Mopar NHRA Qualifying Notes from Indy
Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 48th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Notes & Quotes Aug. 31, 2002 TELEVISION TIMES: (ALL TIMES EASTERN) QUALIFYING: Sat., Aug. 31; 12-1 p.m.; ESPN2 QUALIFYING: Sun., Sept. 1; 14 p.m.; ESPN2 BUD SHOOTOUT: Sun., Sept. 1; 9:30 p.m.- Midnight; ESPN2 EARLY ELIMINATIONS: Mon., Sept. 2; 11:00 a.m.- 1 p.m.; ESPN2 ELIMINATIONS: Mon., Sept. 2; 4:30- 7:30 p.m.; ESPN2 REPEAT: Tues., Sept. 3; 2-5 p.m.; ESPN2 REPEAT: Sat., Sept. 7; 3-5:30 a.m.; ESPN2 BRAINERD, Minn. -- Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams completed the second day of qualifying for this weekend¹s 48th annual U.S. Nationals NHRA Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The following are notes and quotes from today¹s qualifying activity. DEAN SKUZA, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T Dean Skuza, driver of the Moapr Parts Dodge Stratus R/T, failed to improve on his 4.871-second elapsed time at 313.07 mph; dropping the two-time NHRA National event winner to the eighth-qualified slot. ³We really hopped it up for that night run,² Skzua said. ³We were really on a nice pass during today¹s session, but we threw a blower belt. The track was a lot better than we thought it would be and it ran lean on fuel at the top end.² GENE WILSON, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Gene Wilson was unable to improve a 6.846-second elapsed time at 200.71 mph set during yesterday¹s first session. The rookie Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T driver fell to sixth in the qualifying order. ³We didn¹t have a real good day,² Wilson said. ³The track seems to be smooth, but you can definitely tell that a lot of cars have gone down the track. We¹re pretty happy with where we are in the qualifying order, but we would definitely like to be better.² LARRY MORGAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Larry Morgan sits on the outside of the top 16. The Newark, Ohio, Pro Stock veteran logged a 6.893-second lap at 200.17 mph. ³We just need to make better runs,² Morgan said. ³As soon as I let the clutch out, I knew it was a bad run. The right lane is a little slower, but that¹s not why we didn¹t qualify. We just missed the set up. No need to panic, but we¹re starting to run out of time.² DARRELL ALDERMAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T All looked well after the second-qualifying session today for Darrell Alderman. The three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion posted the second-quickest time of the session (6.893) and was poised to break into the show during the night session. But Alderman and his Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T failed to pick up enough with a 6.882-second run at 200.53 mph. The bump spot currently sits at 6.871. ³We really moved to the left on the start,² Alderman said. ³And that was enough to spoil the run. We looked good on the shift points, and after the earlier session today, thought that we had a shot at it. We¹re going to change some things and see if we can¹t get in tomorrow morning.² GREG STANFIELD, driver of the DBP Motorsports Dodge Neon R/T An unlikely story is starting to shape up in the DBP Motorsports camp. Greg Stanfield wielded his Hemi-powered Dodge Neon R/T into the eighth slot with a 6.849-second elapsed time at 200.71 mph. Team owner Bart Price talked about the day. ³We really looked good in our 60-foot time; and that¹s what got us in,² Price said. ³We tested here last week and really ran well. And that helped us tremendously. We had the best 60-foot times during testing of anyone, so we went back to that set up and it worked out well. This is a new engine and it has a lot of power. So, we¹re real pleased right now.² -30- David Harris, Cox Marketing Group Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series davidh@coxmarketinggroup.com (704) 799-2114 office (704) 756-9301 - mobile