Div 2 - lodrs results

SHIELDS AND HARKER RETURN TO WINNING WAYS

Commerce, GA - The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast division event at Atlanta Dragway is in the books with Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., and Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Steve Harker out of Gainesville, Ga., taking home the goods. This weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event wraps up the fifth of six in Southeast division competition.

Shields picked up his second divisional of the season when he knocked out Robin Samsel of Marion, Ind., for the win. His pass of 5.372 seconds at 263.72 took the win light and a hold of the lead in the Southeast points standings.

Harker, who races out of the South Central division, defeated the No.1 qualifier Tony Bartone of Long Island City, N.Y., in the final. His lap of 5.635 seconds at 256.99 mph was more than enough to grab the hardware and earn his second divisional win of the season.

Round by Round results:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER:

Round 1

1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.359, 272.01 def. 6) Cherissa Griffis, Jacksonville, Fla., 18.841, 36.39;
2) Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., 5.359, 264.03 def. 5) Don Fiorelli, Palm Bay, Fla., broke;
4) Artie Allen, Jacksonville, Fla., 5.567, 255.43 def. 3) Bill Evans, Miramar, Fla., 5.805, 245.09;

Semifinals

Shields, 5.274, 272.34 was unopposed;
Samsel, 5.500, 260.61 def. Allen, 5.743, 223.10;

Final

Shields, 5.372, 263.72 def. Samsel, 13.318, 58.26.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:

Round 1

4) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '08 Mustang, 5.644, 256.94 def. 5) Alexis De Joria, Bronson, Fla., '09 Mustang, 5.693, 255.48;
1) Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., '09 Mustang, 5.722, 254.09 def. 8) Mark Billington, Norcross, Ga., '01 Avenger, 5.823, 245.99;
2) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.652, 255.58 def. 7) John Sullivan, Pike Road City, Ala., '08 Mustang, 5.804, 248.20;
3) Mickey Ferro, Stamford, Conn., '06 Monte Carlo, 5.688, 254.76 def. 6) John Bojec, Chardon, Ohio, '09 Monte Carlo, 5.745, 254.90;

Semifinals

Harker, 5.643, 255.82 def. Ferro, 5.714, 253.04; Bartone, 5.644, 255.29 def. Payne, 5.669, 258.37;

Final

Harker, 5.635, 256.99 def. Bartone, foul.

Courtesy of NHRA Communications