Mopar Elimination Notes from Firebird International Raceway

Mopar Motorsports
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Checker, Schuck¹s & Kragen NHRA Nationals
Firebird International Raceway ­ Chandler, Arizona
Elimination Release

Mopar Wrap Up from Firebird International Raceway
Frustrating Day of Eliminations

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 23, 2003) ­ It was a short day of competition for the
Mopar-backed Pro Stock entries in today¹s Checker Schuck¹s & Kragen NHRA
Nationals at Firebird International Raceway.

The red-light bug bit Allen Johnson in round one, as the Tennessee resident
fell to defending Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin, Jr.

³I must have been in a little deep or something,² said Johnson, who drove to
the finals of the season opener in Pomona, Calif. ³I saw yellow and the car
made an excellent run. It left hard and felt real good on through there. It
just wasn¹t my day.

Three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion Darrell Alderman also lost in
the first round. Kurt Johnson¹s 6.857-second elapsed time at 201.45 mph was
good enough to outrun Alderman¹s 6.863-second lap at 201.75 mph. Despite the
loss, it was Alderman¹s best pass of the weekend.

³We made a nice run over in that right lane,² said Alderman, who was gunning
for his 29th NHRA national event victory. ³We left real well, but it wasn¹t
enough. The lanes seemed fairly equal out there.²

Greg Stanfield and the DBP Enterprises Dodge Neon R/T grabbed a starting
line advantage on Troy Coughlin (.017-.026). Unfortunately for the Bossier
City, La., resident, his 6.938/200.71 combination wasn¹t enough to hold off
Coughlin¹s 6.869/200.56 effort.