FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1998 NHRA FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAG RACING SERIES
TEXAS MOTORPLEX, Ennis, Texas

SHANE GAY, JACKIE STIDHAM LEAD MOTORPLEX FIELDS

   TEXAS MOTORPLEX -- Dickinson, Texas’ Shane Gay leads the
Federal-Mogul Dragsters with a 5.43-second run at the Dr.
Pepper Dash For Cash NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series
event at the Texas Motorplex.  In Federal-Mogul Funny Car
Jackie Stidham is the pace setter with a 5.73-second pass.

   Gay, driving the Jerry Darien-Ken Meadows-owned In-N-Out
Burger dragster leads second-placed Mark Taliaferro by two-
tenths of a second, a huge margin in a sport where races
often are decided by thousandths.  Gay enters this race as
favorite having won the opening round of the Federal-Mogul
Series at Houston two weeks ago.

   Stidham, of Chickasha, Okla., cruised to a provisional
pole-sitting lap of 5.73-seconds to handily lead Canadian
Todd Paton, who rode out a wild ride when the engine in his
Optima Batteries Pontiac Firebird Funny Car exploded just
past the finish line.  Explained Paton, “The on-board data
recorder shows the throttle was wide open about one second
after we crossed the finish line.  I tried pulling the
throttle pedal back with my foot but it wouldn’t return.”

   The engine over-revved and exploded in a ball of flame.
The NHRA Safety Safari team quickly were on the scene and
Paton walked from the car unhurt, although needing to make
significant repairs before returning for qualifying Saturday.

   Qualifying and time trials resume Saturday at 9:00 a.m.,
with the Federal-Mogul Dragsters and Funny Cars receiving
two more qualifying laps at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.


Positions after the first day of qualifying at the Texas
Motorplex, Ennis, Texas, the second of six rounds in the
1998 NHRA South Central Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing
Series, listing driver, hometown, state, vehicle, elapsed
time in seconds, speed in miles per hour.

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Shane Gay, Dickinson, Texas, 5.43, 226.75
2. Mark Taliaferro, Odessa, Texas, 5.63, 252.52
3. Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 5.69, 245.76
4. Chris Ricketts, Kansas City, Mo., 5.75, 240.83
5. Mark Kinser, Grimes, Iowa, 5.78, 241.87
6. Bill Hynes, Fairview, Texas, 5.79, 250.00
7. Troy Buff, Spring, Texas, 5.81, 236.90
8. Gary Cooper, Wichita, Kan., 5.89, 244.96

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
1. Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., ‘98 Achieva, 5.73, 248.61
2. Todd Paton, Paris, Ontario, ‘98 Firebird, 5.88, 243.90
3. Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., ‘97 Avenger, 6.07, 232.19
4. Clayton Pool, Weatherford, Texas, ‘96 Achieva, 6.21, 215.46
5. Randy Flemming, Independence, Mo., ‘95 Firebird, 6.30, 225.11
6. Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, ‘97 Avenger, 6.59, 200.71
7. Dale Brand, Sully, Iowa, ‘91 Trans Am, 7.93, 113.85
8. Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, ‘97 Camaro, 9.14, 91.62

COMPETITION
1. Tom Suggs, Vadnais Heights, Minn., C/EA ‘95 Grand Prix, 8.30 (-0.60)
2. Brian Self, Durant, Okla., B/SM ‘88 Camaro, 8.82 (-0.55)
3. Maryann Austin, Lowell, Ark., C/EDragster, 7.47 (-0.54)
4. Buddy Nickens, Houston, Texas, C/A ‘97 Avenger, 7.72 (-0.53)
5. John Fairleigh, Scott City, Kan., B/A ‘97 Firebird, 7.44 (-0.52)
6. Arturo Delgado, McAllen, Texas, B/A ‘93 Oldsmobile, 7.45 (-0.51)
7. Bob Andrews, Somerset, Mich., E/Dragster, 7.68 (-0.51)
8. Darren Davis, Upland, Calif., C/EA ‘97 Firebird, 8.40 (-0.51)

SUPER STOCK
1. Bob Dennis, Shorter, La., GT/MA ‘97 Firebird, 10.85 (-1.19)
2. Brent Johnson, Pasadena, Texas, SS/NA ‘66 Chevrolet, 11.43 (-1.01)
3. Ronnie Cardwell, Ruston, La., GT/MA ‘95 Achieva, 11.12 (-0.92)
4. Frank Weaver, Waco, Texas, GT/GA ‘97 Firebird, 10.28 (-0.91)
5. Kirk Neal, Greenville, Miss., GT/EA ‘89 Chevrolet, 10.04 (-0.90)
6. Clark Rand, Belton, Mo., GT/AA ‘90 Camaro, 9.50 (-0.89)
7. Zenon Kotelko, Saskatoon, Sask., GT/FA ‘87 Camaro, 10.22 (-0.87)
8. Harvey Emmons III, South Houston, Texas, SS/JA ‘88 Cutlass, 10.43
(-0.86)

STOCK
1. Jim Cimarolli, Sulphur Springs, Texas, C/SA ‘69 Nova, 10.69 (-1.00)
2. Ronnie Cardwell, Ruston, La., K/SA ‘90 Pontiac, 11.96 seconds (-0.98)
3. Delmer Wood, Tulsa, Okla., C/SA ‘69 Camaro, 10.80 (-0.89)
4. Pat Cardwell, Ruston, La., K/SA ‘85 Camaro, 12.06 (-0.88)
5. David Hakim, Grosse Pointe, Mich., ET/SA ‘97 Dodge Ram, 12.67 (-0.87)
6. John Hladky, Stuart, Neb., G/S ‘66 Nova, 11.36 (-0.83)
7. Jeff Cheney, Cambridge, Minn., E/SA ‘71 Duster, 11.18 (-0.81)
8. Al Corda, Elk Mound, Wis., A/SA ‘70 Dodge, 10.49 (-0.80)

Saturday Qualifying Final:

FRIDAY’S EFFORTS BEST FOR STIDHAM, GAY


   Jackie Stidham and Shane Gay recorded their quickest
qualifying runs Friday then waited out Saturday as
drivers lined up to knock them off their pole positions
in the Federal-Mogul Funny Car and Federal-Mogul
Dragster categories, respectively.

   Qualifying concluded Saturday at the Dr. Pepper Dash
For The Cash NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event
at the Texas Motorplex.  Stidham, of Chickasha, Okla.,
paced the Funny Cars with a career-best 5.73-second run 
then watched as Ponder, Texas’ Todd Simpson, then Tate
Branch of Artesia, N.M., tried to knock him off the pole
position.  Simpson ran a best of 5.78 seconds, while
Branch, winner two weeks ago at Houston, ran a best of 5.95
seconds.

   “We felt confident that the 5.73 would hold up,” said
Stidham, explaining the team’s qualifying strategy.
“Besides, if anyone could run quicker than my career-best
they probably deserved to be number one more than I did.
I knew we couldn’t run any quicker.”

   Gay, of Dickinson, Texas, driving the Southern California-
based In-N-Out Burger-sponsored Federal-Mogul Dragster, made
one more qualifying attempt Saturday, a 5.51-second run at
246 mph, but his Friday effort of 5.43 seconds held for
the pole position.  The team’s decision to pass on making
a third qualifying attempt was predicated more by a lack of
parts than any specific racing strategy.

   Eliminations in all categories begin 9:00 a.m. Sunday,
with the quarterfinals in Federal-Mogul Dragster and Federal-
Mogul Funny Car scheduled for midday.

Final qualifying positions at the Texas Motorplex, Ennis,
Texas, the second of six rounds in the 1998 NHRA South
Central Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series,
listing driver, hometown, state, vehicle, elapsed time in 
seconds, speed in miles per hour.

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Shane Gay, Dickinson, Texas, 5.43, 246.23
2. Mark Taliaferro, Odessa, Texas, 5.55, 254.59
3. James Thompson Jr., Vernon, Texas, 5.59, 249.37
4. Chris Ricketts, Kansas City, Mo., 5.66, 246.57
5. Bill Hynes, Fairview, Texas, 5.66, 253.87
6. Scott Hartley, Omaha, Neb., 5.68, 220.85
7. Darrell Russell, Houston, Texas, 5.68, 249.79
8. Darryl Hitchman, Hanford, Calif., 5.69, 245.76

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
1. Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., ‘98 Achieva, 5.73, 248.61
2. Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, ‘97 Avenger, 5.78, 246.84
3. Todd Paton, Paris, Ontario, ‘98 Firebird, 5.88, 243.90
4. Tate Branch, Artesia, N.M., ‘97 Avenger, 5.95, 237.78
5. Randy Flemming, Independence, Mo., ‘95 Firebird, 5.96, 238.15
6. Dale Brand, Sully, Iowa, ‘91 Trans Am, 6.03, 234.00
7. Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, ‘97 Camaro, 6.03, 244.76
8. Clayton Pool, Weatherford, Texas, ‘96 Achieva, 6.08, 236.03

COMPETITION
1. John Fairleigh, Scott City, Kan., B/A ‘97 Firebird, 7.36 (-0.60)
2. Brian Self, Durant, Okla., B/SM ‘88 Camaro, 8.77 (-0.60)
3. Tom Suggs, Vadnais Heights, Minn., C/EA ‘95 Grand Prix, 8.30 (-0.60)
4. Pete Carbery, Odessa, Texas, B/A ‘89 Cutlass, 7.39 (-0.57)
5. Maryann Austin, Lowell, Ark., C/EDragster, 7.43 (-0.57)
6. Mike Johnson, Lowell, Ark., C/EDragster, 7.44 (-0.57)
7. Raymond Martin, Mount Belvieu, Texas, F/EDragster, 8.54 (-0.56)
8. Arturo Delgado, McAllen, Texas, B/A ‘93 Oldsmobile, 7.41 (-0.55)

SUPER STOCK
1. Bob Dennis, Shorter, La., GT/MA ‘97 Firebird, 10.85 (-1.19)
2. Brent Johnson, Pasadena, Texas, SS/NA ‘66 Chevrolet, 11.43 (-1.01)
3. Ronnie Cardwell, Ruston, La., GT/MA ‘95 Achieva, 11.09 (-0.95)
4. Kirk Neal, Greenville, Miss., GT/EA ‘89 Chevrolet, 10.00 (-0.95)
5. Harvey Emmons III, South Houston, Texas, SS/JA ‘88 Cutlass, 10.37 (-0.92)
6. Frank Weaver, Waco, Texas, GT/GA ‘97 Firebird, 10.28 (-0.91)
7. Clark Rand, Belton, Mo., GT/AA ‘90 Camaro, 9.48 (-0.91)
8. Zenon Kotelko, Saskatoon, Sask., GT/FA ‘87 Camaro, 10.22 (-0.87)

STOCK
1. Terry Dye, Troy, Mich., AF/S ‘90 Daytona, 13.75 (-1.09)
2. Ronnie Cardwell, Ruston, La., K/SA ‘90 Pontiac, 11.89 (-1.05)
3. Jim Cimarolli, Sulphur Springs, Texas, C/SA ‘69 Nova, 10.69 (-1.04)
4. David Hakim, Grosse Pointe, Mich., ET/SA ‘97 Dodge Ram, 12.58 (-0.96)
5. Bobby Brannon, Bossier City, La., E/SA ‘96 Firebird, 11.04 (-0.95)
6. Jeff Cheney, Cambridge, Minn., E/SA ‘71 Duster, 11.04 (-0.95)
7. Billy Lynn, Searcy, Ark., K/SA ‘79 Malibu, 11.99 (-0.95)
8. J. Allen Sherman, Donaldsonville, La., H/SA ‘86 Camaro, 11.50 (-0.95)

RUSSELL PERSEVERES, WINS

   Darrell Russell and Todd Simpson were the big winners
at the Dr. Pepper Dash For The Cash NHRA Federal-Mogul
Drag Racing Series event at the Texas Motorplex.

   In Federal-Mogul Dragster Russell overcame a frustrating
start to the weekend to find his way to victory circle.
During Friday’s qualifying sessions the dragster’s rear
wing broke; and during Saturday’s final qualifying attempts
the car’s wheelie bar broke, puncturing the left rear slick
and sending Russell on a wild ride downtrack.

   By Sunday evening all the frustration had been forgotten
as Russell celebrated in the Texas Motorplex winner’s circle,
having defeated final-round opponent Bill Hynes with a career-
best 5.48-second run at 256.19 mph.  

   Hynes negated an otherwise excellent 5.63-second pass when
he drew a red-light foul start, but would have been no match
for Russell’s 5.48-second charge.

   The day’s best race came in the final of Federal-Mogul
Funny Car. Simpson edged opponent Jackie Stidham away from the
starting line but a third of the way downtrack Stidham had
taken the lead.  As the cars approached mid-track Stidham’s
Funny Car began to shake the rear tires and Simpson edged
into the lead which he held all the way to the finish line,
taking the win with a time of 5.94 seconds to Stidham’s 5.95
seconds.

ENNIS RESULTS
DIVISION 4 INSTANT STATS
Texas Motorplex, Feb. 27-March 1

Federal-Mogul Dragster
 	W: Darrell Russell, Cypress, Texas, 5.48, 256.19
	R/U: Bill Hynes, Fairview, Texas, 5.63, 251.74 (foul)

Federal-Mogul Funny Car
 	W: Todd Simpson, Ponder, Texas, ‘97 Avenger, 5.94, 245.43
	R/U: Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., ‘98 Acheiva, 5.95, 247.59

Competition
 	W: Bob Andrews, Somerset, Mich., E/Dragster 8.44, 116.82
	R/U: Buddy Nickens, Spring, Texas, C/A ‘97 Avenger 9.17, 101.66 (foul)

Super Stock
 	W: Paul Smith, Spring, Texas, GT/FA ‘90 Firebird, 10.26
	R/U: Jerry Emmons, Pasadena, Texas, SS/JA ‘69 Chevrolet, 10.79

Stock
 	W: Jeff Hefler, Mansfield, Texas, F/SA ‘97 Trans Am, 11.44
	R/U: Luke Bogacki, Arlington, Texas, E/SA ‘69 Camaro, 11.87

Super Comp
 	W: Paul Buell, Fort Worth, Texas, dragster, 8.94
	R/U: Damon Dabbs, Garland, Texas, dragster, 8.89 seconds (foul)

Super Gas
 	W: Jimmy Lewis, Mesquite, Texas, ‘27-T Ford, 9.91
	R/U: James Kunkel, Benton, Texas, ‘93 Beretta, 9.94

Super Street
 	W: Bob Gulitti, Spring, Texas, Chevrolet, 10.88
	R/U: Curtis Hightower, Crorby, Texas, ‘69 Chevrolet, 10.82