K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals
Englishtown, N.J.
(May 15-18)
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Doug Herbert Snap-on Tools Top Fuel |
Reports: Sunday Pre-race |
Englishtown, Sunday: For the second time in as many races, Doug Herbert's Snap-on Top Fuel team was surprised in the first round. This one came in the opening round of Sunday's K&N Filters SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
And it came against his former IHRA Top Fuel driver Paul Romine.
"Once again Romine got us in the first round," said a dejected Herbert. "He ran his best run of the weekend against us and just outran us. His engine blew up again, but this time it didn't happen soon enough to make a difference."
Romine got the win light with a 4.646 at 294.95 while Herbert was close behind with his 4.652 at 314.46.
"We backed the clutch down in the staging lanes because we saw a couple cars in front of us smoke the tires," Herbert added, "but I guess we slowed it down a little too much. We'd had a misfire and lost a blower at about 1200 feet, but we'd fixed that before the first round."
Limited to two qualifying runs on Saturday due to rain Friday, Herbert's best was 4.554 seconds at 324.67 mph that put him No. 5 on the starting ladder. Romine was 12th with his 4.729 at 301.87 mph.
Two weeks ago at Atlanta, Herbert ran 4.617 seconds and lost to Darrell Russell's 4.597.
Herbert remained fourth in points with 428.
Englishtown, pre-race: It's an axiom that's proven every year as drivers compete for POWERade Series championships. Keeping first-round losses to a minimum enhances ones chances of placing higher in the final standings. Herbert is determined to write a successful finish to this 2003 Top Fuel season.
While it does include winning the championship, his feelings will be assuaged if he winds up among the top five. That would be the Cherryville, N.C., driver's best finish in 10 seasons of fulltime NHRA competition.
He has been seventh in three of the last four years, including 2001 and 2002, but yearns to be better.
And the showing thus far from his Snap-on Racing Top Fuel team indicates he may be able to reach his goal. He's currently fourth in points with 394 and trails third-place Doug Kalitta by 66 points, or three rounds of racing. Larry Dixon is the leader with 630 and Brandon Bernstein is second at 595 while each has already won three times.
"We are getting our tune-up figured out to where we should be able to win any race at any given time," said Herbert. "Our engine is running a lot better. We are working together better. We are going in the right direction."
With three races in three weeks looming, beginning with the K&N Filters SuperNationals, May 16-18, at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Herbert's team would like that direction to be up, as in the standings.
"Compared to last year, our performance is like night and day," he said. "We went to the finals at Atlanta last year but we just backed into it. This year at Atlanta we ran really well but, unfortunately, not at the right time."
Herbert's car posted a time of 4.617 seconds at 316.97 mph but lost to Darrell Russell's 4.597 at 320.13. Russell's time was quickest of the first round and Herbert's was third best, but it didn't matter. It was only his second opening-round setback this season
"Realistically, we are a top five car and at this particular point we probably aren't ready to beat Dixon or Bernstein day in and day out, although if we'd raced them in the first round at Atlanta we would've beaten either one of them," Herbert said. "We just want to keep improving at each race. We're definitely going in the right direction. Everything is coming together. But nothing ever happens as quickly as you want."
Herbert's best SuperNationals showing was a runner-up in 1999.
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