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NHRA: Herbert, Tony Pedregon Lead Testing at Tucson

22 January 2001

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Doug Herbert and Tony Pedregon posted the quickest runs during Saturday's NHRA Spring Training at Southwestern International Raceway.

NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car teams are utilizing the pre-season test season in preparation of the 41st annual AutoZone Winternationals, Feb. 1-4, at Pomona (Calif.) Raceway. The $1.9 million race is the first of 24 events in the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series for 2001, NHRA's 50th anniversary season.

Herbert clocked a 4.708 second run at 297.81 mph in his Snap-on Tools dragster, the only full pass of the day for Top Fuel entries. Pedregon drove his Castrol 'X' Ford Mustang to an impressive 1,000-foot run before shutting off. No Funny Cars made it to the finish line under power.

Testing continues Sunday at 10 a.m.

A complete listing of Thursday test results follows (alphabetical run log provided by FastNews Network):

Top Fuel --

Kenny Bernstein - First pass, alongside Scelzi, 0.840 at 60 feet, 2.142 at 330, 3.091/263.05 at 660, 4.004 at 1,000, then shut off. Second pass, 0.841 at 60 feet, 2.166 at 330, 3.114/264.86 at 660, 4.000 at 1,000 feet, then shut off.

Andrew Cowin - First pass, 0.873 at 60 feet, 2.193 at 330, 3.138/265.33 at 660, 3.983 at 1,000, then shut off. Second run, 0.867 at 60 feet, 2.185 at 330, 3.132/265.74 at 660, 4.012 at 1,000, then shut off.

Mike Dunn - First pass, 0.859 at 60 feet, wheels up, then tire smoke when they came down and unloaded the rear tires. Second try, 0.850 at 60 feet, 2.165 at 330, 3.095/271.95 at 660, 3.992 at 1,000 feet, then shut off.

Tim Gibson - First pass, 0.863 60-foot time, with tire shake, then shut it down. Second pass, 0.871 at 60 feet, 2.206 at 330, then shut it off.

David Grubnic - First pass, 0.864 at 60 feet, 2.208 at 330, 3.145/269.25 at 1,000, 4.021 at 1,000, then shut off. Second try, 0.903 at 60 feet with a dead cylinder, then shut off.

Doug Herbert - First pass, 0.885 at 60 feet, 2.221 at 330, 3.181/262.90 at 660, 3.989 at 1,000, 4.708/297.81 at the finish line. Second pass, 0.888 60-foot time, then lost blower belt. Third pass, 0.865 at 60 feet, 2.173 at 330, 3.109/268.92 at half track, 3.993 at 1,000 feet, then shut it off.

Gary Scelzi - First pass, alongside Bernstein, 0.871 60-foot time, then lost traction and shut it down. Second try, 0.868 60-foot time, then tire chatter and smoke, so he shut it down. Third try, instant tire smoke.

Funny Car --

Scotty Cannon - First pass (with "Mad Professor body instead of test body), 0.894 at 60 feet, 2.280 at 330, 3.259/259.11 at 660, 4.163 at 1,000 feet, then shut it off.

Gary Densham - First try, 0.920 at 60 feet, 2.372 at 330, then car got out of groove, near centerline, and he lifted. Second try, 0.915 at 60 feet, 2.350 at 330, 3.384/243.33 at 660, 4.372 at 1,000, then shut off.

Chuck Etchells - First try, 0.941 60-foot time, 2.429 at 330, shaking and skating around. Second try, 0.899 at 60 feet, then tire shake and a shutoff.

John Force - 0./881 60-foot, 2.295 at 330, 3.305/248.89 at half track, 4.164 at 1,000 feet, then shut off, coasting to a 4.990/243.24. Second try, 0.876 at 60 feet, 2.293 at 330, then shut off. Third run, 0.875 at 60 feet, 2.273 at 330, 3.262/253.47 at 660, then shutting off with a 4.271 at 1,000 feet.

Frank Pedregon - First run (in the first brand-new race car of his career), 0.905 at 60 feet, 2.346 at 330, then shut off. Second try, 0.891 at 60 feet, 2.309 at 330, 3.323/248.80 at 660, 4.174 at 1,000 feet, then shut off.

Tony Pedregon - First run, 0.870 60-foot, 2.281 at 330, 3.291/237.05 at half track, then shut off. Second try, 0.880 at 60 feet, 2.297 at 330, 3.303/250.33 at 660, then shut off. Third run, with the aerodynamic test body with orange tufts of string on it, 0.873 at 60 feet, 2.284 at 330, 3.281/252.66 at 660, 4.145 at 1,000, then shut off.

Bruce Sarver - First pass, 0.902 at 60 feet, 2.304 at 330, 3.304/251.34 at 660, 4.294 at 1,000, then shut off. Second try, 0.900 at 60 feet, then tire shake and smoke.

Dean Skuza - First pass, 0.915 at 60 feet, 2.346 at 330, 3.360/249.44 at 660, then shut off. Second pass, 0.908 at 60 feet, 2.351 at 330, then shut it off.

Jerry Toliver - First pass, 0.937 60-foot time, immediate tire smoke. Second run, 0.914 at 60 feet, 2.396 at 330, then dropped a cylinder.

Del Worsham - First try, 0.902 60-foot time with tire shake, then shut it off. Second try, 0.893 at 60 feet, then tire shake and smoke.

Text Provided By Anthony Vestal

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