FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Racing wraps at State Capitol Dragway

BATON ROUGE, La. - After two long days of racing at State Capitol Dragway, champions in eight NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series categories as well as in the Sunset Racing Engines Top Sportsman and Kerker Motorcycle Series', were crowned Saturday.

Among the winners crowned on Saturday were Top Alcohol Dragster driver Gene Snow and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Jackie Stidham. Louisiana racers James Caro of Houma and Larry Hudson of Ruston were also winners in their respective categories, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator.

In Top Alcohol Dragster, Snow of Fort Worth, Texas salvaged an otherwise disappointing season that includes a pair of DNQs and early round losses, with today's win. In the final, Snow defeated defending South Central Division Champion, Shelly Howard of Tulsa, Okla., with a time of 5.659 seconds at 231.54 mph. Howard is currently in a heated points battle with Azusa, Calif., runner Ashley Force for the 2004 South Central title, a battle which Force leads.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Chickasha, Oklahoma's Stidham reached his fifth final this year and earned his fourth win when he defeated Lake Dallas, Texas racer Richard McClain. In the final round contest, Stidham used a 5.954-second pass at 228.89 mph to eliminate McClain, who trailed with a 6.166-second pass at 231.36 mph. With only two more races left in the South Central Division, this win puts Stidham in a favorable position to claim the division's 2004 Top Alcohol Funny Car title.

Other winners at the event were Brian Self of Hempstead, Texas in Comp Eliminator; Lyndon Rutland of Spring, Texas in Super Comp; Clark Mundt of Longview, Texas in Super Gas and Chuck Wier IV of Haltom City, Texas in Super Street. The winners in the Kerker Motorcycle Series and Sunset Racing Engines Top Sportsman, which both ran in conjunction with the event this weekend, were Jerry Pomilla of Conroe, Texas and Scott Randall Carrollton, Texas.

The next stop on the NHRA South Central Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing tour is Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Noble, Okla., September 17-19. More information on the event can be obtained calling (405) 872-3420 or by visiting them on the web at www.OKThunder.com.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event being held this weekend at State Capitol Dragway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
4) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.650, 238.53 def. 
5) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.812, 244.49

6) Carl Magee, Victoria, Texas, 10.806, 78.78 def. 
3) Karl Brounkowski, Magnolia, Texas, broke

1) Tim Rudy, Mason, Ohio, 13.470, 77.63 def. 
8) Duke McDonald, Gainesville, Fla., broke

2) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., broke def. 
7) Glen Woosley, Freeport, Texas, broke

Semifinal
Howard, 5.682, 254.66 def. Magee, 5.748, 230.71
Snow, 5.911, 172.57 def. Rudy, broke

Final
Snow, 5.659, 231.54 def. Howard, 13.697, 60.91

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
2) Richard McClain, Lake Dallas, Texas, '02 Trans Am, 6.157, 231.89 def. 
3) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., '97 Camaro, 12.289, 70.30

1) Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., '00 Camaro, 10.562, 79.94 def. 
4) Steve Burck, Corpus Christi, Texas, '98 Avenger, foul

Final
Stidham, 5.954, 228.89 def. McClain, 6.166, 231.36

COMP ELIMINATOR
Brian Self, Hempstead, Texas, '02 S-10, PST, 7.473, 176.71  def. 
Mike Trumble, Pasadena, Texas, '04 Sunfire, A/SMA, 8.057, 167.06

SUPER STOCK
James Caro, Houma, La., '98 Avenger, GT/CA, 9.771, 135.11  def. 
Larry Stewart, Clinton, Miss., '67 Chevy II, SS/HA, foul

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Larry Hudson, Ruston, La., '85 Camaro, H/S, 11.385, 117.17  def. 
R.J. Sledge, Boerne, Texas, '67 Fairlane, F/SA, 11.027, 111.74

SUPER COMP
Lyndon Rutland, Spring, Texas, dragster, 8.937, 177.02  def. 
John Covington Jr., Center, Texas, dragster, 8.889, 165.07

SUPER GAS
Clark Mundt, Longview, Texas, '63 Corvette, 9.904, 149.67  def. 
Jerry Virgadamo, Metairie, La., '77 Vega, 9.892, 129.08

SUPER STREET
Chuck Wier IV, Haltom City, Texas, '71 Camaro, 10.910, 135.31  def. 
Glenn Knapp, Baton Rouge, La., '69 Mustang, 10.913, 141.17

KERKER MOTORCYCLE
Jerry Pomilla, Conroe, Texas, '86 Suzuki, 8.967, 147.32  def. 
David Reeves, Atascosa, Texas, '81 Kawasaki, foul

TOP SPORTSMAN
Scott Randall, Carrollton, Texas, '00 Firebird, 7.775, 125.87  def. 
Larry Smith, Ridgeland, Miss., '94 Cutlass, 17.313, 47.66

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lucas Series racers back in action at State Capitol Dragway

BATON ROUGE, La. - Despite a delay of nearly three months from its originally scheduled event date in late May, the opening day of time trials and qualifying at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event scheduled for this weekend at State Capitol Dragway went off today without a hitch.

In Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car, a total of two rounds of qualifying were completed today. After those opening qualifying rounds, Mason, Ohio racer Tim Rudy leads the dragster class, while Jackie Stidham of Chickasha, Okla., leads in Funny Car.

To earn the No. 1 spot in his class, Rudy ran a 5.528-second pass at 256.41 mph. Occupying the second spot is Fort Worth, Texas driver Gene Snow. Defending South Central Division champ Shelly Howard of Tulsa, Okla., is a disappointing seventh after only running an uncharacteristic 17.051 second pass at 67.90 mph, after two qualifying rounds.

A 5.828 second pass at 244.36 mph helped Stidham claim the top spot in Top Alcohol Funny Car. His closest competitor is Lake Dallas, Texas runner Richard McClain, who ran 5.960-seconds at 241.61 mph behind the wheel of his '02 Trans Am bodied Funny Car to take the No. 2 spot in the field.

In other qualifying action, Texans Rodger Brogdon, of Tomball leads the Comp Eliminator field, while Super Stock racer Buz Post of Arlington tops his field. Sitting in the No. 1 spot in the Stock Eliminator field is Gonzales, La., racer Floyd Russo. In the Sunset Racing Engines Top Sportsman Series and Kerker Motorcycle Series, which both run in conjunction with the Lucas Oil events in the South Central Division, Earle Folse of Raceland, La., and David Reeves of Atascosa, Texas top their fields.

Saturday's racing action will feature final qualifying in all classes with final eliminations to follow in the afternoon. A final qualifying attempt for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car is scheduled for 10 a.m., with first round to follow at 5 p.m.

Gates at State Capitol Dragway open tomorrow at 8 a.m. General Admission tickets are $20. Children 13-16 years old are $10 and kids 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. All tickets include a pit pass.

For more information please contact State Capitol Dragway at (225) 627-4574 or visit them on the web at www.StateCapitolDragway.com.

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event taking place this weekend at State Capitol Dragway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
1) Tim Rudy, Mason, Ohio, 5.528 seconds, 256.41 mph
2) Gene Snow, Fort Worth, Texas, 5.733, 187.18
3) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, 5.753, 244.43
4) Carl Magee, Victoria, Texas, 5.864, 227.44
5) Glen Woosley, Freeport, Texas, 6.159, 212.06
6) Karl Brounkowski, Magnolia, Texas, 6.471, 151.71
7) Shelly Howard, Tulsa, Okla., 17.051, 67.90

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
1) Jackie Stidham, Chickasha, Okla., '00 Camaro, 5.828 seconds, 244.36 mph
2) Richard McClain, Lake Dallas, Texas, '02 Trans Am, 5.960, 241.61
3) Ron Morrison, Oklahoma City, Okla., '97 Camaro, 6.384, 222.00
4) Steve Burck, Corpus Christi, Texas, '98 Avenger, 6.481, 230.29

COMP ELIMINATOR
1) Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, '04 Cavalier, A/SMA, 7.984 seconds, -0.676 (under index)
2) Colt Mikel, Hempstead, Texas, '02 S-10, B/TA, 8.352, -0.668
3) Sean Dodd, Lewisville, Texas, '02 S-10, PSTA, 7.674, -0.596
4) Brian Self, Hempstead, Texas, '02 S-10, PST, 7.495, -0.595
5) Joey Tanksley, Greenwell Spring, La., dragster, B/ED, 6.956, -0.554
6) Mike Trumble, Pasadena, Texas, '04 Sunfire, A/SMA, 8.117, -0.543
7) Charles Watson Jr., Humble, Texas, '98 Lumina, H/A, 8.935, -0.525
8) Jeff Miller, Pearland, Texas, '99 Grand Am, B/SMA, 8.268, -0.522
9) Craig Bourgeois, Metarie, La., '04 Chevy, A/ND, 7.149, -0.501
10) Shane Heckel, La Porte, Texas, dragster, B/D, 6.900, -0.490

SUPER STOCK
1) Buz Post, Arlington, Texas, '04 Grand Am, SS/AM, 8.365 seconds, -1.085 (under index)
2) Tony Cowell, Weatherford, Texas, '81 Camaro, GT/JA, 10.578, -1.022
3) Bobby Cassard, Donaldsonville, La., '86 Firebird, SS/LA, 10.750, -1.000
4) Terry Pearson, Spanish Fort, Ala., '02 Cavalier, GT/BA, 9.559, -0.991
5) Len Intelisano, Higganum, Conn., '02 Cavalier, GT/F, 9.982, -0.918
6) Terry Emmons, League City, Texas, '96 Firebird, SS/JA, 10.396, -0.904
7) James Caro, Houma, La., '98 Avenger, GT/CA, 9.817, -0.883
8) Wayne Winfield, Kemah, Texas, '87 Camaro, GT/HA, 10.484, -0.866
9) Mike Bryant, New Orleans, La., '91 Calais, GT/FA, 10.244, -0.856
10) Fred Henson, Madisonville, Texas, '68 Dart, SS/AA, 9.062, -0.838

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) Floyd Russo, Gonzales, La., '01 Firebird, B/FIA, 10.542 seconds, -1.158 (under index)
2) Justin Cardwell, Ruston, La., '90 Camaro, E/FIA, 11.537, -1.063
3) R.J. Sledge, Boerne, Texas, '67 Fairlane, F/SA, 11.089, -1.061
4) Dean Oliver, Stuttgart, Ark., '79 Malibu, K/SA, 11.926, -1.024
5) John Brimer, Arlington, Texas, '97 Camaro, B/FIA, 10.686, -1.014
6) Jimmy Hidalgo, Donaldsonville, La., '98 Camaro, C/FIA, 10.995, -1.005
7) Fred Henson, Madisonville, Texas, '70 Challenger, A/SA, 10.321, -0.979
8) Verne Buchanan, Conway, Ark., '73 Mustang, H/SA, 11.486, -0.964
9) Kent LaPorte, New Iberia, La., '85 Camaro, F/FIA, 11.987, -0.963
10) Sammy Pizzolato, Houma, La., '69 Corvette, B/SA, 10.592, -0.958

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Earle Folse, Raceland, La., '86 Cutlass, 6.915 seconds, 193.09 mph
2) Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '04 Grand Am, 7.023, 198.06
3) Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., '03 Grand Am, 7.091, 196.16
4) Greg Hinds, Arab, Ala., '63 Corvette, 7.319, 185.72
5) Phillip Muse, Tomball, Texas, '97 Pontiac, 7.337, 188.32
6) Bert Prejean, St. Amant, La., '00 Pontiac, 7.350, 186.95
7) Scott Randall, Carrollton, Texas, '00 Firebird, 7.361, 187.07
8) Keith Sasich, Highland Village, Texas, '00 Firebird, 7.374, 183.37
9) Todd Drummond, Bay St. Louis, Miss., '04 Monte Carlo, 7.594, 178.89
10) Larry Smith, Ridgeland, Miss., '94 Cutlass, 7.597, 181.37

KERKER MOTORCYCLE
1) David Reeves, Atascosa, Texas, '81 Kawasaki, SPB, 0.000 seconds reaction time
2) Delbert Ready, Houston, Texas, '82 Kawasaki, SPB, 0.002
3) Chris LeBouf, Lafayette, La., '85 Suzuki, SPB, 0.006
4) Eddie Glaze, Houston, Texas, '90 Suzuki, SPB, 0.008
5) Shane Eperjesi, Lake Dallas, Texas, '88 Suzuki, SPB, 0.010
6) Rich Gentili, Humble, Texas, '83 Suzuki, SPB, 0.013
7) Larry Eperjesi, Lake Dallas, Texas, '00 Koenig, SPB, 0.018
8) Rob Bennett, Plano, Texas, '84 Suzuki, SPB, 0.020
9) Lisa Bennett, Plano, Texas, '04 Suzuki, SPB, 0.021
10) David Latino, Donaldsonville, La., '01 Suzuki, SPB, 0.024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Force leads the pack going into State Capitol

BATON ROUGE, La. - State Capitol Dragway will host a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 13-14. The race is the fifth of seven in NHRA's South Central Division. Competitors in eight classes, including Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, will vie for a share of the $152,210 purse as well as points leading to national and divisional championships.

Rookie Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) pilot Ashley Force is currently leading the points in the class. Force, the 21-year-old daughter of 12-time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force, won the event at Cherokee County Motorsports Park in Rusk, Texas and went to the semifinals at Houston Raceway Park and was runner-up at Memphis Motorsports Park. The Yorba Linda, Calif., resident is driving the TAD owned by Jerry Darien and Ken Meadows. Several NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers, including Gary Scelzi and Brandon Bernstein, have occupied the same seat.

Defending South Central Division TAD Champion Shelly Howard, a registered nurse from Tulsa, Okla., is in second place.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car (TAFC), defending South Central Division Champion Tate Branch, and former Division Champion Jackie Stidham, are virtually tied for first place. Branch, who races out of Artesia, N.M., and Stidham, a veteran drag racer from Chickasha, Okla., met in the final round of each of the three events held up to this point, with Stidham earning the win at Memphis Motorsports Park and at Cherokee County. Branch took the win at Houston Raceway Park. Steve Gasparrelli of West Covina, Calif., is in third place in the points with a pair of semifinal round appearances.

Jeff Hefler, of Mansfield, Texas, has scored wins at each of the division's three events. At Houston Raceway Park and Cherokee County he took the win in Super Stock. In Memphis he won in Stock Eliminator. Hefler drives for the Buz Post Racing. Teammate and team owner, Post, from Arlington, Texas, was runner-up to Hefler in Houston and took the Super Stock win in Memphis, which earned him enough points to put him in the Super Stock points lead.

The division's Sunset Racing Engines Top Sportsman Series and the Kerker Motorcycle Series will be run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, bringing the total number of categories to 10. Top Sportsman and Sportsman Motorcycle competitors will run qualifying and eliminations along with the other classes both days.

Gates at State Capitol Dragway open at 8 a.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday. Qualifying begins Friday at 10 a.m. with Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying scheduled at 6 and 9 p.m. Qualifying continues Saturday at 10 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car racers will get a final qualifying attempt at 10 a.m. and then go into eliminations at 5 p.m. Eliminations for all categories will be held Saturday following the conclusion of the time trials and qualifying.

Tickets, including pit pass, are $20 each day. Children 13-16 are $10 each day and kids 12 and under are admitted free.

State Capitol Dragway is located on U.S. Highway 190, 10 miles west of Baton Rouge in Erwinville, La. For more information call the track, (225) 627-4574, or visit www.StateCapitolDragway.com.

NHRA South Central Division Lucas Oil Series racers will head to Thunder Valley Raceway in Noble, Okla., Sept 17-19, for the next event on the schedule.

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES: Fact Sheet
WHAT: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where drivers earn points leading to divisional and national championships. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The event is the fifth of seven in South Central Division competition. The division's Sunset Racing Engines Top Sportsman Series and Kerker Motorcycle Series, featuring the Sportsman Motorcycle class, will also be run in conjunction with the event.

WHERE: State Capitol Dragway, Baton Rouge, La. Track is located on U.S. Highway 190, 10 miles west of Baton Rouge in Erwinville, La.

WHEN: Friday and Saturday, Aug. 13-14, 2004

SCHEDULE: Time trials and qualifying schedule for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series:

FRIDAY, Aug. 13 -- Gates open at 8 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 10 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 6 and 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, Aug. 14 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Final qualifying and time trials are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Final session of Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying is at 10 a.m. Eliminations for all classes begin upon completion of time trials and qualifying. Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car eliminations begin at 5 p.m.

TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS -- $20 Friday, $20 Saturday. Children, 13 to 16, are $10 each day. Kids 12 and under are admitted free. For more information please call State Capitol Dragway, (225) 627-4574.

PURSE: The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will vie for cash and contingency awards of $152,960, part of the 46-race, $6.5 million series.

2003 EVENT WINNERS: Lee Callaway, Top Alcohol Dragster; Jimmy Jones, Top Alcohol Funny Car; Buddy Nickens, Comp Eliminator; Terry Emmons, Super Stock; Harvey Emmons III, Stock Eliminator; Terry Cochran, Super Comp; Jonathan Johnson, Super Gas; Brian Hughes, Super Street

BONUS PROGRAMS:
NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND -- a $561,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2004 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional champions and national champions. Divisional awards include $8,500 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions; $3,000 to the champions in both Competition and Super Stock; $2,000 each to the champions in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The seven national champions will share a bonus of $135,000.

SEALED POWER LOW QUALIFIER BONUS -- a $109,000 overall bonus fund from Federal-Mogul's Sealed Power brand to the low qualifiers at each of the 46 Lucas Oil events: $1,000 each in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car; $200 each in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock; and $100 in Stock. (TAD and TAFC compete at 43 of 46 divisional events.)

JEG'S ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA's seven divisions will compete for a share of the $100,000 point fund from Jeg's High Performance. The 2004 Jeg's Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' eight classes. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2004 Jeg's Allstars. Points are based on in-division races only.

The winning division's team will share $20,000 and individual awards include $7,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions, $6,000 to champions in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, and $4,500 to the Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street champions. Runners-up in all categories will earn $2,000 apiece. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $20,000 towing fund to get to the event.

This year, event sponsor, Jeg's High Performance, has offered a "double up" bonus to Allstars competitors. Winners in each individual class who go on to win the national event will have their Allstars prize money doubled.

NHRA KERKER MOTORCYCLE SERIES: Run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series is an opportunity for competitors in NHRA's Sportsman Motorcycle class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $14,800 champions' purse posted by Kerker will be paid to first, second and third place points finishers in NHRA divisions that host Sportsman Motorcycles.

The top four riders from each division in the NHRA Kerker Motorcycle Series will be invited to compete in the NHRA Kerker King of the Coast competition. In 2004, the All-Star invitational will be run in November during the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. The rider who is crowned the Kerker King of the Coast will earn $2,000. The runner-up in the 16-bike field will receive $1,000.

Currently, Sportsman Motorcycles are run in NHRA's South Central, West Central, Northwest and Pacific divisions.

SUNSET RACING ENGINES TOP SPORTSMAN SERIES: Run in conjunction with the Lucas Oil Series, competitors in the Top Sportsman class are vying for division championships. The top points finisher will earn a year-end bonus of $1,000 and the runner-up will get $500. Top Sportsman racers may run the seven South Central Division Lucas Oil events as well as three Lucas Oil Series races in either the Southeast or North Central Divisions.

FEATURES: More than 400 drivers in the eight racing categories. Eight-car fields in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, featuring five-second, 260 mph side-by-side racing.