The final day of qualifying at the 30th annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Denver lived up to the exciting precedent set forth during Friday’s action. The cool climate brought about by a brief afternoon shower set the stage for an obliteration of track records.
Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock), and Hector Arana (Pro Stock Motorcycle) jumped to the top spots in the final session while Ron Capps (Funny Car) did so earlier in the day amid a strong showing for Don Schumacher-owned Funny Cars. Capps’ NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger unloaded an outstanding 4.121 at 297 mph in the third qualifying session. That run must have helped teammates Matt Hagan and Jack Beckman, who are Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, with a pair of 4.15s.
Antron Brown
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Brown found himself in the No. 1 position for the fifth time this season when his Matco Tools rail blistered the concrete surface with a 3.862 at 315.05 mph. The Top Fuel points leader has top speed from his 318 mph blast the day before, and there may have been a little left in the Brian Corradi- and Mark Oswald-tuned digger on the final pass.
“We broke a belt before the finish line,” said Brown. “Our half-track numbers were great, so it might have gone 319 or 320 mph if it stayed together. Our team is just having so much fun out here.
“Hats off to everyone on the Bandimere crew, because this is easily one of the best tracks I’ve ever driven on. We threw everything at it, and it still wouldn’t spin the tires. It’s like Disneyland right now. It’s too bad that it will be warmer tomorrow.”
Friday leader Cory McClenathan surrendered the top spot, but he continued to run well consistently in the Fram Tough Guard dragster. His teammate, Tony Schumacher, is right behind him at No. 3 with a 3.89. Larry Dixon ran a 3.90 at 310 in the Alan Johnson/Al-Anabi Racing dragster to qualify No. 4.
In a first-round battle between two drivers featuring new sponsors, No. 6 Doug Kalitta and No. 11 Clay Millican will do battle and possibly shuffle the last two positions in the Full Throttle Top Fuel Top 10. Kalitta’s Rocky Boots dragster is currently No. 9 in the standings while Millican and the LifeLock team are No. 10. Joe Hartley, who is on the outside looking in, will look to capitalize on one or the other’s misfortune if his family-owned dragster can get past Shawn Langdon in round one.
Ron Capps
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Capps and crew chief Ed “the Ace” McCulloch are known more for their penchant for winning than earning No. 1 qualifying positions, but the duo now have three top spots to their credit this season. Capps, who led the Funny Car standings for most of the season until slipping to third recently, now has 10 career No. 1s.
“There’s been a change in ‘Ace’ this year,” admitted Capps. “He has the eye of the tiger and wants to rip everyone’s throats out during qualifying. We looked back at all the points we lost in qualifying last year, and we lost several rounds worth of them. What’s cool is that ‘Ace’ can go for it during qualifying, but he can still go back to the approach of getting the car down the track that helps during hot conditions.
“The efforts of all these cars is a tribute to Don Schumacher. He put together a full shop where we build our own race cars. My car is brand-new, and the cars that Beckman and Hagan drive were both front-halved before the race. It’s kind of cool to be able to say, I’d like to thank the guys back at the shop.’”
The three DSR Funny Cars sat in the 1-2-3 spots until the final pair was sent down, in which Tony Pedregon jumped to No. 2 in the special edition Nitro Fish Chevy Impala with a 4.13 at 294. Defending event champ Tim Wilkerson is No. 5 with a 4.15, and he will face quasi-teammate Bob Tasca III in round one.
No. 6 John Force will face son-in-law and teammate Robert Hight in the first round. Major points implications are apparent in the matchup between leader Ashley Force Hood, who qualified No. 7, and two-time 2009 event winner Del Worsham. Jeff Arend, who is yet to win a round this season, looked good and consistent in Connie Kalitta’s DHL Toyota Solara during qualifying but has a tough task in the first round in facing defending Full Throttle Funny Car world champ Cruz Pedregon.
Mike Edwards
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Edwards took the No. 1 spot away from Allen Johnson, whose Mopar Dodge Stratus dominated the first three rounds of qualifying before losing traction in the quickest session. Edwards made an impressive run of 6.957 at 197.71 mph in the final session to earn his seventh No. 1 position of the season. The power supplied from Edwards’ Charlotte-based engine shop also helped Ron Krisher attain the No. 3 spot.
“It’s very rewarding to come out here and qualify No. 1,” said Edwards, who has qualified No. 1 more times this season (seven) than he has previously in his career (six). “Our program has really turned around this year. We lost a handle on it a little bit yesterday, but our team worked hard and got it back. I feel tickled and blessed.
“I feel bad for A.J., because he had transmission trouble on his last run, and it’s his sponsor’s race. I told everybody before the last run that I think we can get second but not first. [Johnson’s crew chief] Mark Ingersoll is spectacular on that mountain.”
Including Edwards, Johnson, and Krisher, six drivers posted 6-second elapsed times on “the Mountain.” Greg Anderson, who posted the fabled facility’s first 6-second lap Friday, wound up No. 5 after a 6.98 during the final session was thrown out after his car failed to meet the minimum weight requirements. All that did, essentially, was have Anderson and teammate Jason Line swap the Nos. 4 and 5 positions. The other driver to post a 6-second lap was Rodger Brogdon, who sits No. 6 in Steve Kent’s Chevy Cobalt.
V. Gaines will start seventh at the Lakewood, Colo., resident’s home track and face Johnny Gray in the first round. Points leader Jeg Coughlin bumped into the top half and will face Larry Morgan in the opener. Independent runners Danny Gruninger, who lives in Morrison, Colo., and Mark Buehring will be making their first raceday starts.
Hector Arana
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It took Arana 15 years to earn his second No. 1 qualifying position after first doing so in 1994. The veteran rider didn’t have to wait so long to get his third. Two events after grabbing the pole position in Englishtown, “the Hammer” nailed it again with a track record 7.319 e.t. at 180.81 mph in the final session. After a solid but conservative effort on Friday, Arana put away the rubber mallet and brought out the sledge. Arana’s Lucas Oil Products Buell will face Bailey Whitaker in the opening round.
“What an awesome feeling,” said Arana, who won this year’s Gatornationals. “We had some left in it yesterday, and we decided to get a little aggressive. I knew the opportunity was there in the final session, because I watched the air get 800 feet better. We have a fast and consistent bike, and my goal is to win tomorrow.
“The Lucas family never gave up on me when I was struggling. Forrest [Lucas] approached me about putting a Buell together a few years ago, and you can see the improvement. I’m truly blessed to have them, my family, and my friends behind me.”
Former Coloradoan Andrew Hines moved way up the ladder on the Vance & Hines/Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson by putting forth a 7.34 during the final session. The efforts of Arana and Hines deflated the bid of No. 3 Craig Treble, who was on the verge of netting his first top qualifying position in six years.
Points leader Eddie Krawiec is No. 4 with a 7.36. David Hope is No. 5, so the young Vroom Motorsports rider will start from the highest position of his career and face rookie sensation Doug Horne in round one. The Suzukis of Steve Johnson and Karen Stoffer are due to square off from the Nos. 8 and 9 positions.
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Friday: A.J. takes top spot, Anderson makes history; Cory Mac, T. Ped, Treble are Friday leaders