Earlville Friday notes

HAMELINK, BOHR SET THE PACE AT TRI-STATE RACEWAY'S NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES EVENT

EARLVILLE, Iowa -- Jeff Hamelink of Savage, Minn., leads the early qualifiers at Tri-State Raceway's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. The Top Alcohol Dragster pilot wheeled his ride to the No. 1 qualifying spot in the opening day of the three-day race and Earlville resident Richard Putz is in the sixth spot. Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., leads his class, where there are 18 racers vying for the eight-car elimination field.

Hamelink peeled off a 5.344-second, 257.92 mph pass in the first qualifying run of the weekend. He is more than tenth of a second quicker than No. 2 qualifier Scott Murray of Winnipeg, Manit., who ran 5.472 seconds at 252.85 mph. Putz, who is leading in the division's point standings, posted a 7.275-second, 127.15 mph pass in the opening round.

Bohl's 5.730-second, 250.83 mph run was enough to cover the second place qualifier, Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, who ran 5.774 seconds at 250.60 mph. Division veteran Vern Moats of Des Moines is in the No. 3 spot with a 5.797-second, 251.63 mph effort.

Jason Coan of Greentown, Ind., is leading Comp Eliminator the Comp Eliminator field , Ron Roddel, Sioux Fall, S.D., heads up Super Stock and Brad VanLant, Linn Creek, Mo., is No. 1 in Stock Eliminator. Des Moines resident Tom Harger is the top qualifier in Top Sportsman, while in Top Dragster Anthony Bronge, Marengo, Ill., leads the field, and in Sportsman Motorcycle, Van Horne, Iowa's Al Wright is the best qualifier.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Tri-State Raceway. Gates open at 8 a.m. Saturday and final qualifying and time trials start at 9 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car competitors are slated for two qualifying passes, at noon and 4 p.m. On Sunday, gates open at 7 a.m. and eliminations start at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will run first round of eliminations at noon.

Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Tri-State Raceway are $20 each day. Children 6 to 12 years old are $5 and kids 5 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.

Tri-State Raceway is located 30 miles west of Dubuque on Highway 20 at exit 285. For more information call the track, (563) 923-DRAG, or visit www.TriStateRaceway.com.

-credit: nhra