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Division Directors
Phoenix kicks off Div. 7 Lucas Oil Series
03/01/2002
NHRA's Pacific Division will kick off its 2002 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series with the season-opener at Firebird International Raceway, Mar. 1-3, 2002.
The event will feature more than 500 drivers in eight racing categories including 260-mph Top Alcohol Dragsters (TAD) and Top Alcohol Funny Cars (TAFC).
The big news in the division this year is that Rick Santos, who has five consecutive national championships in Top Alcohol Dragster to his credit, will return after claiming his points in NHRA's Northwest division in 2001. Neither last year's division champion, Brandon Bernstein, nor the second-place finisher, Mike Strasburg, are competing in the class this year leaving it up to Paul Jones and Darren Nicholson to take on Santos.
Santos made a final-round appearance at seven out of eight divisional events in 2001, winning four of them. He won at Sacramento Raceway Park in Sacramento, Calif., Mission Raceway Park in Mission, B.C., Canada, Southern Oregon Dragway in Medford, Ore., and at Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Noble, Okla.
In Top Alcohol Funny Car, division champion Steve Gasparrelli of West Covina, Calif., will try to keep his crown in tact fighting off the likes of John Weaver and Doug Gordon. Gasparrelli posted wins at Southwestern International Raceway in Tucson, Ariz., Sacramento Raceway Park and at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. He was runner-up at two events. He finished 86 points ahead of Weaver last year and 118 points in front of Gordon.
Gates at Firebird International Raceway open at 7:30 a.m. each day. Qualifying and time trials for Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street begin Friday at 8:30 a.m. Qualifying continues Saturday at 8 a.m. and TAD and TAFC are scheduled to run at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eliminations begin Sunday. TAD and TAFC will begin eliminations at noon.
Adult tickets are $12 Friday, $24 Saturday and $24 Sunday. Children's tickets are $10 Friday, $18 Saturday and $18 Sunday.
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 Pacific division at the Jeg's Allstar event held at the NHRA National at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago in September.
The track is located at 2000 Maricopa Road in Chandler, Ariz. Take Interstate 10 to Maricopa Road, exit 162A. For more information call (602) 268-0200 or visit the web site at www.firebirdraceway.com.
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 six in Pacific Division competition.
WHERE: Firebird International Raceway, Phoenix. Track is located 15 miles south of Phoenix at 2000 Maricopa Rd. in Chandler, Ariz. Take Interstate 10 and exit Maricopa Road (exit 162A).
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, March 1-3, 2002
SCHEDULE: Time trials and qualifying schedule for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series:
FRIDAY, March 1 -- Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Qualifying and time trials in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street begin at 8:30 a.m.
SATURDAY, March 2 -- Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Final qualifying and time trials are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, March 3 -- Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Eliminations begin at 8 a.m. Eliminations for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car begin at noon.
PURSE: The NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing Series competitors will compete for cash and contingency awards of $148,700, part of the 45-race, $6.5 million series.
2001 EVENT WINNERS: Mike Strasburg, Top Alcohol Dragster; Pat Austin, Top Alcohol Funny Car; Bill Kent, Comp Eliminator; John Schiess, Super Stock; Chad Loge, Stock Eliminator; Billy Maddox, Super Comp; Bob Bielaszka, Super Gas; Bernie Polvadore, Super Street
BONUS PROGRAMS:
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND -- a $561,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2002 NHRA 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 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 Lucas Oil 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 winning division's team 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. Runners-up in all categories will earn $2,000 each. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $20,000 towing fund to get to the event.
FEATURES: More than 500 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 -- $12 Friday, $24 Saturday, $24 Sunday. Children are $10 Friday, $18 Saturday and $18 Sunday. For more information please call Firebird International Raceway, (602) 268-0200 or visit www.firebirdraceway.com.
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