K&N Filters Winternationals
Pomona
(Feb. 7-10)
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42nd annual |
| Thursday |
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leaders at 2002 season opener |
The 2002 POWERade Drag Racing Series blasted off to a spectacular start Thursday at historic Pomona Raceway as the 42nd annual K&N Filters Winternationals roared to life with a single round of professional qualifying.
It was hard to tell that the gathered pros have been on winter break for the last two and a half months as very competitive passes were recorded in all three categories. Doug Kalitta led the way with the day's only 4.5-second pass, earning the soft-spoken Michigan native provisional low qualifier honors in Top Fuel. Early bragging rights in Funny Car went to 11-time champion John Force, who thrilled the hometown crowd by out-running rival Whit Bazemore 4.764 to 4.815. Bazemore finished second on the ladder.
The gasoline-powered Pro Stock set remains every bit as close as it was last season. Two-time series champ Jim Yates used a track-record elapsed time of 6.825 seconds to grab the No. 1 slot. Kurt Johnson followed in second place with a Pomona Raceway record top speed of 202.88 mph.
Officially, Kalitta's Mac Tools Top Fueler posted a 4.593 at 319.90 mph. The run was impressive for a couple of reasons. First of all, of the 17 cars that attempted passes, only eight made it from end-to-end under power. Secondly, the pass was a full six-hundredths of a second quicker than anyone else.
 Doug Kalitta
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"We managed to get a quick time down, which always puts a smile on your face, especially when it's the first run of the year at the first race of the year," Kalitta said. "It's early so we won't get too excited. I mean there's three more qualifying sessions to go. But we do have a good baseline tune-up down now and we can work from there.
"We struggled in testing so this is actually quite a relief to do this right away. It was a good run; we're in the 4.5s, which should hold us a spot in the elimination field."
Another tool-sponsored car car, the Snap-on Tools machine of Doug Herbert, was the second quickest with a distant 4.653 at 315.93 mph. U.S. Army pro Tony Schumacher followed with a 4.663 at 314.31 mph, while Clay Millican rounded out the top four with a 4.688 at 310.05 mph in the Werner Enterprises rail.
Joe Hartley set a dubious bump of 12.501 seconds at 87.16 mph. Twenty-one cars are in attendance; 17 attempted passes today. Top Fuel results
The rivalry everyone has been talking about since last season got off to a great start in Funny Car when reigning world champ Force out-paced challenger Bazemore by five-hundredths of a second. The two ran side-by-side in the last professional lap of the day, thrilling the crowd with a close race. It wasn't until the 1,000-foot mark that Force's Castrol GTX Mustang pulled away to earn low qualifier honors over Bazemore's Matco Tools Pontiac Firebird.
 John Force
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The numbers on the scoreboards showed Force crossing the finish line in 4.764 seconds at 322.27 mph, while Bazemore tripped the timers in 4.815 seconds at 321.50 mph.
"Bazemore's already told me it's over," Force said. "He got out at the other end and he was already talking. He told me, 'Not bad for an old man.' Right then I knew the season had officially started. They ran a 4.81 and they were soft so they'll be right there.
"That e.t. won't stick. It'll take a low 4.70 to get the pole. I'll tell you, if our car keeps running they way it is we might just see a 4.60 sooner then we thought. [Crew chief Austin] Coil is all excited about the tune-up right now. He doesn't say much but he was talking down there today. I can't tell you what he said but he's fired up."
Force teammate Gary Densham parked the Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang in the No. 3 position with a partially shut-off 4.891 at 263.72 mph. Pleasing the race's title sponsor was K&N Filters veteran Al Hofmann, who posted a 4.907 at 291.76 mph to take fourth place on the ladder.
Nine cars ran quicker than five seconds. System 1 Filters driver Louis Sweet is the No. 16 qualifier with a 9.096 at 90.48 mph, holding off five other contenders. Funny Car results
Just one qualifying session into the first race of the year and the Pro Stock class already has produced an all 6.8-second field. SplitFire/Peak driver Yates, a runner-up in the points standings last season, gained the early edge with a 6.825 at 201.85 mph. Yates could make it two races in a row if he manages to keep the top slot having earned low qualifier honors here in November.
 Jim Yates
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"Drag racing is all about quick starts," Yates said. "It feels pretty good to come out here and run this well this quickly. We're pleased as can be to be on the pole and we're thrilled to be ahead of the pack by one-hundredth of a second.
"Everyone in this class goes out and works as hard as they can in the off-season. You make gains here and there and you seem like you're making progress but you never really know until you get to Pomona and put it out there on the race track. We've started well and I think there's some more in there. That's always a good thing."
Kurt Johnson was the closest to Yates with a 6.833 at 202.88 mph in his ACDelco Cavalier. Ron Krisher and Greg Anderson followed with a pair of 6.847-second passes. Krisher was slightly faster at 202.18 mph to Anderson's 202.06-mph top speed.
Robert Patrick has put the lone Ford in attendance on the Day 1 bump spot after coaxing a 6.893 at 199.85 mph out of the Purvis Mustang. Eighteen drivers have yet to earn a spot in the field including the usually reliable Mark "Cowboy" Pawuk, Bruce Allen, Warren Johnson, Darrell Alderman, and Bob Glidden. Pro Stock results
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