Skuza Qualifies 11th at Maple Grove
Mopar Motorsports
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Notes & Quotes Sept. 14, 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 final 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
A rain delay pushing the final qualifying session into night allowed Dean
Skuza to pick up the pace and grab the 11th slot. Skuza¹s Mopar Parts Dodge
Stratus R/T Nitro Funny Car ran a 4.900-second elapsed time at 305.63 mph.
³We finally got down the track,² Skuza said. ³We had a bug in the car and
have been chasing it ever since Indy. We think we¹ve found the problem and
know that we can go some round tomorrow. I would love to jump up another
point slot.
Skuza will face off against Tony Pedregon in round one.
GENE WILSON, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T
The warmer weather and track conditions spelled trouble for the Mopar Parts
Dodge Neon R/T of Gene Wilson. The NHRA rookie barely missed the show with a
6.858-second elapsed time at 201.13 mph.
³My car was all over the place,² Wilson said. ³We made a decent second pass,
but kind of struggled a little bit today. We are making good power and all
the guys have worked real hard. It just didn¹t happen today.²
LARRY MORGAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T
Larry Morgan struggled to get the handle on his blue Mopar Parts dodge Neon
R/T this weekend. Morgan failed to qualify with a 6.880-second elapsed time
at 200.41 mph; set during the cooler second session on Friday night.
³We have some bad carburetors,² Morgan said. ³It¹s not getting the fuel into
the right area, and its hurting us down track. We¹ll figure it out and be
ready for Memphis.²
DARRELL ALDERMAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T
Darrell Alderman and the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T failed to qualify for
this weekend¹s Maple Grove Raceway tilt. The three-time POWERade Pro Stock
World Champion was frustrated with his run; which was a 6.868-second lap at
200.11 mph.
³We made a straight run,² Alderman said. ³We just didn¹t make a good run.
The car left okay, but we spun the tires through three and four. The track
is in good condition, but the heat is making it harder to grip the track.²
