Manners, Harker lead fields for NHRA divisional finale

LAS VEGAS — In the first rounds of qualifying for the Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout presented by Torco Fuels, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, and Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their classes on Friday. The event marks the final event on the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional schedule. Lucas Oil racers also compete at NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series which has one event to go, next weekend at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.

Manners leads a strong list of racers in the alcohol dragster class taking the early pole with a run of 5.364 seconds at 265.70 mph. Manners is followed by Hillary Will, Ypsilanti, Mich., and defending NHRA Lucas Oil National Champion Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., in the number two and three spots respectively. Reichert, currently leads the chase for the 2009 national championship and is hoping to hold off Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., and Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., who are qualified fifth and sixth.

Harker put his ’06 Monte Carlo on top with a lap of 5.672 seconds, 255.34 mph with Alexis De Joria and Tony Bartone in second and third. De Joria, Bronson, Fla., ran 5.676 at 254.04 and Bartone, Long Island, N.Y., clocked in at 5.684, 250.97.

Hawaii’s Kevin Rapozo qualified No. 1 in the division’s Hughes Top Dragster class at 6.206 seconds, 225.22 mph and Greg Tucker, Lindsay, Okla., is tops in Top Sportsman in his ’09 GXP at 6.787, 205.35.

The Comp Eliminator field has Marty Ladwig on top out of San Antonio, Texas in his ’07 Cobalt and Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, and his ’23 T-Ford in second.

Top qualifiers in other classes are Bobby Dennis, Shorter, Ala., in Super Stock; Brad Burton, Golden, Colo., in Stock Eliminator, and Alex Barmettler, Maplewood, Minn., in the Sportsman Motorcycle class presented by Harley Davidson.

In a special addition to the Lucas Oil Series for this weekend’s event, the Screamin’ Eagle Nitro Harley class is being contested with Steve Dorn of Milwaukie, Ore., leading the field at 6.299 seconds, 225.26 mph.

Thursday’s action included the K&N Top Qualifier Shootout in both the Top Dragster and Top Sportsman classes with Mike MacBrair and Brad Wagner picking up early event wins. MacBrair, Napa, Calif., defeated Lyle Burnham, Henderson, Nev., in the dragster class with a 7.267 second lap at 179.73 mph while Wagner, also of Henderson, took the Top Sportsman trophy over Gary Forkner, Temecula, Calif., with a run of 7.222 seconds, 184.90 mph.

Racing continues Saturday at The Strip. Gates open at 7 a.m. with racing set to begin at 7:30.

The following are Friday’s qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout presented by Torco Fuels event at The Strip At Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, 5.364 seconds, 264.70 mph

2) Hillary Will, Ypsilanti, Mich., 5.374, 262.44

3) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.382, 258.76

4) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.411, 263.98

5) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.419, 263.36

6) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.419, 240.55

7) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.428, 262.39

8) Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., 5.431, 250.97

Not Qualified

9) Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., 5.485, 256.02

10) Shawn Cowie, Delta, B.C., 5.535, 265.59

11) Randy Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 5.543, 251.49

12) Kevin Wayman, South Jordan, Utah, 5.554, 227.11

13) Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 5.563, 251.25

14) Dale Carlson, Olympia, Wash., 5.660, 258.47

15) Derek Flynn, Alton Hampshire, ENGLAND, 5.663, 241.89

16) Del Cox Jr., Downey, Calif., 5.751, 243.63

17) Bill Dunlap, Capitola, Calif., 6.007, 192.03

18) Ed Vickroy, Fontana, Calif., (no time)

19) Brooks Brown, Costa Mesa, Calif., (no time)

20) Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., (no time)

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., ‘06 Monte Carlo, 5.672 seconds, 255.34 mph

2) Alexis De Joria, Bronson, Fla., ‘09 Mustang, 5.676, 254.04

3) Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., ‘09 Mustang, 5.684, 250.97

4) Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., ‘09 Mustang, 5.723, 252.05

5) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., ‘07 Monte Carlo, 5.745, 255.92

6) Brian Thiel, Pleasant Grove, Calif., ‘02 Camaro, 5.805, 220.33

7) Rob Atchison, London, Ont., ‘06 Monte Carlo, 5.893, 250.32

8) Steve Gasparrelli, W. Covina, Calif., ‘08 Mustang, 8.236, 109.90

Not Qualified

9) Daniel Oliver, Whittier, Calif., ‘06 Monte Carlo, 8.275, 111.43

10) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., ‘05 Camaro, 10.971, 75.63

11) Jessica Cherniack, Henderson, Nev., ‘02 Firebird, (no time)

12) Paul Gill, Brockton, Mass., ‘08 Mustang, (no time)

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Marty Ladwig, San Antonio, Texas, ‘07 Cobalt, AA/AF, 7.300 seconds, -0.770 (under index)

2) Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, ‘23 roadster, A/AP, 6.679, -0.661

3) Steve Matusek, Olathe, Kan., ‘07 Mustang, AA/AT, 6.461, -0.639

4) Mike DePalma, Glendale, Ariz., ‘00 S-10, C/T, 8.361, -0.619

5) Steve Holloway, Lakewood, Colo., ‘06 GTO, B/AA, 7.157, -0.593

6) Ross Wilson, Upland, Calif., ‘05 Sunfire, C/SMA, 8.356, -0.584

7) Sal Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., ‘99 Dodge, C/AA, 7.516, -0.584

8) Brandon Huhtala, Puyallup, Wash., ‘97 Cutlass, C/A, 7.551, -0.569

9) Scott Hedlund, Anaheim, Calif., ‘09 Cobalt, A/SM, 7.947, -0.553

10) Steve Graham, S. San Francisco, Calif., ‘04 Grand Am, C/A, 7.574, -0.546

SUPER STOCK

1) Bobby Dennis, Shorter, Ala., ‘90 Calais, GT/MA, 10.905 seconds, -1.445 (under index)

2) John Stock, Sandusky, Ohio, ‘92 Ciera, GT/MA, 10.918, -1.432

3) Josh Edwards, Glendale, Ariz., ‘92 Camaro, SS/BX, 9.722, -1.398

4) Gary Richard, Bay Shore, N.Y., ‘07 Cobalt, GT/BA, 9.467, -1.343

5) Staci Smith, Palmdale, Calif., ‘93 Daytona, GT/DA, 9.807, -1.263

6) Edward Alessi, Bethpage, N.Y., ‘04 Grand Am, SS/CM, 8.807, -1.233

7) Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., ‘68 Dart, SS/FA, 9.788, -1.232

8) Jon Percy, Pocatello, Idaho, ‘64 Savoy, SS/AA, 9.027, -1.223

9) Don Little, Westley, Calif., ‘70 Challenger, SS/JA, 10.365, -1.215

10) Colin Wigle, Amherstburg, Ont., ‘08 Mustang, GT/AA, 9.448, -1.212

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Brad Burton, Golden, Colo., ‘72 Formula, E/SA, 10.907 seconds, -1.393 (under index)

2) Gary Richard, Bay Shore, N.Y., ‘69 Camaro, C/SA, 10.620, -1.370

3) Leo Glasbrenner, Chino, Calif., ‘68 Firebird, E/SA, 10.963, -1.337

4) Scott Burton, Golden, Colo., ‘71 Formula, D/SA, 10.848, -1.302

5) Tony DeFrank, Chatsworth, Calif., ‘68 Camaro, B/SA, 10.567, -1.273

6) Harry Doolittle, Wickenberg, Ariz., ‘02 Firebird, N/SA, 12.377, -1.253

7) John Schloe, Garden Grove, Calif., ‘69 Firebird, D/SA, 10.910, -1.240

8) Rob Cruzen, Cleveland, Okla., ‘67 Camaro, D/SA, 10.920, -1.230

9) Andy Kimball, Henderson, Nev., ‘66 Fairlane, E/S, 11.023, -1.227

10) Michael Adams, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA, ‘90 Caravan, CF/S, 14.603, -1.227

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Greg Tucker, Lindsay, Okla., ‘09 GXP, 6.787 seconds, 205.35 mph

2) Curt Geise, Auburn, Wash., ‘08 GTO, 6.798, 205.38

3) J Wayne Silvia, Upland, Calif., ‘04 Cavalier, 6.865, 204.82

4) Craig Olson, Camano Island, Wash., ‘07 Stratus, 6.872, 202.58

5) Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, ‘09 GXP, 6.936, 157.83

6) Joe Loch, Renton, Wash., ‘04 Cavalier, 6.958, 197.57

7) Charley Whittenburg, Spencer, Iowa, ‘69 Camaro, 7.024, 196.87

8) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., ‘68 Camaro, 7.030, 195.45

9) Todd Fleck, Medicine Hat, Alb., ‘06 GTO, 7.060, 194.97

10) Dave Slatten, Ft. Collins, Colo., ‘05 Grand Am, 7.062, 197.88

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Kevin Rapozo, Kapaa, Hawaii, dragster, 6.206 seconds, 225.22 mph

2) Clif Bakx, Grunthal, Manit., dragster, 6.368, 212.06

3) Jason Dennis, Lubbock, Texas, dragster, 6.557, 207.27

4) David Oenes, Henderson, Colo., dragster, 6.575, 205.16

5) Lyle Burnham, Henderson, Nev., dragster, 6.687, 202.58

6) Michael Kile, Westlake, La., dragster, 6.712, 204.54

7) Steve Cook, Rexburg, Idaho, dragster, 6.743, 198.76

8) Russell Suyenaga, Bellflower, Calif., dragster, 6.746, 202.09

9) Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, 6.761, 202.03

10) Bobby Ray McMahan, Copperopolis, Calif., dragster, 6.828, 198.32

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

1) Alex Barmettler, Maplewood, Minn., ‘78 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.003 seconds reaction time

2) Doug Rathbun, Oak Harbor, Wash., ‘74 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.003

3) Rick Newport, West Valley, Utah, ‘95 Suzuki, SMC, 0.006

4) Dave Parfett, Red Deer, Alb., ‘06 V-Rod, SMC, 0.006

5) Brian Johnson, Anoka, Minn., ‘05 Suzuki, SMC, 0.010

6) Gary Oaks, Las Vegas, Nev., ‘78 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.013

7) Bill Burkhart, Anaheim, Calif., ‘08 Hyabusa, SMC, 0.015

8) Gary Moreno, La Verne, Calif., ‘06 H-D, SMC, 0.017

9) Mitchel Lippen, Cave Creek, Ariz., ‘02 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.026

10) Joe Lieske, Prior Lake, Minn., ‘08 Harley, ETMX, 0.039