PAC: Series Bakersfield Friday summary

RACING UNDERWAY AT FAMOSO

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (September 18, 2009) -- Jim Whiteley and Sean O'Bannon took full advantage of opening day for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Auto Club Famoso Raceway posting the quickest times in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.

Whitely, Grand Junction, Colo., clocked in with a pass of 5.442 seconds at 267.53 mph and is looking for his seventh win of the year as he is in a battle for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series National Championship. Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., is right behind Whiteley at 5.454 seconds while Cody Perkins is third out of Bluffdale, Utah.

O'Bannon made a 5.744-second, 254.30 mph run in taking the No. 1 spot by less than three-hundredths of a second over Brian Thiel, Pleasant Grove, Calif., and Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif. who follow in second and third.

In Comp Eliminator it was Rob Harrison, N. Vancouver, B.C., leading the class with Mike DePalma, Glendale, Ariz., in second and Josh Edwards is No. 1 in Super Stock join by Brian Tait, Fraizer Park, Calif., who is on top in Stock Eliminator.

Rounding out the leaders after day one were J Wayne Silvia, Upland, Calif., running 6.904 seconds at 205.10 mph in Top Sportsman; Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., in the Hughes Performance Top Dragster at 6.693 seconds, 202.93 mph; and Rick Newport, West Valley, Utah, '95 Suzuki in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson.

Racing continues Saturday at Auto Club Famoso Raceway. Gates open at 8 a.m. with final qualifying and time trials set to begin at 9 a.m. Eliminations begin at 12:30 p.m. with first round of Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car at 4 p.m.

Also on tap for Saturday night is a special Chuy's Fuel Altereds that will be taking to the famed quarter mile at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and children 11 and under are free with a paid adult. For more information, call Auto Club Famoso Raceway or visit www.AutoClubFamosoRaceway.com

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Auto Club Famoso Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.442 seconds, 267.53 mph
2) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.454, 264.23
3) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.510, 260.94
4) Mark Niver, Phoenix, 5.534, 249.86
5) Brian Smith, Fullerton, Calif., 5.703, 247.93
6) Kevin Wayman, South Jordan, Utah, 5.718, 244.16
7) Johnny Ahten, Saugus, Calif., 5.725, 244.56
8) Dennis Swearingen, Ranco Palos Verties, Calif., 5.752, 248.89

Not Qualified
9) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.775, 228.94
10) Randy Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 5.863, 254.38
11) Art Trautman, Wadell, Ariz., 5.899, 220.15
12) Ed Vickroy, Fontana, Calif., 9.413, 111.51
13) Brooks Brown, Costa Mesa, Calif., 9.565, 129.40

First round TAD pairings

1) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.442 seconds, 267.53 mph vs. 8) Dennis Swearingen, Ranco Palos Verties, Calif., 5.752, 248.89

2) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., 5.454, 264.23 vs. 7) Johnny Ahten, Saugus, Calif., 5.725, 244.56

3) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.510, 260.94 vs. 6) Kevin Wayman, South Jordan, Utah, 5.718, 244.16

4) Mark Niver, Phoenix, 5.534, 249.86 vs. 5) Brian Smith, Fullerton, Calif., 5.703, 247.93

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) Sean O'Bannon, Ontario, Calif., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.744 seconds, 254.30 mph
2) Brian Thiel, Pleasant Grove, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.770, 246.50
3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.784, 252.59
4) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., '05 Camaro, 5.795, 241.74
5) Steve Gasparrelli, W. Covina, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.825, 252.95
6) Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., '09 Mustang, 5.842, 246.84
7) Mark Woznichak, Ontario, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.878, 246.44
8) Sean Bellemeur, Tustin, Calif., '05 Firebird, 6.004, 245.36

Not Qualified
9) Daniel Oliver, Whittier, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 6.296, 237.71

First round TAFC pairings

1) Sean O'Bannon, Ontario, Calif., '08 Monte Carlo, 5.744 seconds, 254.30 mph vs. 8) Sean Bellemeur, Tustin, Calif., '05 Firebird, 6.004, 245.36

2) Brian Thiel, Pleasant Grove, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.770, 246.50 vs. 7) Mark Woznichak, Ontario, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.878, 246.44

3) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.784, 252.59 vs. 6) Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., '09 Mustang, 5.842, 246.84

4) John Lombardo Jr., Brea, Calif., '05 Camaro, 5.795, 241.74 vs. 5) Steve Gasparrelli, W. Covina, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.825, 252.95

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Rob Harrison, N. Vancouver, B.C., '05 Cavalier, J/A, 7.755 seconds, -0.625 (under index)
2) Mike DePalma, Glendale, Ariz., '00 S-10, C/T, 8.354, -0.536
3) Tom Brown, Riverside, Calif., dragster, F/ED, 8.315, -0.515
4) Tom Mettler, Bakersfield, Calif., '01 Dakota, PST, 7.484, -0.506
5) John Edwards, Claremont, Calif., '99 Neon, C/AA, 7.496, -0.494
6) Ross Wilson, Upland, Calif., '05 Sunfire, C/SMA, 8.323, -0.467
7) Brian Moscini, Redwood City, Calif., '05 Grand Am, C/AA, 7.533, -0.457
8) Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., '09 Cobalt, G/SMA, 8.937, -0.393
9) Doug Lambeck, Corona Del Mar, Calif., '06 Sunfire, D/SMA, 8.591, -0.379
10) Steve Graham, S. San Francisco, Calif., '04 Grand Am, C/A, 7.602, -0.378

SUPER STOCK

1) Josh Edwards, Phoenix, '92 Camaro, SS/GM, 9.538 seconds, -1.112 (under index)
2) Brian McClanahan, Alta Loma, Calif., '67 Camaro, SS/FA, 9.671, -1.079
3) Fred Moreno, La Verne, Calif., '69 Mustang, SS/GA, 9.805, -1.045
4) Bob Fordyce, Vista, Calif., '91 Calais, GT/BA, 9.521, -1.029
5) Darren Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '68 Dart, SS/GA, 9.860, -0.990
6) Staci Smith, Palmdale, Calif., '93 Daytona, GT/DA, 9.811, -0.989
7) Dan Mason, San Clemente, Calif., '85 Camaro, GT/BA, 9.676, -0.874
8) Tim Hall, Fountain Valley, Calif., '74 Dart, SS/JA, 10.458, -0.842
9) Tim Smith, Loomis, Calif., '87 Cavalier, GT/CA, 9.906, -0.794
10) Mike Graham, Tempe, Ariz., '00 Cobra, GT/EA, 10.172, -0.778

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Brian Tait, Fraizer Park, Calif., '66 Impala, T/SA, 13.411 seconds, -1.289 (under index)
2) Harry Doolittle, Wickenberg, Ariz., '02 Firebird, N/SA, 12.157, -1.143
3) Leo Glasbrenner, Chino, Calif., '68 Firebird, E/SA, 10.878, -1.122
4) Steve Wann, Modesto, Calif., '73 Dart, F/SA, 11.062, -1.088
5) Bryan Phillips, Alta Loma, Calif., '67 Firebird, E/SA, 10.940, -1.060
6) Bob Aceves, Coarsegold, Calif., '68 Firebird, D/SA, 10.809, -1.041
7) Earl Blake, Las Vegas, '68 Barracuda, F/SA, 11.124, -1.026
8) Mark Maxwell, La Grange, Calif., '72 La Mans, E/SA, 10.980, -1.020
9) Andy Durham, Chatsworth, Calif., '70 Camaro, C/SA, 10.699, -1.001
10) Jim Meador, Yorba Linda, Calif., '67 Camaro, D/SA, 10.873, -0.977

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) J Wayne Silvia, Upland, Calif., '04 Cavalier, 6.904 seconds, 205.10 mph
2) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., '68 Camaro, 7.039, 195.43
3) Ted Carli, Temecula, Calif., '09 Cobalt, 7.096, 195.82
4) Brad Wagner, Henderson, Nev., '97 Cutlass, 7.165, 194.97
5) Raul Perez, La Mirada, Calif., '01 Grand Am, 7.310, 188.52
6) Dave Zewe, Hesperia, Calif., '94 Lumina, 7.423, 186.21
7) Chris Newman, Lancaster, Calif., '08 Cobalt, 7.429, 186.37
8) Gary Forkner, Temecula, Calif., '06 GTO, 7.448, 184.57
9) Larry Scarth, Manhatten Beach, Calif., '04 Cavalier, 7.469, 184.19
10) John Baker, Grand Junction, Colo., '08 Cobalt, 7.490, 186.06

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Paul Gladden, Tracy, Calif., dragster, 6.693 seconds, 202.93 mph
2) Will Boxold, Orangevale, Calif., dragster, 6.856, 196.24
3) Robert McMahan, Livermore, Calif., dragster, 6.862, 198.67
4) Don Steed, Fallbrook, Calif., dragster, 6.907, 196.07
5) Tom Yancer, Chandler, Ariz., dragster, 6.911, 195.56
6) Joe Roubicek, Westlake Village, Calif., dragster, 6.960, 192.96
7) Art Hoover, Concord, Calif., dragster, 6.978, 196.07
8) Denny Hills, Gilbert, Ariz., dragster, 7.011, 148.56
9) Steven Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., dragster, 7.059, 190.67
10) John Propp, Auburn, Calif., dragster, 7.060, 191.97

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

1) Rick Newport, West Valley, Utah, '95 Suzuki, SMC, 0.004 seconds reaction time
2) William Anderson, Fresno, Calif., '06 ZX14, SMC, 0.004
3) Gary Oaks, Las Vegas, '78 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.010
4) T.J. Crocker, Henderson, Nev., '05 Hyabusa, SMC, 0.011
5) Bill Burkhart, Anaheim, Calif., '08 Hyabusa, SMC, 0.013
6) Scott Hewitt, Bakersfield, Calif., '93 GSXR, SMC, 0.014
7) Tom Medlin, Garaberville, Calif., '92 Suzuki, SMC, 0.015
8) Jay Matthews, Henderson, Nev., '98 GSXR, SMC, 0.029
9) Kyle Stovall, Grover Beach, Calif., '07 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.034
10) Pete Miclette, Garberville, Calif., '97 GSXR, SMC, 0.041

-credit: nhra