NHRA News: Super Bowl is over, but testing continues in Houston (2/8/2004)

Super Bowl is over, but testing continues in Houston

Data by Larry Sullivan of FastNews
Testing photos by Robert Grice of Extreme Photography
Team reports
2/8/2004

The Pontiac Pro Stock Super Bowl was decided Saturday but a few Pro teams stayed for additional testing Sunday at Houston Raceway Park. Leading the way with the weekend's best Pro Stock Bike run, Matco Tools rider Craig Treble (pictured) uncorked the track's first 7.0-second pass when he tripped the timers in 7.087 seconds at 187.16 mph. Doing research for Goodyear, Super Bowl winner Warren Johnson logged a 6.773 at 205.32 mph to lead Pro Stock.

Sunday test session No. 1 at Houston Raceway Park – Some teams stayed to test. Temperatures are hovering around 50 degrees and it was overcast until about 11 a.m., so the track did not warm up enough for any drivers to take a shot until noon.

12:01 p.m. Ben Watson (PS): 1.029 Watson launched and then shook and shut it off.

12:47 p.m. Craig Treble (PSB): 1.095 2.984 4.583 151.31 5.971 7.162 187.76 Following a starting line photo shoot, Treble made a good-looking full pass.

12:53 p.m. Brian Daniels (PM): 1.033 2.712 4.079 180.98 Daniels made a strong run to half track and then shut it off with no visible problems.

12:56 p.m. Warren Johnson (PS): 1.027 2.851 4.374 163.41 5.682 6.779 205.32 The Super Bowl winner is doing some tire testing for Goodyear today. His car made a move to the left on the launch and he had to drive it back to the groove early in the run.

1:00 p.m. Ben Watson (PS): 1.029 2.860 4.385 161.94 5.701 6.807 203.34 Good run by Watson, losing a few thousandths more to W.J. at each incremental timer.

1:30 p.m. Fernando Cuadra (PS): (no time) Cuadra fired the engine and made a burnout, then the team pushed the car back behind the water, removed the front end, and went to work with a wrench or two. Meanwhile, the starting line crew is removing the thin trail of oil he left behind, using mops, torches, and scrapers. He tried again later, but something was still wrong and the crew towed the car back to the pits.

Sunday test session No. 2 at Houston Raceway Park – Weather update: The cloud cover has returned and the wind is picking up. It's 53 degrees, 71 percent relative humidity, the barometer 30.34 and falling, and the wind is 15 mph, gusting to 23. The wind chill is 49 degrees and those on the starting line are hugging themselves trying to stay warm. Scattered groups of spectators are even hovering around the burning piles of rubber being scraped off the track, trying to find some heat.

2:00 p.m. Brian Daniels (PM): 1.038 2.710 4.086 179.02 Once again Daniels made a strong run to half track, then shut it off. The run was straight and smooth, so it may have been a planned 1/8-mile run.

2:02 p.m. Warren Johnson (PS): 1.013 2.837 4.359 162.67 5.671 6.773 204.32 Still tire testing, W.J. runs his slowest speed of the weekend and it's still pretty good.

2:05 p.m. Blaine Hale (PSB): 1.104 2.950 4.534 155.52 5.921 7.104 188.81 Hale move to the top of the Pro Stock Bike list with this one, a nice run. The new bike is still unpainted, just a black carbonfiber shell.

2:08 p.m. Nick Drzayich (PS): 1.011 2.871 4.428 158.67 5.772 6.905 198.15 Drzayich made a clean run.

2:12 p.m. Craig Treble (PSB): 1.077 2.929 4.510 155.94 5.889 7.087 187.16 Blaine Hale stopped to watch on his way back to the pits and Treble delivered, a nice, smooth run to set low E.T. for the bikes this weekend.

Sunday test session No. 3 at Houston Raceway Park – A quick check of the pits showed that most of the transporters are already gone and most others are buttoned up for the night, but Hale and Treble want to make one more run. Hale wants to beat Treble's 7.087 and Treble is mumbling something about "a 65." We'll hang in here for those runs (and whatever else shows up), then close up shop for this weekend.

2:54 p.m. Warren Johnson (PS): 1.005 2.846 4.384 161.27 5.709 6.820 202.82 W.J.'s car went to the left on the launch and he had to drive it back to the groove, losing a lot of time doing so.

2:57 p.m. Blaine Hale (PSB): 1.114 2.965 4.553 155.11 5.942 7.129 188.46 Hale lost a lot of time early in the run and even a strong top-end run couldn't get it back.

3:05 p.m. Ben Watson (PS): 1.012 2.851 4.381 161.50 5.699 6.805 203.19 Watson's crew is ready to throw the car in the trailer after this run, so it looks like they are done for the weekend. Watson's car went back and forth across the groove in the first 200 feet, but he stayed with it and went right down the middle the rest of the way.

3:11 p.m. Brian Daniels (PM): 1.178 2.934 4.320 179.21 5.507 6.508 224.02 Daniels' car spun the tires hard on the launch (check the 60-foot time) and, amazingly, he pedaled it and was able to regain traction. The car was very strong the rest of the way and this time he ran it out the back door.

3:41 p.m. Craig Treble (PSB): 1.112 2.991 4.592 151.05 5.986 7.194 185.56 Treble's bike seemed to bog briefly on the launch and that was enough to hurt the rest of therun.

That's it, we're headed to Seabrook for the "Blues for Becky" benefit.

Saturday testing report from Houston
Friday testing report from Houston
Thursday testing report from Houston

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