SE: Atlanta Sunday summary

Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Qualifying Continues at Atlanta Dragway

COMMERCE, Ga. -- Racing is complete and the winners have been crowned at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event hosted at Atlanta Dragway. This wraps up the fifth of six in Southeast division competition where racers definitely helped their cause in hopes of attaining divisional and national championships. Top winners included Top Dragster pilot Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., and Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Reichert continues his winning streak obtaining his fourth victory in a row and has the national championship in his sights. Arthur Allen, of Jacksonville, Fla., who qualified No.4 coming into Sunday, made his way to the finals, but was shut down by Reichert's pass of 5.267 seconds, 277.43 mph.

Top Alcohol Funny Car continues to be dominated by Jay Payne of Claremont, Calif. Payne defeated Keeter Ray, Newport Beach, Calif., to pick up his second divisional win of the season. Payne's 5.696-second, 249.16 mph. pass was more than enough to defeat Ray's run of 5.930 seconds at 214.35 mph.

Other winners included Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn. in Comp Eliminator; Mike Tueffel, Browns Summit, N.C., in Super Stock; and Stock Eliminator driver Brenda Grubbs of Plant City, Fla. Super Comp honors went to Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan.; Brian Forrester of Parrish, Fla., won in Super Gas; and Mike Desio, Seminole, Fla., took the Super Street crown in his '67 Chevy II.

Davis In-Motion Satellites Top Sportsman Series event winner was Jeffrey Barker of Warner-Robins, Ga., taking his '02 Camaro down the track at 7.224 seconds, 177.37 mph. Also winning big was Mark Brown of Lake Worth, Fla., in Top Dragster presented by Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales.

The following are Sunday's final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division event at Atlanta Dragway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1
4) Arthur Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.360, 256.60 def. 5) Cliff Bozzelli, Absecon, N.J., broke;

1) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.361, 266.32 def. 8) Rich McPhillips, Phoenixville, Pa., 5.520, 257.87;

3) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 9.701, 119.92 def. 6) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 23.782, 23.77;

2) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.395, 260.01 def. 7) Gene Arrigoni, Yorktown Hts, N.Y., broke;

Semifinals
Reichert, 5.281, 273.39 def. Samsel, 5.359, 268.44;
Allen, 5.848, 228.77 def. Thacker, 8.490, 97.91;

Final
Reichert, 5.267, 277.43 def. Allen, 5.830, 197.77.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1
5) Keeter Ray, Newport Bch, Calif., '08 Mustang, 6.756, 192.58 def. 4) Mark Rogers, Highlands, N.C., '02 Firebird, 6.597, 175.73;

6) John Sullivan, Pike Road City, Ala., '02 Trans Am, 5.923, 249.49 def. 3) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '03 Avenger, broke;

2) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '07 Mustang, 5.815, 250.88 def. 7) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, broke;

8) Nick Bastiao, Sacramento, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.738, 245.27 def. 1) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '05 Monte Carlo, foul;

Semifinals
Payne, 5.705, 254.14 def. Sullivan, 5.956, 247.43;
Ray, 5.886, 250.46 def. Bastiao, 12.997, 67.22;

Final
Payne, 5.696, 249.16 def. Ray, 5.930, 214.35.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '07 Sunfire, A/SM, 7.902, 172.08 def. David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., '32 Bantam, A/AP, 10.203, 93.65.

SUPER STOCK

Mike Tueffel, Browns Summit, N.C., '98 Grand Am, SS/BM, 8.816, 142.93 def. David Simmons, Suwanee, Ga., '98 S-10, GT/TA, 10.532, 118.53.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Brenda Grubbs, Plant City, Fla., '69 Camaro, C/SA, 10.574, 123.97 def. Mickey Whaley, Kinston, N.C.., '69 Camaro, C/SA, 10.717, 107.83.

SUPER COMP

Gary Stinnett, Emporia, Kan., dragster, 8.941, 181.40 def. Lindsey Wood, McAlpin, Fla., dragster, 8.945, 180.28.

SUPER GAS

Brian Forrester, Parrish, Fla., '63 Corvette, 9.908, 165.31 def. Steve Furr, Harrisburg, N.C., '68 Camaro, 9.864, 158.17.

SUPER STREET

Mike Desio, Seminole, Fla., '67 Chevy II, 10.984, 123.47 def. Charlie Fitzsimmons, Rossville, Ga., '68 Barracuda, broke.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Jeffrey Barker, Warner-Robins, Ga., '02 Camaro, 7.224, 177.37 def. Allen Holcomb, Fairburn, Ga., '63 Corvette, 8.186, 164.31.

TOP DRAGSTER

Mark Brown, Lake Worth, Fla., dragster, 7.229, 179.95 def. Wade Lanier, Palm Bch Gardens, Fla., dragster, 7.230, 188.96.

-credit: nhra