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NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series debuts in Gainesville
02/19/2002
NHRA's Southeast division will kick off its 2002 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series with the season-opener at Gainesville Raceway, Feb. 22-24. The event will feature more than 350 drivers in eight racing categories including 260-mph Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars.
The event is part of a 45-race, $6.5 million series contested across the country. Drivers are competing for a part of a $561,000 champions' purse. They will earn points leading to national and division titles as well as a berth on the team that will represent the Southeast division at the Jeg's Allstar event in September.
In Top Alcohol Funny Car, former IHRA champion Von Smith is looking to make a big move. In 2001, Smith wheeled his Jensen Audio-backed machine to a second place finish in the division, just 16 points behind division champion Jay Payne. Smith, of Oak Ridge, Tenn., started strong with three straight wins in Southeast Division competition but over the long haul, Claremont, Calif., resident Payne drove his Valvoline-backed Camaro to four wins and two runner-up finishes in division competition.
In Top Alcohol Dragster competition, defending division champion Michael Gunderson of Middleburg, Fla., will take on second place finisher Bill McCornack of Lexington, Ky. McCornack finished just 65 points behind Gunderson last year. In 2001, Gunderson won two divisional events and was runner-up at two. McCornack drove his Kentucky Thunder machine to two runner-up finishes.
Other classes in competition for the NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing Series event include Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street.
The track is located on State Road 225, 3.5 miles north of Gainesville Municipal airport. For more information, contact Gainesville Raceway, (352) 377-0046, or visit the web site at www.gainesvilleraceway.com. Gates at Gainesville Raceway open at 9 a.m. Friday and qualifying and time trials begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, the gates open at 8 a.m. and racing action continues at 9 a.m. Sunday, gates open at 8 a.m. and eliminations start at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car will get two qualifying passes on Saturday at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., and begin eliminations at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Adult tickets are $10 Friday, and $20 Saturday and Sunday. Junior admission, for children 6-15, is $5 Friday, $8 Saturday and $10 Sunday. Children under 6 are admitted free.
Southeast Division racers will head to Orlando Speed World Dragway for the next event March 8-10, 2002.
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES: Fact Sheet
WHAT: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where drivers earn points leading to divisional and national championships. Categories include: Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The event is the first of seven in Southeast Division competition.
WHERE: Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla. Track is located on State Road 225, 3.5 miles north of the Gainesville Municipal airport.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Feb. 22-24, 2002
SCHEDULE: Time trials and qualifying schedule for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series:
FRIDAY, Feb. 22 -- Gates open at 9 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 11 a.m. (Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car do not run on Friday.)
SATURDAY, Feb. 23 -- Gates open at 8 a.m. Final qualifying and time trials are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
SUNDAY, Feb. 24 -- Gates open at 8 a.m. Eliminations begin at 9 a.m. Eliminations for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car begin at 1 p.m.
PURSE: The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will compete for cash and contingency awards of $156,200, part of the 45-race, $6.5 million series.
2001 EVENT
WINNERS: Mark Hentges, Top Alcohol Dragster; Von Smith, Top Alcohol Funny Car; Glen Treadwell, Comp Eliminator; Joey Warren, Super Stock; Jimmy Shapard, Stock Eliminator; Len King, Super Comp; Kamie Crun, Super Gas; and Ed Wiley, Super Street
BONUS PROGRAMS:
LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND -- a $561,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2002 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional and national champions. Divisional awards include $8,500 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions; $3,000 to the champions in both Competition and Super Stock; $2,000 each to the champions in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The seven Sportsman national champions will share a bonus of $135,000.
SEALED POWER LOW QUALIFIER BONUS -- a $220,500 overall bonus fund from Federal-Mogul's Sealed Power brand to the low qualifiers at each of the 45 Sportsman events and the 23 NHRA national events: $1,250 each in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car; $400 each in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock; and $200 in Stock. (TAD and TAFC compete at 16 of 23 national events.)
JEG'S ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA's seven divisions will compete for a share of the $100,000 point fund from Jeg's High Performance. The 2002 Jeg's Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' eight classes. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2002 Jeg's Allstars, held in conjunction with the NHRA Nationals in Chicago, Sept. 26-29, 2002. Points are based on in-division races only.
The team from the winning division will share $20,000 and individual awards include $7,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions, $6,000 to champions in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, and $4,500 to the Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street champions. All runners-up will earn $2,000. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $20,000 towing fund to get to the event.
FEATURES: More than 350 drivers in the eight racing categories. Eight-car fields in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, featuring five-second, 260 mph side-by-side racing.
TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS - Adults: $10 Friday, $20 Saturday, $20 Sunday and Juniors (ages 6-15): $5 Friday, $8 Saturday and $10 Sunday. A three-day pass is $45 and a two-day pass is $35. For more information please call Gainesville Raceway, (352) 377-0046.
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