SE: Series Commerce final summary

Champions Crowned at Atlanta Dragway

COMMERCE, Ga. (September 13, 2009) -- The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast division event at Atlanta Dragway is in the books with Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Steve Harker out of Gainesville, Ga., taking home the goods. This weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event wraps up the fifth of six in Southeast division competition.

Shields picked up his second divisional of the season when he knocked out Robin Samsel of Marion, Ind., for the win. His pass of 5.372 seconds at 263.72 took the win light and a hold of the lead in the Southeast points standings.

Harker, who races out of the South Central division, defeated the No.1 qualifier Tony Bartone of Long Island City, N.Y., in the final. His lap of 5.635 seconds at 256.99 mph was more than enough to grab the hardware and earn his second divisional win of the season.

Other top winners included Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., in Comp Eliminator; Hugh Meeks of Pike Road, Ala., in Super Stock; and Jack Zimmerman out of Clemmons, N.C., in Stock. Lauren Freer, Lewisville, N.C., took the win in Super Comp; Frank Altilio of Ocoee, Fla., was victorious in Super Gas; and the Super Street title went to Bill Carmichael, Cocoa, Fla.

The division's Davis Golf Carts Top Sportsman Series trophy went to Ray Miller of Spring Hill, Fla., and William Thigpen out of Flowery Branch, Ga., seized the win in the Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales Top Dragster Series.

The next Southeast division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event is at Silver Dollar Raceway. The race is slated for October 16-18, which will conclude the divisional series.

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
1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.359, 272.01 def. 6) Cherissa Griffis, Jacksonville, Fla., 18.841, 36.39;

2) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.359, 264.03 def. 5) Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., broke;

4) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.567, 255.43 def. 3) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., 5.805, 245.09;

Semifinals
Shields, 5.274, 272.34 was unopposed;
Samsel, 5.500, 260.61 def. Allen, 5.743, 223.10;

Final
Shields, 5.372, 263.72 def. Samsel, 13.318, 58.26.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1
4) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.644, 256.94 def. 5) Alexis De Joria, Bronson, Fla., '09 Mustang, 5.693, 255.48;

1) Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., '09 Mustang, 5.722, 254.09 def. 8) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 5.823, 245.99;
2) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.652, 255.58 def. 7) John Sullivan, Pike Road City, Ala., '08 Mustang, 5.804, 248.20;

3) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.688, 254.76 def. 6) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '09 Monte Carlo, 5.745, 254.90;

Semifinals
Harker, 5.643, 255.82 def. Ferro, 5.714, 253.04; Bartone, 5.644, 255.29 def. Payne, 5.669, 258.37;

Final
Harker, 5.635, 256.99 def. Bartone, foul.

COMP ELIMINATOR
Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '07 GTO, D/AA, 16.216, 70.86 def. Fred Allen, Mary Esther, Fla., '34 Chevy, C/SR, broke.

SUPER STOCK
Hugh Meeks, Pike Road, Ala., '66 Chevy II, GT/DA, 10.084, 123.40 def. Mike Crutchfield, Montgomery, Ala., '08 G5, SS/DM, 9.075, 149.81.

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jack Zimmerman, Clemmons, N.C., '71 Challenger, B/SA, 20.857, 57.85 def. Adam Davis, Cullman, Ala., '67 Camaro, D/SA, 15.113, 59.94.

SUPER COMP
Lauren Freer, Lewisville, N.C., dragster, 8.907, 172.34 def. Jim Perry , Niota, Tenn., dragster, 8.894, 173.56.

SUPER GAS
Frank Altilio, Ocoee, Fla., '01 Mustang, 9.930, 162.65 def. Sherman Adcock Jr, Fortson, Ga., '02 Trans Am, 9.903, 157.71.

SUPER STREET
Bill Carmichael, Cocoa, Fla., '92 Beretta, 10.905, 137.54 def. Ernie Griggs, Ocala, Fla., '72 Camaro, 10.897, 139.14.

TOP DRAGSTER
Ray Miller, Spring Hill, Fla., dragster, 6.805, 190.94 def. Steve Furr , Harrisburg, N.C., dragster, 7.155, 180.60.

TOP SPORTSMAN
William Thigpen, Flowery Branch, Ga., '55 Chevy, 7.366, 180.81 def. Jeffrey Barker, Warner-Robins, Ga., '02 Camaro, 7.261, 185.28.

-credit: nhra