NHRA NEWS, Columbus wrap-up

 

POST RACE NOTES: 

41st annual Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals

May 19-22, National Trail Raceway, Hebron, Ohio

 


TOP FUEL


*         Tony Schumacher, of Long Grove, Ill., set the national record
for speed en route to his third victory of the season and the 24th of
his career. It was his second win at National Trail Raceway.

*         Schumacher blasted his U.S. Army dragster down the
quarter-mile in 4.489 seconds at 336.15 mph in the final round to defeat
Doug Kalitta, who powered his Mac Tools dragster to a 4.513 finish at
324.90.

*         Kalitta maintained the series point lead, 43 ahead of
Schumacher.

*         Larry Dixon qualified No. 1 for the first time this season in
his Miller Light dragster, but exited after a first-round loss to Doug
Herbert. It was Dixon's 24th No. 1 effort in his career.

*          Kalitta's crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship
award.

 


FUNNY CAR


*         John Force, of Yorba Linda, Calif., earned his 117th career
win and his third of the season with a 4.776 effort at 324.51 in his
Castrol GTX Start Up Ford Mustang. It was his fourth win at Columbus.

*         The 13-time and defending Funny Car world champion held off
the quicker Mopar/Oakley Dodge of Gary Scelzi with a better reaction
time. Scelzi clocked a 4.764 at 326.79 in the final round.

*         A two-hour rain delay helped Force claim the victory, his
fourth at Columbus, after one of his chutes failed to open in the
semifinals, landing him in the sand at the top end of the track. With
the weather delay, his team was given more time to repair the car.

*         With the win, Force retained his lead in the point standings,
while Scelzi moved to second.

*         Scelzi set the track speed record at 327.11 mph, while Whit
Bazemore set the track E.T. record at 4.762 in his Matco Tools Dodge
Stratus R/T.

*         Bazemore claimed his 29th No. 1 qualifying effort - the first
of the season and second at Columbus.

*         Robert Hight's Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang
crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award.


PRO STOCK


*         Two-time and defending Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson,
of Charlotte, N.C., defeated Kurt Johnson for his second consecutive win
and the 33rd of his career. It was his fourth straight Columbus victory.

*         Anderson drove his Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac to a 6.737
finish at 204.35 to top Johnson's 6.787 (204.20) performance in his
ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt.

*         Warren Johnson maintained his series points lead and Anderson
moved to second with the win.

*         Johnson set the track's E.T. and speed records at 6.723 and
205.13 to qualify No. 1 for the 13th time in his career.

*         Mike Edwards claimed the Motel 6 Who Got the Light award after
defeating Dave Connolly by a .0024-second margin in the quarterfinal
round of eliminations.

*         Edwards' Young Life Pontiac crew earned the Full Throttle Pit
Crew Championship award.

 


PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE


*         Ryan Schnitz, of Decatur, Ind., earned his first career
victory in his first final-round appearance on his Muzzy Buell with a
win over defending world champion Andrew Hines.

*         Schnitz coasted to a 10.634 finish at 77.42 after Hines fouled
at the start.

*         Hines set both ends of the track performance record, posting a
7.066 at 194.52.

*         G.T. Tonglet, who won in Atlanta, advanced to the semi-final
round before losing to Hines.

*         Tonglet retained the top spot in the point standings in front
of Karen Stoffer and Hines.

*         Tonglet earned his second career No. 1 qualifying position.

*         Chris Rivas' Mohegan Sun Buell crew claimed the Full Throttle
Pit Crew Championship award.