Mopar Saturday Notes
<<Denver Saturday Notes.doc>> Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals Contact David Harris - David.Harris@sfx.com Bandimere Speedway Team Mopar NHRA Representative Saturday Qualifying Notes Mobile: (704) 756-9301/Office: (704) 455-3500 Alderman Looks to Rekindle Championship Form Osborne Earns 10th Position in New Pro Stock Dodge Neon R/T MORRISON, Colo. (July 21, 2001) -- Three-time Winston Pro Stock World Champion Darrell Alderman is looking to perform some old-time magic during eliminations for tomorrow's 22nd annual Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. He grabbed the quickest time of the fourth-qualifying session with his Hemi-powered Mopar Parts Pro Stock Dodge Neon R/T when he recorded a 7.292-second elapsed time at 188.88 mph. The run was made under the hot-and-slick afternoon track conditions, and became the only sub 7.30-second lap of the session. "That should make you feel good race day," Alderman said. "We are going to take it one round at a time and hopefully have two Mopars' in the final." Alderman earned the fourth slot by posting a 7.285-second lap at 189.28 mph during Friday's second-qualifying session. The Morehead, Ky., resident faces defending Winston Pro Stock World Champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the opening round of eliminations. "The car is so easy to drive and very stable heading down the track," said the 27-time NHRA national event winner. "The new car has really got me pumped and I think we have something for them tomorrow." Alderman was runner-up to Kurt Johnson in the 2000 Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals, the first final-round appearance for the newly built 500-cubic-inch Hemi engine. Alderman's teammate Mark Osborne, driver of the other Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T, came home with the 10th qualifying position following today's activity. The Abingdon, Va., resident clicked off two solid qualifying passes in preparation for a first-round match with Mike Edwards. Osborne clocked a 7.317-second lap at 188.44 mph during Friday's second session. "We had a really good qualifying session with both cars," Osborne said. "We're looking forward to a great race day. We hope to finish one-two for the Dodge Neon R/T's. This team is starting to jell now and I think we have the equipment to win one of these races. "It would be nice to meet Darrell in the final," said Osborne, commenting on the fact that Alderman is on the opposite side of the elimination bracket. "With all of the great Mopar people here, it would be a great weekend if that happened." -more- Mopar Saturday Notes Page Two Morgan Pumped About New Pro Stock Dodge Neon R/T After traveling hundreds of miles and working endless nights to get here, Dodge Motorsports Pro Stock Neon R/T driver Larry Morgan has a chance to take a breather. Despite falling a bit short in his qualifying efforts this weekend, Morgan, and the Larry Morgan Racing crew, garnered a lot of valuable information in debuting his new Hemi-powered Pro Stock Dodge Neon R/T. The Newark, Ohio, resident clicked off a 7.390-second elapsed time at 186.41 mph, which was the 20th quickest time in qualifying. "I am just glad to get the Neon here for Dodge," Morgan said. "I'm pretty pumped up to make four runs down the track. We just need a little time with the car." Morgan's team was awarded NHRA's Best-Engineered car for the weekend. "This team, (chassis builder) Don Ness, (chassis specialist) John Holt and the Mopar design and engineering crew really deserve that award," Morgan praised. "We couldn't be more pleased with what they have accomplished over the past month in getting this new car ready for competition." Skuza Qualifies Ninth Dean Skuza, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge R/T Nitro Funny Car, heads into tomorrow's elimination round with a great deal of confidence. The two-time NHRA national event winner drove to a 4.980-second elapsed time at 302.35 mph, garnering the ninth position. Skuza cracked off his quickest time during the fourth and final qualifying session, which happened to be during the heat of the day. Don Skuza commented on his son's weekend thus far. "I don't think too many cars had four solid runs in a row here," said the elder Skuza, team owner of Skuza Motorsports "We started with a 5.14, 5.03, 5.07 and 4.98. Basically, we're looking at the tune-up. We want to repeat the high 4-second range tomorrow." Skuza has a round-one match up with Gary Densham. -30-