WC: Bandimere Friday summary

PUTZ, BATEMAN LEAD QUALIFIERS AT BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY'S LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING EVENT

MORRISON, Colo. (June 19, 2009) -- In the first rounds of qualifying at Bandimere Speedway's Grease Monkey Thunder on the Mountain event, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Richard Putz of Earlville, Iowa, and Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Roger Bateman, Winnipeg, Man., took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their classes.

Putz laid down a 5.610-second, 253.66 mph pass to take the top spot. The No. 2 qualifier, Jim Whiteley from Grand Junction, Colo., was just a couple of ticks behind with a 5.636-second, 257.28 mph run. Reigning division champion Ed Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., is in the No. 3 spot and Denver's own Eugene Tumbarello is fourth.

Bateman set the pace in Top Alcohol Funny Car with a 5.912-second, 244.43 mph lap. Racing veteran Vern Moats of Des Moines, Iowa, is in the No. 2 slot with a 5.967-second run at 244.56 mph. Firestone resident Paul Anderson is in the No. 4 spot and Conifer's Robert Kanenwisher is No. 6.

Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., leads the Comp Eliminator contingent and Wheatridge racer Lou Ficco is second. Super Stock racer Eric Bell of Chandler, Ariz., is No. 1 in his '70 Challenger and Chad Holtzman, Wichita, Kan., sits atop the Stock Eliminator field in his '08 Cobra Jet. Eagle's Mark Lovell wheeled his '05 Viper to the top of the Top Sportsman Field, David Oenes, Henderson, Colo., is No. 1 in Top Dragster and Brian Johnson, Nowthen, Minn., rod his '05 Suzuki to the No. 1 spot in Sportsman Motorcycle.

Also in Stock Eliminator, Brad Burton of Golden is in the No. 2 slot and his dad, Scott, also of Golden, is the No. 4 qualifier. The pair have been battling it out in the point standings all season.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Bandimere Speedway. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday. Final qualifying and time trials begin at 9 a.m. Saturday and eliminations start Sunday morning at 8:30. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will have two qualifying runs on Saturday, at 3 and 6 p.m., and run first round of eliminations Sunday at noon.

Tickets for the Grease Monkey Thunder on the Mountain event are $20 Saturday and $24 Sunday. Junior tickets, for ages 6 to 12, are $6 each day and kids 5 and under are admitted free. Spectator coupons are available at area Grease Monkey outlets.

Bandimere Speedway is located at 3051 S. Rooney Road; west of Denver off Interstate 470 in Morrison. For more information call Bandimere Speedway, (303) 697-6001, or visit www.bandimere.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the Grease Monkey Thunder on the Mountain event at Bandimere Speedway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.610 seconds, 253.66 mph
2) Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., 5.636, 257.28
3) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 5.671, 248.98
4) Eugene Tumbarello, Denver, 6.027, 244.52

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Roger Bateman, Winnipeg, Manit., '09 Mustang, 5.912 seconds, 244.43 mph
2) Vern Moats, Des Moines, Iowa, '09 Mustang, 5.967, 244.56
3) Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, '04 Camaro, 6.087, 201.76
4) Paul Anderson, Firestone, Colo., '03 Camaro, 6.147, 235.43
5) Lance Van Hauen, Reinbeck, Iowa, '02 Firebird, 6.171, 232.55
6) Robert Kanenwisher, Conifer, Colo., '04 Camaro, 6.179, 232.51

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., dragster, B/D, 7.054 seconds, -0.666 (under index)
2) Lou Ficco, Wheatridge, Colo., '09 GXP, B/AP, 7.778, -0.602
3) Matthew Harris, Nebraska City, Neb., '05 Grand Am, E/A, 8.254, -0.596
4) Steve Holloway, Lakewood, Colo., '06 GTO, B/AA, 7.526, -0.584
5) Dennis Smiley, Denver City, Texas, dragster, A/DA, 7.023, -0.567
6) Bill Kent, Midland, Texas, dragster, C/D, 7.363, -0.557
7) Steve Kalkowski, Ogallala, Neb., '02 Fierbird, B/A, 7.513, -0.527
8) Pat Nahan, St. Cloud, Minn., dragster, E/D, 8.173, -0.457
9) Wade Oman, Castle Rock, Colo., dragster, B/ED, 7.507, -0.443
10) Leslie Carson, Odessa, Texas, '07 Cobalt, B/A, 7.611, -0.429

SUPER STOCK
1) Eric Bell, Chandler, Ariz., '70 Challenger, SS/EA, 10.015 seconds, -1.465 (under index)
2) Larry Schmidt, Grand Island, Neb., '55 BelAir, SS/PA, 12.517, -1.443
3) Carroll Warling, Brighton, Colo., '74 Grand Am, SS/MA, 11.673, -1.427
4) Ronald Roddel, Sioux Falls, S.D., '02 Grand Am, GT/MA, 11.667, -1.323
5) Jim Beuthel, Castle Rock, Colo., '91 Cutlass, GT/CA, 10.249, -1.291
6) Gene Bichlmeier, Norfolk, Neb., '66 Chevy II, GT/I, 10.851, -1.279
7) Ron Parness, Conifer, Colo., '67 Chevy II, SS/HA, 10.478, -1.272
8) Jim Voth, Buhler, Kan., '86 Monte Carlo, GT/E, 10.464, -1.176
9) David Bogner, Kearney, Neb., '92 Daytona, SS/CS, 10.315, -1.165
10) Jeffrey Johnson, Aurora, Colo., '84 Cougar, GT/FA, 10.842, -1.128

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Chad Holzman, Wichita, Kan., '08 Cobra Jet, A/SA, 10.510 seconds, -1.670 (under index)
2) Brad Burton, Golden, Colo., '72 Formula, E/SA, 11.491, -1.449
3) Jack Foshee, Taylor, Ariz., '80 D-150, K/SA, 12.572, -1.388
4) Scott Burton, Golden, Colo., '71 Formula, D/SA, 11.408, -1.372
5) Tony Hernandez, Denver, '65 Corvette, F/S, 11.697, -1.353
6) Jimmy Holzman, Wichita, Kan., '08 Cobra Jet, AA/SA, 10.405, -1.345
7) Stephen Hagberg, Berthoud, Colo., '64 Savoy, A/SA, 10.922, -1.258
8) John Cooper, LaPorte, Colo., '67 Fairlane, B/SA, 11.212, -1.238
9) Tom Moock, Eagle, Neb., '81 Malibu, M/SA, 12.944, -1.236
10) Mike Coe, Grand Junction, Colo., '73 Dart, G/S, 11.926, -1.224

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Mark Lovell, Eagle, Colo., '05 Viper, 6.758 seconds, 208.52 mph
2) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '04 Grand Am, 7.182, 188.75
3) Dave Slatten, Ft. Collins, Colo., '05 Grand Am, 7.261, 191.29
4) J.J. Heber, Centennial, Colo., '06 Mustang, 7.262, 192.66
5) Joshua Vettel, Phillips, Neb., '04 Stratus, 7.360, 188.96
6) Brad Wagner, Henderson, Nev., '97 Cutlass, 7.400, 189.12
7) Bill Bernard, Littleton, Colo., '94 Ciera, 7.429, 186.33
8) Ray Vettel Jr., Phillips, Neb., '70 Barracuda, 7.484, 191.81
9) Johnny Shook, Lamesa, Texas, '09 Cobalt, 7.555, 180.86
10) Jim White, Haysville, Kan., '09 Cobalt, 7.574, 181.40

TOP DRAGSTER
1) David Oenes, Henderson, Colo., dragster, 6.896 seconds, 198.93 mph
2) Steve Johnson, Arvada, Colo., dragster, 6.962, 191.24
3) Ryan Dowell, Johnstown, Colo., dragster, 6.990, 195.17
4) Lyle Burnham, Henderson, Nev., dragster, 6.995, 196.62
5) Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., dragster, 7.041, 198.44
6) Kent Kroeker, Grant, Neb., dragster, 7.102, 193.90
7) Monte Green, Haxtun, Colo., dragster, 7.135, 190.92
8) Scott Lewis, Sterling, Colo., dragster, 7.249, 193.38
9) Mark Faber, Bennett, Colo., dragster, 7.352, 185.92
10) Jerry Miller, Lakewood, Colo., dragster, 7.373, 182.18

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1) Brian Johnson, Nowthen, Minn., '05 Suzuk, 0.000 seconds reaction time
2) Ken Niesen, Brooklyn Park, Minn., '85 Suzuk, 0.004
3) Tom Gilligan, Fremont, Neb., '00 Kawasak, 0.005
4) Bryan Entz, Wichita, Kan., '05 Kawasak, 0.005
5) Dave Olsen, Littleton, Colo., '88 Kawasak, 0.013
6) Leland Sykes, Aurora, Colo., '99 Kawasak, 0.017
7) Don Johnson, Casper, Wyo., '96 Suzuki, 0.024
8) Darwin Glaze, Broomfield, Colo., '02 Suzuki, 0.219

-credit: nhra