Mopar NHRA Notebook from Maple Grove
Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Notes & Quotes Sept. 13, 2002 TELEVISION TIMES: (ALL TIMES EASTERN) QUALIFYING: Sat., Sept. 14; 4:00-5:30 p.m.; ESPN2 ELIMINATIONS: Sun., Sept. 15; 4:30-7:00 p.m.; ESPN2 REPEAT: Wed., Sept. 18; 3:00-5:00 a.m.; ESPN2 MOHNTON, Pa. -- Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams completed the first day of qualifying for this weekend¹s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. The following are notes and quotes from today¹s qualifying activity. DEAN SKUZA, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T Dean Skuza is involved in two battles this weekend. The Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T driver is suffering through an influenza bug while trying to qualify for the same event he won back in 1998. Skuza ran a solid 4.947-second elapsed time at 260.56 mph in tonight¹s second session; clicking it off early before tapping the wall. ³I was really sick on Thursday,² Skuza said. ³I had planned to come here on Thursday evening, but my dad (Don) and I got on this morning. I told this guys to go easy on me because I¹m really sick. ³I had to lift at the top end,² Skuza added. ³We needed to make a good run, and we did.² GENE WILSON, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T pilot Gene Wilson lapped the historic Maple Grove quarter mile in 6.858 seconds at 201.13 mph. Wilson sits 18th and on the outside looking in. ³We were definitely hoping for a better run on that last one,² Wilson said. ³The car jumped out of the groove, shook and made it hard to drive. We have the equipment to run well, we just need to put it together.² LARRY MORGAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Larry Morgan and the blue Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T barely missed the qualifying field. The Newark, Ohio, resident ran a 6.880-second elapsed time at 200.41 mph. Morgan spoke of his first day. ³We made a bad run,² Morgan said. ³I got out of the groove and it shook the tires. We experimented with a new Goodyear tire in the first session; and it didn¹t work the way we wanted. It put us behind the eight ball.² DARRELL ALDERMAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T Three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion Darrell Alderman struggled in the first day of qualifying. Alderman, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T, logged a 6.868-second elapsed time at 199.67 mph. ³(Crew Chief) Rickie (Smith) changed a whole bunch of thing on the car,² Alderman said. ³I really shook the tires off the line; and it moved over to the wall. We¹ll get them tomorrow morning because I believe conditions could be similar.²