NHRA: Johns Number One in Pro Stock Trucks in Pomona
12 November 2000
CHEVROLET NOTES AND QUOTES
AAA NHRA FINALS
NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES
POMONA RACEWAY
POMONA, CALIF.
SATURDAY, NOV. 11, 2000
RAIN AGAIN SHORTENS NHRA EVENT
With rain canceling the fourth and final qualifying session, NHRA announced
the fields for the running of the final event of the 2000 NHRA Winston Drag
Racing Series are set.
FUNNY CAR: Six Camaro Z28 Funny Cars are qualified in the top 16, four are
going home. This is the largest field of Chevy Camaro Funny Cars that have
attempted to qualify for an event so far.
* RON CAPPS, U.S. TOBACCO CO. CAMARO Z28 leads the Camaro contingent, in
fifth position, 4.951/295.14.
* BOB GILBERTSON, STEWART & STEVENSON CAMARO Z28, is No. 7, 5.010/300.66.
* SCOTTY CANNNON, MAD SCIENTIST CAMARO Z28, is sporting a new Camaro body
after destroying his primary one in a spectacular two-car crash yesterday
with Frank Pedregon's Pontiac. The incident occurred after the finish line,
as Cannon posted his quickest run of the weekend, 5.011/272.89, good for No.
8 spot. Both drivers escaped injury.
CANNON: ON THE TWO-CAR CRASH: "I was reaching up to pull the chutes and it
felt like (the car) blew a tire. Next thing I know I slammed into the wall.
I'm just glad I was OK. I didn't realize he hit me. It killed the chassis,
the headers and all four wheels. We're going with a new chassis and body...
This body has more downforce, so we'll have to see how it reacts. The other
car was the only car I could make consistent runs with. These cars are
built good because it took a hard lick. I wasn't ready for that. I don't
hold anything against Frankie. There wasn't anything he could do about
that. That's just drag racing. These cars are beasts. My knee took a knock
and my wrist is a little sore and I've got a bit of a headache, but I feel
fine otherwise. We were able to salvage the engine and fuel system."
* LOUIS SWEET, TOMMY AHRENS MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z28, qualified No. 10,
5.041/296.50.
* PHIL BURKART, TEAM GERONIMO CAMARO Z28, grabbed the 12th position,
5.070/284.56.
* WHIT BAZEMORE, in his final race in the KENDALL OIL/MATCO TOOLS CAMARO
Z28, before he moves over to Don Schumacher's Funny Car team in 2001,
rounded out the field by qualifying 16th with a 5.188/262.64.
* Not qualifying were:
# JIM EPLER, WWF RACING 'STONE COLD' CAMARO Z28
# TODD PATON, CAMARO Z28
# JEFF AREND, CAMARO Z28
# CRISTEN POWELL, BAZEMORE RACING NITROFISH CAMARO Z28
PRO STOCK: KJ IN FOURTH; FOUR CAMAROS IN FIELD
* KURT JOHNSON, ACDELCO CAMARO Z28, is the quickest of the five Camaros
that vied for 16 qualifying positions. He improved his time in today's
round to take fourth place, 6.896/199.85.
KURT: "We changed the suspension preload and adjusted the rear torsion bar
to make the car run straight, and my ACDelco Camaro responded with a
perfectly straight run. We had a little tire shake at the top of first
gear, but otherwise it was a smooth ride. The biggest problem was that the
transmission popped out of second gear for nine hundredths of a second
before it engaged third gear. That was quite a shock, but the car had
enough momentum that it only cost me a hundredth or two -- but that might
have been enough for the pole. I figured a 6.94 wouldn't be good enough to
get in the show, and with a 6.91 bump, obviously it wasn't. I was breathing
a little easier after that 6.89. it's a tough situation when you have to
make a perfect run in every session just to stay in the show. Now it's a
matter of getting the car right for tomorrow."
* RICKIE SMITH, BUCKS COUNTY KAWASAKI CAMARO Z28, is No. 7, 6.896/199.08.
Smith matched Kurt's elapsed time, but Kurt was awarded the higher placing
due to faster speed.
* ARTURO DELGADO, CAMARO Z28, earned No. 11 position, 6.913/199.08.
* KENNY KORETSKY, in the second BUCKS COUNTY KAWASAKI CAMARO Z28, was saved
by the rain, as he stayed on the bubble, in 16th, with a 6.916/198.88.
* Not qualifying was V. GAINES, WESTERN MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z28.
PRO STOCK TRUCK: STEVE JOHNS CLAIMS BOOKEND POLES
* STEVE JOHNS, CASTROL SUPER CLEAN CHEVY S-10, has this track down pat, as
he qualified No. 1 at the AutoZone Winternationals in February here and
again today. He also won this event last year and last week's rain-delayed
Dallas event, giving him a total of two career title wins. He's clearly on
a late-season roll. He credits his success with having tune-up consultant
Kevin Horst on board.
JOHNS: WHAT'S MADE THE DIFFERENCE? "Kevin Horst. With Kevin on board from
Indy on, everything is different. He knows what's going on. It makes it
real nice. We've also done a lot of work at (Bill 'Grumpy') Jenkins'
(engine-building) shop. Before that we were getting our butts kicked
religiously. We continued to work hard. I've also had to drive as well as
I could to give Horst data to work with. And, it seems like I have good
luck here." DID CANCELING THE FOURTH SESSION HELP YOU? "There were quite a
few guys I was concerned with. We would have still had to make an ideal run
to hang on if there were a fourth qualifying session. They were breathing
down our neck. Randy (Daniels) was two thousandths behind us. If anyone
had the better lane, the better package, the better e.t., it could have
changed."
* Chevy S-10s claimed the top 10 positions.