Skuza Leads Mopar in Chicago
Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series O¹Reilly Summer Nationals Notes & Quotes May 31, 2002 TELEVISION TIMES: (ALL TIMES EASTERN) QUALIFYING: Sat., June 1; 8:30-10:30 p.m.; ESPN2 REPEAT: Sun., June 2; 5:30-7:30 a.m.; ESPN2 FINAL ROUND: Sun., June 2; 7:30 10:00 p.m.; ESPN2 REPEAT: Tues., June 4; 2:00-4:30 p.m.; ESPN2 JOLIET, Ill. -- Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams completed the first day of qualifying for this weekend¹s Chicagoland Dodge Dealers NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway. NOTABLE: Dean Skuza clocked the quickest elapsed time if his career at 4.794 seconds during qualifying for last year¹s event The following are notes and quotes from today¹s qualifying activity. DEAN SKUZA, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T Dean Skuza continues his mastery of the Route 66 Raceway quarter mile. Skuza and his Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T grabbed the third-qualifying spot with a 4.832-second elapsed time at 312.86 mph. ³The new tires are a real improvement,² said Skuza, who decided to make the switch this weekend. ³The car felt so good and it was on a rail going down through there. We took some downforce off on that last run and it worked the way wanted. We still have a lot left in the thing.² The pass was Skuza¹s quickest with the new Dodge Stratus R/T body. GENE WILSON, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T It was a stellar second round of qualifying for Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T driver Gene Wilson. The 29-year-old rookie captured the seventh slot with a 6.882-second run at 200.56 mph. ³This Hemi Neon is really running well right now,² Wilson said. ³All the great Chicagoland Dodge Dealers are here this weekend, so it¹s real important to make a good show out of it.² LARRY MORGAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Larry Morgan and the blue Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T missed the provisional top 16 after the first day of qualifying. With two sessions left, Morgan will try to improve on a 6.909-second lap at 199.82 mph. ³We blew the tires off of it,² Morgan said. ³We¹re going to look at the computer and see where we can pick up for tomorrow. We want to put on a great show for all the great Dodge folks here this weekend,² DARRELL ALDERMAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T pilot Darrell Alderman had a frustrating night of qualifying and missed the top-16 qualifiers. The three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion clicked off a 6.932-second lap at 199.64 mph. ³We spun the tires up in second and third,² Alderman said. ³We couldn¹t recover after that. We¹re going to change some things tomorrow and see what we can come up with.² -4adodge.com- David Harris, Cox Marketing Group Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series davidh@coxmarketinggroup.com (704) 799-2114 office (704) 756-9301 - mobile