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NHRA: Dunn, Force, Allen, and Record-Setting Hines Number One Qualifiers into Eliminations

31 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
BAYTOWN, Texas - Matt Hines set a Pro Stock Motorcycle national record to earn his tenth straight number one qualifying spot Saturday at the Matco Tools Supernationals.

Mike Dunn, John Force and Warren Johnson also were the leaders in their respective categories at the $1.7 million race at Houston Raceway Park. The event is the 21st of 22 events in the $40 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.

Hines, from Trinidad, Colo., made his record-setting run on Friday when he covered the track on his Eagle One Suzuki in 7.179 seconds at 186.10 mph which set the pace for the two-wheel category.

"We want the 20 extra points for setting the record," said Hines. "We want to go out and win the next two races and win out third straight NHRA Winston championship." Dunn, from Exeter, Pa, earned his first number one qualifying spot since the NHRA's event in Columbus Ohio and his third of the year with his pass of 4.561 at 319.60 in his Top Fuel dragster.

"Coming into this year I had only been number one three times in my career," said Dunn. "This is my fourth this year and I'm not complaining. The biggest problem is that it has been a while since we have won a race."

Dunn, who was the points leader for most of the season in his Team Mopar dragster, will face Doug Herbert in the first round of eliminations tomorrow.

"There you go," said Dunn. "He's tough. He has a low 4.60 car and you know what he's going to do. We know we have to run in the 4.50's and we can't take him lightly. But we can't take anyone lightly." Yorba Linda, Calif.s, Force made a pass of 4.811 at 321.12 in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang which put him on top of the Funny Car class for the tenth time this year.

If Force and teammate Tony Pedregon both win their first round matchups they would face off in the quarterfinals.

"We are really going for the record tomorrow," said Force. "I don't have anything to lose. If I was chasing the points right now I would go after winning the round. I don't need to win the round. If I go up against Tony, if we both make it to the second round, I am going after the national record on that run."

Force clinched his ninth NHRA Winston Funny Car championship last week in Dallas.

Bruce Allen, from Arlington, Texas, earned his first top qualifying position since 1989 when he sped down the quarter-mile in his Outlaw Pontiac Firebird in a track record 6.839 at 199.64.

"That's the low elapsed time of our career," said Allen. Our Firebird left real well, it went down the middle of the track and was awesome. You can only do the best you can do and that's what we were able to accomplish tonight."

Professional eliminations will begin tomorrow at 11 a.m.

BAYTOWN, Texas -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the third annual Matco Tools SuperNationals presented by Racing Champions at Houston Raceway Park, the 21st of 22 events in the $40-million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.

Top Fuel -- 1. Mike Dunn, Wrightsville, Pa., 4.561 seconds, 319.60 mph vs. 16. Doug Herbert, Cherryville, N.C., 4.698, 308.71; 2. Bob Vandergriff, Cumming, Ga., 4.563, 316.01 vs. 15. Doug Foxworth, Lytle, Texas, 4.681, 307.58; 3. Larry Dixon, San Diego, 4.572, 317.27 vs. 14. Mike Smith, Round Rock, Texas, 4.669, 301.60; 4. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., 4.592, 320.58 vs. 13. Jim Head, Columbus, Ohio, 4.663, 312.78; 5. Eddie Hill, Wichita Falls, Texas, 4.596, 315.86 vs. 12. Tim Gibson, Irvine, Calif., 4.648, 312.42; 6. Joe Amato, Exeter, Pa., 4.598, 314.39 vs. 11. Kenny Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif., 4.636, 307.65; 7. Cory McClenathan, Anaheim, Calif., 4.604, 323.27 vs. 10. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., 4.621, 303.64; 8. Tony Schumacher, Park Ridge, Ill., 4.605, 323.27 vs. 9. Randy Parks, Lombard, Ill., 4.614, 313.88.

Funny Car -- 1. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Ford Mustang, 4.811, 321.12 vs. 16. Scott Weis, Ashland, Va., Mustang, 5.178, 280.60; 2. Whit Bazemore, Indianapolis, Chevrolet Camaro, 4.934, 311.63 vs. 15. Kenny Sayers, Houston, Chevrolet Corvette, 5.175, 291.95; 3. Tommy Johnson Jr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Pontiac Firebird, 4.935, 314.46 vs. 14. Del Worsham, Costa Mesa, Calif., Firebird, 5.153, 275.73; 4. Scotty Cannon, Lyman, S.C., Camaro, 4.969, 296.44 vs. 13. Dale Creasy Jr., Lansing, Ill., Firebird, 5.153, 293.60; 5. Jerry Toliver, Huntington Beach, Calif., Corvette, 4.982, 295.92 vs. 12. Dean Skuza, Brecksville, Ohio, Dodge Avenger, 5.148, 279.27; 6. Cory Lee, Sierra Del Oro, Calif., Avenger, 5.076, 297.35 vs. 11. Al Hofmann, Umatilla, Fla., Firebird, 5.136, 287.72; 7. Frank Pedregon, Alta Loma, Calif., Firebird, 5.083, 288.03 vs. 10. Jim Epler, Phoenix, Firebird, 5.120, 293.79; 8. Tony Pedregon, Gardena, Calif., Mustang, 5.089, 234.25 vs. 9. Gary Densham, Bellflower, Calif., Firebird, 5.106, 286.62.

Pro Stock -- 1. Bruce Allen, Arlington, Texas, Pontiac Firebird, 6.839, 199.64 vs. 16. Mike Thomas, Knoxville, Tenn., Firebird, 6.925, 198.17; 2. Don Beverley, Chester, Va., Firebird, 6.885, 198.85 vs. 15. Jeg Coughlin, Columbus, Ohio, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 6.921, 199.37; 3. Warren Johnson, Buford, Ga., Firebird, 6.886, 200.95 vs. 14. John Nobile, Melville, N.Y., Cutlass, 6.920, 199.35; 4. Mike Edwards, Broken Arrow, Okla., Chevrolet Camaro, 6.889, 198.79 vs. 13. Troy Coughlin, Columbus, Ohio, Cutlass, 6.920, 199.29; 5. Kurt Johnson, Lawrenceville, Ga., Camaro, 6.890, 200.71 vs. 12. Rickie Smith, King, N.C., Firebird, 6.918, 198.47; 6. Tom Martino, Farmingdale, N.J., Firebird, 6.892, 200.38 vs. 11. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., Dodge Avenger, 6.915, 198.61; 7. Mark Pawuk, Bath, Ohio, Firebird, 6.900, 199.79 vs. 10. Richie Stevens, New Orleans, Firebird, 6.912, 198.61; 8. V. Gaines, Lakewood, Colo., Camaro, 6.906, 200.05 vs. 9. Jim Yates, Alexandria, Va., Firebird, 6.909, 198.76.

Pro Stock Bike -- 1. Matt Hines, Trinidad, Colo., Suzuki GSXR, 7.179, 186.10 vs. 16. Brian Ayers, Greenville, N.C., Suzuki, 7.435, 181.18; 2. Angelle Seeling, New Orleans, Suzuki, 7.215, 184.35 vs. 15. Ron Ayers, Greenville, N.C., Suzuki, 7.421, 183.94; 3. Antron Brown, Chesterfield, N.J., Suzuki, 7.234, 185.13 vs. 14. Joe DeSantis, Rootstown, Ohio, Suzuki, 7.419, 183.49; 4. Fred Collis, Americus, Ga., Suzuki, 7.247, 189.52 vs. 13. Gary Tonglet, Metairie, La., Suzuki, 7.405, 182.11; 5. David Schultz, Fort Myers, Fla., Suzuki, 7.254, 185.28 vs. 12. Greg Underdahl, Minneapolis, Suzuki, 7.404, 184.72; 6. Tony Mullen, Bradenton, Fla., Suzuki, 7.273, 186.25 vs. 11. Chris Reuter, Gretna, Neb., Suzuki, 7.385, 180.52; 7. Larry Cook, West Linn, Ore., Suzuki, 7.309, 183.47 vs. 10. Steve Johnson, Chatsworth, Calif., Suzuki, 7.384, 188.62; 8. Craig Treble, Chandler, Ariz., Suzuki, 7.318, 186.48 vs. 9. John Smith, Minneapolis, Suzuki, 7.331, 188.17.

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