SE: Bradenton Sunday final summary

Winners Crowned at Bradenton Motorsports Park

BRADENTON, Fla. (February 15, 2009) -- The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season opener is in the books and the winners have been crowned at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Top honors went to John Finke of Selkirk, N.Y., in Top Alcohol Dragster and Mickey Ferro from Stamford, Conn., won once again in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., worked his way from the forth spot all the way to the Top Alcohol Dragster finals, falling just short of the divisional win. Finke posted a 5.378 second, 269.62 mph pass to defeat Evans run of 5.440 seconds.

Top Alcohol Funny Car was mastered once again by Ferro, picking up back to back divisional wins at Bradenton. Coming out of the top qualifying position, Ferro's pass of 5.673 seconds, 255.39 mph gave him the win light in the finals. Mark Billington of Norcross, Ga., was a win light away of the title, coming out of the third qualifying position.

Tewksbury, Mass. resident Arnie Martel competed in two categories, coming up just shy of making a repeat appearance in the winner's circle. The 2008 Southeast Division Comp Eliminator champ proved his strength in the class once again by picking up the hardware, and was also runner-up in Super Stock.

Other drivers who received the prestigious Wally trophy included Joe Teuton Jr., Schriever, La., in Super Stock; Jeff Strickland of Red Bay, Ala., in Stock Eliminator; Lake Worth, Fla., resident Tim Nemmo in Super Comp; Sherman Adcock Jr., Fortson, Ga., in Super Gas; and Bart Graham from Fruitland Park, Fla., in Super Street.

Delon Pleasants, Williamstown, N.J., drove his '88 Ciera to the Davis Golf Carts Top Sportsman title and the Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales Top Dragster trophy was awarded to 2008 divisional champ Bill Empke from West Palm Beach, Fla.

Southeast Division racers head to Gainesville Raceway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, held February 20-22.

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

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1
4) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., 5.387, 268.17 def. 5) Shayne Lawson, Broken Arrow, Okla., 5.384, 264.47;

6) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.497, 258.91 def. 3) Arthur Gallant, Boxboro, Mass., 13.141, 98.92;

1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.602, 260.56 def. 8) Cherissa Griffis, Gainesville, Fla., 5.628, 246.98;

2) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.447, 261.55 def. 7) Al Moeser, Hill Town, Pa., 6.523, 238.91;

Semifinals
Evans, 5.395, 268.57 def. Shields, 5.531, 250.13;
Finke, 5.367, 264.62 def. Samsel, 5.535, 256.26;

Final
Finke, 5.378, 269.62 def. Evans, 5.440, 260.56.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1
3) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 5.768, 248.27 def. 4) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '07 Mustang, 5.785, 250.27;

2) Alexis De Joria, Bronson, Fla., '09 Mustang, 5.778, 251.81 def. 5) Tim Stevens, Dorr, Mich., '06 Stratus, broke; d
1) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.746, 254.66 def. 6) John Sullivan, Pike Road City, Ala., '02 Firebird, 5.952, 227.79;

Semifinals
Ferro, 5.628, 256.19 was unopposed;
Billington, 5.772, 247.72 def. De Joria, 21.196, 47.92;

Final
Ferro, 5.673, 255.39 def. Billington, 5.733, 250.27.

COMP ELIMINATOR

Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '34 Chevy, B/SR, 7.848, 156.11 def. Glen Treadwell, Sorrento, Fla., '23 roadster, F/EA, 8.258, 128.04.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Delon Pleasants, Williamstown, N.J., '88 Ciera, 7.966, 171.10 def. Jeffrey Barker, Warner-Robins, Ga., '02 Camaro, 7.180, 184.42.

TOP DRAGSTER

Bill Empke, W Palm Beach, Fla., dragster, 7.069, 190.31 def. Al Miller, Chester, Md., dragster, 6.757, 200.35.

SUPER STOCK

Joe Teuton Jr., Schriever, La., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 10.092, 100.30 def. Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '08 Cobalt, SS/BS, foul.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., '95 Camaro, D/SA, 10.937, 111.45 def. Ralph Porpora, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., '69 Camaro, A/S, 10.197, 130.45.

SUPER COMP

Tim Nimmo, Lake Worth, Fla., dragster, 8.921, 180.50 def. Adam Roach, Lake Worth, Fla., '72 Cutlass, 8.819, 140.97.

SUPER GAS

Sherman Adcock Jr, Fortson, Ga., '02 Trans Am, 9.872, 163.51 def. Brian Forrester, Lake Wales, Fla., '63 Corvette, foul.

SUPER STREET

Bart Graham, Fruitland Park, Fla., '74 Vega, 10.886, 144.20 def. Bill Carmichael, Cocoa, Fla., '92 Beretta, 10.859, 135.74.

-credit: nhra