FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Different event … same story for Santos

SALT LAKE CITY- The fifth event of the 2000 Pacific Division Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series took place over the weekend at the Rocky Mountain Raceway located southwest of Salt Lake City. More than 325 drivers and grandstands full of adoring race fans endured the intense heat on the final day of elimination's at the Rocky Mountain Nationals.

As the temperature reached record levels in the Salt Lake City area, top honors went to Rick Santos of San Leandro, Calif. in the Federal-Mogul Dragster category. Santos, who is undefeated in divisional races this year, posted a time of 5.628 seconds narrowly beating Mission Viejo, Calif., resident Darren Nicholson who had a time of 5.697 seconds. T

The top qualified driver in the Federal-Mogul Funny Car field, Larry Miner of Woodbridge, Calif. was defeated by division rival Roger Bateman of Calgary Alberta, Can., with a fantastic run in the finals. Bateman had a time of 6.027 at 242.00 mph compared to Miner's run of 6.128 at 223.93 mph.

Santos continues to be a force in the Federal-Mogul Dragster division. Santos, aiming for his fourth consecutive national championship, out-dueled a very strong field here at Rocky Mountain Raceway.

Said Santos, "It's nice to get a win here at Rocky Mountain Raceway, we have had success here in the past and anytime that we can beat a strong field is a great feeling, especially after the way we left the U.S. Nationals."

In other action, sharing the $2500 Winston Top Qualifier money were Rick Santos, Federal-Mogul Dragster; Larry Miner, Federal-Mogul Funny Car; Brian Hyerstay, Competition; Rick Ryan, Super Stock; and Steve Coach, Stock. The Best Appearing Car Award went to Washington, Utah; resident Brent Theobold while Ken Justice of Phoenix, Ariz. landed the Best Engineered Car Award. Finally, Paul Bishop's team of Salt Lake City, Utah won for the Best Appearing Crew Award.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Division Seven's Rocky Mountain Raceway:

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
Round 1
4) Duane Shields, Las Vegas, Nev., 5.785 e.t., 243.50 mph def. 
5)Bob Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 6.020 e.t., 229.41 mph

1) Rick Santos, San Leandro, Calif., 5.635 e.t., 249.58 mph  def 
8) Brent Ducray, Grand Junction, Utah, 5.899 e.t., 236.03 mph

2) Mike Strasburg, Lindon, Utah, 5.772 e.t., 246.37 mph  def 
7) John Shoemaker, Sacramento, Calif., 5.798 e.t., 241.35 mph

3) Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.814 e.t., 239.80  def 
6) Paul Jones, Stockton, Calif., 5.856 e.t., 235.78 mph

Semifinals
Nicholson, 5.735 e.t., 245.76 mph def. Strasburg, 5.732 e.t., 243.50 mph
Santos, 5.689 e.t., 247.11 mph def. Shields, 5.987 e.t., 178.96 mph

Final Round
Santos, 5.628 e.t., 250.13 mph def Nicholson, 5.697 e.t., 247.79 mph


FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
1) Larry Miner, Woodbridge, Calif, 6.011 e.t., 242.06 mph def. 
8) Ed Marx, Stockton, Calif., 6.075 e.t., 238.47 mph

7) Roger Bateman, Calgary Alberta, Can., 6.079 e.t, 239.80 def 
2) John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., DID NOT RUN

6 Bucky Austin, Fife, Wyo., 6.096 e.t., 230.17 def. 
3) Rod Austin, Simi Valley, Calif., 6.174 e.t., 205.80 mph

4) Jimmy Bartoli, Duarte, Calif., 6.005 e.t., 234.80 mph def. 
5) Steve Gasparrelli,  West Covina, Calif., 6.008 e.t., 240.00 mph


Semifinals
Miner, 6.128 e.t., 223.93 mph def. Bartoli, 6.249 e.t., 232.13 mph
Bateman, 6.027 e.t., 242.00 def. Austin, 6.123 e.t., 232.79

Final Round
Bateman, 5.979 e.t., 243.44 mph def. Miner, 5.936 e.t., 240.70 mph

COMP ELIMINATOR
Brian Hyerstay, Eugene, Oregon, '96 Dragster, G/D, 9.96 e.t., 128.62 mph,
def. John Chamberlin, Napa, Calif., '88 Uyehara, A/D, 9.62 e.t., 90.20 mph

SUPER STOCK
Jimmy DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '89 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.96 e.t., 123.47 mph,
def. Tony DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '98 Pontiac , GT/FA, 10.75 e.t., 122.14
mph

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Robert Pond, Riverside, Calif., '67 Fairlane, A/S, 10.74 e.t., 118.00 mph,
def. Gary Humrichouse, Livermore, Calif., '69 Camaro, F/SA, 12.11 e.t.,
109.42 mph

SUPER COMP
Ed Olpin, Lindon, Utah, '99 Nielsen, S/C, 9.33 e.t., 155.11 mph, def. Frank
Kohutek, Mesquite, Texas, '00 Camaro, S/C, 9.36 e.t., 143.72 mph

SUPER GAS
Frank Kohutek, Mesquite, Tex., '96 Pontiac, S/G, 10.34 e.t., 145.77 mph,
def. Ed DeStatue, Rosemead, Calif., '85 Daytona, S/G, 10.35 e.t., 122.41
mph

SUPER STREET
Jim Glenn, Kent, Wash., '69 Firebird, S/ST, 11.39 e.t., 117.29 mph, def.
Diana Anderson, Twin Falls, Idaho, '67 Chevy, S/ST, 11.37 e.t., 130.13 mph
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rocky Mountain Nationals return to Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY- The NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series made its second to last stop of the year today at the beautiful Rocky Mountain Raceway. As Mother Nature blanketed the track with temperatures in the mid to low 90's, more than 300 drivers from the Western United States and Canada came to compete for more than $142,000 in cash and contingency awards.

Friday's qualifying and time trials at Rocky Mountain Raceway's Rocky Mountain National's event, had Federal-Mogul Dragster pilot and three-time defending national champion Rick Santos leading the field into Saturday's eliminations. Santos of San Leandro, Calif., drove his Oakwood Homes dragster to the number one spot and remained the man to beat with a run of 5.580 seconds at 254.45 mph. Next, in the Federal-Mogul Funny Car field, Larry Miner of Woodbridge, Calif. outraced the 15 other competitors with an elapsed time of 5.881 seconds and 246.71 mph to set the pace for this weekends activities by claiming Friday's top position.

In Competition Eliminator, Brian Hyerstay of Eugene, Ore., was the number one qualifier with a stellar run of 9.771 seconds. Hyerstay's run was .062 seconds quicker than his closest competitor, Longmont, Colo.'s, Tom Snyder. The remaining competitors were left to fight for the other positions.

In Super Stock, Rick Ryan of Aberdeen, S.D., drove his '88 Oldsmobile to the top qualifying position narrowly beating out Frank Grossi of Upland, Calif., by .018 seconds. Ryan had a run of 12.011 seconds (-1.149 under index) compared to Grossi's 10.019 (-1.131 under index).

Stock Eliminator driver Steve Couch overcame a strong field to grab Friday's top position. Couch of Sidney, Neb., drove his Dodge to the No. 1 qualifying position with a run of 12.687 seconds, -1.583 under index.

Gates open at 7:30 a.m. with elimination's beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Rocky Mountain Raceway.

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

FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER
1. Rick Santos, San Leandro, Calif., 5.641 seconds, 251.46 mph 
2. Mike Strasburg, Lindon, Utah, 5.715 seconds, 249.30 mph
3. Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo, Calif., 5.743 seconds, 244.23 mph
4. Duane Shields, Las Vegas, Nev., 5.747 seconds, 248.48 mph
5. Bob Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.807 seconds, 240.64 mph
6. Paul Jones, Stockton, Calif., 5.816 seconds, 238.60 mph
7. John Shoemaker, Sacramento, Calif., 5.853 seconds, 236.65 mph
8. Brent Ducray, Grand Junction, Utah, 5.936 seconds, 229.65
ALTERNATES
9. Jaren Mott, Salt Lake City, Utah, 6.143, 198.58

FEDERAL-MOGUL FUNNY CAR
1. Larry Miner, Woodbridge, Calif., '98 Dodge, 5.881, 246.71
2. John Weaver, Hanford, Calif., '99 Camaro, 5.910, 241.74
3. Rod Alexander, Simi Valley, Calif., '97 Cutlass, 5.959 seconds, 240.51 mph
4. Jimmy Bartoli, Duarte, Calif., '97 Olds, 5.969, 236.84
5. Steve Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., '99 Firebird, 5.984, 240.89
6. Bucky Austin, Fife, Wyo., '00 Camaro, 6.008, 235.72
7. Roger Bateman, Calgary Alberta, Can., '97 Firebird, 6.012, 242.58
8. Ed Marx, Stockton, Calif., '95 Camaro, 6.048, 239.17

ALTERNATES
9. Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '99 Firebird, 6.052, 239.93
10. Robert Kanenwisher, Conifer, Colo., '98 Avenger, 6.086, 235.29
11. Bernie Harrington, Apple Valley, Calif., '00 Avenger, 6.086, 235.25
12. Jett Field, Pocatello, Idaho, '98 Avenger, 6.193, 207.61
13. Jason Rubert, Anaheim, Calif., '00 Avenger, 6.216, 224.66
14. Michael Oliver, Evergreen, Colo., '81 Monza, 6.588, 210.32
15. Lawren Jones, Albuquerque, N.M., '00 Corvette, 6.591, 183.97
16. Bob Gallio, Fullerton, Calif., '95 Thunderbird, 7.029, 228.71

COMP ELIMINATOR
1. Brian Hyerstay, Eugene, Ore., '96 Dragster, G/D, 9.771, -0.729 
2. Tom Snyder, Longmont, Colo., '23 Chevrolet, A/A, 7.063 seconds, -0.667
3. Andy Manna, Covina, Calif., '90 Pontiac, D/EA, 8.861, -0.629
4. John Chamberlin, Napa, Calif., '88 Uyehara, A/D, 6.920, -0.610
5. Ed Sigmon, Chatworth, Calif., '34 Chevrolet, C/SR, 9.191, -0.589
6. Robert Baldwin, Aurora, Colo., '95 Camaro, B/SM, 9.391, -0.409
7. Steven Wilmoth, Peoria, Ariz., '97 Firebird, D/A, 8.546, -0.404
8. Rich Howell, Yorba Linda, Calif., '00 Dragster, C/D, 7.620, -0.400
9. Jeff Gillette, Benecia, Calif., '97 Dragster, B/ED, 7.507, -0.383
10. Ken Justice, Phoenix, Ariz., '99 firebird, B/ED, 8.430, 0.200

SUPER STOCK
1. Rick Ryan, Aberdeen, S.D., '88 Olds, SS/NA, 12.011 seconds, -1.149 (under index)
2. Frank Grossi, Upland, Calif., '00 Pontiac, GT/BA, 10.019, -1.131
3. Ritch Ahrens, Greeley, Colo., '87 Firebird, GT/EA, 10.532, -1.048
4. Bob Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., '98 Olds, SS/CM, 9.436, -1.034
5. Jimmy Defrank, Tarzana. Calif., '89 camaro, GT/HA, 10.970, -1.030
6. Howard Thompson, Wildomar, Calif., '95 Mustang, GT/EA, 10.564, -1.016
7. Doug Lambeck, Northridge, Calif., '90 Camaro, SS/BS, 9.592, -0.978
8. Tony DeFrank, Tarzana, Calif., '98 Pontiac, GT/FA, 10.764, -0.976
9. Don Bevers, Tucson, Ariz., '91 Probe, SS/BM, 9.284, -0.976
10. Gary McGlasson, Los Lunas, N.M., '69 Camaro, SS/HA, 10.584, -0.936

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1. Steve Couch, Sidney, Neb.,  Dodge, DT/SA, 12.687 seconds, -1.583(under index)
2. Marka Gallina, Henderson, Nev., '84 Buick, L/SA, 12.534, -1.206
3. Chuck Raybuen, Castro Valley, Calif., '71 Dodge, B/SA, 11.005, -1.205
4. Robert Pond, Riverside, Calif., '67 Fairlane, A/S, 10.729, -1.161
5. Bobby DeArmond, Gallup, N.M., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.829, -1.121
6. Fred Rector, Durango, Calif., '72 Nova, I/S, 12.112, -1.108
7. Rob Youngblood, Nampa, Idaho, '70 mustang, D/S, 11.359, -1.121
8. Neal Rhodes, Aurora, Calif., '67 Fairlane, F/SA, 11.758, -1.092
9. Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif.,  C/SA, 11.371, -0.999
10. Bob Swan, Belle Fourche, S.D., '67 Shelby, D/SA, 11.477, -1.053