FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOP QUALIFYING DRAGSTERS MAKING FIVE-SECOND RUNS

        BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Results Friday after the first
rounds of qualifying from Beech Bend Raceway, in the fifth
of six events in NHRA’s North Central Division Federal-Mogul
Drag Racing Series:

        Even in the heat and humidity of the day, the top
six qualifiers all made passes in the five-second range, and
the slowest car to make the eight-car field ran a 6.28 seconds.

        Darrell Russell of Cypress, Texas, was the number one
guy, with a  5.64 quarter mile run at 244.60 mph. Shawn Bowen,
Montrose, Mich., who just came off an NHRA national event win
in Brainerd, Minn., has qualified second today with a 5.70 run.

        In Federal-Mogul Funny Car Chuck Cheeseman, of Galena,
Ohio, ran a 5.93 e.t. at 239.40 mph to take to take the top
spot.  Marc White of Glendale Hts., Ill., was the Federal-Mogul
Funny Car runner-up last week in Brainerd and his 5.98 second
effort Friday put him in the number two qualifying spot in the
class.

        In other categories, Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn.,
took the top spot in Comp, running 0.499 seconds under his
index; and Jonathan Tarrance, Bremen, Ky., was number one in
Stock, 1.145 seconds under his index.  Super Stock qualifying
information was not available.

        Qualifying continues Saturday at Beech Bend Raceway with
gates opening at 8:00 a.m.  Racing starts at 9:00 a.m. with
Federal-Mogul Dragsters and Funny Cars scheduled to run at 1
and 4 p.m.

        The following are Friday’s qualifying results from
the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Beech Bend
Raceway:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Darrell Russell, Cypress, Texas, 5.643 e.t., 244.60 mph
2. Shawn Bowen, Montrose, Mich., 5.707 e.t., 245.94 mph
3. Michael Gunderson, Middleburg, Fla., 5.768 e.t., 244.50, mph
4. Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., 5.780 e.t., 245.94 mph
5. Don DeVault, Kentland, In., 5.812 e.t., 238.18 mph
6. Bob Bears, Oldsmar, Fla., 5.949 e.t., 218.48 mph
7. Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 6.134 e.t., 230.80 mph
8. Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 6.286 e.t., 166.68 mph 
   --- not qualified ---
9. Chris Dakin, Tipp City, Ohio, 6.810 e.t., 160.73 mph
10. Mike Miller, Okemos, Mich., 7.136 e.t., 129.32 mph
11. Randy Bayne, Elwood, In., 7.756 e.t., 109.76
12. Bill McCornack, Lexington, Ky., 9.443 e.t., 94.54 mph
13. Gary Ward, Cincinnati, Ohio, 11.521 e.t., 52.14 mph

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
1. Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, 5.939 e.t., 239.40 mph
2. Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., 5.989 e.t., 235.64 mph
3. Kim Fritts, Greenup, Ill., 6.142 e.t., 236.88 mph
4. Bob Gottschalk, Toledo, Ohio, 6.172 e.t., 233.20 mph
5. Randy Flemming, Independence, Mo., 6.402 e.t., 218.48 mph 
6. John Lawson, Joliet, Ill., 7.131 e.t., 126.06 mph
7. Danny Townsend, Muncie, In., 11.325 e.t., 72.93 mph

COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., ‘97 Pontiac, 8.321 e.t., -0.499
2. Tom Haueter, Chardon, Ohio., ‘94 Chassis Craft, 7.653 e.t., -0.497 
3. Wayne Henderson, Indianapolis, ‘96 Spitzer, 6.916 e.t., -0.454
4. Mike Farrell, Louisville, Ky., ‘32 Chevy, 7.550 e.t., -0.420
5. Michael Johnson, Lowell, Ark., ‘32 Bantom, 7.551 e.t., -0.419
6. Jerry Arnold, Kalamazoo, Mich., ‘98 Kustoms, 8.724 e.t., -0.416
7. Randy Jones, Dana Point, Calif., ‘97 Pontiac, 8.132 e.t.,-0.408
8. Doug Stewart, Edwardsburg, Mich., ‘97 Spitzer, 7.261 e.t., -0.399
9. Bob Andrews, Somerset, Mich., ‘88 Dragster, 7.773 e.t., -0.397
10. Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., ‘23 Ford, 8.206 e.t., -0.394

SUPER STOCK-- NOT AVAILABLE 

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Jonathan Tarrance, Bremen, Ky., ‘82 Chevy, 14.655 e.t., -1.145
2. Frank Weaver, Waco, Texas, ‘84 Pontiac, 11.964 e.t., -0.986
3. Steve Polhill, London, Ont., ‘82 Escort, 16.057 e.t., -0.943
4. Lee Tuttle, Albany, Ga., ‘66 Chevy, 13.915 e.t., -0.885
5. James Penta, Greenville, R.I., ‘97 Pontiac, 10.925 e.t., -0.875
6. Kevin Helms, Byers, Colo., ‘69 Camaro, 10.632 e.t., -0.868
7. Mike Walter, Paris, Ohio, ‘67 Chevy, 11.314 e.t., -0.836
8. David LeBrun, Uncasville., Conn., ‘69 Camaro, 10.864 e.t., -0.836
9. Al Provost, Whittemore, Mich., ‘79 Buick, 12.468 e.t., -0.832
10. Gary Duncan, Olive Branch, Miss., ‘85 Chevy, 12.193 e.t., -0.907

RECORD NUMBER OF CARS COMPETE AT BEECH BEND RACEWAY

        BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Final results Sunday from Beech
Bend Raceway, the fifth of six events in NHRA’s North Central
Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series schedule:

        There were 675 cars competing at Beech Bend raceway
this weekend, all of whom braved the heat and humidity in their
bid to take home the trophy for their class.  And in the end it
came down to eight champions.

        Federal-Mogul Funny Car pilots Chuck Cheeseman and Marc
White took their battle for supremacy down to the wire this
weekend.  During qualifying Friday and Saturday Cheeseman had
the pole until the final round when White took it away.  In the
final round of eliminations today Cheeseman outran White,
Glendale Hts., Ill., 5.921 seconds to 5.943 seconds.

        For Cheeseman, of Galena, Ohio, the win was his second
straight.  White, who is currently leading the North Central
Division points, won the two races before that.

        In Federal-Mogul Dragster Owosso, Mich.’s Bill Reichart
beat out Shawn Bowen who is chasing Keith Stark for the
divisional title.  Reichart ran a 5.833 elapsed time (e.t.) to
Bowen’s 5.852 e.t.

        In other categories Comp Eliminator driver Dave Dupps,
Germantown, Ohio, took the crown; Johnny Fogle, Norway, S.C.,
took the win in Super Stock; Eddie Pearson, Bloomington, Ill.,
was the Stock champion; Scott Rider of Quincy, Ill., won Super
Gas; Ron  Folk, Durand, Ill., was the champion in Super Street;
and Todd Senseney of Clarksville, Tenn., won Super Comp.

BOWLING GREEN RESULTS
DIVISION 3 INSTANT STATS
Beech Bend Raceway Park, Bowling Green, Ky.

Federal-Mogul Dragster
 	W: Bill Reichart, Owosso, Mich., 5.833, 240.68
	R/U: Shawn Bowen, Montrose, Mich., 5.852, 244.60

Federal-Mogul Funny Car
 	W: Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, 5.921, 239.40
	R/U: Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., 5.943, 244.60

Competition
 	W: Dave Dupps, Germantown, Ohio, ‘23 T, 8.204,  159.02
	R/U: Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., ‘23 Ford, 8.101, 161.30

Super Stock
 	W: Johnny Fogle, Norway, S.C., ‘67 Camaro, 10.025, 130.44
	R/U: Larry Stewart, Jr., Clinton, Miss., ‘66 Chevy II, 10.903, 120.01

Stock
 	W: Eddie Pearson, Bloomington, Ill., ‘85 Camaro, 12.156, 108.70
	R/U: Ed Wallace, Dayton, Ohio, ‘72 Demon, 11.865, 110.30

Super Comp
 	W: Todd Senseney, Clarksville, Tenn., ‘96 Mullis, 8.903, 161.30
	R/U: Shannon Brinkley, Deer Park, Texas, ‘98 Mullis, 8.910, 153.03

Super Gas
 	W: Scott Rider, Quincy, Ill., ‘27 T, 10.008, 133.14
	R/U: Aaron Marcum, Meridian, Idaho, ‘95 Brogie, 9.902, 147.55

Super Street
 	W: Ron Folk, Durand, Ill., ‘89 Cava, 10.906, 130.44
	R/U: Barry Locke, Hardyville, Ky., ‘86 Monte Carlo, 10.866, 131.59