Mopar NHRA Eliminations Notebook for Route 66

Mopar Motorsports
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Craftsman 75th Anniversary Nationals
Notes & Quotes ­ Sept. 29, 2002

TELEVISION TIMES: (ALL TIMES EASTERN)
ELIMINATIONS:    Sun., Sept. 29; 8:00-10:30 p.m.; ESPN2
REPEAT:  Fri., Oct. 2; 4:00-6:00 a.m.; ESPN2

JOLIET, Ill. ­ Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams
completed eliminations for this weekend¹s Craftsman 75th Anniversary NHRA
Nationals.

The following is  a set of quotes from today¹s activities.

GENE WILSON, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T

No. 1 qualifier Gene Wilson lost to Kurt Johnson in the second round. The
Mopar backed Pro Stock rookie ran a slower 6.886-second elapsed time at
200.50 mph; as Johnson cruised through the timing lights with a 6.877/200.98
combination.

³We spun the tires it shook pretty hard too,² Wilson said. ³He also got me
on the tree; so it was a tough day all around. We¹re happy with what we ran
this weekend in qualifying, we just need to put a whole weekend together.²

Wilson advanced to the second round with a 6.872-second lap at 200.14 mph
over Mark Osborne. 

DEAN SKUZA, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T

Tire smoke ended Dean Skuza¹s day early. The Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T
Nitro Funny Car fell in the first round of eliminations to Bob Gilbertson;
who turned out a 4.897-second lap at 310.84 mph.

³We might have a gremlin somewhere,² Skuza said. ³The car went out and
didn¹t go any where. It¹s frustrating because we know we have a good car.
We¹ll be better in Dallas.²

GREG STANFIELD, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T

Greg Stanfield, driver of the Hemi-powered DBP Motorsports Dodge Neon R/T,
grabbed a holeshot advantage on Tom Hammonds in their first round match up.
But Stanfield lost grip and the race as. Hammond¹s posted a 6.865-second lap
at 200.23 mph; as Stanfield logged a slower 6.905-second pass at 200.26 mph.

³We shook real bad,² Stanfield said. ³It was bad too. We missed the set up
by about a mile. The confusing thing is the we had the exact set up in it
that we had yesterday. We just need a lot more race day experience. We had a
good weekend qualifying, but we need to improve on race day.²