Dallas: Final eliminations pairings.

<pre> ENNIS, Texas -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Saturday for the 15th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec at Texas Motorplex, the 22nd of 23 events in the $45-million NHRA Winston Drag Racing ...

<pre> ENNIS, Texas -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Saturday for the 15th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec at Texas Motorplex, the 22nd of 23 events in the $45-million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on driver points after rain cancelled qualifying Friday. Top Fuel -- 1. Gary Scelzi, 1,698 points vs. Bye; 2. Larry Dixon, 1,473 vs. 15. Bill Walsh, 31; 3. Joe Amato, 1,352 vs. 14. Mike Dunn, 38; 4. Doug Kalitta, 1,322 vs. 13. Bobby Baldwin, 277; 5. Kenny Bernstein, 1,209 vs. 12. Melanie Troxel, 380; 6. Cory McClenathan, 1,125 vs. 11. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 701; 7. Bob Vandergriff, 947 vs 10. David Grubnic, 777; 8. Doug Herbert, 859 vs 9. Don Lampus, 786. Funny Car -- 1. John Force, Ford Mustang, 1,756 vs 16. Cristen Powell, Chevy Camaro, 387; 2. Ron Capps, Camaro, 1,420 vs. 15. Tim Wilkerson, Pontiac Firebird, 470; 3 Jerry Toliver, Firebird, 1,385 vs. 14. Gary Densham, Firebird, 594; 4. Tony Pedregon, Mustang, 1,314 vs. 13. Al Hofmann, Firebird, 770; 5. Jim Epler, Camaro, 1,178 vs. 12. Bob Gilbertson, Camaro, 794; 6. Whit Bazemore, Camaro, 1023 vs. 11. Frank Pedregon, Firebird, 865; 7. Scotty Cannon, Camaro, 1,008 vs. 10. Dean Skuza, Dodge Avenger, 906; 8. Del Worsham, Firebird, 947 vs. 9. Bruce Sarver, Firebird, 909.

Pro Stock -- 1. Jeg Coughlin, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 1,858 vs. 16. Greg Anderson, Pontiac Firebird, 473; 2. Kurt Johnson, Chevy Camaro, 1,373 vs. 15. Larry Morgan, Dodge R/T, 497; 3. Warren Johnson, Firebird, 1,354 vs. 14. V Gaines, Camaro, 506; 4. Ron Krisher, Firebird, 1,324 vs. 13. Brad Jeter, Firebird, 521; 5. Mark Pawuk, Firebird, 1,106 vs. 12. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 658; 6. Troy Coughlin, Cutlass, 1,061 vs. 11. Tom Martino, Firebird, 777; 7. Richie Stevens, Firebird, 1,033 vs. 10. Bruce Allen, Firebird, 778; 8. Jamie Yates, Firebird, 960 vs. 9. Darrell Alderman, R/T, 843

Pro Stock Truck -- 1. Bob Panella Jr, Chevy S-10, 1,221 vs. 16. Scott Perin, S-10, 246; 2. Randy Daniels, S-10, 991 vs. 15. David Spitzer, GMC Sonoma, 311; 3. John Coughlin, S-10, 738 vs. 14. Todd Patterson, Dodge Dakota, 335; 4. Greg Stanfield, S-10, 672 vs. 13. Taylor Lastor, S-10, 359; 5. Steve Johns, S-10, 663 vs. 12. Mark Whisnant, S-10, 378; 6. Mike Coughlin, S-10, 578 vs. 11. Larry Seay, S-10, 405; 7. Brian Self, S-10, 565 vs. 10. John Lingenfelter, Sonoma, 454; 8. Jeff Gracia, S-10, 506 vs. 9. Rick Jones, Sonoma, 488

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<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>O'Reilly Fall Nationals Qualifying washed out</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY>

Qualifying for = the Rain Delayed 15th annual O'Rielly Fall Nationals presented by = Castrol Syntec Rained Out

ENNIS, TEXAS - Persistent rain forced NHRA = officials to cancel Friday's qualifying sessions for the rain delayed = 15th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol = Syntec at the Texas Motorplex.

The = $1.8 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series event was originally = postponed on October 21 due to consistent rain showers.

Elimination pairings for each pro category have been set = according to the current NHRA Winston Drag Racing championship points. = Top qualifiers include Gary Scelzi (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); = Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Bob Panella (Pro Stock Truck). This = will mark the first time in the NHRA's 49-year history that a national = event elimination field was established using the current NHRA Winston = championship points standings.

"Given the bad weather forecast for the next = few days, I didn't want to run the gamble of shifting everything and = having Saturday qualifying and race on Sunday," said Graham Light, NHRA = Senior Vice President of Racing Operations. "If we end up with a nice = day tomorrow and we run qualifying and then it rains for four days, you = have a qualified show but no chance to run eliminations."

Faced with a menacing weather forecast for northern = Texas, Light along with Texas Motorplex General Manager Elon Werner = agreed to cancel qualifying at 4 p.m.

"Those racers that support the series for the = most part are in the show using this format," said Light. "Obviously = the guys 17th or 18th are not happy, but under = the circumstances I don't think we have much choice."

One = of those racers that applauded the move was Top Fuel driver Gary = Scelzi. Scelzi, currently the NHRA Winston points leader with 1,698 = points, will start Saturday's eliminations at the number one spot and = will receive a first round bye in his Team Winston Dragster. =

"We're going to go out and try to win this race," said = Scelzi. "We're not just going roll over and say we're the champs and = worry about next year. We're going to try to make a = statement."

Only = 15 Top Fuel cars returned to the Texas Motorplex for the rain delayed = event. In order to wrap up the 2000 NHRA Winston Top Fuel championship, = Scelzi will have to complete his bye run to clinch his third NHRA = Winston Top Fuel championship. In the event the eliminations get rained = out and the O'Reilly Fall Nationals are canceled, Scelzi will leave = Dallas with a 151 point lead. With one event remaining in Pomona, = Calif., Tony Schumacher or Larry Dixon would not be able to = mathematically catch Scelzi.

"It = means a lot to come from the behind," said Scelzi. "We got the = lead back and to finally get this thing done and in the bank and to do = it before we get to Pomona is sweet."

Funny Car driver John Force clinched his tenth NHRA = Winston championship in Houston last weekend and will start at the top = of the order for Saturday's eliminations. Force has participated in the = NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series since the 1970's and this is the first = time he has started eliminations from the top spot without completing a = qualifying pass.

"This is the first time I've made money all year," said = Force, the all time winningest driver in NHRA history. "The NHRA is = getting into the same realm as NASCAR when you have this many races and = then you have weather, someone has to make the call."

Although Force has already clinched his tenth NHRA = Winston championship, he will enter Saturday's eliminations in search = of his 91st win.

"I am trying to get after my 100th win," said = Force. "We have been in test mode and we've run the five disc clutch in = Houston. We're going to try to win but we're going to try to get an = education at the same time."

Final eliminations will begin at 8 a.m. for sportsman = categories with professional eliminations starting at 11 a.m. = Saturday.

_________________________________________

ENNIS, Texas -- First-round pairings = for professional eliminations Saturday for the 15th annual O'Reilly = Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec at Texas Motorplex, the 22nd = of 23 events in the $45-million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. = Pairings based on driver points after rain cancelled qualifying = Friday.

Top Fuel -- 1. Gary = Scelzi, 1,698 points vs. Bye; 2. Larry Dixon, 1,473 vs. 15. = Bill Walsh, 31; 3. Joe Amato, 1,352 vs. 14. Mike Dunn, 38; 4. = Doug Kalitta, 1,322 vs. 13. Bobby Baldwin, 277; 5. Kenny = Bernstein, 1,209 vs. 12. Melanie Troxel, 380; 6. Cory = McClenathan, 1,125 vs. 11. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 701; 7. Bob = Vandergriff, 947 vs 10. David Grubnic, 777; 8. Doug Herbert, = 859 vs 9. Don Lampus, 786.

Funny Car -- 1. John = Force, Ford Mustang, 1,756 vs 16. Cristen Powell, Chevy Camaro, = 387; 2. Ron Capps, Camaro, 1,420 vs. 15. Tim Wilkerson, = Pontiac Firebird, 470; 3 Jerry Toliver, Firebird, 1,385 vs. = 14. Gary Densham, Firebird, 594; 4. Tony Pedregon, Mustang, 1,314 = vs. 13. Al Hofmann, Firebird, 770; 5. Jim Epler, Camaro, 1,178 = vs. 12. Bob Gilbertson, Camaro, 794; 6. Whit Bazemore, Camaro, = 1023 vs. 11. Frank Pedregon, Firebird, 865; 7. Scotty Cannon, = Camaro, 1,008 vs. 10. Dean Skuza, Dodge Avenger, 906; 8. Del Worsham, = Firebird, 947 vs. 9. Bruce Sarver, Firebird, 909.

Pro Stock -- 1. Jeg = Coughlin, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 1,858 vs. 16. Greg Anderson, = Pontiac Firebird, 473; 2. Kurt Johnson, Chevy Camaro, 1,373 vs. = 15. Larry Morgan, Dodge R/T, 497; 3. Warren Johnson, Firebird, = 1,354 vs. 14. V Gaines, Camaro, 506; 4. Ron Krisher, Firebird, = 1,324 vs. 13. Brad Jeter, Firebird, 521; 5. Mark Pawuk, Firebird, = 1,106 vs. 12. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 658; 6. Troy = Coughlin, Cutlass, 1,061 vs. 11. Tom Martino, Firebird, 777; 7. = Richie Stevens, Firebird, 1,033 vs. 10. Bruce Allen, Firebird, = 778; 8. Jamie Yates, Firebird, 960 vs. 9. Darrell Alderman, R/T, = 843

Pro Stock Truck -- 1. = Bob Panella Jr, Chevy S-10, 1,221 vs. 16. Scott Perin, S-10, 246; = 2. Randy Daniels, S-10, 991 vs. 15. David Spitzer, GMC Sonoma, = 311; 3. John Coughlin, S-10, 738 vs. 14. Todd Patterson, Dodge = Dakota, 335; 4. Greg Stanfield, S-10, 672 vs. 13. Taylor Lastor, = S-10, 359; 5. Steve Johns, S-10, 663 vs. 12. Mark Whisnant, S-10, = 378; 6. Mike Coughlin, S-10, 578 vs. 11. Larry Seay, S-10, 405; = 7. Brian Self, S-10, 565 vs. 10. John Lingenfelter, Sonoma, 454; = 8. Jeff Gracia, S-10, 506 vs. 9. Rick Jones, Sonoma, 488