Bradenton Sunday notes

LUCAS, FERRO OPEN LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SEASON WITH WINS @Bradenton resident Albritton also lands in winner's circle

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Morgan Lucas took his No. 1 qualifying effort in Top Alcohol Dragster all the way to the winner's circle at this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Bradenton Motorsports Park while Mickey Ferro earned the win over Top Alcohol Funny Car top qualifier Jay Payne. Bradenton resident Stanley Albritton Jr., the defending division champ, scored the win in Top Sportsman.

Lucas, who resides in Brownsburg, Ind., and also campaigns a Top Fuel Dragster in NHRA's PowerAde Drag Racing Series, made his best run of the day in the opening round of eliminations when he knocked out Marion, Ind., racer Robin Samsel with a 5.353-second, 265.56 mph pass. In the final, he lined up against No. 2 qualifier, Dan Mercier, Montreal, Que. Lucas's 5.424-second, 261.17 mph pass was more than enough to cover Mercier's 5.613-second run at 240.00 mph.

Ferro, a Stamford, Conn., resident, qualified in the No. 2 spot behind Payne, but was outpacing the Claremont, Calif., racer all day. In the final, Ferro ran 5.773 seconds at 255.68 mph while Payne slowed to a 6.739-second pass at 143.42 mph.

Albritton Jr. squared off in the Top Sportsman final against Ronnie Davis, Suwanee, Ga. Albritton ran his '04 Grand Am to a 7.028-second pass to Davis's 10.180 second effort in his '63 Corvette.

Jesup, Ga., resident Grant Lewis wheeled his '05 Cavalier to the win in Comp Eliminator, beating out Larry Pritchett of Clarkrange, Tenn., in an '07 Sunfire. In Super Stock, Anthony Bertozzi, Ashland, Va., driving a '98 Grand Am, beat out No. 1 qualifier Lee Sharp of Maryville, Tenn., in an '05 Cavalier. Former Stock Eliminator national champion Randy Wilkes of Zanesville, Ohio, drove his '01 Firebird to the win over Chris Puzycki, W. Melbuourne, Fla., in his '85 Camaro. In Super Comp, Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., grabbed the win from Sherman Adcock Jr., of Fortson, Ga. Newington, Conn., racer Lynn Hoosigian drove her '66 Chevelle to the Super Gas win, beating out Ray Connolly of Elyria, Ohio, while in Super Street, David Polichena, Lake Worth, Fla., beat Tom DePascale, Sayreville, N.J. Another Lake Worth racer, John Weidner, beat Bradenton's Gary Williams in the Top Dragster final.

-credit: nhra