This month's feature: DRAG RACING

Olivarez, Townsend collect Division 2 wins at Bradenton
DIVISION 2
Bradenton Motorsports Park
Bradenton. Fla., March 24-26

BRADENTON, Fla. - After three days of stiff NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition, winners in eight categories and the TracStar Systems Satellites Top Sportsman Series, were crowned today at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event being held this weekend at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

Starting from the No. 2 qualifying position, Gainesville Raceway winner Aaron Olivarez of Sandy, Utah earned his second Southeast Division win in a row when he took out reigning Northeast division champ Arthur Gallant of Boxboro, Mass., in the Top Alcohol Dragster final. En route to his victory over Gallant, Olivarez laid down a series of 5.30-second runs to defeat Wayne Morris in round one and defending race champion, Artie Allen of Jacksonville in the semifinals. In the final, Olivarez recorded a 5.357 at 270.92 mph, to Gallant’s respectable 5.418 second pass at 272.72 mph, to take the win.

The final in Top Alcohol Funny Car came down to a pair of seasoned class veterans, reining National Champion, Bob Newberry of Schenectady, N.Y., and former division champ, Danny Townsend of Muncie, Ind. Having run a 5.631 second pass in the opening round and a 5.621 in the semifinal round, going into the final the advantage seemed to go to Newberry, but it was clear that Townsend had something to say about that. In his final round battle with Newberry, Townsend laid down his best pass of the day, a 5.692 second pass at 252.52 mph, to take out Newberry, who ran a 5.825 at 256.04 mph.

The next stop for racers on the NHRA Southeast Division tour is South Georgia Motorsports Park in Cecil, Ga., April 7-9. Additional information about the event can be obtained calling (229) 896-7000 or by logging on to www.SGMPRacing.com or www.NHRA.com.

article provided by