Sunday's Reading Recap
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Though temps are on the cool side to start the day — at 10:30 a.m., it was still below 50 degrees — and skies are overcast, the hearty and local Northeast drag racing fans are coming out in droves for final eliminations at the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. |
[10:30 a.m.] Though there was some rain overnight, things have cleared, and after some hard work by NHRA’s Safety Safari presented by AAA, the first set of race cars, the Top Alcohol Funny Cars of Clint Thompson, near lane, and Lou Sgro took to the track to kick off the opening round in the alcohol classes. Only the alcohol floppers will run this morning; Top Alcohol Dragster first round will run later today. Top Fuel round one will follow the Alcohol Funny Cars at 11 a.m. |
[11 a.m.] After asking the fans at Maple Grove if they were “ready for some thunder,” hometown hero and event legend Joe Amato gave the command to fire engines, and the quest for Wallys officially began in the NHRA Full Throttle categories. |
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[11:35 a.m.] For the third time in less than 24 hours, a new national e.t. record in Top Fuel has been set. Del Worsham claimed the new record with a run of 3.760 in his opening-round triumph over Shawn Langdon. The run gives Worsham lane choice over Clay Millican in round two. |
| [11:35 a.m.] There were five 3.7-second runs in the first round of Top Fuel, the first of which was registered by Tony Schumacher, who powered to a 3.774 to trailer Brandon Bernstein. Schumacher faces teammate Spencer Massey in the next round, and though Massey was able to dip into the 3.7s, Schumacher was superior, 3.774 to 3.784, giving the U.S. Army team lane choice. Other second-round pairings (lane choice listed first): Antron Brown vs. Dave Grubnic, Del Worsham vs. Clay Millican, and Larry Dixon vs. Bob Vandergriff Jr. |
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[12:15 p.m.] The first round of Funny Car featured a number of upsets, the biggest of which may have been Dale Creasy Jr.’s defeat of reigning world champion John Force. Creasy got the nod when Force spun the tires early and “Peanut” made a near-full pull of 4.54. Interestingly, this is the second straight year Creasy has stopped Force in the opening round at this event. |
[12:15 p.m.] Robert Hight was the best driver of the opening round, powering his Auto Club Ford Funny Car to a 4.041. The run gives Hight lane choice in the next round over Matt Hagan, who had the second-quickest run of the first round at 4.058. The only other driver to run in the 4.0s in round one was Mike Neff, who powered to a 4.078. In addition to Hight vs. Hagan, other second-round pairings (lane choice listed first) are Neff vs. Johnny Gray, Bob Tasca III vs. Tony Pedregon, and Jeff Arend vs. Dale Creasy Jr. |
[12:45 p.m.] A second e.t. national record was set in the opening round, this one in Pro Stock. Jason Line displaced Rodger Brogdon in the record books when he recorded the quickest run in history, a 6.483, that was backed up by the 6.513 in qualifying that earned Line his seventh No. 1 start of the year. Line’s teammate, Greg Anderson, was the second quickest of the opening round with a 6.509. |
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[12:45 p.m.] Greg Stanfield registered his sixth Pro Stock holeshot win of the season when he parlayed a .014 to .099 lead at the Tree into a 6.54 to 6.53 victory over Ron Krisher in Pro Stock’s first round. The feat broke a tie with Erica Enders for most holeshot wins this season in any NHRA Full Throttle class. |
[12:45 p.m.] One of the more bizarre races of the first round in any class was the match between Mike Edwards (pictured) and Kurt Johnson in Pro Stock. Both cars shook the tires early and were out of power, but Edwards was able to refire his entry first and won on a 10.45 to 18.52 count. Edwards will surrender lane choice to Rodger Brogdon in round two. Other second-round pairings (lane choice listed first): Jason Line vs. Erica Enders, Greg Anderson vs. Greg Stanfield, and Ronnie Humphrey vs. Larry Morgan. |
| [1 p.m.] As was the case through much of qualifying, Eddie Krawiec (right) was again the best of Pro Stock Motorcycle in the opening round, clocking a 6.819 aboard his Vance & Hines Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson. The run gives Krawiec lane choice over Jerry Savoie (below) in the second round. Savoie cut a perfect light in the opening round and used it to defeat Angie Smith on a holeshot, 6.97 to 6.86. |
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[1 p.m.] There were two perfect lights in the Pro Stock Motorcycle opening round, first Jerry Savoie went .000, then Chip Ellis (pictured) registered the same reaction time. Ellis remained in front all the way downtrack, outrunning Karen Stoffer, 6.93 to 7.03, to advance. Ellis faces Hector Arana Jr., who has lane choice. Other second-round pairings (lane choice listed first): Andrew Hines vs. Michael Phillips, Eddie Krawiec vs. Savoie, and Matt Smith vs. Matt Guidera. |
[2:20 p.m.] Dave Grubnic, the runner-up in Chicago, pulled the lone upset of the Top Fuel quarterfinals, getting past No. 1 qualifier Antron Brown, whose engine let go midway through the run. Grubnic posted a 3.82 en route to victory, and he will face Del Worsham, the driver to whom he lost in the Chicago final, in the semi’s. Worsham has lane choice after recording another 3.76. |
| [2:20 p.m.] On the other side of the Top Fuel ladder in the semi’s, Spencer Massey will have lane choice over Larry Dixon. Massey clocked a 3.778 to defeat teammate Tony Schumacher, who had to pedal his U.S. Army dragster. Dixon was also in the 3.7s, posting a 3.786 to edge Bob Vandergriff Jr.’s 3.806 in the best match of the second round. |
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[2:30 p.m.] Jeff Arend earned the first semifinal spot in Funny Car when he bested Dale Creasy Jr. in their match. Arend, whose first Pro win came at this event in 1996, will face Robert Hight in the next round. As was the case first round, Hight was the quickest driver of the quarterfinals with the only 4.0 of the round, a 4.096. |
[2:30 p.m.] Bob Tasca III will have lane choice in the other semifinal pairing after he posted a 4.14 in his second-round win against good friend Tony Pedregon. Tasca faces No. 1 qualifier Johnny Gray, who had a tough go of it again in the second round but still advanced with a 4.57 (his first-round time was a 4.31). |
[2:40 p.m.] As the NHRA Safety Safari was doing its routine prepping between nitro and the Pro Stock classes, Mother Nature threw a wrench in the system, dropping light rain on the track and putting the event on hold. UPDATE 5:10 p.m.: Due to wet weather, the event has been postponed until 10 a.m. Monday. |