TJ’s Back in “Joisey”
Written by Sheila Scarborough · June 22, 2007
Tommy Johnson, Jr. took the Funny Car provisional pole at the ProCare Rx NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, New Jersey. Schumacher, Stevens, Jr. and Hines are also at the top of their classes.
NHRA.com Friday recap.
Tommy Johnson, Jr. has had a rough season, although he stays upbeat in his blog for NHRA. Friday night in Englishtown, he laid down a 4.729 at 321.96 mph (track record ET) on the second run to solidify his hold on the low qualifier position in Funny Car.
“The way this year has gone I feel like Rocky Balboa. We’ve just taken so many body shots and yet we’re still here fighting,” Johnson said. “We finished (2006) so strong and we tested like crazy and we were so fast. Then the season started and it just fell apart. We were like, ‘What is going on?’
“We literally changed everything on our car, everything, and it still didn’t improve. We finally just pushed the whole thing to the back of the shop and left it there just like it was and built a new car from the ground up. It hit the track in Topeka and, combined with the hiring of [clutch specialist] Scott French, we’ve just done a 180-degree turn.”
John Force is currently qualified second and his daughter Ashley Force is at third, with Jerry Toliver on the bump and Mike Ashley, Kenny Bernstein and Gary Scelzi not yet qualified.
In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher seems determined not to repeat his heart-in-throat finish from last season, so he made a statement Friday with a 4.455 at 331.94 mph (track record ET.)
“Alan [Johnson, crew chief] came in here with a bit of a chip on his shoulder,” Schumacher said. “I don’t think he’s ever won here with [Gary] Scelzi or Blaine [Johnson] and I know that’s something he wants to change. You know, we have A.J. because of this place. We didn’t qualify here in 2003 and that’s when Dad went out and hired him. We’ve been on a pretty good roll since then.
“It’s cowboy-up time. I was fishing with Dad [owner Don Schumacher] the other day and I told him this was the perfect time to go on a run. We’ve got six races in six weeks and if we get a streak going we could really make a move in a short amount of time.”
Rod Fuller qualified second (still driving the plain, white unsponsored “Dragster”) and Clay Millican roared into third. Morgan Lucas is on the bump after letting Rahn Tobler go as his tuner, and Dave Grubnic still needs to qualify.
Pro Stock’s Richie Stevens, Jr. likes E-town; he won this race in 1999 and 2001, and on Friday posted a career-best 6.598 at 209.20 mph (track record ET) to secure the provisional pole.
“The night session is very important, especially for the Pro Stock cars,” Stevens said. “We run carburetors, (they’re) naturally-aspirated, and whenever the session is the coolest is probably going to be our best. The night session is always the best for us. It’s hard to make it work sometimes because you only get one good night session in. You kind of got to take advantage of it. Luckily, we did. We ran a .59, which is awesome for us. And it put us on top. So hopefully it will stick for tomorrow and hopefully it won’t get too cool in the morning and we can hold on to it.”
As with most Pro Stockers, Stevens will have one eye on the points standings until the Countdown to the Championship field is set following the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in August at Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania.
“We’ve got to make the cut-off by Indy,” observed Stevens. “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to do that. We’re only a couple of rounds out of eighth. It’s going to be tough. You have to take out a lot of good running cars. Right around me [in the points standings] you’ve got Greg Stanfield, Mike Edwards, Jim Yates and Warren Johnson. A bunch of us are piled up together and just fighting for it.
“If we can go out there and get some consistency built up, and go a couple of rounds at each of these races, it shouldn’t be a problem to get back in it. We’ve got our deal together in the power department and got the car working right. It’s just up to me and Allen [Johnson, teammate] to go out there and go some rounds. I need to go out there and get these first and second round blues out of the way. We’re just looking for a final round finish. We’re just looking to go out there, go rounds, and pick up some trophies.”
Greg Anderson is second and Jeg Coughlin is third, with Craig Hankinson on the bump. The “not yet qualified” group includes Kenny Koretsky, Tom Hammonds and Erica Enders.
Chicago winner Andrew Hines continues his strong Pro Stock Motorcycle performance with a 6.910 at 193.57 mph (track ET record.)
“E-town is such a great place to race,” Hines said. “It’s like a playground out there for Pro Stock. You’re at sea level and the air is good; when Mother Nature decides to give us good weather here you can fly. I think we got lucky because Eddie [Krawiec, teammate] lives up here and he’s said it’s been miserable hot the past few weeks.
“It feels so great to go out there and run that fast. I know I have a great bike under me again and that just allows you to relax, have fun, and concentrate more on your riding position and tuck.”
Angelle Sampey is qualified second and Chip Ellis is third, with Matt Guidera on the bump. Steve Johnson and Connie Cohen are among those who are not yet qualified.
Qualifying rounds resume Saturday, 23 June at noon ET.
Top Fuel Qualifying Positions After Two Rounds
1. Tony Schumacher 4.455@ (ET) 331.94 (mph)
2. Rod Fuller 4.479 330.39
3. Clay Millican 4.487 330.39
4. Brandon Bernstein 4.500 331.04
5. Cory McClenathan 4.516 326.40
6. Whit Bazemore 4.521 332.51&
7. Hillary Will 4.544 328.38
8. Melanie Troxel 4.555 332.43
9. Doug Herbert 4.555 314.90
10. Bob Vandergriff 4.557 311.13
11. Larry Dixon 4.558 322.42
12. Doug Foley 4.582 331.20
13. J.R. Todd 4.649 307.79
14. Doug Kalitta 4.653 328.38
15. Rit Pustari 4.734 312.78
16. Morgan Lucas 5.878 147.67
——— Not Qualified ———
17. David Grubnic 8.787 84.61
@ = Track ET Record
& = Track Speed Record
Funny Car Qualifying Positions After Two Rounds
1. Tommy Johnson Jr. 4.729@ (ET) 321.96 (mph)
2. John Force 4.747 325.37
3. Ashley Force 4.760 321.19
4. Scott Kalitta 4.768 317.79
5. Ron Capps 4.775 319.90
6. Tony Pedregon 4.780 323.04
7. Jim Head 4.785 324.83
8. Jack Beckman 4.789 325.30
9. Del Worsham 4.796 325.22
10. Tony Bartone 4.797 323.97
11. Cruz Pedregon 4.811 318.62
12. Tim Wilkerson 4.819 323.89
13. Jeff Arend 4.841 319.52
14. Robert Hight 4.893 301.67
15. Bob Gilbertson 4.947 301.94
16. Jerry Toliver 4.987 289.20
——— Not Qualified ———
17. Mike Ashley 5.017 257.04
18. Gary Densham 5.053 279.21
19. Kenny Bernstein 5.134 213.20
20. Gary Scelzi 5.142 231.12
@ = Track ET Record
Pro Stock Qualifying Positions After Two Rounds
1. Richie Stevens 6.598@ (ET) 209.20 (mph)
2. Greg Anderson 6.606 209.62&
3. Jeg Coughlin 6.612 209.46
4. Jason Line 6.615 209.52
5. Allen Johnson 6.621 208.59
6. Dave Connolly 6.621 208.07
7. Dave Northrop 6.627 209.14
8. Greg Stanfield 6.628 209.01
9. Kurt Johnson 6.635 208.71
10. Jim Yates 6.635 207.08
11. V. Gaines 6.639 208.55
12. Mike Edwards 6.640 207.56
13. Max Naylor 6.641 209.04
14. Larry Morgan 6.642 207.98
15. Warren Johnson 6.643 208.71
16. Craig Hankinson 6.643 207.66
——— Not Qualified ———
17. Justin Humphreys 6.650 208.71
18. Tom Hammonds 6.664 206.80
19. Kenny Koretsky 6.668 207.24
20. Erica Enders 6.673 207.53
21. Ron Krisher 6.698 206.70
22. Tony Rizzo 6.719 205.22
23. Bob Benza 6.744 424.39
24. Jim Cunningham 6.817 201.43
25. Matt Hartford 7.486 142.75
@ = Track ET Record
& = Track Speed Record
Pro Stock Motorcycle Qualifying Positions After Two Rounds
1. Andrew Hines 6.910@ (ET) 193.57 (mph)
2. Angelle Sampey 6.949 192.41
3. Chip Ellis 6.950 192.30
4. Karen Stoffer 6.960 193.24
5. Chris Rivas 6.975 190.48
6. Antron Brown 6.978 192.11
7. Craig Treble 6.981 192.80
8. Geno Scali 6.994 192.47
9. Michael Phillips 7.002 193.16
10. Peggy Llewellyn 7.014 190.38
11. Hector Arana 7.021 189.92
12. Eddie Krawiec 7.023 190.14
13. Mike Berry 7.033 188.78
14. Matt Smith 7.057 191.05
15. Shawn Gann 7.066 189.47
16. Matt Guidera 7.074 187.31
——— Not Qualified ———
17. Paul Gast 7.077 189.47
18. Barry Henson 7.090 189.31
19. Steve Johnson 7.092 189.34
20. Tom Bradford 7.095 187.23
21. Joe DeSantis 7.146 188.54
22. Connie Cohen 7.350 180.79
23. Jack Baldwin 8.097 163.02
@ = Track ET Record
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looking for results of todays race