Skuza Falls in Bud Shootout Final
Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 48th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Notes & Quotes Sept. 1, 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 Skuza in the Finals of the Budweiser Shootout Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car Driver Qualifies Eighth CLERMONT, Ind. Dean Skuza almost pulled it out. The Brecksville, Ohio, resident missed winning his first Budweiser Shootout when he fell to Ron Capps in the final. Capps logged a quicker 4.973-second elapsed time at 293.47 mph, as Skuza ran a 5.063-second lap at 282.19 mph. ³We haven¹t made a complete run all day,² Skuza said. ³It really concerns me for tomorrow. We need to figure out what¹s wrong with the car and see what we have for tomorrow.² Skuza advanced to the final by outrunning John Force in round one and Scotty Cannon in round two. On both runs, Skuza¹s opponent smoked the tires out of the box. Skuza wound up the day qualified eighth, and has a first round rematch with Capps. GENE WILSON, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T NHRA Pro Stock rookie Gene Wilson will take on George Marnell in his first U.S. Nationals elimination round. The heat of the day kept the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T from improving its qualifying position, but a 6.846-second lap at 200.71 mph set during the first session on Friday night was good enough for sixth. ³I¹m pretty excited to be in my first U.S. Nationals,² Wilson said. ³We have made our better runs this weekend in the heat of the day. We think we have a great tune up for tomorrow. I know lane choice will be very important because the right lane is about two hundredths of a second quicker.² LARRY MORGAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Larry Morgan was never able to get a handle on his blue Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T this weekend. Morgan collected a 6.893-second elapsed time at 200.17 mph. ³We just didn¹t make very good runs this weekend,² Morgan said. ³ We have a new engine back in the shop that will be ready for Reading (Pa.), so I think we¹ll be in good shape for that event. We ran real well there last year anyway.² DARRELL ALDERMAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Darrell Alderman and the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T made good runs in the wrong session this weekend. The three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion made a quick run of 6.882 seconds at 200.53 mph. ³We burnt a piston in that fourth run, which was the only one we could have gotten into with,² Alderman said. ³The car ran well in the heat, but we seemed to have our problems in the two night sessions. We switched cars back in Brainerd, and am still trying to get comfortable with this car.² GREG STANFIELD, driver of the DBP Motorsports Dodge Neon R/T Greg Stanfield will be making his first Pro Stock start at the U.S. Nationals tomorrow. Stanfield, who drives the Hemi-powered DBP Motorsports Dodge Neon R/T, ripped off a 6.849-second lap at 200.77 mph and will face off against Jeg Coughlin in the first round of eliminations. ³We are looking great, as tough as this field is,² Stanfield said. ³This Mopar car has certainly been a lot of work. We¹re happy. Believe me. I think lane choice will be big, but it didn¹t seem that way in the last session. We¹ll have to work on Jeg tomorrow.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