Final eliminations (results courtey NHRA Marketing and DRC)

CLERMONT, Ind. -- Marty Thacker of Robinson, Ill., wheeled his Top Alcohol Dragster to the winner's circle for the first time this season at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at O'Reilly Raceway Park. He was joined there by Demotte, Ind., resident Mick Snyder who also scored his first win of the season. The race was the fifth of seven in the NHRA North Central division.
Thacker, whose best showing of the season before today was a runner-up finish at the division event in Joliet, Ill., qualified in the No. 4 spot and in the semis he took out Bill Reichert, the event's top qualifier from Owosso, Mich., with his best run of the weekend, a 5.412-second, 268.54 mph lap to Reichert's 5.470-second, 261.27 mph pass. In the final, Thacker faced off against Jeff Bohr of Plymouth, Mich. Thacker ran 5.441 seconds at 267.37 mph while Bohr slowed to a 9.691-second run at 98.07 mph.

Snyder, the division's defending Top Alcohol Funny Car champ, was the No. 2 qualifier for the event. He knocked off Mark Poyser of Fort Wayne in the first round and Chicago's Fred Hagen in the semis. In the final, he was slated to take on No. 1 qualifier Andy Bohl of Racine, Wis., but Bohl was unable to make the call giving Snyder a pass to the winner's circle. Despite being unopposed in the final, Snyder still laid down a 5.754-second, 250.55 mph pass.

In Comp Eliminator, Wabash, Ind., resident Robert Bailey earned his second win of the season, beating Woodhaven, Mich., resident Steve Ambrose in the final. Dan Olding drove his '99 Monte Carlo to the Super Stock win over Nashville's Stan Perry and his '69 Camaro. In the Stock Eliminator final, John Keihn of Muncie drove his '72 Grand Sport around Keith Lynch of West Manchester, Ohio, for the win. Lake Bluff, Ill., resident Vince Nannini scored the Super Comp win, beating out Bill Sharpe of Louisville, Ky., while the Super Gas win went to Travis Mazza of Washington , D.C., who beat Carl Root Jr. of Washington, Ill. Paul Richardson, Woodburn, Ind., joined the winner's circle crowd after knocking off Nikki Looney, Danville, Ohio, in the final and the Top Sportsman win went to Daniel Howorth of Yorkville, Ill., over Jerry Albert of Avon, Ohio.

NHRA North Central division racers head to National Trail Raceway for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. The Hebron, Ohio, facility will host the race next weekend, July 27-29.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at O'Reilly Raceway Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1

1) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.326, 270.97 def.
8) Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell, Mich., 5.559, 261.17

2) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.323, 266.53 def.
7) Todd Datweiler, Herscher, Ill., 16.617, 51.03

3) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 7.909, 119.18 def.
6) Paul Fishburn, Rensselaer, Ind., foul

4) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 5.432, 268.22 def.
5) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.466, 259.81

Semifinals
Thacker, 5.412, 268.54 def. Reichert, 5.470, 261.27
Bohr, 6.674, 236.34 def. Perry, broke

Final
Thacker, 5.441, 267.37 def. Bohr, 9.691, 98.07

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1

1) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '00 Firebird, 5.736, 250.83 def.
8) Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., '06 Monte Carlo, 8.271, 116.87

2) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.702, 252.71 def.
7) Mark Poyser, Fort Wayne, Ind., '02 Camaro, broke

3) Fred Hagen, Chicago, '07 Mustang, 5.779, 238.01 def.
6) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '03 Avenger, 5.871, 247.75

5) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.774, 227.73 def.
4) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 5.751, 252.80

Semifinals
Bohl, 5.778, 246.08 def. Wilson, 10.315, 121.72
Snyder, 5.764, 251.77 def. Hagen, 5.801, 249.63

Final
Snyder, 5.754, 250.55 def. Bohl, broke

COMP ELIMINATOR
Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.703, 182.13 def.
Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., '23 roadster, J/AA, 8.445, 117.16

SUPER STOCK
Dan Olding, Hartland, Mich., '99 Monte Carlo, GT/JA, 10.946, 122.29 def.
Stan Perry, Nashville, '69 Camaro, SS/CA, 9.463, 132.06

STOCK ELIMINATOR
John Keihn, Muncie, Ind., '72 Gran Sport, G/SA, 11.427, 113.31 def.
Keith Lynch, West Manchester, Ohio, '70 Camaro, B/SA, 10.591, 115.22

SUPER COMP
Vince Nannini, Lake Bluff, Ill., dragster, 8.993, 158.04 def.
Bill Sharpe, Louisville, Ky., '96 Avenger, 9.094, 148.72

SUPER GAS
Travis Mazza, Washington, D.C., '76 Vega, 9.911, 143.76 def.
Carl Root Jr., Washington, Ill., '63 Chevy II, foul

SUPER STREET
Paul Richardson, Woodburn, Ind., '87 Firenza, 11.400, 110.24 def.
Nikki Looney, Danville, Ohio, '85 Thunderbird, 11.988, 89.52

TOP SPORTSMAN
Daniel Howorth, Yorkville, Ill., '97 Camaro, 7.365, 181.08 def.
Jerry Albert, Avon, Ohio, '97 Camaro, 7.793, 131.13

Satruday Final qualifying

TAFC

1 35 Andy Bohl, Racine WI, '00 Firebird 5.738 251.86 251.86
2 6 Mick Snyder, Demotte IN, '02 Firebird 5.742 252.00 252.00
3 3371 Fred Hagen, Chicago IL, '07 Mustang 5.752 253.42 253.42
4 327 Chuck Cheeseman, Galena OH, '02 Firebird 5.765 251.53 251.53
5 325 Jeff Wilson, Winfield MO, '06 Monte Carlo 5.788 248.75 248.75
6 302 John Bojec, Chardon OH, '03 Avenger 5.793 250.46 250.46
7 323 Mark Poyser, Fort Wayne IN, '02 Camaro 5.850 242.23 242.23
8 347 Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield IL, '06 Monte Ca 5.929 242.36 242.50

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 314 Don Devault, Kentland IN, '02 Camaro 6.152 196.64 234.49
10 3377 Rick Cortino, Wheaton IL, '97 Firebird 6.333 221.31 221.31
11 34 Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls PA, '07 Charger 6.493 172.78 172.78
12 39 Steve Franke, Indianapolis IN, '99 Lumina 6.577 171.69 171.69
13 33 Jeff Burnett, Brownsburg IN, '07 Mustang 7.148 130.75 130.75
14 502 Chris Foster, Davenport IA, '05 Monte Carlo 10.074 84.40 84.40

TAD

1 1 A/FD Bill Reichert, Owosso MI, Bowen-Reich 5.332 269.78 269.78
2 32 B/AD Ken Perry, Gormley ON, Hadman-MBR 5.372 261.62 261.62
3 34 B/AD Jeff Bohr, Plymouth MI, Spitzer-GBR 5.394 268.28 268.28
4 33 B/AD Marty Thacker, Robinson IL, Spitzer-RTR 5.401 267.69 267.69
5 37 B/AD Noah Condo, Monticello IN, Uyehara-BAE 5.499 261.57 261.57
6 3390 B/AD Paul Fishburn, Rensselaer IN, Haase-TFX 5.527 257.09 257.09
7 303 A/FD Todd Datweiler, Herscher IL, McKinney-BAE 5.530 252.19 253.80
8 308 B/AD Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell MI, Spitzer-B 5.535 254.95 254.95

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 56 A/FD Robin Samsel, Marion IN, Uyehara-BAE 5.560 251.49 251.49
10 371 A/FD Dave Heitzman, Decatur MI, Spitzer-BAE 5.582 259.81 259.81
11 35 A/FD Dave Hirata, Lowell IN, McKinney-TFX 5.585 253.52 253.52
12 3662 B/AD Brian Mans, Godfrey IL, Spitzer-BAE 5.815 236.42 248.93
13 373 A/FD Ray Hack, Valpraiso IN, Uyehara-TFX 5.928 241.11 252.90
14 39 A/FD Tim Bowgren, Valparaiso IN, Hadman-TFX DQ

Comp

1 3098 B/SMA Douglas Stewart, Edwardsburg MI, '03 Strat 8.140 8.77 -0.630
2 3112 G/AA Mike Smith, Mineral Wells WV, '04 Neon 8.344 8.96 -0.616
3 301 A/D Bob Book, Frankfort IL, Pro Start-Olds 6.440 7.05 -0.610
4 330 D/D Brian Browell, Lafayette IN, McKinney-Chevy 7.210 7.82 -0.610
5 5296 E/D Pat Nahan, St. Cloud MN, Tuttle-Ford 7.553 8.16 -0.607
6 3629 G/EA Jason Coan, Greentown IN, '32 Bantam 8.423 9.03 -0.607
7 3427 D/ED Jesse Plant, Terre Haute IN, Plant-Chevy 7.406 7.99 -0.584
8 3737 A/ED Jacklyn Gebhardt, Jacksonville IL, Spitzer 6.657 7.23 -0.573
9 33 K/A Chad Voges, Lafayette IN, '32 Bantam 8.049 8.62 -0.571
10 213 A/AP David Eaton, Merritt Island FL, '32 Bantam 6.812 7.38 -0.568
11 37 A/ED Robert Bailey, Wabash IN, Dragster-GM 6.672 7.23 -0.558
12 3304 A/ED Wayne Henderson, Fishers IN, Spitzer-GM 6.672 7.23 -0.558
13 3 I/SMA Jeff Taylor, Floyds Kobb IN, '07 Cobalt 9.232 9.79 -0.558
14 3483 B/AA Nick Panagiotaros, Elburn IL, '00 Neon 7.118 7.67 -0.552
15 390 F/ED Dale Spencer, Greenwood IN, Spencer-Mopar 8.358 8.91 -0.552
16 3068 J/AA Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven MI, '23-T Ford 7.864 8.40 -0.536
17 394 C/ED Greg Kamplain, Brownsburg IN, Spitzer-Chevy 7.377 7.91 -0.533
18 3522 C/ED Gary Merrick, Girard OH, Spitzer-Chevy 7.388 7.91 -0.522
19 3096 C/ED Patrick Stewart, Elkhart IN, Spitzer-Mopar 7.399 7.91 -0.511
20 3558 A/D Rob Kropfeld, Hamilton OH, Dragster-Olds 6.552 7.05 -0.498
21 373 D/ED Ray Vierheller III, Barberton OH, McKinney 7.499 7.99 -0.491
22 3864 A/D Scott Chamness, Bourbonnais IL, Spitzer-Po 6.564 7.05 -0.486
23 3185 F/AA Bert Dawson, E. Liverpool OH, '04 Cavalier 8.163 8.64 -0.477
24 357 B/TA Rick Brown, Lebanon OH, '00 S-10 8.455 8.93 -0.475
25 3316 B/A Michael Hazlett, Indianapolis IN, '97 Cutl 7.284 7.69 -0.406
26 308R B/AA Jeff Wright, Glenford OH, '04 Cavalier 7.271 7.67 -0.399
27 3111 C/EA Eddie Smith, Mineral Wells WV, '63 Corvette 8.324 8.72 -0.396
28 300 C/D Mauri Rose, Warren MI, Spitzer-Chevy 7.192 7.54 -0.348
29 3998 B/EA Steve Messina, Clinton Twp MI, '93 Cutlass 8.119 8.39 -0.271
30 3073 C/DA Jeremy Bailey, Wabash IN, Plant 7.415 7.64 -0.225
31 366 B/DA Brad Allen, Winamac IN, '00 Undercover 7.232 7.39 -0.158
32 3272 E/SM Martin Jeltema, Jension MI, '97 Mustang 9.046 9.16 -0.114

------------ Not Qualified ------------

33 3281 B/D Gary Agan, Greenwood IN, Dragster-Ford 7.216 7.26 -0.044
34 2304 C/EA Danny Holt, Powell TN, '05 Escort 9.362 8.72 0.642
35 3000 G/ED Jerry Arnold, Kalamazoo MI, Kustoms-Ford 10.375 8.66 1.715

Friday qualifying

CLERMONT, Ind. -- The opening rounds of qualifying are complete at O'Reilly Raceway Park's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. Reigning national and divisional Top Alcohol Dragster champion Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., is the No. 1 qualifier in the category while Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., set the pace in Top Alcohol Funny Car.
Reichert blistered the track with a 5.332-second, 269.78 mph pass to put him ahead of No. 2 qualifier Ken Perry of Gormley, Ont. Perry laid down a 5.372-second, 261.62 mph pass. If Reichert holds on to the top spot, it will make his fifth top qualifying effort in as many races.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car action, barely three-hundredths of a second separate the No. 1 qualifier from the No. 3 spot. Bohl's 5.790-second, 250.64 mph pass was enough to eclipse Chicago's Fred Hagen, 5.819 seconds at 248.93 mph, and Mick Snyder of Demotte, Ind., 5.828 second at 249.35 mph.

Lafayette, Ind., racer Brian Browell heads up the Comp Eliminator field and Kevin Murphy, Mt. Carmel, Ill., is No. 1 in Super Stock. In Stock Eliminator, James Harrison, Albion, Ill., is the best qualifier and Top Sportsman racer Tom Stultz, Terre Haute, Ind., set the pace in his class.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Gates open at 7 a.m. both days. Final qualifying and time trials are slated Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon for Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp and Super Gas. The Dart Top Sportsman class and Comp Eliminator will qualify at noon and 3:30 p.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 1 and 4:30 p.m. Competitors in Stock Eliminator and Super Gas will run first round of eliminations at 2 p.m. and Super Stock and Super Comp racers will run first round at 5 p.m. Eliminations continue Sunday at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will run first round at noon.

Tickets for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at O'Reilly Raceway Park are $15 Saturday and $15 Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.

O'Reilly Raceway Park is located on Indiana Highway 136, four miles west of Interstate 465 exit 16. For more information call the track, (317) 291-4090, or visit http://www.OreillyRacewayPark.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at O'Reilly Raceway Park:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., 5.332 seconds, 269.78 mph
2) Ken Perry, Gormley, Ont., 5.372, 261.62
3) Jeff Bohr, Plymouth, Mich., 5.446, 259.11
4) Noah Condo, Monticello, Ind., 5.562, 257.33
5) Paul Fishburn, Rensselaer, Ind., 5.574, 252.38
6) Dave Hedges Jr., Plainwell, Mich., 5.636, 251.44
7) Todd Datweiler, Herscher, Ill., 5.722, 253.80
8) Ray Hack, Valpraiso, Ind., 5.928, 241.11
Not Qualified
9) Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., 10.894, 69.91
10) Dave Heitzman, Decatur, Mich., 16.090, 47.62
11) Dave Hirata, Lowell, Ind., 18.763, 49.06

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., '00 Firebird, 5.790 seconds, 250.64 mph
2) Fred Hagen, Chicago, '07 Mustang, 5.819, 248.93
3) Mick Snyder, Demotte, Ind., '02 Firebird, 5.828, 249.35
4) Jeff Wilson, Winfield, Mo., '06 Monte Carlo, 6.038, 235.10
5) Don Devault, Kentland, Ind., '02 Camaro, 6.378, 186.25
6) Rick Cortino, Wheaton, Ill., '97 Firebird, 6.477, 218.72
7) Chuck Cheeseman, Galena, Ohio, '02 Firebird, 7.187, 132.80
8) Mark Poyser, Fort Wayne, Ind., '02 Camaro, 8.780, 97.22
Not Qualified
9) Todd Veney, Indianapolis, '05 Monte Carlo, 10.541, 55.69
10) Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, '05 Monte Carlo, 13.689, 55.43
11) Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., '06 Monte Carlo, 15.062, 50.45

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Brian Browell, Lafayette, Ind., dragster, D/D, 7.246 seconds, -0.574 (under index)
2) David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., '32 Bantam, A/AP, 6.818, -0.562
3) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.672, -0.558
4) Wayne Henderson, Fishers, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.672, -0.558
5) Douglas Stewart, Edwardsburg, Mich., '03 Stratus, B/SMA, 8.225, -0.545
6) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.505, -0.525
7) Dale Spencer, Greenwood, Ind., dragster, F/ED, 8.388, -0.522
8) Pat Nahan, St. Cloud, Minn., dragster, E/D, 7.650, -0.510
9) Jesse Plant, Terre Haute, Ind., dragster, D/ED, 7.485, -0.505
10) Jeff Taylor, Floyds Kobb, Ind., '07 Cobalt, I/SMA, 9.288, -0.502

SUPER STOCK
1) Kevin Murphy, Mt. Carmel, Ill., '88 Cutlass, GT/MA, 10.780 seconds, -1.270 (under index)
2) John Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '06 Cobalt, SS/CM, 8.706, -1.244
3) Tom Plant, Rosedale, Ind., '03 S-10, SS/TD, 10.188, -1.162
4) Dave Layer, Dayton, Ohio, '87 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.349, -1.151
5) Jay Higgins, Fayetteville, N.C., '07 Cobalt, SS/BM, 8.552, -1.148
6) Zack Running, Lapeer, Mich., '84 Cutlass, SS/MA, 11.002, -1.148
7) Charlie Wescott Jr., Parma, Mich., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.680, -1.120
8) Tom Sheehan, Belle Vernon, Pa., '00 Sebring, GT/HA, 10.232, -1.118
9) Rock Running, Lapeer, Mich., '95 Achieva, GT/HA, 10.272, -1.078
10) Roy Whittemore, E Moline, Ill., '88 Mustang, GT/EA, 9.873, -1.077

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) James Harrison, Albion, Ill., '66 Nova, K/SA, 11.758 seconds, -1.192 (under index)
2) Travis Sturgell, Paris, Ill., '79 Trans Am, I/SA, 11.419, -1.181
3) John Foxbower, Franklin, Ohio, '68 Mustang, B/SA, 10.424, -1.126
4) Carlton Sweasy, Louisville, Ky., '77 Corvette, H/SA, 11.329, -1.121
5) David Edwards, Washington C.H., Ohio, '97 Camaro, B/FIA, 10.644, -1.056
6) David Walther, Lanesville, Ind., '69 Camaro, H/S, 11.298, -1.002
7) Tim Lowe, Macy, Ind., '72 Skylark, L/SA, 12.002, -0.998
8) Ben Wenzel Sr., Freeland, Mich., '67 Camaro, D/S, 10.820, -0.980
9) Greg Hill, Louisville, Ky., '70 Camaro, E/SA, 11.031, -0.969
10) Tim Weinzapfel, St Phillips, Ind., '66 Bel Air, T/SA, 13.736, -0.964

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Tom Stultz, Terre Haute, Ind., '92 Firebird, 6.886 seconds, 200.80 mph
2) Tim Kirman, Morris, Ill., '01 Grand Am, 6.922, 199.14
3) Tom Harger, Des Moines, Iowa, '95 Cutlass, 6.967, 194.88
4) Anthony Munao, Elgin, Ill., '06 Cobalt, 7.041, 196.47
5) Billy Vaughn, Knoxville, Tenn., '01 S-10, 7.055, 188.62
6) Rick Sojka Sr., Batavia, Ill., '97 Firebird, 7.056, 195.19
7) Greg Clevenger, Camden, Mich., '57 Bel Air, 7.074, 190.54
8) Dan Stevenson, Bolingbrook, Ill., '01 S-10, 7.096, 195.08
9) Charlie Edelen, Kettering, Ohio, '02 Camaro, 7.099, 195.25
10) Bill Yates Sr., Johnstown, Ohio, '04 Cavalier, 7.106, 197.10