Mopar NHRA Qualifying Notebook for Pomona

TELEVISION TIMES: (ALL TIMES EASTERN)
QUALIFYING:    Sat., Nov. 9; 9-11 p.m.; ESPN2
QUALIFYING:    Sun., Nov. 10; 1:30-3:30 a.m.; ESPN2
ELIMINATIONS:    Sun., Nov. 10; 5:00-7:00 p.m.; ESPN
REPEAT:    Mon., Nov. 11; 2:00-4:00 p.m.; ESPN2

POMONA, Calif. -- Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams
completed the first day of qualifying for this weekend¹s Automobile Club of
Southern California NHRA Finals

NOTABLE: Four Hemi-powered Dodge Neon R/T entries cracked the top 16
following today¹s first round of qualifying. Greg Stanfield and the DBP
Enterprises Dodge Neon R/T grabbed the 14th slot with a 6.868-second elapsed
time at 202.00 mph. Tom Lee and his Hemi-powered machine took home the
seventh slot at 6.846 seconds and 201.64 mph.

The following are notes and quotes from today¹s qualifying activity.

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

Gene Wilson started the final weekend of the 2002 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series season strong. The Mopar-backed rookie knocked out a 6.829-second
elapsed time at 201.70 mph, nabbing the fifth-qualifying position.

³We got off the starting line pretty good,² Wilson said. ³The care made a
move even though the track was pretty tough to deal with. We¹re happy with
it.²

DARRELL ALDERMAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T

Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Pro Stock veteran Darrell Alderman completed a
solid first day of qualifying. The three-time POWERade Pro Stock World
Champion logged a 6.857-second elapsed time at 201.40 mph. It was good
enough for 11th.

³It sure went to the left pretty hard,² Alderman said. ³I think we picked up
a little in the elapsed time, over our last few races at least. I still
think we have a lot left in the tank and we¹ll see what we can do tomorrow.²

ALLEN JOHNSON, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T

Allen Johnson, the newest member of the Mopar factory program, failed to
make a complete pass today. Johnson talked about his day.

³We were too heavy with the clutch,² Johnson said. ³This track is always
tricky on the first pass, especially in second and third gears. It¹s tough
to make a bad pass on the first one. It really gets you behind.²