NHRA News: Bernstein and Scelzi rock the house as U.S. Nationals test session ends (8/25/2004)

Bernstein and Scelzi rock the house as U.S. Nationals test session ends

By Rob Geiger, NHRA.com
Testing photos by Racers Edge Photography
8/25/2004

Gary Scelzi

Top Fuel pilot Brandon Bernstein and Funny Car contender Gary Scelzi approached Indianapolis Raceway Park record numbers Wednesday as testing for the 50th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals drew to a close with several rounds of action. Bernstein used a solid 4.515 elapsed time at 327.43 mph to easily lead his class, while Scelzi posted a quick 4.770 at 325.77 mph to pace the floppers.

Scelzi's top speed actually eclipsed the I.R.P. mark for Funny Car of 325.69 mph, set by Scelzi's teammate Whit Bazemore in 2001. Because this isn't an official NHRA event, Bazemore's record will stand. The Funny Car E.T. record is 4.756. Budweiser's Bernstein also flirted with destiny, but his best pass was just short of I.R.P.'s current standard of 4.498 and 328.86 mph recorded last year.

"Any time you can run the car you can always learn something," Scelzi said. "We needed to run new parts for the fuel system and the clutch package and it's really hard to do that during a three-race swing.

"We are really pleased with the 4.777 because this test session is very important to us. Our whole goal is to earn some wins in this Oakley car before the season is out."

In the Pro Stock ranks, season-long points leader and defending POWERade champion Greg Anderson carded the best E.T. of the day with a 6.831-second blast at 201.25 mph. Red-hot Pro Stock Bike rider Antron Brown, a winner just days ago in Memphis, stayed sharp with a class-leading 7.147 at 187.11 mph.

Berryman Products racer Cory McClenathan, a two-time Indy winner, joined Bernstein and Dave Grubnic in Wednesday's 4.5-second grouping. McClenathan registered a 4.554 at 323.27 mph in the day's opening session. Grubnic followed one round later with a 4.581 at 318.99 mph in his Red Line Oil dragster.

With Indy wins in 1995 and 2001, 35-time NHRA winner Larry Dixon was hard at work again Wednesday, powering his Dick LaHaie-tuned rail to an effort of 4.629 seconds at 293.86 mph on his second run of the day. On his final attempt, the 1995 NHRA Rookie of the Year raced to a pass of 4.815 at 235.02, after Dixon clicked off the engine before the finish line.

"What I really like about our team is that they just don't give up," team owner Don Prudhomme said. "Even after winning last weekend, they're testing and trying some things with the clutch and engine and the runs that they've made were very impressive. They never made any runs through the lights because Dick prefers not to do that for safety reasons. It always amazes me how well he adapts to new parts and situations. I'm looking forward to the race at Indy."

Funny Car stacked up in team groupings. Scelzi's Hemi Oakley Dodge Stratus R/T drew close support from Bazemore's Matco Tools Dodge, which was fourth-quickest with a 4.807 at 321.73 mph. In between Scelzi and Bazemore, John Force Racing stablemates Gary Densham and John Force set-up camp. Densham had a 4.800 at 321.73 mph in his Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, while Force's Castrol GTX Start Up Ford Mustang used a 4.804 at 322.42 mph to secure third place.

Skoal Racing Funny Car drivers Ron Capps and Tommy Johnson Jr. resumed their preparation for the upcoming Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Wednesday at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Capps opened Wednesday's test session with a blast of 4.942 seconds at 297.94 mph and finished under the lights at I.R.P. with a pass of 4.960 at 263.41. Johnson, who has qualified No. 1 at the U.S. Nationals twice in his career (1999-'00), used a tune-up from crew chief Mike Green to clock a pass of 4.923 seconds at 313.88 mph on his second effort of the day, while experimenting with the clutch system during the two-day test.

"The Funny Cars had some of the quickest early numbers that we've seen from them," Prudhomme said. "They were impressive numbers that can win races. On most runs the drivers shut off early, but the incremental numbers are what we came to the test session to work on. I think the test was a positive for the two Funny Cars."

Johnny Gray, returning to action after a year off, put his Team Schumacher flopper through a few feel-it-out passes, the best of which showed a 5.317 at 200.41 mph.

Summit Racing pro Anderson's closest company on the Pro Stock grid was his KB Racing partner Jason Line, who had a best of 6.843 at 201.04 mph in his KB Framers Pontiac Grand Am. Engine builder Steve Schmidt followed with a 6.864 at 200.86 mph, while Mark Whisnant coaxed a fourth-best 6.872 at 200.68 mph out of his PiranaZ hot rod.

"I'm glad we are going back to the shop before the race starts here in Indy," Line said. "We learned a lot about the cars, but we clearly have some work to do. Testing can be so frustrating, but we learn so much that we can't ever pass up the chance to test."

U.S. Army rider Brown was clearly the quickest of the Pro Stock Bikers in attendance, outrunning Andrew Hines' Vance & Hines Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod by three hundredths of a second. Hines clocked in with a 7.178 at 184.45 mph. St. Louis winner Steve Johnson was next with a 7.215 at 185.77 mph on his K&N Suzuki.

Best runs, by category and driver, for the Wednesday test session at Indianapolis Raceway Park. (Results by FastNews Network)

Top Fuel
Brandon Bernstein: 4.515 at 327.43 mph
Cory McClenathan: 4.554 at 323.27 mph
David Grubnic: 4.581 at 318.99 mph
Tony Schumacher: 4.604 at 316.67 mph
David Grubnic: 4.607 at 283.79 mph (in S. Kalitta's car)
Larry Dixon: 4.629 at 293.86 mph

Funny Car
Gary Scelzi: 4.777 at 325.77 mph
Gary Densham: 4.800 at 321.73 mph
John Force: 4.804 at 322.42 mph
Whit Bazemore: 4.807 at 321.73 mph
Eric Medlen: 4.860 at 320.43 mph
Tommy Johnson Jr.: 4.923 at 313.88 mph
Ron Capps: 4.942 at 274.94 mph
Cruz Pedregon: 4.949 at 245.90 mph
Tony Pedregon: 4.965 at 273.61 mph
Jerry Toliver: 5.105 at 296.70 mph
Del Worsham: 5.263 at 198.47 mph
Johnny Gray: 6.317 at 200.41 mph
Phil Burkart: 5.896 at 166.25 mph
Jim Head: 9.281 at 83.86 mph

Pro Stock
Greg Anderson: 6.831 at 201.25 mph
Jason Line: 6.848 at 201.19 mph
Steve Schmidt: 6.864 at 200.86 mph
Mark Whisnant: 6.872 at 200.68 mph
Ron Krisher: 6.902 at 199.73 mph
Craig Hankinson: 6.905 at 197.57 mph
Ben Watson: 6.952 at 198.12 mph
Kevin Lawrence: 6.960 at 197.19 mph
Ronnie Humphrey: 7.837 at 134.47 mph

Pro Stock Bike
Antron Brown: 7.147 at 187.11 mph
Andrew Hines: 7.178 at 184.45 mph
Andrew Hines: 7.191 at 180.62 mph (on GT Tonglet's bike)
Steve Johnson: 7.215 at 185.77 mph
Wesley Wells: 7.428 at 177.98 mph
Connie Cohen: 7.445 at 176.86 mph
Hector Arana: 7.478 at 173.27 mph
Geno Scali: 7.744 at 171.34 mph

Related story: Grubnic and Scelzi lead the way on opening day
Related story: Testing begins at Indianapolis Raceway Park

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