough for Thomas Patterson to win his first-round race at the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge presented by TLR season-opener at the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals.

Patterson, driving the PMS Excavation '41 Willys, overcame a loose car and a near-meeting with the centerline to come from behind and stun No.1 qualifier Ed Hoover, 7.10 to 7.18, in their first-round eliminations battle. Hoover, the only driver to dip into the 6.0-second zone during the two rounds of Pro Mod Challenge qualifying, led to the 1,000-foot marker and appeared to have the race won before losing power. Next up for Patterson, who has yet to run faster than 6.91 seconds in Gainesville, is a second-round matchup Sunday with No. 8 qualifier Jim Halsey (Cecil County Dragway '63 Corvette), who drives the only nitrous-oxide-injected entry remaining in the field.

Three other lower-seeded drivers won first-round races at the Gatornationals, the first of 14 events on the 2005 AMS/TLR schedule. No. 14 Troy Critchley (AMS Staff Leasing '41 Willys) ran a 6.17 to oust Friday qualifying leader Quain Stott; No. 12 Kirk Kuhns (Red Line Oil '01 Viper) posted a 6.34 to beat Joshua Hernandez; and No. 10 Cody Barklage (Barklage Drywall '05 GTO) won in his Pro Mod debut, defeating Doug Palmer, 6.14 to 6.74.

The low e.t. of the first round was posted by Jay Payne (Valvoline/BAE '05 Stratus), who overcame a late light to get around Zach Barklage, 6.10 to 6.29. Payne will have lane-choice when he faces Cody Barklage (Zach's younger brother) in Sunday's second round.

Saturday notes: Troy Coughlin's Pro Mod Challenge debut was mostly forgettable. The former NHRA Pro Stock national event winner qualified No. 13 with a 6.56 before blowing the tires off the Jeg's Mail Order '67 Mustang in an 18.5-second losing run against teammate and defending series champion Mike Ashley.

. Hoover ran a 234.61-mph speed in Saturday's final qualifying session, the fastest run in AMS/TLR series history. The previous fastest-run mark was held by Stott, who recorded a 233.88 at the 2003 Englishtown event.

. Following nine straight DNQs over a two-season span, Rick Stivers (Stivers HVAC '63 Corvette) qualified for his first AMS/TLR eliminations field. Stivers landed in the No. 6 spot with a 6.22, then overcame Shelly Payne's .009 light with a winning 6.97 to advance to today's quarterfinals.

. Payne, driving an '05 Stratus similar to her husband's, became the first female to make a competitive pass in the Pro Mod Challenge's 36-event history.

. The Gatornationals is guaranteed to have its fifth different winner in five seasons of Pro Mod competition. Previous champions Rickie Smith (2001), Shannon Jenkins (2002), Tim McAmis (2003), and Al Billes (2004) did not enter the competition.

Results
Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals First-round eliminations
(qualifying position in parentheses)

(16) Thomas Patterson def. (1) Ed Hoover, 7.10 to 7.18
(2) Jay Payne def. (15) Zach Barklage, 6.10 to 6.29
(14) Troy Critchley def. (3) Quain Stott, 6.17 to 7.14
(4) Mike Ashley def. (13) Troy Coughlin, 6.25 to 18.56
(12) Kirk Kuhns def. (5) Joshua Hernandez, 6.34 to 7.32
(6) Rick Stivers def. (11) Shelly Payne, 6.97 to 10.65
(10) Cody Barklage def. (7) Doug Palmer, 6.14 to 6.74
(8) Jim Halsey def. (9) Mike Janis, 6.17 to 8.15

Sunday's second-round pairings
(first driver has lane choice)
(8) Halsey vs. (16) Patterson
(4) Ashley vs. (12) Kuhns
(2) J. Payne vs. (10) C. Barklage
(14) Critchley vs. (6) Stivers