Worshan tops flops; Brown, Edwards maintain their Vegas qualifying leads

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Del Worsham raced to his first No. 1 qualifying spot of the season in Funny Car while Friday leaders Antron Brown in Top Fuel and Mike Edwards in Pro Stock remained atop their fields as the ladders were set for Sunday’s final eliminations at the 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Another day of air temperatures in the high 80s and season-high track temperatures kept the crew chiefs hopping and, with but a few exceptions, improvements were hard to come by and teams worked instead on improving raceday setups for Sunday’s final eliminations at the event, the sixth of 23 in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule. The tour also returns to Las Vegas in the fall for the season penultimate event.

Improvements were few and far between in Top Fuel Saturday, so much so that Saturday’s final order looks an awful lot like Friday’s finish with Brown’s Matco Tools dragster pacing the pack with his Friday 3.881. His 3.92 in the first session was second best of the day but the Gainesville qualifying leader still held on for his second pole of the season and the 23rd of his career.

“I thought it was going to be overcast today, so when I got up this morning and I saw the sun coming out, I actually started smiling a little bit,” said Brown. “The track actually held up good even though we had a lot of heat on it. We were running low 3.9s, and somebody could have gone out there, like Cory [McClenathan] or Tony [Schumacher] or [Larry] Dixon or somebody, and could have threw it out there if they really leaned on it. Dixon ran that .91 the first pass today, so it got your attention. It was definitely up in the air.

“We’re happy with the whole effort this weekend. The car ran exactly what we wanted it to, and we’re looking forward to

tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day. It’s going to be a little hotter. The sun’s going to be out, and we’re going to race in the prime time of the day. It’s definitely going to be a catfight tomorrow down that racetrack. We’re not going to be fighting the other person in the other lane, we’re going to be fighting to get down the racetrack. It’s going to make it really challenging for the crew chiefs, but I like my odds with the guys in my pit area.”

Larry Dixon’s Al-Anabi entry had the day’s best Top Fuel run, a 3.916 in the first session and his 3.93 also was the quickest of the second session, making him a raceday favorite. Dixon, whose run of record in Las Vegas is his Friday 3.894, has qualified in the top three at all six races this season, including a No. 1 last weekend in Houston. Of note, Dixon’s team was running the new Goodyear tire during Saturday’s sessions.

Doug Kalitta, a thee-time runner-up already this season with the Technicoat/Kalitta Motorsports entry, remained third with his earlier 3.909 and two-time season winner Cory McClenathan fourth with the Fram dragster at 3.912. Schumacher (3.942) and Morgan Lucas (3.980) stayed fifth and sixth, respectively, while Lucas teammate, Shawn Langdon, made the most significant move of the day, going from ninth to seventh with a 3.991 after a 4.08 best Friday, knocking Brandon Bernstein’s 4.000 down one spot to eighth.

Rob Passey’s MSP Motorsports ended up on the bump spot with a 4.562, just .002-secodn ahead of Steve Torrence’s 4.564, making Torrence the lone non-qualifier. Only 16 cars ran Friday, but Terry Haddock, on his lone pass of the event after being shut off in the morning session, qualified for the field in the 13th spot with a 4.137 in the last session, bumping Torrence.

In what was the day’s performance improvement highlight, Worsham leaped from sixth to first with a 4.187, a solid half-tenth improvement over his best previous runs. It’s the first No. 1 of the season for the Al Anabi Toyota driver, who earlier this season had qualified second and third, and the fifth of his career. He was last No. 1 at this event in 2004.

“It’s been a frustrating year,” said Worsham, who like teammate dixon also was on the new Goodyear tire. “When the track’s been above 100 degrees we’ve just had a heck of a time getting down the track. [Crew chief] Dickie Venables, based on past performance, has just been great in those conditions, so he’s been very frustrated, along with [team manager] Alan Johnson and [assistant crew chief] Kurt Elliott. Yesterday’s 4.23 run was actually better than that because it made all the e.t. it made today early, where it’s hard to make e.t., we just ran it so slow through the middle of the track and the top end to make sure we got down there that we kind of left a little on the table, so the 4.18 wasn’t a total shocker.

“I’m still a little worried that we have to go down the track four times tomorrow and we went down the track half the time today, so we really need to work on making sure it’s consistent. That has been our problem when the track’s been above 100, so hopefully after this weekend with the data that they have and all of Dickie’s racing experience will pay off.”

Friday leader Ashley Force Hood could not improve on her Friday 4.195 with the Castrol GTX Mustang and slipped to second and Houston winner Matt Hagan and his DieHard Charger likewise slid one spot, to third, after failing to better their 4.217. Veteran Gary Densham, who opted to sit out the final session, nonetheless qualified a season-high fourth with a 4.220.

The tight top eight is round out by Ron Capps (4.221), Robert Hight (4.223), Bob Bode (4.238), and Bob Tasca III (4.243). There are a couple of intriguing first-round matchups for fans including a rematch of last Sunday’s Funny Car final, pitting Hagan against Jeff Arend, as well as a team shootout between reigning season champ Hight and his boss, points leader John Force.

Veteran Jim Head ended up in the 16th and final spot with a 4.565 and will face Worsham in round one. Jeff Diehl and Paul Lee were left on the outside looking in.

For the 14th time in the last 15 races, points leader Edwards sits atop the pack in Pro Stock and, to add salt to the wounds

of the rest of the field, was one of the few to improve on his Friday best. After clocking a field-leading 6.70 Friday, Edwards’ Penhall/K&N/Interstate GXP ran 6.687 in Saturday’s opening session to bolster his position. The No. 1 qualifying berth is his fifth in six races this season and the 27th of his career and his third straight in Las Vegas.

“This morning was definitely better for several teams, and we just made an exceptionally nice run. I’m very proud of my guys,” said Edwards. “We changed some things there this afternoon and tried some things and didn’t like what we seen. We felt like it was going to be a slower session, so we thought it might be time to do it. It’s great to be able to come up here and qualify No. 1 and get some of that great K&N [Horsepower Challenge] money for qualifying No. 1.

“If tomorrow is like it is today, I’d like to stay in that left lane; it seems like we’ve got a better handle on it. If the sun’s out, you’re going to see exactly what we seen today. It will be faster in the morning, and as the day goes on, it will be hotter and greasier, so you’ll just have to make the adjustments. I look for more of the same.”

Engine customer Ron Krisher remained second behind Edwards with his Friday 6.716 from his Valvoline Cobalt, his fourth No. 2 spot of the year (all behind Edwards poles). Rodger Brogdon sits a career-tying-best third with a 6.725 in the Kent Services & Trucking/Racers Edge Pontiac and Allen Johnson’s Dodge fourth with a 6.732; both runs also were recorded Friday.

Greg Anderson, representing event sponsor Summit Racing Equipment, has his GXP ranked fifth with a 6.737, just ahead of the 6.738 of Shane Gray, who will be making his first top-half start with the Tire Kingdom GXP. Phoenix runner-up Bob Yonke (6.745) and veteran Warren Johnson (6.745) round out the top eight.

For the third time this season and the second straight event, Rickie Jones ended up on the bump spot after posting a 6.767. He’ll be Edwards’ first-round opponent Sunday. Kurt Johnson and Larry Morgan were the biggest surprises among the nine non-qualifiers.

Top Fuel-
Psn  Driver               Vehicle                            ET   Speed
   1. Antron Brown         Matco Tools Dragster            3.881  316.60
   2. Larry Dixon          Al-Anabi Racing Dragster        3.894  314.24
   3. Doug Kalitta         Kalitta Air Dragster            3.909  315.56
   4. Cory McClenathan     Fram Tough Guard Dragster       3.912  312.57
   5. Tony Schumacher      U.S. Army Dragster              3.942  308.07
   6. Morgan Lucas         Geico Powersport/ Lucas Oil Dr  3.980  303.50
   7. Shawn Langdon        Lucas Oil/Speedco Dragster      3.991  308.14
   8. Brandon Bernstein    Copart/Lucas Oil Dragster       4.000  306.19
   9. Terry McMillen       Amalie Oil Dragster             4.031  290.19
  10. Mike Strasburg       B & J Transmissions Dragster    4.039  306.19
  11. Troy Buff            Bill Miller Racing/Okuma Drags  4.094  276.29
  12. David Grubnic        Kalitta Motorsports Dragster    4.105  295.46
  13. Terry Haddock        Dragster                        4.137  283.55
  14. Steven Chrisman      Chrisman Driveline Dragster     4.149  283.61
  15. Steve Faria          System One Filtration Dragster  4.528  185.23
  16. Rob Passey           MSP Motorsports/Mattinson Race  4.562  241.15
          --------- Not Qualified ---------
  17. Steve Torrence       Simple Mobile Dragster          4.564  228.34
Funny Car-
Psn  Driver               Vehicle                            ET   Speed
   1. Del Worsham          Al-Anabi Racing Solara          4.187  297.75
   2. Ashley Force Hood    Castrol GTX Mustang             4.195  295.14
   3. Matt Hagan           DieHard Charger                 4.217  297.16
   4. Gary Densham         NealInvestments/LawsonRock&Oil  4.220  295.92
   5. Ron Capps            NAPA Auto Parts Charger         4.221  291.70
   6. Robert Hight         AAA of So. Cal Mustang          4.223  300.00
   7. Bob Bode             Alard Machine Products Impala   4.238  297.22
   8. Bob Tasca III        Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang   4.243  293.66
   9. Melanie Troxel       In-N-Out Burger Charger         4.250  302.28
  10. Tim Wilkerson        Levi, Ray & Shoup Mustang       4.255  292.90
  11. John Force           Castrol GTX Mustang             4.263  297.94
  12. Jack Beckman         Valvoline/MTS Charger           4.289  287.47
  13. Tony Pedregon        Herzog Impala                   4.301  287.78
  14. Jeff Arend           DHL Solara                      4.314  292.58
  15. Cruz Pedregon        Snap-On Solara                  4.532  269.24
  16. Jim Head             Head Racing Solara              4.565  257.73
          --------- Not Qualified ---------
  17. Jeff Diehl           Rimz One Monte Carlo            4.809  212.73
  18. Paul Lee             Jim Dunn/Canidae/Lucas Oil Imp  5.064  293.22
Pro Stock-

Psn  Driver               Vehicle                            ET   Speed

1. Mike Edwards         Penhall/K&N/Interstae GXP       6.687  205.88

2. Ron Krisher          Valvoline Cobalt                6.716  205.38

3. Rodger Brogdon       Kent Services & Trucking GXP    6.725  205.16

4. Allen Johnson        Mopar/J & J Racing Avenger      6.732  204.88

5. Greg Anderson        Summit Racing Equipment GXP     6.737  204.73

6. Shane Gray           Tire Kingdom GXP                6.738  204.39

7. Bob Yonke            Adrenaline Motorsports GXP      6.745  204.57

8. Warren Johnson       K&N Filters GXP                 6.745  204.26

9. Jason Line           Summit Racing Equipment GXP     6.748  205.07

10. Jeg Coughlin         Jegs.com Cobalt                 6.751  205.51

11. Greg Stanfield       Nitrofish GXP                   6.754  204.45

12. Vinnie Deceglie      Mountain View Tire Avenger      6.754  204.32

13. Johnny Gray          NTB GXP                         6.761  204.60

14. V. Gaines            Kendall Oil Avenger             6.761  204.57

15. Ronnie Humphrey      Pro Stock Grills/THM GXP        6.766  204.70

16. Rickie Jones         Elite GXP                       6.767  204.14

--------- Not Qualified ---------

17. Steve Spiess         Billet Specialties Cobalt       6.772  203.37

18. Larry Morgan         Lucas Oil/Summit Mustang        6.781  203.34

19. Kurt Johnson         Mark Christopher Cobalt         6.785  203.58

20. Erica Enders         Mustang                         6.793  204.32

21. Danny Gruninger      www.usrecognition.com Stratus   6.816  202.79

22. Gordie Rivera        Gordies Speed Center GXP        6.821  201.70

23. Jim Cunningham       Cunningham Motorsports Mustang  6.921  202.79

24. John Nobile          Nobile Racing Mustang          13.381   62.50

25. Justin Humphreys     RaceRedi Motorsports GXP       18.570  202.85