Rookie Carlson struggles in Seattle qualifying

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 14 of 23
SCHUCK'S AUTO SUPPLY NHRA NATIONALS
Pacific Raceways
Kent, Wash.
Race Date: July 21-23, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net

ROOKIE CARLSON STRUGGLES IN SEATTLE QUALIFYING

KENT, Wash. (July 22, 2006) - NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock
rookie Shaun Carlson was sure he would qualify the Team Mopar/SRT Dodge
Stratus R/T to race in this Sunday's Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at
Pacific Raceways, but a tough third qualifying session foiled his chances of
entering the elite 16-car Pro Stock field.

Carlson was on a solid run when the problems occurred. "The 60-ft.
(increment) was good (12th quickest of the session), but just as I was
shifting into second gear the rpm ramped up and it was over. I tried to go
through the gears to get by it, but it was too late," he said of his
8.389-second pass at 119.35 mph.

"I knew the run was over when I pulled second gear, but at that point
your adrenaline is running so much, you don't want to believe it. That
was really the session to get in, and we missed it," he said of the round in
which 14 of the 16 qualifiers ran their weekend-best elapsed times.

Carlson's best ET for the weekend came Friday evening, when he posted a
6.791-second pass at 203.77 mph. His other two runs were a 6.845/203.06 and
a 6.800/203.61.

"I know that David Nickens (crew chief/engine builder), Terry Adams
(co-crew chief), and Mike Sullivan (clutch specialist) really threw
everything at it this weekend. I feel bad that we weren't able to get
into the show."

Next up for Carlson is the Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon
Raceway (Sonoma, Calif., July 28-30).

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