Friday's Southern Snapshots
Friday, May 04, 2012
[11 a.m.] Welcome to a slightly wet Atlanta Dragway and the opening day of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. Rain began falling early this morning but finally has relented, and the NHRA Safety Safari presented by AAA is on the job, drying the track. While the starting-line crew works the launch pad with hand blowers, the jet dryers have been burning fuel and getting replenished at the conveniently located (and appropriately named) RaceTrac gas station just outside the facility. Drying is expected to be completed in time for the first of the day's two Full Throttle qualifying sessions that is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. |
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[11:45 a.m.] Things are looking up in Atlanta! Track drying continues ... |
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[1 p.m.] The Full Throttle teams are unloading their race cars in anticipation of two qualifying runs today that are scheduled for 3:30 and 6 p.m.
Tony Schumacher's U.S. Army team (above) will have an interesting chance to break two dry spells this weekend: their 29-race winless streak and a victory at the only track on the NHRA tour where Schumacher has failed to win a race.
Johnny Gray's NTB/Service Central Funny Car squad (right) will hope to get their driver back to the final round in Atlanta, which he last reached in 1993, when he was runner-up to Tony Pedregon. |
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(Above) The Stockers hit the track at 1:15 p.m., almost four hours behind schedule.
(Right) Young Funny Car driver Blake Alexander is back in action this weekend with his Auto Service Plus Monte Carlo. This will be his third outing of the season in the Paul Smith-tuned machine that qualified successfully in Gainesville and Charlotte. Alexander also will compete this Spring in Bristol and Englishtown, and at select races later in the year. |
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Tim Wilkerson, left, will be joined in Funny Car competition this weekend and later this year in Norwalk by his son, Daniel, who is wheeling a Funny Car backed by event sponsor Summit Racing Equipment. |
Despite poor weather this morning, a strong crowd has turned up for today's opening qualifying rounds. |
[4 p.m.] Reigning world champ Eddie Krawiec led the performance charge in the first qualifying session of Pro Stock Motorcycle, running 6.895 at a track-record 195.42 mph, breaking the 195.34 mark last year. Hector Arana Sr. (6.926) and Jr. (6.955) were the second and third quickest of the opening stanza, respectively. |
[4:35 p.m.] Allen Johnson, the low qualifier a week ago in Houston, again is at the top of the Pro Stock pack with his Mopar Avenger after clocking a 6.620 at 209.07 mph to set both ends of the performance bar in Q1. Mike Edwards is No. 2 at 6.638 and Greg Anderson third at 6.647. |
| Stratford, Conn.-based Top Fuel racer Rit Pustari, who has only made it to a handful of races over the past three seasons, showed up with skateboard-hardware maker Surf Rods bannered on his dragster and veteran Jimmy Walsh as his crew chief. He opened with an early-shutoff 5.10 on his first pass. |
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[5:10 p.m.] Bob Tasca III grabbed the early lead in Funny Car, pushing his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby to a 4.121 to grab the No. 1 spot. Cruz Pedregon was second at 4.135 and Robert Hight third with a 4.140. |
[5:55 p.m.] Brandon Bernstein's MavTV dragster is the Top Fuel leader after one session with a 3.881 at 317.05 mph. Tony Schumacher is No. 2 with a similar 3.881, 316.60. Antron Brown is No. 3 with a 3.885, 317.34 (top speed). |
[6:15 p.m.] Hector Arana Sr. predicted he'd take over the Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying lead and delivered as promised, eking his Lucas Oil Buell past first-session leader Eddie Krawiec's 6.895 with a 6.894. |
[6:55 p.m.] Jason Line made event sponsor Summit Racing Equipment proud by driving their Pontiac to the No. 1 spot in Pro Stock with a 6.612. First-session leader Allen Johnson fired back with a just-missed 6.613 that leaves him in the second spot. Line's Summit teammate, Greg Anderson, is third with a 6.625. |
Grace Howell got 'er sideways on her burnout in Jim Cunningham's Mustang Pro Stocker and was shut off on the starting line when fluids were discovered leaking from the car. |
[7:25 p.m.] John Force didn't have a lot to celebrate on 63rd birthday today; the 15-time Funny Car champ's 4.261 best has him outside the top 12 heading into Saturday's final-two qualifying sessions. |
[7:45 p.m.] Robert Hight moved the Auto Club Mustang into the top spot of the Funny Car sheets with a 4.104, bumping early-session leader Ron Capps' 4.114 to second. Six races into the season, Hight has won four races, been the No. 1 qualifier three times, and moved up the all-time Funny Car win list (from ninth to seventh). |
[8:30 p.m.] Shawn Langdon (above) opened the second qualifying session with a 3.830 blast in the Al-Anabi silver car that stood as the No. 1 spot until the final pass of the night when Tony Schumacher (below) stormed to a 3.815 that broke Spencer Massey's three-year-old track mark of 3.820. |
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