Friday's Phoenix Photos
Friday, February 17, 2012
Arizona drag racing fans packed the pits during the opening day of the 2012 NHRA Arizona Nationals. The fans were treated to great weather — the skies were clear and sunny throughout the day — and exciting on-track action that included new e.t. and speed track records in Top Fuel and Pro Stock. |
Jason Line’s Summit Racing Equipment GXP was the No. 1 qualifier in the first session with a new track record of 6.556 that shattered Mike Edwards’ old mark of 6.598 set in 2009, and Line then improved to a 6.553 in the second round to stay on top of the Pro Stock field. |
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| Allen Johnson (above left) had the quickest Mopar Friday with identical 6.568s in his Avenger in both sessions to end up fifth in the Pro Stock field. Ronnie Humphrey (above right) picked up where he left off with his strong Winternationals showing by recording two great runs of 6.561 and 6.557. Humphrey also set a new track record in the first session of 211.16 mph, which was broken by Mike Edwards’ 211.53-mph blast in the afternoon. |
After suffering traction problems at the Winternationals, midweek testing in Las Vegas apparently helped Erica Enders, who recorded solid Pro Stock runs of 6.587 and 6.593. She finished seventh in Friday’s qualifying and hopes to improve in the expected cooler conditions of the Saturday morning qualifying round. |
The pleasant surprise of the first day was Jim Head, who powered to a 4.107 in the first pair of Funny Cars to hit the track. That number put him No. 1 after the first session and held for the top spot until the second-to-last pair of the second session. Head enters Saturday second in the order. |
Johnny Gray, who finished as runner-up at this event last year, is the provisional Funny Car polesitter after he wheeled his Tire Kingdom/Service Central Dodge to a 4.074. Gray’s run actually could have been better because the car drifted toward the wall, forcing him off the throttle. |
Bob Tasca III holds top speed of the event at 307.72 mph. The speed came on Tasca’s 4.134 run that was the second-best of the second Funny Car session. |
Gary Densham wasn’t originally scheduled to be part of the NHRA Arizona Nationals field, but after a strong semifinal run in Pomona that left him tied for third in the standings, he made arrangements with Steve Plueger to pilot his car at Firebird. Densham enters Saturday outside the field after posting a 4.55 on his lone run. |
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Shawn Langdon broke Larry Dixon’s three-year-old Top Fuel e.t. track record of 3.802 by a huge margin in the second qualifying session with a sensational 3.754, the fifth-quickest run in Top Fuel history. Langdon’s run put him on the pole position after he had recorded a No. 3 effort of 3.860 in the opening round. |
Tony Schumacher finished second in Top Fuel qualifying with a 3.783 in the afternoon and obliterated Larry Dixon’s track speed record of 317.57 mph with a booming 324.44-mph blast. Schumacher also led the first qualifying round with a 3.845. |
Steve Torrence was among four drivers to produce the first 3.7-second runs at Firebird Int’l Raceway in Friday afternoon’s stunning Top Fuel qualifying with numbers of 3.788 and 321.19 mph. |
David Grubnic flexed his muscles with times of 3.803 and 321.96 mph that not only placed him fifth in Top Fuel, but were also personal career-best clockings. His teammate, Doug Kalitta, was right behind with a 3.804. |
O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries winner Spencer Massey used the momentum from his Pomona victory to post times of 3.795, 323.81 mph to wind up fourth in Top Fuel qualifying. |
Between Pro qualifying sessions, three Nostalgia Funny Cars made exhibition passes. Tim Boychuk was quickest, wheeling Roland Leong’s entry to a 5.747. Jason Rupert (5.766) and Ryan Davenport (5.871) also took part. |
After the final pair of Top Fuelers went downtrack, the opening day was capped by a pair of jet cars, the MavTV Maverick and Terminal Velocity. |