NW: Mission Friday summary

SHIELDS, THOMPSON SET THE PACE IN THE OPENING DAY OF QUALIFYING AT MISSION RACEWAY PARK

MISSION, B.C. -- The first day of qualifying at the Lordco BC Nationals, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Mission Raceway Park, is in the books. Duane Shields of Boulder City, Nev., is the best qualifier in Top Alcohol Dragster while Klamath Falls, Ore., racer Clint Thompson leads the Top Alcohol Funny Car field. More than 400 racers in 11 categories converged on Mission Raceway in hopes of making their way to the winner's circle on Sunday.

Shields' 5.231-second, 272.80 mph pass was more than enough to cover second-place qualifier Randy Eakins of Carson City, Nev., who ran 5.307 seconds at 268.41 mph. With two more qualifying runs slated for the weekend, there are 12 racers vying for a place in the eight-car eliminations field in Top Alcohol Dragster. Richmond's Shawn Cowie is qualified in the No. 4 spot and Sumas, Wash., racer Bill Edwards Jr., is in the bump spot. Mission resident Leo Grocock is currently on the outside looking in from the No. 10 position.

Thompson's 5.626-second, 257.51 mph pass was just enough to get by No. 2 qualifier Sean O'Bannon's 5.653-second, 255.97 mph effort. O'Bannon is a resident of Ontario, Calif. Tim Nemeth of Chilliwack is in the No. 3 spot after covering the quarter-mile in 5.840 seconds at 248.07 mph.

North Vancouver racer Rob Harrison set the pace in Comp Eliminator while Delta, B.C., resident Terry Spargo leads the pack in Top Sportsman and Coquitlam's Kelly Vos rode to the top of the Sportsman Motorcycle field. Jim Caughlin, Woodburn, Ore., drove his '96 Escort to the No. 1 position in Super Stock, Tom Gaynor, Vancouver, Wash., is No. 1 in Stock Eliminator, and Top Dragster is headed up by Greg Carlisle, Lake Stevens, Wash. Other local racers who qualified in the top 10 include Langley residents Bob Marshall (No. 4 in Comp Eliminator) and Rick Pike (No. 8 in Super Stock); Surrey's Martin Zazula (No. 2 in Top Dragster) and Al Omond (No. 7 in Sportsman Motorcycle), and Maple Ridge racer Rob Charlton (No. 9 in Top Sportsman).

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at the Lordco BC Nationals. Qualifying and time trials continue Saturday at 9 a.m. and eliminations start on Sunday at 9 a.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. both days. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will have two qualifying runs on Saturday, at 1 and 4 p.m., and run first round of eliminations Sunday at noon.

General admission tickets for the Lordco BC Nationals are $20 each day. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. Pit passes are available for $5 each day.

Mission Raceway Park is located 10 miles north of Sumas, Wash., on Highway 11. For more information call the track, (604) 826-6315, or visit www.MissionRaceway.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the Lordco BC Nationals event at Mission Raceway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.231 seconds, 272.80 mph
2) Randy Eakins, Carson City, Nev., 5.307, 268.41
3) Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., 5.367, 265.25
4) Shawn Cowie, Richmond, B.C., 5.397, 268.01
5) Thomas Bayer, Fontana, Calif., 5.407, 264.23
6) Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., 5.457, 266.82
7) Justin Davis, Murrieta, Calif., 5.570, 257.21
8) Bill Edwards Jr., Sumas, Wash., 5.770, 246.30

Not Qualified
9) Doug Hegge, Vancouver, Wash., 7.326, 212.86
10) Leo Grocock, Mission, B.C., 8.323, 88.56
11) Gary Ormsby Jr., Granite Bay, Calif., 9.347, 87.03
12) Ashley Bart, High River, Alb., 11.217, 68.91

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.626 seconds, 257.51 mph
2) Sean O'Bannon, Ontario, Calif., '07 Charger, 5.653, 255.97
3) Tim Nemeth, Chilliwack, B.C., '02 Camaro, 5.840, 248.07
4) Randy Parker, Puyallup, Wash., '04 Mustang, 5.974, 241.67
5) John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alb., '02 Firebird, 6.139, 240.44
6) Nathan Sitko, Edmonton, Alb., '02 Camaro, 6.818, 209.30
7) Dave Germain, Toledo, Wash., '02 Firebird, 10.337, 76.77
8) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 11.433, 66.19

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
1) Rob Harrison, N. Vancouver, B.C., '05 Cavalier, J/A, 7.735 seconds, -0.745 (under index)
2) Clint Neff, Westminster, Colo., '23 roadster, K/A, 7.859, -0.741
3) Pat Byron, Hoquiam, Wash., dragster, C/D, 6.926, -0.614
4) Bob Marshall, Langley, B.C., '08 GTO, B/AA, 7.029, -0.611
5) Mark Stewart, Medford, Ore., '98 Achieva, G/SMA, 8.879, -0.481
6) Dan Barton, Post Falls, Idaho, '05 Cavalier, G/SMA, 8.883, -0.477
7) Mark Wolfe, Marysville, Wash., '96 Thunderbird, AA/AT, 6.614, -0.476
8) Adam Bowdish, Oregon City, Ore., '89 Trans Am, H/SM, 9.096, -0.474
9) Casey Plaizer, Edmonton, Alb., '04 Cavalier, C/SMA, 8.405, -0.455
10) Randy Jones, Monarch Beach, Calif., '04 Cavalier, H/SM, 9.121, -0.449

SUPER STOCK
1) Jim Caughlin, Woodburn, Ore., '96 Escort, SS/FS, 11.423 seconds, -1.327 (under index)
2) Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '08 Cobalt, SS/BS, 8.846, -1.204
3) Sean Cour, Brush Prairie, Wash., '08 Cobalt, GT/AA, 9.212, -1.188
4) Chuck Stubeck, Chatsworth, Calif., '69 Roadrunner, SS/FA, 9.609, -1.141
5) Alan Falcone, Normandy Park, Wash., '91 Calais, GT/CA, 9.577, -1.123
6) Mike Pruss, Red Deer, Alb., '02 Firebird, SS/HA, 9.800, -1.100
7) Tom Nolan, Lacombe, Alb., '04 S-10, GT/TA, 9.777, -1.073
8) Rick Pike, Langley, B.C., '56 Chevy, SS/PA, 11.935, -1.015
9) Rick Paton, Edmonton, Alb., '02 Camaro, SS/BS, 9.043, -1.007
10) Jared Erichsen, Hanna, Alb., '67 Camaro, SS/HA, 9.894, -1.006

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Tom Gaynor, Vancouver, Wash., '95 Firebird, C/SA, 10.503 seconds, -1.197 (under index)
2) Bill Edgeworth, Tacoma, Wash., '77 Firebird, K/SA, 11.761, -1.189
3) Dan Cyr, Portland, Ore., '69 Camaro, A/SA, 10.138, -1.162
4) John Hill, Fairbanks, Alaska, '87 Camaro, I/SA, 11.439, -1.161
5) Hal Sorensen, Vancouver, Wash., '69 Camaro, AA/SA, 9.759, -1.141
6) Mary Ann Method, Weston, Ore., '69 Nova, B/SA, 10.420, -1.130
7) Jeff Lane, North Bend, Wash., '96 Corvette, C/SA, 10.590, -1.110
8) Larry Peterson, Eugene, Ore., '71 Chevelle, B/SA, 10.443, -1.107
9) Jim Mantle, Black Creek, B.C., '79 Pacer Wgn, V/SA, 14.713, -1.087
10) Steve Cozakos, Marysville, Wash., '69 Nova, G/SA, 11.224, -1.076

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Terry Spargo, Delta, B.C., '02 Cavalier, 6.743 seconds, 205.52 mph
2) Dean Woods, Duncan, B.C., '06 GTO, 7.183, 193.38
3) Frank Tamez, Yakima, Wash., '67 Nova, 7.190, 188.36
4) Aaron Giroux, Canyon Creek, Alb., '02 Cavalier, 7.314, 187.69
5) Daryl Hemley, Burley, Wash., '02 Cavalier, 7.423, 185.33
6) Robert Matthews, Gig Harbor, Wash., '67 Nova, 7.506, 181.23
7) Randy Johnson, Bothell, Wash., '04 Cavalier, 7.527, 182.44
8) Geordie Castle, Sherwood Park, Alb., '04 S-10, 7.641, 180.65
9) Rob Charlton, Maple Ridge, B.C., '00 S-10, 7.815, 172.01
10) Frank Nelson, Auburn, Wash., '05 Cavalier, 7.855, 177.97

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Greg Carlile, Lake Stevens, Wash., dragster, 6.519 seconds, 212.96 mph
2) Martin Zazula, Surrey, B.C., dragster, 6.634, 204.22
3) Neil Lachelt, Kelowna, B.C., dragster, 6.776, 210.57
4) Tom Koenen, Tucson, Ariz., dragster, 6.858, 195.95
5) Glen Hultberg, Medical Lake, Wash., dragster, 7.054, 192.84
6) Shane Molinari, Battle Ground, Wash., dragster, 7.074, 188.04
7) Jeff Bailey, Kalispell, Mont., dragster, 7.084, 195.73
8) Mike Peck, Woodinville, Wash., dragster, 7.088, 189.47
9) Dale Green, Kent, Wash., dragster, 7.090, 188.52
10) Mike Henderson, Tacoma, Wash., dragster, 7.116, 188.20

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
1) Kelly Vos, Coquitlam, B.C., '78 Suzuki, SMC, 0.002 seconds reaction time
2) Brett Hordemann, Spokane, Wash., '95 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.003
3) Jeff Havens, Yakima, Wash., '95 Suzuki, SMC, 0.006
4) Buff Kobs, Coeur D'lene, Idaho, '95 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.008
5) Miles Hauer, Seattle, '81 Suzuki, SMC, 0.010
6) Nick Kessler, Medford, Ore., '78 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.014
7) Al Omond, Surrey, B.C., '94 Kawasaki, SMC, 0.022
8) Kevin Brennan, Chilliwack, B.C., '92 Suzuki, SMC, 0.028
9) Christopher McKnight, Arlington, Wash., '00 Suzuki, SMC, 0.049
10) James Empey, Poulsbo, Wash., '01 Harley, SMC, 0.053

-credit: nhra