A gusty headwind that descended upon Heartland Park Topeka essentially froze the fields from Friday’s action at the 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX, leaving Antron Brown, Robert Hight, and Mike Edwards in the top spots.
The strong headwind affected performance immensely, so much so that there were no changes or improvements from yesterday’s top 12 in any of the three Full Throttle classes and the focus was on those trying to fill the final four open spots in the fields to set the lineup for Sunday’s final eliminations day at this, the ninth of 24 races on the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. The trio of top performers, all multiple previous No. 1 qualifiers this year, and the rest of the pre-qualified teams worked instead on their raceday setups in preparation for possibly similar conditions Sunday.
Antron Brown
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Brown, low qualifier earlier this year in Gainesville and Atlanta with the Matco Tools dragster, held on for his third Top Fuel pole based on his sizzling 3.785, 321.96-mph blast from Friday. It’s the 24th No. 1 position of his combined Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle career.
“When the wind is a headwind or tailwind, it really doesn’t affect us much,” said Brown. “When it’s a headwind it actually gives us a little more downforce and helps us drive a little. The ‘chutes hit a little harder and it’s actually makes it a little safer for us, so it actually hasn’t been a factor for us. But when you get a crosswind, that’s when it gets a little iffy. My hat’s off to all the people here at Heartland Park. This racetrack’s been really good all weekend long. Both lanes have been prepped really well, the surface has been really good, and it’s going to make for some really good racing tomorrow. The fans are in for a treat. If it stays windy and a little cloudy, even though it’s going to be hot, I think we’ll get some good runs in.
“I’m just stoked because we made it down the track three of four passes. That last pass we just got greedy. We were trying to run a .86 and it was on a .86 run. It was good to just before the .330, where it came unglued a little. But it ran decent. It still ran 219 and it smoked the tires before the 330, so if we back it up we should be right in the hunt with a .88 or .89. That’s what it’s going to take tomorrow. There are going to be a lot of tough rounds. You look at the ladder and we’ve got Dixon on our side, Shawn Langdon, and Schumacher, my teammate, so there’s going to be a whole bunch of racing going on tomorrow.”
Doug Kalitta remained in the second slot with the Kalitta Motorsports/Technicoat dragster with a 3.849 and both are followed on the qualifying sheets by the Copart entry of Brandon Bernstein (3.886) and the Lucas Oil/Speedco machine of Shawn Langdon (3.887).
Reigning world champ Tony Schumacher, who’s never reached the winner’s circle in Topeka, will start form the No. 5 spot based on his Friday 3.896. Behind him to round ou to the top eight are Steve Torrence (3.902), Cory McClenathan (3.904), and David Grubnic (3.915).
Points leader Larry Dixon will start a season-low ninth after running just 3.915 in the Al-Anabi Racing dragster. Dixon had qualified in the top three at all eight previous events, including twice on the pole.
Luigi Novelli’s National Machine Repair entry grabbed the final spot in the field, his 4.248 edging out Chris Karamesines’4.257 for the final spot and will provide Brown’s first test Sunday morning.
Robert Hight
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Hight’s Auto Club Mustang remained atop the Funny Car pack for his third No. 1 berth of the season based on his Friday 4.095 though he did make impressive passes of 4.19 and 4.19, the former being the best run of the day in the class. With only 15 cars on hand, Hight will get a bye in the first round.
“That [4.15] was pretty stout,” said Hight. “But what gives me confidence it that we came and [crew chief] Jimmy [Prock] said we could have run quicker, so it’s not like it’s on the ragged edge every run and that we’re just getting away with it. We were actually trying to run harder that last run and it didn’t work out. He’s looking at the data. I know it spun downtrack a little. It’s definitely tricky driving in this wind because I don’t believe it’s a direct headwind. It’s kind of at an angle and if you get to moving just a little it wants to push you around.
“We get a single first round tomorrow and we’re probably going to push pretty hard to try to maintain lane choice for second round. We’re going to have a tough matchup second round, though. It’s either going to be Ashley or Del [Worsham]. There are no easy rounds. Even as good as we’re running it’s going to be tough, but we’ll see if we can’t make it three in a row.”
Behind Hight, as they were Friday, are Tim Wilkerson and his Levi, Ray & Shoup Mustang at 4.103, Jeff Arend -- whose third-ranked 4.104 is a season-high for his DHL Solara -- and. Jack Beckman’s Valvoline/MTS Charger at 4.113.
The top eight is round out by Ron Capps (4.117), points leader John Force (4.118), Jim Head (4.125), and Ashley Force Hood (4.133).
Mike Edwards
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For the seventh time in nine races this season world champ Edwards sits atop the Pro Stock field heading into Sunday’s final eliminations. The gusty conditions affected the Pro Stockers as much as anyone else, and Edwards’ 6.638 from Friday evening’s session were not challenged. Edwards himself could only muster were passes of 6.71 and 6.73 from his Penhall/K&N/Interstate GXP.
“It’s a little gusty out there today, to say the least. I’m not sure I’ve seen conditions change like from yesterday to today,” he said. “I’ve seen it go the other way, where it’s gotten better, but not like this. But when you pick up a 30 to 35 mph headwind, that’s tough to deal with.
“But getting a chance to race under these conditions does help us get ready for tomorrow, which from what I gather is going to be similar to what we had today. It’s going to be a matter of who makes the best adjustments is going to win this race. It won’t necessarily be the fastest car, but the team that can adapt the best.”
If No. 2 driver Allen Johnson had any consolation of finishing behind Edwards, it was that his Mopar Avenger outran Edwards in the final qualifying session, 6.726 to 6.732. though his run of record remained his Friday 6.656. Jeg Coughlin’s JEGS.com Cobalt remained third at 6.663 and Ron Krisher’s Valvoline Cobalt fourth at 6.666.
The top eight are rounded out by V. Gaines (6.670), Shane Gray (6.680), Jason Line (6.682), and Warren Johnson (6.684).
Justin Humphreys’ RaceRedi Motorsports GXP ended up on the bump with a 6.780 and will be Edwards’ first-round opponent Sunday.
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Friday: Brown, Hight, Edwards lead after opening day in Topeka