Rookie Carlson misses field in Pro Stock debut in Pomona

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
ROUND 1 OF 23
CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals
POMONA (CALIF.) RACEWAY
RACE DATE: FEB 9-12, 2006

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 11, 2006) - NHRA Pro Compact star Shaun Carlson, in his
debut as the driver of the Team Mopar/SRT Dodge Stratus R/T for Don
Schumacher Racing, failed to make the Pro Stock field for the season-opening
CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at the Auto Club Raceway.

Despite three out of four strong runs of 6.796/205.01, 6.772/205.60 and
6.756/204.51, he ended up No. 21 in the field (only the top 16 qualify),
missing the field by less than four hundredths of a second in the
ultra-competitive Pro Stock class.

Carlson, of Alta Loma, Calif., however, doesn't see his effort as a failure,
but rather as part of the learning curve.

"I feel bad for Dodge, Mopar, SRT, Don (Schumacher), (crew chief) Bob
Glidden, and all these guys on the Team Mopar/SRT crew who have worked so
hard getting me up to speed. But, it's been two years since I've been in one
of these cars, and things are a lot tougher now. I tried my best, and I take
my hat off to Bob and Rusty (Glidden). They have worked great with me all
weekend. I can't wait to get back in at Phoenix."

He and crew chief Bob Glidden noticed a drop in power on the last run and
his last chance to get into the field. A burnt battery was discovered and
Carlson believes it could be the reason they weren't picking up the same
power as the other team car of Richie Stevens Jr. "Bob noticed that it was
flat-lining on the computer, and we were worried that it was the engine. So,
for it to be something like the battery is a little bit of a relief. It's
one of those things; it doesn't show up on the tester in the pits, but it
can't handle the load of the engine when it gets on the track.

The teamwork in the DSR operation inspires Carlson the most: "Throughout
this weekend, we have all really come together. That's very important to me.
No matter what goes on with this team I want to be there; I told Bob I want
to test as much as possible. If the cars are going to be testing I
definitely want to be there."

Carlson now has two weeks to prepare before the Checker Schuck's Kragen
NHRA Nationals in Chandler, Ariz., February 24-26.