Mopar NHRA Notebook -- Brainerd
Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Rugged Liner NHRA Nationals Aug. 15-18, 2002 Brainerd International Raceway ‹ Brainerd, Minn. NHRA Storylines WEEKEND TELEVISION: (ALL TIMES EASTERN) QUALIFYING: Sat., Aug. 17; 8-10 p.m.; ESPN2 FINAL ROUND: Sun., Aug. 18; 911 p.m.; ESPN2 REPEAT: Fri., Aug. 30; 3-5 a.m.; ESPN2 To Cut Down a Tree Morgan Drove to First Victory Since 1994 BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 13, 2002) -- He who is quickest doesn¹t always win. Just ask Infineon Raceway NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock winner Larry Morgan, who used two holeshot advantages on Jeg Coughlin, Jr., and Greg Anderson to win the most recent Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals. Morgan, who was guided to his first Pro Stock victory since 1994 by his blue Hemi-powered Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T, cut a .437 light to Anderson¹s .483 in the final. It was critical to victory, as Anderson ran a 6.799-second elapsed time to Morgan¹s 6.844. In the semifinal, Morgan performed the same magic, outgunning Coughlin, Jr., on the starting line. After a burndown with the 2000 NHRA Pro Stock champion, Morgan flashed off the line with a decisive advantage (.431-.493) and held off Coughlin through the traps. ³I never really have a strategy when I go up to the line,² said the 47-year-old Morgan. ³I have to really concentrate on the line out there. I knew that I had to cut a good light because those young guys are great on the tree.² It was Morgan¹s ninth Pro Stock victory of his career, one that has spanned more than a decade in Pro Stock competition. ³I wasn¹t sure if I was ever going to win again,² Morgan said. ³This is such a tough category to run in. If we had a Top Fuel team, and have put the amount of work that we put into this team just to qualify, we would win almost every weekend.² Morgan has been spectacular at Brainerd International Raceway as well, site of this weekend¹s Rugged Liner NHRA Nationals. Back in 2000, Morgan was on the outside looking in of the 16-car Pro Stock field. The Newark, Ohio, resident was the last car to qualify in the fourth-and-final session. All eyes were on the veteran; and he didn¹t disappoint. Morgan grabbed the third slot in one of the most talked about qualifying passes in recent memory. Morgan has also made two final-round appearances; falling to Warren Johnson in 1993 and Bruce Allen in 1990. Mopar NHRA Storylines ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- THE REST OF THE STORY. A page in the Mopar drag racing history book was written during the most recent Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Six Hemi-powered Dodge Neon R/T¹s qualified for the event, which was the first time in history that DODGE had qualified that many cars in one professional NHRA category. The race also marked the first time since the early 1970s that six Mopar-powered cars qualified for a NHRA Pro Stock field. CARRYING MOMENTUM. Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T Nitro Funny Car driver Dean Skuza was 11th in points heading into the Western swing. After three-straight semifinal round appearances, Skuza goes into this weekend¹s Rugged Liner NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in the eighth slot. Also accomplished was the fact that Skuza further solidified a spot in the eight-car Budweiser Shootout. The Brecksville, Ohio, resident was teetering in the eighth spot heading into Seattle, but his recent success has solidified a chance at the Shootout during the 48th annual U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. NEW-OLD CAR. Darrell Alderman and the Nickens Brothers Racing team have switched from a Jerry Bickel-built Dodge Neon R/T back to the Rick Jones chassis. The switch was in place for the most recent Fram Autolite Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.