WCD: Great Bend Friday qualifying summary

TATUM, JONES ON TOP FOR WEST CENTRAL DIVISION OPENER

GREAT BEND, Kan. -- In the first rounds of qualifying for the NHRA West Central Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season opener at S.R.C.A. Dragstrip Top Alcohol Dragster driver Aaron Tatum and Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Jimmy Jones took the No. 1 qualifying positions in their classes.

Tatum, of Oklahoma City, outran the field with a pass of 5.546 seconds at 260.97 mph. And Cleburne, Texas, resident Jones made a 5.868-second, 243.37 mph run to take the pole.

Todd Patterson of Augusta, Kan., leads the Comp Eliminator class running 7.965 seconds at 164.99 mph followed by Clint Neff of Westminster, Colo., in second.

A pair of Kansas residents lead the EPIC Top Dragster class with Christine Chambless of Scott City on top running 6.842 seconds at 194.91 mph and Phil Unruh of McPherson in the No. 2 spot at 6.871 seconds 198.76 mph. Unruh is pulling double duty this weekend, also running in the Super Stock class where he is qualified 16th behind No. 1 qualifier Rick Ryan of Aberdeen, S.D.

Other top qualifiers in today's opening rounds are James Kunkel of Benton, Kan., in Stock Eliminator followed by Charles Blossom and Steve Brack of Lawrence, Kan., in second and third. Jim White of Haysville, Kan., is on top in the division's Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman class with a run of 7.145 seconds at 193.24 mph and Zachary Schruppof Mound, Minn. is No. 1 in the Sportsman motorcycle series presented by Harley Davidson.

Racing continues Saturday at 9 a.m. Gates open at 7 a.m. Tickets are $15. Students with a valid ID are just $10 and children 12 and under are free. S.R.C.A. Dragstrip is located at 455 W. Barton County Rd; 2 ½ miles west of Great Bend on the old Air Force base. For more information, call the track, (785) 483-1980.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at S.R.C.A. Dragstrip:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Aaron Tatum, Oklahoma City, 5.546 seconds, 260.97 mph
2) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 5.609, 251.72
3) Scott Peterson, Garfield, Kan., 5.858, 238.34
4) Eugene Tumbarello, Denver, 6.301, 210.11
5) Edwin Schmeeckle, Gothenburg, Neb., 6.644, 155.04
6) Malcolm Wahle, Claremore, Okla., 7.686, 178.21

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Jimmy Jones, Cleburne, Texas, '99 Camaro, 5.868 seconds, 243.37 mph
2) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, '06 Monte Carlo, 7.293, 114.61
3) Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., '07 Charger, 7.779, 143.43

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Todd Patterson, Augusta, Kan., '34 Roadster, B/SR, 7.965 seconds, -0.695 (under index)
2) Clint Neff, Westminster, Colo., '23 roadster, K/A, 8.061, -0.669
3) Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., dragster, B/DA, 6.926, -0.574
4) Will Hatcher, Satanta, Kan., dragster, A/DA, 6.718, -0.572
5) Clark Smiley, Denver City, Texas, '04 Cavalier, B/SM, 8.243, -0.567
6) Lou Ficco Jr., Wheat Ridge, Colo., '04 Cavalier, B/AP, 7.534, -0.566
7) Cordis Johnson, Springdale, Ark., '07 Cobalt, H/SMA, 9.156, -0.544
8) Michael Johnson, Springdale, Ark., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.494, -0.526
9) Matt Harris, Nebraska City, Neb., '04 Grand Am, E/A, 7.954, -0.526
10) Doug Engels, Watertown, S.D., dragster, D/ED, 7.632, -0.478

SUPER STOCK
1) Rick Ryan, Aberdeen, S.D., '88 Cutlass, SS/NA, 11.427 seconds, -1.303 (under index)
2) Michael Mans, Rogers, Minn., '05 Firebird, SS/CS, 9.638, -1.252
3) Carroll Warling, Brighton, Colo., '74 Grand Am, SS/MA, 11.172, -1.248
4) Mike Town, Paola, Kan., '84 Regal, GT/LA, 10.889, -1.221
5) Jim Voth, Buhler, Kan., '86 Monte Carlo, GT/E, 9.898, -1.142
6) Tim Nicholson, Concordia, Kan., '66 Chevy II, GT/I, 10.375, -1.125
7) Bryan Chaney, Claremore, Okla., '92 Camaro, GT/GA, 10.327, -1.123
8) Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., '92 Camaro, GT/AA, 9.540, -1.090
9) Gene Bichlmeier, Norfolk, Neb., '66 Chevy II, GT/I, 10.423, -1.077
10) Tom Meyer, Pierce, Neb., '66 Chevy II, SS/LA, 10.956, -1.054

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) James Kunkel, Benton, Kan., '66 Chevy Wgn, T/SA, 13.704 seconds, -1.326 (under index)
2) Charles Blossom, Woodbury, Minn., '05 Neon, AF/S, 13.211, -1.249
3) Steve Brack, Lawrence, Kan., '87 Camaro, I/S, 11.554, -1.226
4) Scott Burton, Golden, Colo., '71 Formula, D/SA, 10.895, -1.215
5) Steve Hagberg, Berthoud, Colo., '64 Savoy, A/SA, 10.346, -1.204
6) Brad Burton, Golden, Colo., '72 Formula, E/SA, 11.066, -1.204
7) Tony Hernandez, Denver, '65 Corvette, B/S, 10.584, -1.176
8) Mike Cotten, Broken Arrow, Okla., '73 Duster, H/SA, 11.564, -1.166
9) Anderson Schmitt, Wichita, Kan., '68 Camaro, E/S, 11.074, -1.146
10) Tom Moock, Eagle, Neb., '81 Malibu, M/SA, 12.298, -1.142

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Jim White, Haysville, Kan., '04 Cavalier, 7.145 seconds, 193.24 mph
2) Rich Smith, Wentzville, Mo., '08 Chevy, 7.330, 186.98
3) J.J. Heber, Centennial, Colo., '06 Mustang, 7.330, 182.33
4) Dan Harvey, Sioux City, Iowa, '96 Beretta, 7.513, 188.31
5) Charley Whittenburg, Spencer, Iowa, '63 Corvette, 7.540, 179.28
6) Tom Donovan, Olathe, Kan., '02 Mustang, 7.581, 177.04
7) Heidi Robison, Gardner, Kan., '63 Corvette, 7.677, 176.79
8) Bill Goldhammer, Mitchell, S.D., '96 Cutlass, 7.680, 178.52
9) Mark Metrokotsas, Overland Park, Kan., '63 Corvette, 7.801, 173.49
10) Joshua Vettel, Phillips, Neb., '04 Stratus, 8.038, 170.51

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Christine Chambless, Scott City, Kan., dragster, 6.842 seconds, 196.76 mph
2) Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., dragster, 6.871, 198.82
3) Martin Schmidt, Oak Grove, Minn., dragster, 6.979, 188.02
4) Darren Long, Mitchell, S.D., dragster, 6.981, 188.86
5) Matt Driskell, Wellsville, Kan., dragster, 6.989, 190.89
6) Mark Grame, Overland Park, Kan., dragster, 6.994, 191.54
7) Brent Camerlinck, Leonardsville, Kan., dragster, 7.105, 186.69
8) Les Feist, Clearwater, Minn., dragster, 7.162, 186.77
9) Jeremy Siffring, Fremont, Neb., dragster, 7.177, 186.69
10) Tim Elart, Manhatten, Kan., dragster, 7.220, 186.98

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1) Zachary Schrupp, Mound, Minn., '05 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.002 seconds reaction time
2) Ken Niesen, Brooklyn Park, Minn., '90 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.005
3) Brian Johnson, Anoka, Minn., '05 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.010
4) Curtis Spracklin, Omaha, Neb., '00 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.011
5) Joe Heron, Fremont, Neb., '81 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.014
6) Stan Johnson, Sioux Falls, S.D., '78 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.016
7) Alex Barmettler, Maplewood, Minn., '78 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.021
8) Mike Voss, Maplewood, Minn., '04 Kawasaki, ETMX, 0.024
9) Jason Clampitt, Lino Lakes, Minn., '93 Harley, ETMX, 0.025
10) Jeff Lanoue, Zimmerman, Minn., '05 Suzuki, ETMX, 0.027

-credit: nhra