Bradenton Friday notes

SHARP, STEWARD LEAD LUCAS OIL SERIES QUALIFIERS AT BRADENTON MOTORSPORTS PARK

BRADENTON, Fla. -- The first day of qualifying got underway today at Bradenton Motorsports Park's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event with Lee Sharp of Maryville, Tenn., setting the pace in Comp Eliminator behind the wheel of his '07 Cobalt and Dennis Steward, Dover, Pa., leading the Super Stock qualifiers in his '91 Daytona. The three-day event, which is the first of six in NHRA's Southeast Division, features drivers in eight categories vying for points leading divisional and national championships.

Doug Patrick of Boca Raton wheeled his '72 Cutlass to the No. 1 qualifying spot in Stock Eliminator while Plant City's Brenda Grubbs, driving her '69 Camaro qualified in the tenth spot. In Top Sportsman qualifying, Ronnie Davis, Suwanee, Ga., drove his '63 Corvette to the top of the field and Bradenton's Jim Carlton, in an '04 Corvette, qualified No. 9. Top Dragster competitor Eddie Careccia, Mars Hills, Fla., is the No. 1 qualifier while St. Petersburg resident Don Marks is No. 2 and Port Charlotte racer Ron Logan is No. 3. Another Bradenton resident, Gary Williams, is the tenth-place qualifier in Top Dragster.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Gates open at 8 a.m. both days. Qualifying and time trials continue Saturday at 9 a.m. Top Dragster, Comp Eliminator and Top Sportsman will each have two qualifying sessions, starting at 1 p.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 2 and 5 p.m. Eliminations start Sunday morning at 9. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car run first round at 1 p.m.

Tickets for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Bradenton Motorsports Park are $20 Saturday and $20 Sunday. Children 11 and under are admitted free.

-credit: nhra