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NHRA: Bob Panella Jr. Wins Another One From Pole to Winner's Circle in His Chevy S-10

28 June 1999

MADISON, Ill.; June 27, 1999:  Bob Panella Jr., driving the Panella
Motorsports Chevy S-10 Pickup, won his second Pro Stock Truck title of his
career and the season in four final-round appearances, at the Sears
Craftsman Nationals at Gateway International Raceway. This was the ninth
event of the 14-race category for compact pickup trucks, part of the NHRA
Winston Drag Racing Series, and was held under the lights Saturday night. 
Following a three-and-a-half-hour rain delay, final eliminations took place
after 2 a.m. Sunday morning.  
        Panella, of Stockton, Calif., led the way from No. 1 qualifying
position directly into winner's circle, dominating every round in
eliminations, with his slowest e.t. a 7.663-second pass in the first round.
 He defeated points leader Mark Osborne, in the RCL Components Chevy S-10,
in the final with his track record elapsed time of 7.623 seconds and track
record top speed of 176.28 mph.  Panella launched first with a .478
reaction time to Osborne's .579, but Osborne's Chevy S-10 quit at the
starting line. 
        "I'm happy that all our hard work back at the shop has been paying
off," said Panella, winner and polesitter also at the Fram Nationals on
Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., this year.  "We haven't plateaued, we're
still going to try to get better and, of course, everyone else will be too.
 The guys and the transporter have been on the road since Gainesville
(Fla.).  Fortunately now that we've won a couple of these things we can go
home with a good taste in our mouth before the U.S. Nationals in
Indianapolis."  
        "There was a malfunction on the 2-step switch on the S-10,"
explained Osborne, of Abingdon, Va., who drives for Kessinger Motorsports. 
"It's what keeps it from revving higher on the starting line.  It just
loaded up on fuel when I let the clutch out and it made a big pop and the
motor died, and Panella was off to the races."
        "Honestly, I probably shouldn't have done it, but in fifth gear I
looked at Winston Vision and saw Mark way back there, so I knew something
had happened to him and it was probably terminal," added Panella.  "I
didn't want to celebrate and do something stupid and forget to finish the
run.  I was happy, definitely happy.  Tired, but happy.  I wish it would
have been a real race.  At this point we are running strong, we have a
little bit of an advantage, and we stayed in the good lane (left) or what
we thought was the good lane all night long and that probably made the
difference." 
        Panella defeated Dave McConnell, John Coughlin and Tim Freeman to
reach the final.  Osborne dismissed Randy Daniels, Brad Jeter and Mike
Coughlin en route to his matchup with Panella.  
        Chevy S-10 drivers lead the point standings, with Osborne holding
on to first place with 738 points, followed by Panella with 719, and fellow
Chevy S-10 drivers Brad Jeter with 687, Randy Daniels with 522, and Mike
Coughlin in fifth with 513 points.  Chevy S-10s have won each of the nine
events so far.  
        Next on the Pro Stock Truck schedule is the Winston Showdown in
Bristol, Tenn., a non-points special event July 8-10.  The regular series
starts up again at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis Sept. 1-6.

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