N.J. Senator, NHRA to pay tribute to 9-11 victims

New Jersey Senator Jon S. Corzine will the guest of honor during pre-final round ceremonies on Sunday, May 19 at the 33rd annual Matco Tools SuperNationals presented by Racing Champions, as the NHRA honors the victims of the Sept. 11 tragedy.

Corzine, the former co-chairman and co-chief executive officer of the investment company Goldman Sachs, was elected to his first term in the United States Senate in November 2000.

Corzine, a native of Illinois, is a member of the Senate Budget Committee, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and the Joint Economic Committee.

"All our lives were changed forever on Sept. 11, but none more so than the thousands of families who lost loved ones," said Sen. Corzine. "Fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters were victims of maniacal murderers. We must never forget that.

"Our hearts will always be heavy with sorrow, but we must also recall the thousands of trained personnel and volunteers who stepped forward without hesitation and remember how we rallied as a nation to defend our cherished principles and values."

Corzine graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Illinois in 1969, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves where he served until 1975. In 1975, Corzine was hired as a bond trader at Goldman Sachs, and was named a partner in 1980. He became chairman and chief executive officer in 1994. He left Goldman Sachs in 1999 after successfully converting the investment firm from a private partnership to public company.

During Corzine's leadership at Goldman Sachs, Fortune magazine named Goldman Sachs one of the 10 best companies in America. Corzine also was named as one of the top 50 technology executives in the country in 1997 by Time magazine.

Private plane mistakenly touches down on IRP strip

As the home of the annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the quarter-mile at Indianapolis Raceway Park has seen plenty of strange occurrences, but none wilder than what happened Thursday when the pilot of a single-engine plane mistook the famed straightaway for the runway at nearby Eagle Creek Airport, which is about five miles away, and landed on the drag strip.

No one was injured and no cars were racing when 66-year-old Dan Legrant of Edmond, Okla., landed, although 50 to 60 cars were testing at the track earlier in the day to prepare for this weekend's Division 3 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event. The track was closed because of rain about 15 minutes before Legrant landed.

"He was very embarrassed," said the track's Scott Smith.

The four-passenger plane, which was also carrying Legrant's wife, Patricia, came down on the drag strip and slowed to a stop. Track workers then turned the plane around and towed it off the racing surface. After Legrant talked to FAA inspectors, IRP officials gave the couple a ride to a hotel to spend the night. 

IRP to host NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series

NHRA's North Central division's 2002 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series continues May 17-19 at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP). The event is the second of six in North Central Division competition. It will feature more than 600 drivers in eight racing categories including 260-mph Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars.

NHRA's North Central Division racers will compete in what should be the second of six NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events at Indianapolis Raceway Park May 17-19. The first event, at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., was postponed midway through qualifying last month due to bad weather.

During qualifying at the Route 66 event, Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Keith Stark let it be known that his team was ready to run quick and fast. The Danville, Ill., resident made a 5.307-second, 273.94-mph pass. That speed is the fifth fastest of all-time for the class. Time will tell if other TAD teams in the division can keep up with Stark this season.

There are several TAD drivers who have the potential to post big numbers. Dave Hirata of Lowell, Ind.; Bill Reichert of Owosso, Mich.; Jeff Wilson of Winfield, Mo.; and Shawn Bowen of Grand Blanc, Mich., are all threats to win any event but after the single qualifying run the class made in Joliet, only Reichert joined Stark in the eight-car field.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, qualifying at Route 66, Glendale Heights, Ill., resident Marc White was the top qualifier, running more than three-tenths of a second quicker (5.648) than the No. 2 man, Jeff Craig of Muncie, Ind. White will need to run those kinds of numbers consistently this season if he is to reclaim the division title from Galena, Ohio's Chuck Cheeseman, and fend off relative new-comer Todd Veney of Indianapolis.

Gates at IRP open at 7 a.m. each day. Qualifying and time trials begin at 11 a.m. Friday and continue at 8 a.m. Saturday. TAD and TAFC are scheduled to qualify Friday at 4 p.m., and Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eliminations begin Sunday at 8 a.m. First round of eliminations for TAD and TAFC is scheduled at 1 p.m.

Adult tickets, including pit pass, are $10 Friday, $15 Saturday, and $15 Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.

The event is part of a 45-race, $6.5 million series contested across the country. Drivers in all classes, including Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street, are competing for a part of a $561,000 champions' purse. They will earn points leading to national and division titles as well as a berth on the team that will represent the North Central division at the Jeg's Allstar race which will be held in conjunction with the NHRA national event at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., in September.

IRP is located on Indiana Highway 136, four miles west of Interstate 465 at exit 16. For more information call the track, (317) 291-4090, or visit the web site, www.IRPonline.com.

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 second of six in North Central Division competition.

WHERE: Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis. Track is located on Indiana Highway 136, four miles west of Interstate 465 at exit 16.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, May 17-19, 2002

SCHEDULE: Time trials and qualifying schedule for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series:
FRIDAY, May 17 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 11 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 4 p.m.
SATURDAY, May 18 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Final qualifying and time trials are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying sessions are scheduled at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, May 19 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Eliminations begin at 8 a.m. Eliminations for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car begin at 1 p.m.

PURSE: The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors will vie for cash and contingency awards of $164,500, part of the 45-race, $6.5 million series.

2001 EVENT WINNERS: Bill Reichert, Top Alcohol Dragster; Chuck Cheeseman, Top Alcohol Funny Car; David Billingsly, Comp Eliminator; Stephen Belanger, Super Stock; Clint Blezien, Stock Eliminator; Dave Fields, Super Comp; Tim Gillespie, Super Gas; Bill Hanes, 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 2002 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 $220,500 overall bonus fund from Federal-Mogul's Sealed Power brand to the low qualifiers at each of the 45 Lucas Oil events and the 23 NHRA national events: $1,250 each in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car; $400 each in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock; and $200 in Stock. (TAD and TAFC compete at 16 of 23 national 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 2002 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 2002 Jeg's Allstars, held in conjunction with the NHRA Nationals in Chicago, Sept. 26-29, 2002. 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.

FEATURES: More than 600 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.

TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS -- $10 Friday, $15 Saturday, $15 Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. For more information please call Indianapolis Raceway Park, (317) 291-4090.