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February 20-22, 2009 Courtesy Dean Murdoch Photos courtesy Mark King. Sunday finals (photos will be posted Monday).
Nitro Funny Car is not turning out the way most prognosticators predicted to start the season, as Ron Capps is making the "Ace" look like a genius with back to back wins. John Force was the last guy to wins the first two races of the year and that was 12 years ago. Capps defeat John running mate Mike Neff who really had the car to beat this weekend, and Neff did it without his regular crew chief. John Medlen is back at Indy in the hospital as he suffered chest pains and had a stint place in his chest. Neff, no stranger to tuning a car, did double duty this weekend with assistance on the phone from Medlen and was low all weekend. Unfortunately in the final round his car would not go into reverse and he was forced to idle down the track. Team owner John Force went out in round one as did daughter Ashley. Last years #2 Tim Wilkerson rebounded form the Pomona DNQ with a semi final finish .
In Top Fuel, Antron Brown is making Mike Ashley's decision to go into Top Fuel racing a good one, as Brown got the win and the point lead (up two rounds). Brown defeated Brandon Bernstein (who site #2 in the points. The two top guns Tony Schumacher and Larry Dixon are #4 and 6 respectively.
All three top rookie candidates went out in round two.
Pro Stock saw last years champ defeat KJ in the final round. Jason Line lost in round two but holds onto a slim 2 point lead over Jeggie. Greg Anderson and Mike Edwards are one round back. The next race on the schedule is in three weeks at Gainesville
Wrap up courtesy NHRA communications, numbers courtey DRC CHANDLER, Ariz. --
"After testing, here in Phoenix last month, our team just really gelled. We didn't need any glue or adhesive we just stuck together. We just need to get more laps and to be more consistent. We've got an awesome race car. We were bummed to not win at Pomona last race because we really had the car to beat, but you can't count anyone out in this sport. To run that 3.81 in the semis today was awesome to show we can run with (Larry) Dixon and Tony (Schumacher) and all the top dogs. It's going to be a fun year in Top Fuel, but it'll be tough to win races with so many great teams."
Capps credited his crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch for the NAPA team's newfound success this season. "He's the man," said Capps in the winner's circle. "He's done well in his career, driven Funny Cars, Top Fuel dragsters. He's my hero. I can't tell you how I feel right now. More than anything [this win is great] for the NAPA guys and for Ace. He really worked hard in the off season and kind of started from scratch with the tune-up. "It's like a really good cook learning how to cook again completely differently. The car is just so different to run, to feel, and it puts me in the trunk at half-track. It's so much fun to drive and when the win light comes on, it's even better. "To run the 4:04 in the final was awesome. Ace could've just tried to go down the track, but he wanted to give the fans the best run this weekend.
"That's a crazy stat," Coughlin admitted. "Any time you race Kurt you know you're in for a battle and it definitely means a little more to beat a driver of his caliber. I'll have to make sure and give him a hard time about this." Coughlin put Steve Spiess, Jason Line and Ron Krisher in the trailer on his way to the final round. "Sometimes you really have to fight your way through a race and that was certainly the case this weekend," said Coughlin, a 42-time winner in the Pro Stock class. "We're still trying to fine-tune this new Chevy and we're not at full speed just yet. My Dad and Roy (Simmons, crew chief) just kept at it every pass and the car was there for me. It's really cool to win for them and for my little man, Jeggie III, who came along this weekend. He's always good luck." In Competition Eliminator, Lucas Oil Champion Dan Fletcher opened the season with back to back wins after winning the final two events of 2008 enroute to the championship. He defeated Lou Ficco in the final round when Ficco left too quickly, turning on the red light. Fletcher, driving a C/EA 2008 Chevy Cobalt, is the first driver in the history of Competition Eliminator to win four consecutitive National events. Fletcher moved up to eighth place on the all-time NHRA National event win list with 58 wins. 2007 Lucas Oil Stock Champion Michael Iacono won Super Stock, defeating Jimmy DeFrank in the final by 0.0066 seconds, approximately 18 inches. Iacono, in his GT/DA 1987 Chevy Camaro, had a 0.023 second "package" (reaction time and closeness to his dial-in, combined) in the final. This was Iacono's third Super Stock National event win and fourth overall. The remaining Lucas Oil Series categories were all determined on red lights. Brad Burton collected his second National event win in Stock when Doug Lambeck went red in the final. Tom Bayer won his fourth Wally and second in Super Comp when Larry Marshall went red by 0.006 seconds. Mike Ferderer won Super Gas when Ryan Herem was 0.002 seconds too quick on the tree. Ferderer, with the win, ties Sheldon Gecker for the most National event wins in Super Gas at 12 wins. The ACDelco Gatornationals is next on the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule in Gainesville, Fla. March 12-15. Sunday's final results from the 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway. The race is the second of 24 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series- Top Fuel -- Antron Brown, 3.846 seconds, 310.63 mph def. Brandon Bernstein, 5.173 seconds, 143.54 mph. Funny Car -- Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.048, 306.81 def. Mike Neff, Ford Mustang, broke. Pro Stock -- Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cobalt, 6.643, 208.01 def. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.647, 208.46. Competition Eliminator -- Dan Fletcher, Cobalt, 9.865, 98.64 def. Lou Ficco, GXP, foul. Super Stock -- Michael Iacono, Camaro, 9.952, 132.02 def. Jimmy DeFrank, Cobalt, 8.796, 154.83. Stock Eliminator -- Brad Burton, Formula, 10.949, 119.01 def. Doug Lambeck, Camaro, foul. Super Comp -- Thomas Bayer, Dragster, 8.894, 165.64 def. Larry Marshall, Dragster, 8.905, 174.84. Super Gas -- Mike Ferderer, Grand Am, 9.862, 173.99 def. Ryan Herem, Corvette, foul.
Saturday final qualifying recap As stated Friday very little change occurred Saturday in qualifying, with John Force switching places with Del Worsham in the top five in FC, and the top eight staying in the top half. Top Fuel saw "Shoe" and A. Brown switching spots and seven of the top eight also staying in the top half. Pro Stock saw KJ move into the top half and Rickie Jones making the biggest move from 13th to 8th. Final qualifying FC 1 28 Ron Capps, Carlsbad CA, '09 Charger 4.023
305.63 305.63 ------------ Not Qualified ------------ 17 340 Bob Bode, Barrington IL, '09 Impala SS 4.307
285.05 285.05 TF 1 2 Larry Dixon, Brownsburg IN, Hadman-TFX 3.807
313.95 315.71 ------------ Not Qualified ------------ 17 700 Steven Chrisman, Anaheim CA, McKinney-TFX
4.167 279.79 280.49 PS 1 4 Mike Edwards, Coweta OK, '09 GXP 6.605@ 208.52
208.71 ------------ Not Qualified ------------ 17 9 V. Gaines, Lakewood CO, '06 Stratus 6.669 206.54
206.89
Friday qualifying February 20-22, 2009 Courtesy Dean Murdoch Photos courtesy Mark King. The Arizona Nationals, now called the "Lucas Oil Mist Nationals" at Firebird Raceway in Chandler have a polar opposite look to them than the Winternationals of two weeks ago. The Weather is the biggest difference you notice right away. Warm sunny skies have enveloped the desert state, and the first two rounds of qualifying went off without a hitch Friday.
To no surprise the Alan Johnson/Al-Anabi team have rebounded from their shocking DNQ in Top Fuel at Pomona, with the current #1 spot in Top Fuel. Larry Dixon ripped off a evening session 3.807. A big sigh of relief no doubt, be in reality I am sure AJ was not too concerned about their one shot effort two weeks ago.
In Funny Car Ed "The Ace" McCulloch has done a complete 180 from 2008 with a win at race #1 and the early top spot in qualifying in with a 1000 foot era second best 4.02. Ashley Force and Simba (not the lion king variety) were second to last on the list after a loose off the throttle lap. The other Force cars all turned in top five performances all in the 4.0's. Tim Wilkerson is still struggling, unlike ast season. He is not in the field yet, and if that trends follows through the event, he will be wishing for a moratorium to resind the testing ban, or may use up all four of his available days in short order.
Gary Densham has new livery on the side of his Impala, Asombroso Tequila. It is a one race deal but company owner Richardo Gammara, staed if the responce n the company website are favorable this weekend he will look at up to the plate. Click on the tequila link to help the "Schoolteacher" out.
In the early battle of the rookie, Spencer Massey , Shawn Langdon and Matt Hagan, Hagan and Massey have the early edge IMO, and should battle throughout the season, as both have strong teams behind them.
Mike Edwards in Pro Stock looks to be another professional veteran who is at the top of this game. 2008 ended as a career best season with a #4 finish and he is continuing in 2009 right where he left off. After a semi final finish at Pomona he leads after two rounds with an Friday evening lap of 6.605.
No TA classes this weekend but they will be at Firebird next weekend for the Lucas Oil event. Saturday sees two more qualifiers, during the warm Arizona sun so changes at the top in the two Fuel classes are not likely but Pro Stocks first round could net some shuffling
Friday recap courtesy NHRA.com Brown in the Matco Tools dragster went to the number two spot in that last pair with Dixon, running 3.830 seconds at 313.80 mph. In the pair before those two, Tony Schumacher, in the Mike Green-tuned Army Top Fueler, had gone to the number one spot at 3.840 seconds at 315.27 mph. Schumacher's pass was the fastest of the day. Spenser Massey, in the Don Prudhomme owned U.S. Smokeless dragster, was fourth (3.847 at 310.27) and Brandon Bernstein, in the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster, rounded out the top five ((3.875 at 308.07).
Mike Neff, in his John Force Racing Ford, qualified number two with a great pass of 4.050 seconds at 309.06. He is pulling double duty this weekend as he is tuning the car while crew chief John Medlen is recovering in Indianapolis from a heart stent procedure. Del Worsham qualified number three in his Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing Toyota Solara, 4.072 seconds at 305.22 mph. Force teammates Robert Hight (4.077 at 303.71) and John Force (4.089 at 298.14) round out the top five.
Qualifying continues Saturday with sessions at noon and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday. In Lucas Oil competition, Clint Neff, in his K/A Ford '23 T Roadster, leads qualifying in Competition Eliminator, 0.667 seconds under the index of 7.893 seconds, at 166.68 mph. Competition Eliminator will get one more qualifying session at 11:30 am and then will run round one at 2:00 pm. In Super Stock, Tibor Kadar, in his SS/GM '92 Chevy Camaro, leads qualifying at 1.288 seconds under the index with a pass of 9.412 seconds. Steve Hagberg, in his A/SA '64 Savoy, leads qualifying in Stock with a 1.131 seconds under the index pass of 10.169 seconds. Stock will get one more qualifying session and Super Comp will get one more time trial tomorrow morning before going into eliminations. Super Stock will get one qualifying session and Super Gas will get one more time trial after Pro qualifying tomorrow and then will go into eliminations. Results Friday after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway, second of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations. Friday qualifying Top Fuel 1 2 Larry Dixon, Brownsburg IN, Hadman-TFX 3.807 313.95 313.95 ------------ Not Qualified ------------ 13 22 Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti MI, Attac-TFX 4.058 264.70 264.70 Funny Car 1 28 Ron Capps, Carlsbad CA, '09 Charger 4.023 305.63 305.63 ------------ Not Qualified ------------ 13 10 Gary Densham, Bellflower CA, '07 Impala 4.172 291.76 291.76 Pro Stock 1 4 Mike Edwards, Coweta OK, '09 GXP 6.605@ 208.52 208.71 ------------ Not Qualified ------------ 13 317 Rickie Jones, Galesburg IL, '06 Stratus 6.680 206.95 206.95 Event preview CHANDLER, Ariz. -- WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Feb. 20-22 PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.5 million SCHEDULE: SATURDAY, Feb. 21 -Sportsman eliminations begin at 8 a.m. SUNDAY, Feb. 22 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. TELEVISION:
TRACK RECORDS: NATIONAL RECORDS: TICKETS: For tickets call Firebird International Raceway, (602) 268-0200. Tickets also are available at www.ticketforce.com. GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $33; Junior (6-12 years), $15. Saturday: Adult, $46, Junior (6-12 years), $15. Sunday: Adult, $48, Junior (6-12 years), $15. RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $43-55; Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years-under), $20. Saturday: Adult, $56-80; Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years and under), $20. Sunday: Adult, $58-85; Junior (6-12 years), $27; Child (5 years and under), $22. |
