Rain cut qualifying and time trials short Friday at the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals at Beech Bend Raceway Park.  Runs were scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. but weather delayed racing until 1 p.m. on Friday. Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street completed a single session on Friday at the historic Kentucky track.
 
In Super Stock, Dan Jacobs leads qualifying through Friday in his ’05 Cavalier. Jacobs ran 1.129 seconds under his 10.50 second index to take the provisional lead. Aaron Stanfield, son of four-time world champion Greg Stanfield, is second in his ’87 Camaro. Mike Cotten, who posted a runner up finish last week in Topeka, Kan., is third in his ’87 Camaro. Leonard Mattingly, from Coxs Creek, Ky., is eighth.
 
Gary Summers, from Franklin, Ky., powered his ’75 Mustang to the qualifying lead in Stock Eliminator. Summers posted a 13.694 second pass to cross the finish line 1.156 seconds under his 14.85 index. Bill Sempsrott, from Franklin, Ohio, is currently qualified second in his ’66 Nova and is followed by Andrew Hill and Gary Robillard in third and fourth, respectively. Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., from Donaldsonville, La., is fifth in his ’04 GTO. Hiladgo Jr. recently won the Super Stock title in Atlanta and also posted a runner up finish at the same event in Stock. Tommy Turner, from Tompkinsville, Ky., is 10th.
 
Racers in Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street began their time trial runs on Friday in preparation for Saturday’s 16-car Lucas Oil / K&N Filters Super Shootouts, and Sunday’s final eliminations.
 
Leading the 16-car field in Super Comp is Ryan Richardson from Greenbrier, Ten. Richard posted an 8.900 at 179.37 to perfectly match the category’s 8.90 index. Shannon Mingee from Urbana, Ill., is second and Megan Strassweg from Evansville, Ind., is third.
 
Troy Coughlin Jr., representing event sponsor JEGS Mail Order, is currently qualified first in Super Gas in his ’57 Corvette. Coughlin Jr. raced to a 9.900 at 163.97, posting a perfect run against a 9.90 index. Dwight Nuest, from Kouts, Ind., and Brian Folk, from Durand, Ill., are qualified second and third, respectively, for the bonus event. Rusty Cook of Cynthiana, Ky., is currently 12th.
 
Philip Smida, hailing from Canfield, Ohio, currently leads the Super Street category heading into the specialty Shootout event. Smida races an ‘88 Cavalier. He is followed by Nick Vogelsang in second and Denny Napier in third. Robert Armbrsuter from Clinton, Ky., is seventh, Bitsy Satterly from Lawrenceburg, Ky., is ninth, Marshal Glass from Hopkinsville, Ky., is 14th and James Hinkle from Danville, Ky., is 15th.
 
A showcase for NHRA Lucas Oil Series drivers, the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals has returned to its birthplace in Bowling Green for the first time since 1986. The event has attracted a field of nearly 600 drivers from all over North America including NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series professionals Shawn Langdon and Bo Butner.
 
Qualifying for the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals will resume at Beech Bend Raceway Park at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 27. Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street will each get one more session while Competition Eliminator, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster will get two sessions. Saturday’s schedule will also feature the popular class eliminations for Super Stock and Stock drivers.