Taylor, Rishton take funny car wins at LVMS

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 1998 | 10:56 a.m.

Dennis Taylor of Anaheim, Calif., driving the Way Cool '98 Dodge Avenger, roared to a time of 6.29 seconds at 220.551 mph Saturday night to win the Fox Hunt Funny Car Festival before 4,400 fans at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway drag strip.

Taylor defeated veteran Mert Littlefield of Garden Grove, Calif., who had a final-round effort of 8.256 seconds at 111 mph. The runner-up, driving a '95 Avenger, fought handling problems in the championship round of the Federal Mogul Funny Car showdown.

Tony Rishton, of Rialto, Calif., powered the Risthon Addiction Family IROC Z to a final-round time of 7.62 seconds at 176.876 mph to win the California Independent Funny Car Association competition over Phoenix driver Mike Hilsabeck, who broke out in the Arizona Thunder '96 Oldsmobile Cutlass entry with a time of 7.47 on a 7.50 breakout.

Citizens Area Transit bus driver Dana Young bolted to his second victory of the year in the Pro ET category. He turned a time of 11.095 seconds at 113.172 mph on a 11.05 dialin. Finishing second in the final round was Doug Schneider, who had a time 12.184 at 115.751 on a 12.10 dialin in a '71 Dodge Demon.

Neal Beck drove a '69 Oldsmobile Cutlass time to a time of 11.625 at 112.514 mph on a 11.50 dialin to beat Dwight Michaels, who turned a 12.935 at 101.591 on a 12.85 dialin in a '63 Dodge Polaris in the Sportsman class.

Jon Whittington picked up his second Street Eliminator triumph fo the year, driving '93 Pontiac Firebird to a winning time of 14.225 at 90.204 on a 14.09 dialin. Bill Dudley, driving a "70 Plymouth Roadrunner, had a time of 15.165 at 91.347 mph on a 14.85 dialin.

Sean Conner won his first Motorcycle Division race of the year, with a 9.816 at 110.948 on a 9.26 dialin aboard a '93 Kawasaki. He finished ahead of Eric Danielson Jr., who had 13.431 at 102.901 on a 13.00 on a '73 Kawasaki.

Jimmy Lintz shot to the National Performance Eliminator victory in a '91 Camaro, with a time 9.885 at 131.212 mph on a 9.85 dialin. Mike Creason, driving a '70 Monte Carlo, was second with a time of 9.620 at 140.734 mph on a 9.60 dialin.

A total of 85 cars competed in the NHRA/Craftsman ET points series event.

Motor sports action moves to the 3/8-mile paved oval at LVMS on Aug. 22 for another stop in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series. The next NHRA/Craftsman ET event is Aug. 29.