NHRA: Dunn Looks for More Success at Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals
20 February 1999
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- The streak is over. Mike Dunn, who endured a two year-plus absence from the winners circle, ended his Top Fuel winless drought with authority at NHRAs season-opening event at Pomona Raceway, Pomona, Calif.He drove his Team Mopar Top Fuel dragster to a top qualifying, record-setting run of 4.503 seconds and put together four impressive 4.50-second runs during eliminations, culminating in a victory when he beat Larry Dixon to the finish line in the final round. It was his seventh career Top Fuel win.
His teams performance was one of the most dominating Top Fuel efforts this decade.
It feels good coming off a performance like we had at Pomona, Dunn said. Still, we realize its going to be a long season and anything can happen. We had a great weekend at Pomona. It wasnt like we were doing anything trick, it was just that everything worked like it should have. Indeed. Now comes the task of building consistency. Its one thing to spank the competition in a dream-come-true weekend. Its altogether another thing to do it with regularity.
Dunn will attempt to prove his teams effort in Southern California was no fluke at the 15th annual Checker Schucks Kragen Nationals presented by Pennzoil, Feb. 25-28 at Firebird International Raceway, near Phoenix. The $1.5 million race is the second of 22 events in the $40 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.
Firebird International Raceway will provide a similar setting: its one of the quickest and fastest quarter-miles on the circuit. Dunn, who inched very close to a milestone sub 4.50-second performance in the opener, says the stage could be set at the Checker Schucks Kragen Nationals. It could be soon, Dunn said. We werent perfect at Pomona. Our runs were very strong coming off the starting line, but we lost a little bit at the top end. If we could put together a solid run from start to finish I think running a 4.49 or 4.48 is possible. It can happen at Firebird. I would be very surprised if it doesnt happen there.
Dunn, from Wrightsville, Pa., likes his chances at the Checker Schucks Kragen Nationals -- to reach the elapsed time milestone and win the race. Dunn, a 1988 Funny Car winner at Firebird, says Cory McClenathans 322.92 mph run there last year is just a preview of what fans can expect this year if the conditions are right. He says its going to be fast -- really fast.
Usually at this time of year these cars will just fly at Phoenix, Dunn said. It can be a tight track and pretty tricky for some teams. If the weather conditions are good, I think youll see some strong numbers. The track is good and the racing there is definitely exciting.
Dunns strong start is no surprise to his opponents. Last year he posted four runner-up finishes, all to Winston champ Gary Scelzi. During the offseason Dunn dropped 10 pounds and rededicated himself to winning races, something he had not done since the 1996 Pennzoil Nationals in Memphis, Tenn. At Pomona, Team Mopar clicked. They hope to make that a habit in 1999.
Without a doubt this is the best start Ive ever had, Dunn said. But the season is so long and demanding. Its nice to get a good start, but theres too many good cars out here to start counting on a championship. Gary Scelzi, Larry Dixon, Kenny Bernstein and Joe Amato are after the same thing. Id like to think we could dominate the entire season, but the competition in this category is too good for that to happen. Were in a good position, we just need to keep building and getting quicker and faster.