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Lucas Oil Drag Race Series.
Comp Eliminator Final results. Lane wins! (All photos courtesy of Bill Jeffery, Rich Carlson, Larry Pfister and Dean Murdoch and are copyright speedzonemagazine.com) Jeff Lane proved he is not only hot in
Super Stock this year, as he picked up the win in Comp Eliminator against
a stellar field of cars at Mission. 19 cars qualified for the race but
only a dozen returned for the race the following weekend. But it was
a very strong 12 cars that faced off Saturday afternoon under great
conditions. In the test n tune Saturday
01 Jeff Lane 206 (left), 02 Adam Bowdish 126, 03 Gary Anderson 83, 04 Jim Warter 83 05 Jirka Kaplan 61, 06 Brian Hyerstay 42, 06 Dennis Myers 42, 06 Dennis Radford 42 09 Bruce Perkin 41, 09 Rick Dingle 41, 09 Brandon Huhtala 41.
Here is a revised list of National records set at Mission last weekend, in all classes: COMPETITION ELIMINATOR B/EA - Phil Cocuzza, Acton Ca., 7.831 SUPER STOCK STOCK A number of records were set but not backed up due to
the cancellation of the last qualifying sessions in all catagories.
Top Comp Final Results. Hoerner gets an emotional win!
Top Comp Final Qualifying Saturday May 3, 2003 The day was restricted to only one shot in Top Comp due to the darn weather but it was a great session with a number of cars stepping up. Shaun Cowie moved into the #1 position with the Mundies Towing Blown big block dragster with a great 6.94 @ 203 mph. Nick Drzayich prove he can repeat with his Pro Stock Firebird after running a 7.03 @ 196 mph. His car has been within 2/100ths of every run. If he can cut the great lights like he did at Boise, he has a very good chance this weekend. Frank Tamez in the patriotic Vette stepped up big time and ran 7.26/189 mph. As I stated yesterday the door cars were dominant in Top Comp. 5 were in the top 11 in qualifying. 14 were in the field trying to qualify in the top 32. It looks like Division 6 can look seriously at running both Top Sportsman and Top Dragster in the future. Here is final qualifying in Top Comp: Go to this site for all the pictures: 1 681 Shawn Cowie (above), Richmond BC, Victory-KB
6.945 203.38 203.38 Satrurday May 3, Comp Eliminator. Final qualifying keeps Jirka Kaplan on top in Comp Eliminator with that record shattering 6.496. The Calgary Blown Alcohol Altered could not improve Saturday in their only session of qualifying as he rattled the tires and coasted through the finish line. Phil Cocuzza lowered his record run from Friday to a 7.83 to keep his #2 position in qualifying with his B/EA Cavalier. Dean Carter bumped up to the #3 spot with a great 7.06 in the front engines nostalgia digger. Rick Distefano made a huge jump to the #4 position after running the quickest ever Pro Mod pass in Western Canada. The 6.25 was too quick to be a record run based on his previous lap but was good enough as a back up for his earlier 6.35. Here is the rest of the qualifying positions in the Lordco BC Nationals Lucas Oil event at Mission Raceway Park: Final Qualifying Comp 1 6180 AA/AM Jirka Kaplan, Calgary AB, '23-T Ford 6.496
7.21 -0.714
Friday qualifying Comp Eliminator: 6.496 AA/AM Jirka Kaplan!!! First ever Comp Car (sans Pro Mods) to run sub 6.50!! Many historic happenings Friday at Mission Raceway.
In Comp/Pro Mod, a couple other Calgarian's
ran pretty well. Rick Distefano (below) ran his Here is all the numbers in Comp eliminator with two sessions left today. I was wrong on the number of comp cars. I stated 23 when in fact there are 20 on the grounds. Only 19 made passes though, as Jay Syversten did not run his Pro Mod. 1 6180 AA/AM Jirka Kaplan, Calgary AB, '23-T Ford 6.496
7.21 -0.714 Nothing huge to right home
about with regards to big numbers put out, but there was a Here is the field so far: 1 6212 Nick Drzayich, Auburn WA, '98 Firebird 7.049 196.20
196.20 ------------ Not Qualified ------------ 33 6552 Frank Tamez, Yakima WA, '63 Corvette 8.932 178.53 178.53 Thursday, May 1, 2003 There are 23 Comp Cars on the property Thursday night. And what a field it is. Div.6 and 7 players on site: Gary Anderson, Adam Bowdish, Dean Carter, Phil Cocuzza, Rick Dingle, Brian Hyerstay, Brandon Huhtala, Rob Harrison, Jirka Kaplan, Jeff Lane, Bob Lambeck, Dennis Myers, Bruce Perkin, Chuck Smithfield, Howie Stevens, Mark Stewart, Tom Tucker, Jim Warter and Steve Wilmoth. The Pro Mods here are Rick Distefano, and Joe Delehay A couple of huge barriers are going to be shattered to in my opinion. For starters, AA/PM (blown Pro Mod) should be broken easily as it is at the 6.55 minimum. Rick Distefano is here and the car should be in the 6.20's. Alcohol tuning wizard Les Davenport is here to dial in the georgeous 53 Corvette. What an awesome piece. AA/AM. Kirka Kaplan. The Blown Altered is fast. He should be the first ever true Comp Car (I don't count the Pro Mods as Comp Cars, they need their own class in the NHRA) to run a sub 6.50 pass. He has run 6.55 at Vegas, so we know is is very possible. News Flash! Unfortunately I wasn't there to see it, but Jirka ran a 6.48 @ 209 during todays test n tune. With a stout .988 60ft., and a 4.15 1/2 track et, he makes unofficial history in NHRA Comp Drag Racing! Awesome. A/ND Dean Carter is here for the first time ever. The current national record holder is here to shatter the 6 second barrier. He holds the record with a 7.04. That was set in 2500+ feet of elevation. Update! Dean Did not make any runs today and will be loaded for bear Friday. Those three should hightlight what could be 6-10 records
in the class. Bruce Perkin (right) ran
Top Comp. A huge
field of Top Comp at Mission is going to challenge for the quickest
bump ever in the class. While I believe the quickest ever is in the
low 7.80 range is could be as quick as a 7.60 something. Car count is
the biggest question mark as
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May
13, 2003
For
a bunch of great photos from this event go to 
morning
many cars ran quicker than in qualifying, including Bruce Perkin who
actually would have reset the record (with a 8.74) if it was qualifying
(right). Only two runs in the first round were side by side and
they included Rick Dingle, new record holder defeat local Howie Stevens,
and Doug Lambeck got by Gary Anderson when Anderson spun the tires hard
at the starting line. Second round action saw four great side by side
races and one bye, with Bob Lambeck being the recipient of the single.
Jeff Lane in the Dick Sherman Cutlass got the win due to a Rick Dingle
red 
light,
Mark Stewart (Bullet Engine guru) defeated Bruce Perkin (Bullet Engine
buyer), when Bruce got real loose around 60 feet out, Jim Warter defeated
Brandon Huhtala when he too red lit and the last pair saw Steve Wilmoth
upset Div 6 champ Adam Bowdish and take a huge .10 cic hit. In the quarters,
Wilmoth could not repeat his big win from the previous round, as he
red lit away his chance for a semi final birth against Doug Lambeck
(above). Mark Stewart got the bye into the 
semis
and Jeff Lane won over Jim Warter with a telepathic .001 rt. With that
win, lane had a bye into the final and Stewart (right) defeat
Lambeck and took a major .13 cic hit into the final. Mark Stewart cut
a great light in the final with a .01 rt but with the huge hit the round
previous he could not run under the new index enough and Lane caught
Stewart in the last 150 feet and won by 3-4 feet win a .534 under 8.326
to a losing .476 under 8.814. With the win Lane pulls farther out front
in the division six standings in Comp and moves into the top 5 in National
standings. 
Here
is the Division six Comp Standings: after this event:
C/ED
- Rick Dingle, Olympia, Wash., 7.39 seconds, 178.71 mph
Sometimes
races can seem to be predetermined or scripted for those who really
need or deserve a boost. Mission Lucas Oil event had victors in three
or four classes that fit this category. Anthony Castillo in Super Comp,
Mike Cofini in Top Alcohol Dragster (first career win), Bucky Austin
even (just because of the overall cost to get this win; 3 motors), and
Todd Hoerner (left) in Top Comp. Todd debuted his new Pro Stock
Grand Am with Steve Schmidt Power under the hood in the most gratifying
way a guy could ask for. With a win!. The 32 car field, while not as
stout (or large) as it has been in the past here at Mission; most were
expecting a bump spot in the 7.60's or .70's, was none the least very
competitive and impressive. The most 
notable
upside to the field, was the quality of new cars in the field especially
the door variety. six, count em, six ex-Pro Stock cars made the field
including the ex Super man car of Warren' Johnson (right) now
owned by Bob and Irene Kokotailo, and another 6-8 door cars tried to
qualify for the field. This bodes well when Div. 6 goes to a Dragster
and Door car class in Top Comp; Ala Top Sportsman and Top Dragster akin
to the IHRA. 
Why
was this such an emotional win for Todd and his wife. To know some of
the back ground, Todd lost his dad a while back and sold his dad's 63
Corvette Super Gas Car to friend good friend Don Rhyne. Don, tragically
was killed earlier this year racing at Tuscon driving that car. Todd
bought the Grand Am this season and debuted it here at Mission. Todd's
dad Rod won at Boise three years ago in his debut with the Corvette.
To get the win against the "Money Man" Mike Seekins, Todd
had to go through Paul Nowak, John Evans in his new Blown 
Top
Comp Dragster (which had the chute pop open at the hit of the throttle,
above), Wes Garvin in the cool Altered (right), and Jim
Morris in his newly painted dragster. Seekins had to go through Mike
Wiess, Jeff Giffin, #1 qualifier Shawn Cowie (below), and Boise
winner Jeff Devey. In the final, Seekins actually treed Todd by .037
but took way to much stripe on a broke out 
by
.014 giving the win to Todd and Nicole. Great job Todd, (below)
the win was well earned and deserved. 
I
think I must be a jinx to Jirka (left) and the gang from Calgary though,
As I only caught one of the three runs he made at Mission this weekend,
and it was a one and off the throttle 7.24 pass, Friday morning. The
other two were sub 6.50 (one in testing here today and the one to reset
the record Friday afternoon. Way to go, to the gang from Calgary. Another
records set or having a leg up on the record include Phil Cocuzza in
B Altered Automatic. He ran 7/100ths under the record with a 7.87 to
sit right behind Kaplan in the #2 spot. Jim Warter and Bruce Perkin
are fighting over the same record this weekend in E/SM. Warter ran 8.767
and Perkin ran 8.790 so far with two more session to go on the 8.94
minimum. Adam Bowdish ran 8.696 on the 8.79 record in D/SM. 
best
number this weekend after making close to a dozen laps since Wednesday.
His 5.354 @ 224 mph set the record is at the minimum 6.55. Rick was
finally happy after struggling with just about everything you could
imagine. His goal today is a run in the low 6.20's or a 6.teen. Joe
Delehay (right) also went to bed happy last night. His finally made
it from A to B and ran a 6.44 @ 223 mph. I guess the truck likes a blower
after being a nitrous truck for its entire life. Now he can tune the
truck up a little to run in the 30's at least. The goal is to be the
quickest truck, a mark that is set by Glen May @ 6.33. The quickest
Chevy Truck et is currently held by another Calgarian Glen Kerunsky
at 6.41.
bit
of news worth talking about. John Evans made his debut in Top Comp with
his new "Speedzone" sponsored blown RED. What a nice piece
it is. He made a couple soft passes to get used to the car and ran low
8's. Look for him to step it up today. A surprising low car count as
only 35 cars are making laps so far. I expect there to be close to 40
in the field trying for the 32 spots today. One notable mark in the
field is a bunch of door cars out and in the top half of the field.
16 of the 35 cars so far are of the door variety, and five are in the
top half of the field. Cool!
under
his Super Modified Record two weeks ago. Jim Warter will challenge him
in that class. Adam Bowdish, Steve Wilmoth, Mark Stewart, Rob Harrison
and a few others have a chance to set new records. As far as eliminations
go, what a tough field. With as many at 16 or a more capable of .5 under,
it will be a matter of who wants to screw with their index the most.
This
is Kaplan from Vegas, as I did not get a shot of his 6.48 pass.
Mission
routinely get the largest fields in Top Comp. With 24 Comp cars on the
property, that bodes well for Top Comp And Boise had their best field
ever. So I Say close to 50 will compete, including SpeedZone sponsored
brand new Evans Racing blown Rear engine digger making its maiden voyage
Friday morning. How many 6 second cars will run I did not get all the
numbers from today, but Nick Drzayich ran 7.05 (above) in one run I
saw. Frank Tamez (below) was upgrading to advanced et and ran a 7.36
in his cool Vette. Stay tuned for tomorrow's rundown.