Mac Tools
Gatornationals
Gainesville, Fla.
(March 13-16)
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34th Annual |
| Sunday |
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Densham, K.J., Savoie win at Gators |
Spring Break fever has hit Gainesville Raceway and the party is on for a giddy group of winners at the 34th annual Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals. Brandon Bernstein is providing the beverages after his Bud team scored its second win in a row while 56-year-old Funny Car winner Gary Densham is a happy chaperone. Pro Stock trophy winner Kurt Johnson has his mom and dad to keep an eye on him, and Angelle Savoie will add a New Orleans flair to the festivities after her big win in Pro Stock Bike.
Bernstein's incredible start now includes two wins in his first three professional-level races. He also shares another race title with his famous father, Kenny, who took the Funny Car title here in 1984, 1985, and 1988.
 Brandon Bernstein
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This one looked relatively easy as he left on first-time finalist John Smith, .040 to .088, and simply drove away for the win, posting a 4.594 at 326.67 mph ahead of Smith's 4.718 at 315.90 mph. Smith was a happy runner-up having rocketed all the way up to third place in the standings.
"Tim [Richards, crew chief] and the guys are just amazing," Bernstein said. "They gave me a car that ran 4.5-second passes all weekend long in Phoenix and we were running 4.5s all weekend long here. It's so fun to drive the car when you go straight down Broadway every time. I'm just so fortunate to be driving this Budweiser dragster. I've got to pinch myself.
"Winning the first one was amazing. Now, winning back-to-back races is almost to much to think about. The big round today was obviously the one against [Larry] Dixon. He's the champ so he's the guy we're after. To beat a team of that caliber two times now says a lot. Another beer battle is on, plus we closed on them in the points a little bit."
Until the final, Bernstein and Team Budweiser's march to their second consecutive final round got progressively harder as the rounds clicked off. The 30-year-old Bernstein got a free pass in Round 1 when Andrew Cowin suffered engine problems during his burnout and was unable to run. He then outpaced Cory McClenathan 4.59 to 4.63 and beer rival Larry Dixon 4.53 to 4.57. Bernstein is now 2-0 versus Dixon this year but Dixon still holds the POWERade points lead by a 17-point margin.
In his 42nd professional race, Smith powered his Prestone dragster to the first final of his career with a little luck and some great driving. He opened with a 4.61-second win over his wife Rhonda Hartman-Smith, before winning back-to-back tire-smoking duels, the first over low qualifier Doug Kalitta and the second over first-time semifinalist David Baca. Top Fuel results
Densham redeemed himself from a disappointing holeshot loss in Phoenix with a come-from-behind final-round victory over Del Worsham. After spotting Worsham a .068 to .054-second head start, Densham and his Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang thundered by to take an exciting 4.876-second win against Worsham's 4.906-second effort.
 Gary Densham
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The victory pushed Densham into the points lead for just the second time in his career. He held the lead for four races after winning in Englishtown, N.J., last season. Densham now has five career wins, all coming since he joined John Force Racing.
"I've probably experienced more stress in the past three weeks than in my whole life," Densham said. "We had the quickest car in Phoenix and to let my guys down and lose in the finals was such a bummer. [Phoenix final-round opponent Ron] Capps had a great guess at the Tree and almost had a perfect light. You can't defend against that but it doesn't make it any easier to live with.
"At this race we were struggling mightily Friday and went home not in the show. I was up all night looking out the window worrying it was gonna rain out. Then we got a chance to run and Jimmy [Prock, crew chief] got a hold of this thing and we ran well. Then today we're right back to being the best car on the property. This time I didn't screw it up.
"This is one of those races, one of the originals, that you just have to win. We've had a John Force Racing Mustang in every final this year and our boss may be struggling in his car but he is still the biggest motivator you could ever be around."
A runner-up at the last race in Phoenix with a string of 4.8-second runs, Densham simply picked up where he left off, posting four more 4.8-second elimination round wins over Bob Gilbertson, Phoenix winner Ron Capps, Gary Scelzi, and Worsham.
A mid-pack sleeper, Checker Schuck's Kragen pro Worsham fought through to the 20th final of his career with wins over Tommy Johnson Jr., No. 1 qualifier Tony Pedregon, and Whit Bazemore. Funny Car results
Pro Stock winner Johnson remains perfect against Coughlin, at least in final round matchups. For the fifth straight money-round meeting, K.J. beat the champ to the other end. This race was a classic with both drivers leaving with near-perfect reaction times and Johnson pulling away ever so slightly at the top end to take the win. The final numbers showed Johnson winning with a 6.825 at 202.65 mph to Coughlin's 6.840 at 201.29 mph. The final margin of victory was less than four feet.
 Kurt Johnson
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It appears the new 2003 Cavalier bodywork Johnson attached to his car prior to this race was a big help in garnering Johnson his 24th career win.
"Last year in Seattle dad [Warren Johnson] told me to get my [stuff] together and start getting this car in the show," Johnson said. "So we really went to work and changed the chassis quite a bit and dad went to work in the R&D department and found some more horsepower. We put a new package on there and really ran well the last six races of the season. That's just carried over.
"The balance of the car is a little better with this new body. The cars are so sleek any way that you don't find huge gains there but it helped. I tell you, this class gives me ulcers. Every driver is good and you feel so relieved just to qualify. If the two drivers drop the clutch at the same time the fans are gonna see a great race every time. It was fun to be on the winning end of some of those close ones today."
Johnson's ACDelco Chevrolet Cavalier was the quickest of every round, clocking a 6.808 over Mike Edwards, a 6.838 versus Mark Whisnant, a 6.823 against POWERade points leader Greg Anderson, and the 6.825 opposite Coughlin.
After struggling in qualifying and starting the day in the 13th slot, Jeg's Mail Order driver Coughlin came to life when he needed it most, beating Terry Adams, Scott Geoffrion, and Allen Johnson to reach the 43rd final round of his career. Pro Stock results
A dream weekend ended with career win No. 29 for Pro Stock Bike champion Savoie. Despite entering the weekend with just one full pass under her belt, Savoie was running so well by the time she reached the final on her new Team 23 mount that she forced Scali to push the Christmas Tree a little too much, resulting in -.011-second false start and an instant win for three-time titleholder.
 Angelle Savoie
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Scali will be kicking himself for weeks as he posted a quicker 7.233 at 181.19 mph in front of Savoie's 7.240 at 182.33 mph, but the disqualification was already in the books.
"I couldn't even sleep last night because I couldn't believe we were the No. 1 qualifier," Savoie said. "To come out of here with a win is too much to even imagine. I asked Antron [Brown, team owner] last week if we were gonna come out here and look like a bunch of amateurs. He was like, 'No girl, we'll be top eight in Gainesville, contending in Houston, and ready to win by Atlanta.' I guess we're ahead of schedule.
"We came in here wanting to prove ourselves. I know we're fortunate to win because my driving wasn't great but with Mark Peiser [crew chief] and Antron and this team behind me I feel like we can accomplish whatever we set out to do. I'm so thrilled at our potential. I feel like I've graduated to a new level. I sure hope we do better than the people who said we wouldn't even be in the top 10 on that poll on NHRA.com."
It was just like the old days for Savoie as she marched from the No. 1 starting position straight through the field, taking victories over John Smith, Fred Camarena, Mike Berry, and Scali on her Bonewear Suzuki.
Also with a new team and riding a new bike was Scali, who guided his Trim-Tex Suzuki past Joe DeSantis, Shawn Gann, and Andrew Hines to the six runner-up finish of his career.
Hines' trip to the semifinals was shocking simply because a Harley-Davidson had never won a single round of eliminations in Pro Stock Bike before this race. But with wins over Fred Collis and Craig Treble, Hines has put his Screamin' Eagle V-Rod squarely in contention. He finishes this race fourth in the points. Pro Stock Bike results
Tim McAmis got a free pass in the final of the AMS Staff leasing Pro Mod Challenge when challenger Mitch Stott couldn't get his Radiac Abrasives Corvette to fire up for the burnout. Stott's despondent team had to sit and watch McAmis post a 6.306 at 223.32 mph in his '63 Vette to take the Gatornationals title.
Winternationals Top Alcohol Dragster champ Tony Bartone added to his 2003 total with another victory, taking his national record-holding dragster to a 5.35 to 5.52 final-round conquest of Bill Reichert.
Bob Newberry scored his third career Gatornationals win in Alcohol Funny Car and the 41st of his incredible career with a final-round defeat of Jeff Craig, 5.64 to 5.76.
Charlie Westcott Jr. took home the gold in Comp eliminator, besting Doug Harris in the final round, (-.57) 8.97 to (-.51) 7.78.
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