Taliaferro and Bartone Defeat the Texas Sportsman Challenge

BAYTOWN, Texas, (June 14, 2010) – Mark Taliaferro and Tony Bartone took home the wins for this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Texas Sportsman Challenge event at Houston Raceway Park. Taliaferro, Odessa, Texas, scored in Top Alcohol Dragster while Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., was victorious in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Taliaferro qualified No. 2 and worked his way through the field beating Kristen Wootton, Magnolia, Texas, and David Broundkowski of Cypress, Texas, in rounds 1 & 2. Taliaferro saved his best run of eliminations for the final where he ran 5.376 seconds at 268.49 mph over Chase Copeland, Gainesville, Texas, who clocked in at 6.107 seconds, 170.54 mph. Copeland knocked off Malcolm Wahle, Claremore, Okla., and no. 1 qualifier Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, on his way to the final.

Bartone faced off against Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, for the easy win posting a run of 5.663 seconds, 255.34 mph in his '09 Mustang. This is Bartone’s second win of the year as he won the NHRA South Central Division Opener at Texas Motorplex back in April.

Other racers visiting the winner’s circle this weekend were Joey Tanksley, Greenwell Springs, La, in Comp Eliminator; Tim Hebert, Thibodaux, La., in Super Stock; Mike Pevey, Friendswood, Texas, in Super Comp; Jimmie Hutto, Pearland, Texas, in Stock Eliminator; Bart Nelson, La Porte, Texas, in Super Gas; and Val Harmon, Luling, La., in Super Street. In the division’s Top Sportsman class it was Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., taking the win while P.J. Vicari, Crown Point, La., won in Top Dragster. Brenda Kay, Humble, Texas, won in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson.

South Central Division racers head to Tulsa Raceway Park for the next NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, June 25-27.

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

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

Round 1

4) Chase Copeland, Gainesville, Texas, 5.467, 271.08 def. 5) Malcolm Wahle, Claremore, Okla., 5.914, 243.59

6) David Brounkowski, Cypress, Texas, 6.264, 208.10 def. 3) Buddy Domingue, Port Neches, Texas, broke

2) Mark Taliaferro, Odessa, Texas, 5.462, 265.69 def. 7) Kristen Wootton, Magnolia, Texas, 18.656, 51.37

1) Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, 5.368, 269.62 was unopposed;

Semifinals

Taliaferro, 5.498, 262.85 def. Brounkowski, 5.876, 229.70

Copeland, 5.503, 264.60 def. Manners, 16.736, 47.37

Final

Taliaferro, 5.376, 268.49 def. Copeland, 6.107, 170.54

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

Semifinals

2) Lee Callaway, Channelview, Texas, '07 Mustang, 5.766, 247.84 def. 3) Ro Yale, Houston, Texas, '96 Daytona, 6.948, 210.87

1) Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., '09 Mustang, 5.668, 253.56 def. 4) Chris Foster, Davenport, Iowa, '07 Monte Carlo, 5.824, 220.62

Final

Bartone, 5.663, 255.34 def. Callaway, 13.916, 73.42

COMP ELIMINATOR

Joey Tanksley, Greenwell Springs, La., dragster, C/D, 6.896, 195.45 def. Adam White, Houston, Texas, dragster, A/ND, 6.994, 191.78

SUPER STOCK

Tim Hebert, Thibodaux, La., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 9.221, 143.78 def. John Clegg, Victoria, Texas, '88 Firebird, SS/AM, 8.485, 161.38

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Jimmie Hutto, Pearland, Texas, '69 Camaro, AA/SA, 10.299, 128.18 def. Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Donaldsonville, La., '98 Firebird, B/SA, 10.626, 120.98

SUPER COMP

Mike Pevey, Friendswood, Texas, dragster, 8.896, 160.00 def. Westley Scott, Greenville, Texas, dragster, 8.895, 172.43

SUPER GAS

Bart Nelson, La Porte, Texas, '77 Astre, 9.914, 146.24 def. David Jones, Kemp, Texas, '86 Firebird, 9.924, 154.30

SUPER STREET

Val Harmon, Luling, La., '67 Chevy II, 10.847, 144.58 def. Clint Rigby, Ratcliff, Texas, '71 Nova, foul.

TOP DRAGSTER

P.J. Vicari, Crown Point, La., dragster, 6.731, 188.25 def. Mike Weaver, Highlands, Texas, dragster, 6.904, 196.90

TOP SPORTSMAN

Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., '07 GTO, 6.822, 197.65 def. Don Holcomb, Crosby, Texas, '97 Monte Carlo, 7.754, 175.27

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

Brenda Kay, Humble, Texas, '85 GSXR, 8.960, 145.13 def. Paul W. Holman, Houston, Texas, '80 Suzuki, 11.436, 113.15