FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DRAGSTERS SEPARATED BY ONE THOUSANDTH OF A SECOND

        SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Results Friday after the
first rounds of qualifying from Sacramento Raceway, in
the final of six events in NHRA’s Pacific Division Federal-
Mogul Drag Racing Series:

        Current Federal-Mogul Dragster national record
holder Rick Henkelman leads the class in qualifying after
two rounds at Sacramento Raceway.  Henkelman, of San Jose,
Calif., qualified with a 5.488 second elapsed time (e.t.)
at 258.57 mph, but number two qualifier Mark Woods, Jr.
was hot on his heels with a 5.489 e.t.

        At the NHRA’s opening race this year Henkelman
took his nitro methane-powered dragster to a runner-up
finish in Pomona, Calif.  In the process, he set the
national e.t. record for the class at 5.375 seconds.  

        Sacramento’s John Shoemaker is in the eight-car
field for this weekend’s event.  He currently is in sixth
place and has one more chance to improve his position
with one more qualifying pass before eliminations begin
tomorrow night.

        In other categories, Rick Braun, Redlands, Calif.,
took the top spot in Comp, running 0.584 seconds under his
index; and John Schiess, North Hills, Calif., was number
one in Super Stock, 1.120 seconds under his index; and
Robert Turner, Riverside, Calif., was the number one Stock
qualifier running 1.105 seconds under his index.

        Qualifying continues Saturday at Sacramento Raceway
with gates opening at 7:30 a.m.  Racing starts at 10 a.m.
with Federal-Mogul Dragsters and Funny Cars scheduled to run
one more qualifying session at 1:30 and eliminations
beginning at 6 p.m.  Qualifying continues in all other
categories.

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

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Rick Henkelman, San Jose, Calif., 5.488 e.t., 258.57 mph
2. Mark Woods, Jr., Kingsburg, Calif., 5.489 e.t., 239.31 mph
3. Dale Carlson, Olympia, Wash., 5.685 e.t., 244.50, mph
4. Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 5.743 e.t., 239.51 mph
5. Larry Meirsch, Fallbrook, Calif., 5.796 e.t., 240.07 mph
6. John Shoemaker, Sacramento, Calif., 5.836 e.t., 236.64 mph
 
7. Cliff Bingham, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.194234, 234.07
8. Pete Kaiser, Pleasant Hill, Calif., 5.959 e.t., 220.52 mph 
9. Tony Meredyk, Cypress, Calif., 6.180 e.t., 202.99 mph
10. Darren Nicholson, Laguna Hills, Calif., 6.552 e.t., 147.06
11. Ed Vickroy, Fontana, Calif., 6.608 e.t., 169.25
12. Duane Shilds, Las Vegas, 6.957 e.t., 135.42 mph


FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
not available at this time

COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Rick Braun, Redlands, Calif., 7.986 e.t., -0.584
2. Tom Huggins, Santa Paula, Calif., 7.653 e.t., -0.559 
3. Jim Kennedy, San Jose, Calif., 8.581 e.t., -0.559
4. Phil Cocuzza, Van Nuys, Calif., 8.029 e.t., -0.541
5. Andy Manna, Jr., Covina, Calif., 8.879 e.t., -0.521
6. Jeff Lion, Fresno, Calif., 8.643 e.t., -0.497
7. Tony Chapparone, San Diego, Calif., 7.785 e.t.,-0.465
8. Donnie Hedrick, Las Vegas, 8.112 e.t., -0.458
9. Mike Robinson, Salinas, Calif., 7.234 e.t., -0.426
10. Scott McClay, Tehachapi, Calif., 7.725 e.t., -0.425

SUPER STOCK
1. John Schiess, North Hills, Calif., 9.580 e.t., -1.120
2. Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., 10.343 e.t., -1.007
3. Dick Carr, Clovis, Calif., 9.210 e.t., -0.990
4. Tony DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., 10.223 e.t., -0.967
5. Tommy Erickson, Long Beach, Calif., 9.834 e.t., -0.966
6. Logan Smith, Loomis, Calif., 9.739 e.t., -0.961
7. Gary Williams, Mariposa, Calif., 11.191 e.t., -0.959
8. Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., 8.956 e.t., -0.944
9. Fred Moreno, LaVerne, Calif., 9.938 e.t., -0.912
10. Shane Haserjian, Van Nuys, Calif., 9.008 e.t., -0.892

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Robert Turner, Riverside, Calif., 11.650455 e.t., -1.105
2. Bill Heard, Vancouver, Wash., 10.933 e.t., -1.067
3. Scott Hilton, Burbank, Calif., 10.899 e.t., -1.051
4. Darin Grossi, Soulsbyville, Calif., 10.513 e.t., -1.037
5. Chuck Rayburn, Castro Valley, Calif., 10.530 e.t., -1.020
6. Tom Roberts, Mira Loma, Calif., 11.776 e.t., -0.974
7. Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., 10.755 e.t., -0.945
8. Clark Holroyd, Chino, Calif., 10.613 e.t., -0.937
9. Dwayne Scheitlin, Madera, Calif., 10.619 e.t., -0.931
10. Cal Method, Kennewick, Wash., 11.230 e.t., -0.920

Saturday Qualifying Final:

UPSETS PREVAIL IN INITIAL ROUNDS OF ELIMINATIONS

        SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Results Saturday after the
two rounds of eliminations in Federal-Mogul Dragsters and
Funny Cars and final rounds of qualifying in other categories
from Sacramento Raceway, the fifth of six events in the NHRA
Pacific Division’s Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series:

        Rod Alexander of Montrose, Calif., will be one of
the two Federal-Mogul Funny Cars left to run on Sunday.
After upsets in the first two rounds of eliminations, Alexander
will run Paso Robles’ Doug Gordon in the final. 

        In round-one of eliminations the new-comer Alexander
beat division points leader Johnny Gray 5.96 elapsed time
(e.t.) to Gray’s 5.97 e.t.  In the next round Alexander beat
veteran racer, Steve Sommer, of Nampa, Idaho, on a holeshot,
meaning that although Sommer had the better elapsed time,
Alexander had the better reaction time which gave him the win

        Doug Gordon caused some upset of his own, beating
John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., in round-one and the class’
number one qualifier, Bret Williamson of Campbell, Calif, in
round two.

        In the Federal-Mogul Dragster final tomorrow top
qualifier Rick Henkelman will square off against Mark Woods,
Jr.

        Henkelman, of San Jose, Calif., ran a 5.40 e.t. in the
first round to defeat Cliff Bingham, Huntington Beach, Calif.
In the next round Henkelman, who holds the class e.t. national
record at 5.37 seconds, slowed somewhat to a 5.49 defeating
Mark Hentges of Federal Way, Wash.

        In continued qualifying action today, Rick Houser, of
Pasadena, Calif., topped the field in Comp Eliminator; In
Super Stock John Schiess, of North Hills, Calif., held on to
his top spot from yesterday; and Bill Heard, Jr., of Vancouver,
Wash., maintained his position in Stock.

        Final eliminations begin tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. at
Sacramento Raceway, with  Federal-Mogul Dragsters and Federal-
Mogul Funny Cars scheduled to run their final round at 11 a.m.

        The following are final qualifying results from the
NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event Sacramento Raceway
Saturday:

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR ELIMINATIONS
(Round one)
Rod Alexander, Montrose, Calif., 5.961 e.t., 237.94 mph
def. Johnny Gray, Carlsbad, N.M., 5.970 e.t., 237.20 mph

Steve Sommer, Nampa, Idaho, 5.853 e.t.
def. Ron August, Danville, Calif., (broke)

Bret Williamson, Campbell, Calif., 5.948 e.t., 240.41 mph
def. Dennis Taylor, Anaheim, Calif., 6,037 e.t., 231.70 mph

Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., 5.923 e.t., 243.41 mph
def. John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., 5.907 e.t., 238.18 mph

(Round two)
Doug Gordon, 5.926 e.t., 243.07 mph
def. Bret Williamson, 8.067 e.t., 115.92 mph

Rod Alexander, 5.905 e.t., 240.89 mph
def. Steve Sommer, 5.883 e.t., 242.39 mph


FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER ELIMINATION
(Round one)

Larry Miersch, Fallbrook, Calif., 6.023 e.t., 183.86 mph
def. Mark Hentges, Federal Way, Wash., 6.745 e.t., 146.58 mph

Dale Carlson, Olympia, Wash., 5.672 e.t., 248.11 mph
def. John Shoemaker, Sacramento, Calif., 5.763 e.t., 237.48 mph

Mark Woods, Jr., Kingsburg, Calif., 5.567 e.t., 242.26 mph
def. Pete Kaiser, Pleasent Hill, Calif., 6.209 e.t., 205.60 mph

Rick Henkelman, San Jose, Calif., 5.401 e.t., 256.70 mph
def Cliff Bingham, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.630 e.t., 249.91 mph

(Round two)
Mark Woods, Jr., 5.472 e.t. 240.61 mph
def. Dale Carlson, 5.647 e.t., 250.42 mph

Rick Henkelman, 5.491 e.t., 255.92 mph
def. Larry Miersch, 6.649 e.t., 169.42 mph

COMP ELIMINATOR QUALIFYING
1. Rick Houser, Pasadena, Calif., 8.743 e.t., -0.657
2. Andy Manna, Jr., Covina, Calif., 8.879 e.t., -0.657
3. Darren Davis, Upland, Calif., 7.916 e.t., -0.654
4. Jim Kennedy, San Jose, Calif., 8.533 e.t., -0.607
5. Rick Braun, Redlands, Calif., 7.986 e.t., -0.584
6. Phil Cocuzza, Van Nuys, Calif., 8.029 e.t., -0.569
7. Rob Robinson, Portland, Ore., 8.004 e.t., -0.566
8. Tom Huggins, Santa Paula, Calif., 7.409 e.t., -0.561
9. John Johnson, Placentia, Calif., 7.122 e.t., -0.538
10. Rich Howell, Yorba Linda, Calif., 7.445 e.t., -0.525 

SUPER STOCK QUALIFYING
1. John Schiess, North Hills, Calif., 9.485 e.t., -1.215
2. Doug Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., 8.879 e.t., -1.21
3. Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., 10.294 e.t., -1.056
4. Dick Carr, Clovis, Calif., 9.167 e.t., -1.033
5. Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., 9.524 e.t., -1.026
6. Gary Williams, Mariposa, Calif., 11.165 e.t., -0.985
7. Logan Smith, Loomis, Calif., 9.718 e.t., -0.982
8. Tony DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., 10.219 e.t., -0.981
9. Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., 8.922 e.t., -0.978
10. Tommy Erickson, Long Beach, Calif., 9.834 e.t., -0.966

STOCK ELIMINATOR QUALIFYING
1. Bill Heard, Vancouver, Wash., 10.893 e.t., -1.107
2. Robert Turner, Riverside, Calif., 11.045 e.t., -1.105
3. Darin Grossi, Soulsbyville, Calif., 10.458 e.t., -1.092
4. Scott Hilton, Burbank, Calif., 10.899 e.t., -1.051
5. Chuck Rayburn, Castro Valley, Calif., 10.505 e.t., -1.045
6. Clark Holroyd, Chino, Calif., 10.569 e.t., -0.981
7. Tom Roberts, Mira Loma, Calif., 11.760 e.t., -0.990
8. Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., 10.737 e.t., -0.963
9. Danny Missbrenner, San Jose, Calif., 11.047 e.t., -0.953
10. Dwayne Scheitlin, Madera, Calif., 10.619 e.t., -0.931

FINAL ELIMINATIONS COMPLETE AT SACRAMENTO RACEWAY

        SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Final results Sunday Sacramento
Raceway, the fifth of six events in NHRA’s Pacific Division
Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series schedule:

        Although the finals in both Federal-Mogul Dragster
and Funny Car were anti-climatic today as both were won when
the opponents red-lighted, leaving before the green light,
dragster driver Mark Woods, Jr. made a show of it.

        Woods, of Kingsburg, Calif., was running Rick
Henkelman in the final when his car jumped through the beams
and did a wheelie stand, lifting the front of the car about
five feet off the ground.  The car came down so hard it broke
the front axle.  Henkelman, of San Jose, Calif., went on to
run a 7.138 elapsed time (e.t.) at 125 mph. 

        In the Federal-Mogul Funny Car final Doug Gordon
became the first Pacific Division Federal-Mogul Funny Car
driver to win two divisional races this year.  Gordon beat
Rod Alexander in the finals when Alexander left before the
light.  Gordon, of Paso Robles, Calif., ran a 5.902 e.t. to
Alexander’s 5.871 e.t.

        In other categories Comp Eliminator driver Darren
Davis, Upland, Calif., took the crown; Jeff Stout, Phoenix,
took the win in Super Stock; Joe Sorenson, Tigard, Ore.,
was the Stock champion; Ed Sigmon of Canoga Park, Calif.,
won Super Gas; Greg Ventura, Garden Grove, Calif., was the
champion in Super Street; and Thomas Bayer of Alta Loma,
Calif., won Super Comp.

SACRAMENTO RESULTS
DIVISION 7 INSTANT STATS
Sacramento Raceway Park, Sacramento, Calif.

Federal-Mogul Dragster
 	W: Rick Henkelman, San Jose, Calif., 7.138 e.t., 125.12 mph
	R/U: Mark Woods, Jr., Kingsburg, Calif., FOUL

Federal-Mogul Funny Car
 	W: Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., 5.902 e.t., 242.82 mph
	R/U: Rod Alexander, Montrose, Calif., FOUL

Competition
 	W: Darren Davis, Upland, Calif., ‘97 Firebird, 7.943 e.t.,  164.70 mph
	R/U: Rob Robinson, Portland, Ore., ‘97 Olds Cutlass, FOUL

Super Stock
 	W: Jeff Stout, Phoenix, ‘85 Monte Carlo, 10.391 e.t., 123.11 mph
	R/U: Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., ‘96 Olds Achieva, 9.583 e.t., 138.60 mph

Stock
 	W: Joe Sorenson, Tigard, Ore., ‘86 Camaro, 12.403 e.t, 106.95 mph
	R/U: Chuck Rayburn, Castro Valley, Calif., ‘71 Challenger, FOUL

Super Comp
 	W: Thomas Bayer, Alta Loma, Calif., dragster, 9.008 e.t., 141.95 mph
	R/U: Rick Beckstrom, Novato, Calif., ‘93 dragster, 9.229 e.t., 159.03 mph

Super Gas
 	W: Ed Sigmon, Canoga Park, Calif., ‘27 Ford, 9.905 e.t., 132.48 mph
	R/U: Paul Wiechmann, Torrance, Calif., ‘85 Olds, 9.995 e.t., 136.78 mph

Super Street
 	W: Greg Ventura, Garden Grover, Calif., ‘66 Nova, 10.911 e.t., 134.29 mph
	R/U: Jimmy Band, Boise, Idaho, ‘57 Chevy, FOUL