Busting Out, Indeed.
Written by Sheila Scarborough · May 19, 2006
I mentioned in my earlier post today that it might be time for Tony Schumacher’s U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster to “finally bust out” of this season’s slump. Well, something must have clicked; he ripped off a 4.476-second pass at 331.53 mph, as Friday night qualifying runs wrap up in the face of some more rain at National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio. The end of the second Top Fuel session was cut short by showers.
Said Schumacher, “I didn’t think that run would be as good as it was, but we certainly will take it given how we’ve been struggling lately. The key will be to put together two good runs tomorrow so we have a good feeling going into race day.”
Track records were a’poppin’ — seven of eight track records fell.
Robert Hight in Funny Car set a track ET record at 4.715, and defending champ Gary Scelzi set a track speed record of 329.58 mph.
Pro Stock’s Dave Connolly must have the local tongues wagging over in his hometown of Elyria, Ohio, since he led both first day sessions and his second pass at 6.693 seconds at 205.94 set a track ET. His homies were there to cheer him on, plus he gave props to the Professor; “We made the right run at the right time, and it’s great to do it here with all our friends and family here cheering us on.
“I blew a 50-cent fuse before the first run and we had to start the car in the front. Warren [Johnson] was very gentleman-like and waited for us to run and it made a big difference because we were able to make a run and get some data to tune from. I definitely thanked him at the other end because he didn’t have to wait but he did.”
My earlier entry today also questioned whether the Harleys and Buells were coming back anytime soon in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Andrew Hines had an answer for that in Columbus; he set a track record with 7.038 at 189.07 mph on his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod. Said Hines, “The competition has forced us to change what we were doing. I’m not ready to say we’re where we need to be but it’s getting better, that’s for sure.”
NHRA.com Friday recap.
Top Fuel Ladder
Top Fuel Order for Round Two Qualifying
Driver/Vehicle/ET/Speed
1. Tony Schumacher, U.S. Army Dragster, 4.476@, 331.53
2. Bob Vandergriff, UPS Dragster, 4.513, 323.89
3. Cory McClenathan, Carrier Boyz/Fram Boost 2 Drag, 4.523, 329.50
4. Melanie Troxel, Skull Gear/Torco Dragster, 4.529, 303.03
5. Larry Dixon, Miller Lite Dragster, 4.531, 324.28
6. David Baca, Big O Tires/Mach 1 Dragster, 4.542, 327.27
7. Rod Fuller, David Powers Motorsports Drags, 4.558, 326.00
8. David Grubnic, StriVectin-SD Dragster, 4.558, 321.96
9. Brandon Bernstein, Budweiser/Lucas Oil Dragster, 4.566, 326.08
10. Scott Palmer, Grand Crowne/Nitro Plate Drags, 4.780, 294.88
11. Doug Herbert, Snap-On Tools Dragster, 4.819, 298.67
12. Luigi Novelli, National Machine Repair Dragst, 5.054, 306.33
13. J.R. Todd, Skull Shine Dragster, 5.097, 201.40
14. Doug Kalitta, MAC Tools Dragster, 8.559, 98.07
15. Morgan Lucas, Lucas Oil Dragster, 9.733, 84.77
16. Hillary Will, KB Racing Dragster, 10.370, 75.58
——— Not Qualified ———
17. Scott Weis, Barrett Enterprises Dragster, 11.197, 79.15
@ = Track ET Record
Funny Car Ladder
Funny Car Order for Round Two Qualifying
Driver/Vehicle/ET/Speed
1. Robert Hight, AAA of So. Cal Mustang, 4.715@, 326.63
2. John Force, Castrol GTX Mustang, 4.720, 326.79
3. Tony Pedregon, Q Power Monte Carlo, 4.728, 323.58
4. Whit Bazemore, Matco Tools Charger, 4.741, 327.11
5. Cruz Pedregon, Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo, 4.744, 326.56
6. Gary Scelzi, Hemi Oakley Charger, 4.749, 329.58&
7. Tommy Johnson Jr., Skoal Racing Monte Carlo, 4.752, 325.92
8. Ron Capps, Brut Charger, 4.759, 322.96
9. Eric Medlen, Castrol Syntec Mustang, 4.765, 317.72
10. Jim Head, Head Racing Stratus, 4.777, 320.05
11. Scott Kalitta, Kalitta Air Monte Carlo, 4.797, 316.67
12. Del Worsham, Checker Schuck’s Kragen Monte, 4.799, 319.07
13. Tim Wilkerson, Levi, Ray & Shoup Monte Carlo, 4.832, 318.69
14. Gary Densham, RaceBricks Monte Carlo, 4.832, 312.13
15. Tony Bartone, Jim Dunn Racing/Lucas Oil Mont, 4.840, 320.89
16. Phil Burkart, Checker Schucks & Kragen Monte, 4.850, 314.90
——— Not Qualified ———
17. Mike Ashley, Skull Racing Gear Monte Carlo, 4.852, 315.78
18. Paul Lee, Monte Carlo, 4.863, 315.19
19. Frank Pedregon, Von Dutch Stratus, 4.889, 295.21
20. Bob Gilbertson, Autolite XP Spark Plugs Stratu, 4.980, 256.94
@ = Track ET Record
& = Track Speed Record
Pro Stock Ladder
Pro Stock Order for Round Two Qualifying
Driver/Vehicle/ET/Speed
1. Dave Connolly, Skull Gear Cobalt, 6.693@, 205.94
2. Jason Line, Summit Racing Equipment GTO, 6.701, 206.16&
3. Greg Anderson, Summit Racing Equipment GTO, 6.701, 205.60
4. Jim Yates, Sea Ray GTO, 6.704, 205.85
5. V. Gaines, Kendall Oil Stratus, 6.717, 205.76
6. Ron Krisher, Valvoline Cobalt, 6.717,205.01
7. Richie Stevens, Mopar/Valspar Stratus, 6.719, 204.73
8. Mike Edwards, Young Life/A.R.T. GTO, 6.720, 205.82
9. Dave Howard, Indicom Racing Cobalt, 6.722, 206.13
10. Warren Johnson, GM Performance Parts GTO, 6.726, 205.76
11. Rickie Smith, Skull Gear GTO, 6.731, 205.04
12. Allen Johnson, J & J Racing Stratus, 6.740, 205.41
13. Dave Northrop, ISC Racers’ Tape Stratus, 6.742, 203.80
14. Mike Thomas, Nitrofish Wear Stratus, 6.743, 205.04
15. Larry Morgan, ZMax Stratus, 6.743, 204.76
16. Greg Stanfield, Piranaz Racing GTO, 6.744, 204.70
——— Not Qualified ———
17. Shaun Carlson, Team Mopar/SRT Stratus, 6.751, 204.01
18. Erica Enders, Slammers Cobalt, 6.760, 205.19
19. Steve Schmidt, Steve Schmidt Competition Engi, 6.768, 204.51
20. Max Naylor, Jagermeister Stratus, 6.771, 203.89
21. Kurt Johnson, AC Delco Cobalt, 6.797, 204.54
22. Tony Rizzo, Tony Rizzo Racing Cobalt, 6.871, 202.70
23. Mark Pawuk, Pawuk Racing Cobalt, 7.385, 144.43
@ = Track ET Record
& = Track Speed Record
Pro Stock Motorcycle Ladder
Pro Stock Motorcycle Order for Round Two Qualifying
Rider/Vehicle/ET/Speed
1. Andrew Hines, Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines, 7.038@, 189.07
2. Chip Ellis, Drag Specialties/G2 Buell, 7.069, 193.46
3. Karen Stoffer, GEICO Motorcycle Suzuki, 7.071, 188.02
4. Matt Guidera, Rocklin Motorsports Buell, 7.072, 185.95
5. Matt Smith, Torco/Skull Gear Buell, 7.073, 189.79
6. Craig Treble, Team Tigue Suzuki, 7.075, 189.20
7. GT Tonglet, Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines, 7.084, 188.04
8. Marco Andreano, VRoom Racing Buell, 7.085, 185.54
9. Michael Phillips, Phillips Racing Suzuki, 7.126, 187.31
10. Antron Brown, US Army Suzuki, 7.127, 184.95
11. Tom Bradford, Hal’s Speed Shop Buell, 7.148, 192.58
12. Ryan Schnitz, Team Muzzy Buell, 7.149, 180.02
13. Shawn Gann, Race Girl Suzuki, 7.152, 182.11
14. Steve Johnson, Snap-On Tools Suzuki, 7.162, 186.12
15. Angelle Sampey, US Army Suzuki, 7.172, 185.69
16. Geno Scali, Performance Machine Suzuki, 7.184, 186.98
——— Not Qualified ———
17. Chris Rivas, Mohegan Sun Racing Buell, 7.188, 183.49
18. Paul Gast, Fast By Gast Suzuki, 7.217, 173.85
19. Wesley Wells, Ray Skillman Perf. Parts Suzuk, 7.291, 181.74
20. Hector Arana, Lucas Oil Suzuki, 7.400, 174.59
21. David Feazell, Wilwert’s H-D Harley, 7.471, 174.48
22. Brian DeLong, Brian DeLong Racing Suzuki, 7.718, 174.80
23. Joe DeSantis, Team Joey D Suzuki, 21.317, 23.75
@ = Track ET Record
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