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Series Commerce Saturday summary

Qualifying Complete and Pairings Set at Atlanta Dragway COMMERCE, Ga. (September 12, 2009) -- In the final rounds of qualifying at Atlanta Dragway, Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Tony ...

Published: Oct 2, 2009, 4:17 PM

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Qualifying Complete and Pairings Set at Atlanta Dragway

COMMERCE, Ga. (September 12, 2009) -- In the final rounds of qualifying at Atlanta Dragway, Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., claimed the No. 1 qualifying positions in their classes. This weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, which will wrap up tomorrow with eliminations, is the fifth of six in Southeast division competition

After two qualifying passes, Shields was able to capture the pole with a 5.377 second, 266.74 mph pass. He currently has one division win this season and is making a late push to grab the Southeast title, sitting just eleven points behind the No.4 qualifier, Artie Allen of Jacksonville, Fla.

Bartone, who races out of the Pacific division, grabbed the No.1 spot from a very competitive field. He wheeled his '09 Mustang down the track at 5.660 second, 253.52 mph in search of his first division win of the year.

Top qualifiers in other classes include Comp Eliminator driver Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind.; Bobby Dennis of Shorter, Ala., in Super Stock; and Corbitt Marshburn, Clinton, N.C., remained at the top of Stock Eliminator. Ronnie Davis of Suwanee, Ga., was the No.1 qualifier in Davis Golf Carts Top Sportsman category and Eddie Careccia, Mars Hill, Fla., pieced together a 6.148 second, 231.83 mph lap to grab the pole in the Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales Top Dragster Series.

Racing continues Sunday with gates opening at 8 a.m. and eliminations beginning at 9 a.m. First round of eliminations for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car are scheduled 1 p.m.

General Admission with a pit pass is $20 on Sunday. Children 12 years old and under are admitted free. For more information please call Atlanta Dragway, (706) 335-2301 or visit www.AtlantaDragway.com.

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

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.377 seconds, 266.74 mph
2) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.441, 252.85
3) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., 5.503, 261.62
4) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.632, 228.11
5) Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., 5.913, (no speed)
6) Cherissa Griffis, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.985, 210.34

First round TAD pairings
1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.377 seconds, 266.74 mph vs. 6) Cherissa Griffis, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.985, 210.34

2) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.441, 252.85 vs. 5) Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., 5.913, (no speed)

3) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., 5.503, 261.62 vs. 4) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.632, 228.11

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., '09 Mustang, 5.660 seconds, 253.52 mph
2) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.668, 255.29
3) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.719, 253.04
4) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.729, 251.77
5) Alexis De Joria, Bronson, Fla., '09 Mustang, 5.743, 252.57
6) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '09 Monte Carlo, 5.767, 252.47
7) John Sullivan, Pike Road City, Ala., '08 Mustang, 5.798, 249.21
8) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 5.858, 246.35

Not Qualified
9) Mark Rogers, Highlands, N.C., '02 Firebird, 5.870, 243.37
10) Jeremy Haskett, Johnson City, Tenn., '02 Firebird, (no time)

First round TAFC pairings
1) Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., '09 Mustang, 5.660 seconds, 253.52 mph vs. 8) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 5.858, 246.35

2) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.668, 255.29 vs. 7) John Sullivan, Pike Road City, Ala., '08 Mustang, 5.798, 249.21

3) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.719, 253.04 vs. 6) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '09 Monte Carlo, 5.767, 252.47

4) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.729, 251.77 vs. 5) Alexis De Joria, Bronson, Fla., '09 Mustang, 5.743, 252.57

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, 7.212 seconds, -0.598 (under index)
2) Lee Sharp, Maryville, Tenn., '09 GXP, D/AA, 7.680, -0.570
3) Arnie Martel, Tewksbury, Mass., '07 GTO, D/AA, 7.698, -0.552
4) Fred Allen, Mary Esther, Fla., '34 Chevy, C/SR, 8.569, -0.551
5) Glen Treadwell, Sorrento, Fla., dragster, G/ED, 8.009, -0.541
6) Larry Pritchett, Clarkrange, Tenn., '07 Sunfire, B/SM, 8.177, -0.503
7) Don Eberly, Brunswick, Ga., '06 Cavalier, C/AA, 7.545, -0.445
8) Jenny Treadwell, Mt. Plymouth, Fla., dragster, E/ED, 8.406, -0.444
9) Gary Wisecarver, Rustburg, Va., '05 Cavalier, H/SM, 9.116, -0.424
10) Mike Saye, Johnston, S.C., '92 Cutlass, H/AA, 8.841, -0.389

SUPER STOCK
1) Bobby Dennis, Shorter, Ala., '90 Calais, GT/MA, 10.677 seconds, -1.373 (under index)
2) Jimmy DeFrank, Thousand Oaks, Calif., '09 Cobalt, SS/BS, 8.749, -1.201
3) Matt Hoover, Adamsville, Tenn., '01 S-10, GT/TC, 10.233, -1.167
4) Jon Richardson, Lexington, N.C., '67 Camaro, SS/AS, 8.756, -1.144
5) Andy Fogle, Norway, S.C., '67 Camaro, SS/GA, 9.723, -1.127
6) Tim Cole, Collierville, Tenn., '96 Corvette, SS/AX, 8.687, -1.113
7) Mike Crutchfield, Montgomery, Ala., '08 G5, SS/DM, 8.962, -1.088
8) Rick Twitchell, Cape Coral, Fla., '03 S-10, GT/TB, 10.068, -1.082
9) Lee Sharp, Maryville, Tenn., '08 Cobalt, SS/BM, 8.456, -1.044
10) Mike Stokes, Hopkinsville, Ky., '05 Cavalier, SS/CM, 8.791, -1.009

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Corbitt Marshburn, Clinton, N.C., '94 Caprice, R/SA, 13.033 seconds, -1.317 (under index)
2) Bobby Warren, Clinton, N.C., '98 Firebird, C/SA, 10.467, -1.233
3) Bud Rowe, Bridgeton, N.C., '94 Camaro, B/SA, 10.398, -1.152
4) Doug Patrick, Boca Raton, Fla., '72 Cutlass, K/SA, 11.827, -1.123
5) Jeff Adkinson, Damascus, Ga., '69 Camaro, C/SA, 10.582, -1.118
6) Norman Griffis Jr., Johnston, S.C., '84 Firebird, V/SA, 14.707, -1.093
7) Jack Zimmerman, Clemmons, N.C., '71 Challenger, B/SA, 10.475, -1.075
8) Butch Payne, Rome, Ga., '97 Firebird, E/SA, 10.945, -1.055
9) Edmond Richardson, Greenbrier, Tenn., '02 Camaro, B/SA, 10.497, -1.053
10) Tom Stevenson, Flowery Branch, Ga., '69 Nova, G/SA, 11.259, -1.041

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Ronnie Davis, Suwanee, Ga., '63 Corvette, 6.352 seconds, 219.04 mph
2) Matthew Buck, Lantana, Fla., '96 Firebird, 6.823, 203.71
3) Jerry Barker, Ft. Valley, Ga., '06 Cobalt, 6.932, 200.53
4) Jeff Brooks, Fredericksburg, Va., '51 Henry J, 7.028, 194.38
5) Daniel Morrow, St. Petersburg, Fla., '08 GXP, 7.035, 202.67
6) Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '01 S-10, 7.056, 193.35
7) Vince Hoda, Diamondhead, Miss., '00 Firebird, 7.065, 198.06
8) Dewey Pedrick, Lighthouse Pt., Fla., '63 Corvette, 7.089, 195.31
9) Jeffrey Barker, Warner-Robins, Ga., '02 Camaro, 7.220, 188.94
10) John Glenn, Andrews, N.C., '01 S-10, 7.271, 189.31

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Eddie Careccia, Mars Hill, Fla., dragster, 6.148 seconds, 231.83 mph
2) Jody Stroud, Chesterfield, S.C., dragster, 6.222, 225.00
3) Ray Miller, Spring Hill, Fla., dragster, 6.591, 203.31
4) Charlie Careccia, Mars Hill, N.C., dragster, 6.715, 201.73
5) Jeff Burnett, Orlando, Fla., '23 roadster, 6.856, 198.67
6) Charles Careccia, Asheville, N.C., dragster, 6.913, 194.44
7) Dan Seidel, Port St. Lucie, Fla., dragster, 6.929, 193.74
8) Lauren Freer, Lewisville, N.C., dragster, 6.974, 191.89
9) Casey Spradlin, Ranburne, Ala., dragster, 6.996, 191.95
10) Melissa Hutson, Lady Lake, Fla., dragster, 7.032, 192.03

-credit: nhra

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