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It’s the second day of professional qualifying action here at Lucas Oil Raceway, and if you’ve been paying attention to the forecast this week, the weather is the big story here today as the remnants of Hurricane Isaac move into the midwest region. Today’s action is set to feature to the Top Fuel Traxxas Shootout, along with two complete professional qualifying sessions. As always, we’ll be bringing you all the great news, notes, and photos all weekend long from here at the “Big Go”.
Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels, who make it all possible. For all of your high performance and racing wheel and tire needs, look no further than Mickey Thompson!
Former IHRA Pro Stock standout Chris Holbrook (pictured at left), was again one the victims of Indiana native Bo Butner’s tour of destruction this season in the heads-up factory race car wars. Butner, who has won five of the seven ADRL SuperCar Showdown races contested this season (Holbrook won at Maple Grove and Drew Skillman at St. Louis) was the odds-on favorite coming into the inaugural Factory Stock Showdown at Indy. True to form, Butner downed P.B Candies and Holbrook — on a 9.059 to 9.056 holeshot — before bouncing Brett Candies in the money round in front of the Friday evening professional qualifying crowd.
Pro Stock ace Jeg Coughlin Jr. is one of sixteen competitors remaining in Stock Eliminator after his dead-on 10.11 defeat of Patrick Downing this morning. Reigning Indy champ Jeff Teuton and another Pro Stock standout, Dave Connolly, are both still in contention for the U.S. Nationals crown.
We're currently under a rain delay as it began to drizzle prior to the second round of Competition Eliminator. Despite an ominous forecast in the preceding days, the racers and fans may be largely spared of the wet stuff today; however, Sunday and Monday may become more questionable.
The weatherman has been half right thus far, so we'll have to give him credit for that. The expected torrential rains haven't materialized, but when you're trying to run a drag race, even a moderate sprinkle brings progress to a unwanted halt. The forecast hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of the fans, however, as the professional pit area and the midway continue to fill up.
Despite persistent drizzles, it was all-hands on deck out on the Lucas Oil Raceway surface at 2:45 p.m. EST in an effort to get the drying process underway in a day-long battle against the rain. The rains hit the Clermont area at 10:30 a.m. today, marking five hours of today’s busy schedule that’s been lost thus far. Officials have already cancelled parts of today’s run-order, including all schedule rounds of sportsman racing, Pro Modified, and the Gassers. NHRA officials plan to go immediately into the first round of the Traxxas Top Fuel Shootout, followed by Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Presently, two rounds of professional qualifying are planned back-to-back, but could change based on the ongoing weather pattern.
Rain. Lots of slow, persistent, rain.....
Antron Brown, who added a U.S. Nationals Top Fuel Wally to go along with his two in Pro Stock Motorcycle last year, enters the Traxxas Shootout as the No. 1 seed, pairing him up with Traxxas Fan Vote winner Brandon Bernstein in the opening round. Twenty-seven Top Fuel Dragsters are here on the property at Indy -- a field that includes two-time Indy winner Cory McClenathan in the Rapisarda Racing dragster. Cory Mac is sitting just outside the top twelve in the 13th slot with his 4.00 last evening.
It was announced this week that Terry Haddock has brought journeyman crew chief Wayne Dupuy onboard his Acme Refining Toyota Funny Car on a full-time basis. Unfortunately, Dupuy and company had trouble getting the body to latch during last night's qualifying session, forcing Haddock to shut off and forgo his shot at the race track.
Dave Connolly, who debuted Victor Cagnazzi's brand new Grumpy's Toy COPO Camaro in Stock Eliminator this weekend, is making just his third start this weekend in Pro Stock. Connolly will be pulling double-duty on Sunday, as he attempts to put his IDG machine in the 16-car Pro Stock field while chasing the Stock Eliminator crown in the Camaro.
The eight combatants in the Traxxas Top Fuel Shootout.
Tony Schumacher (left), who virtually owns the Lucas Oil Raceway in Top Fuel, was o the losing end of Morgan Lucas' 3.79 that not only advanced him to the second round of the Traxxas Top Fuel Shootout, but right to the top of the qualifying order. Lucas' teammate, Brandon Bernstein (center), had plenty to smile about as he drove from the No. 8 spot into the second round of the Shootout with a huge upset victory over No. 1 seed Antron Brown, 3.84 to 3.85. Steve Torrence (right, won an exciting drag race in the opening pair over Doug Kalitta, 3.83 to 3.85.
Spencer Massey was the only driver from the DSR stable to advance in the Traxxas Shootout after he disposed of David Grubnic with a 3.81 that moved him to No. 3 in the qualifying order.
It's hard to imagine a top Fuel bonus race with Alan Johnson as a spectator, but the team's early season struggles left them without a spot in the lucrative race-within-a-race. Shawn Langdon and Khalid alBalooshi are currently Nos. 6 and 4, respectively.
The ladies of Funny Car had an exceptional second session of qualifying, as Courtney Force carded a 4.10 and Alex DeJoria trailed just behind at 4.11 -- the third and fourth quickest runs of the round.
How old has the continual rain become? The expression on Allen Johnson's face during a short rain delay tells the story accurately.
Pro Stock Motorcycle is once again a battle of The Hector's versus the Harley's. Hector Sr. went low for the round with his 6.950, followed by Andrew Hines at 6.954, Hector Jr. at 6.963, and Eddie Krawiec with his 6.978. Hines remains atop the field with his 6.92 on Friday.
It was revealed this weekend that popular Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Karen Stoffer and her primary sponsor, GEICO, will be parting ways at seasons end. Stoffer is still doing her backer proud, however, as she carded a 6.99 to move herself to the sixth slot.
Morgan Lucas and Brandon Bernstein were the talk of the town after their performances in the opening round of the Traxxas Shootout, but both were eliminated in the semifinals. Lucas was on the losing end of Spencer Massey's low-for-the-weekend 3.76 that advanced him to the final, where he'll meet Steve Torrence.
Eria Enders remained atop the Pro Stock field with her Friday 6.62, with Vincent Nobile and Allen Johnson nipping at her heels.
Teammates Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown both made improvements in the third session; Schumacher regained top speed of the event with his 326 mph blast coupled with a stout 3.77, while Brown's 3.80 moved him from No. 9 to No. 5.
Courtney Force brought the house down in this evening's Funny Car session when she made the quickest run of her career - a 4.049 at 317 mph - in the final pair of cars down the racetrack to steal the No. 1 away from Jack Beckman.
Khalid alBalooshi may need his fillings checked after this massive episode of tire shake this evening.
Teammmates Mike Neff and John Force are currently sitting seventh and ninth, respectively, in the Funny Car order, while Matt Hagan, who needs a big weekend if he'll have any shot at a Countdown berth, is anchoring the 12-car order with his 4.119.
Spencer Massey walked away with $100,000 of Traxxas' money tonight after he downed Steve Torrence in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout finale under the lights. Massey was first off the starting line and never trailed as he scored the 3.780-second win while Torrence smoked the tires at mid-track and slowed.
Following the completion of the Traxxas Shootout, the third session of Pro Stock qualifying got underway, but after several slipper runs in succession, NHRA officials checked out the racing surface and deemed it unsafe to continue racing this evening. The plan is to continue tomorrow with the fourth session for Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
