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Saturday Morning Update
Racing is underway here on a clear, muggy morning in Atlanta. The Lucas Oil Series sportsman competitors are completing their early elimination rounds and then we’ll get into ground-pounding professional action at 11:00 AM with a Pro Stock session that could see a little of movement with the cooler morning conditions.
Roy Hill's SS/BA Cobra Jet Mustang
Joe Santangelo B/SA
Grace Howell's 2010 Cobra Jet Mustang with a 331 cubic-inch small block under the hood
Round 3 Qualifying Notes
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Hector Arana equaled the best run of the round, a 6.953, but remained in the second spot.
David Hope continues to run very well here this weekend, setting low ET of the third session with a 6.953 that was later matched by Hector Arana.
Pro Stock
Bob Yonke made a great run, a 6.693 at 205.66 miles per hour to make his way into the Pro Stock field.
Jeg Coughlin ran a stellar 6.670 in the heat of the day and is solidly in the field in the 4th spot.
Top Fuel
Tony Schumacher finally made a full run down the racetrack to move way up the ladder with a 3.927 at 310.41 miles per hour, good for the 4th spot.
Brand Bernstein stepped up a bunch with a 3.913 that puts him third going into the last session.
Larry Dixon again proved to be the class of the field this weekend, setting low ET of the session at 3.879.
Funny Car
Bob Tasca ran a stellar 4.151 at 299.73 that held for low ET of the round.
Robert Hight was forced to switch bodies after an issue with the rear spoiler was discovered following last nights session. The Auto Club team didn't miss a beat with the second best run of the round at 4.174 and 298.14 miles per hour
John force's Castrol Mustang made a big move at the top end but still recorded his best run of the weekend at 4.303 at 288.70 miles per hour.
Pro Modified
In the final Pro Modified session, veteran Chip Kings's parachutes failed to deploy following a 6.111 lap and went way off the end of the race course. Luckily for Chip the sand trap here at Atlanta is massively long and he was able to keep out of the net. Chip is qualified in the 15th spot and his crew is thrashing to get the car repaired for eliminations.
Round 3 qualifying order
Top Fuel
1. Larry Dixon 3.822 316.08
2. Doug Kalitta 3.849 318.09
3. Brandon Bernstein 3.913 312.21
4. Cory McClenathan 3.924 308.35
5. Tony Schumacher 3.927 310.41
6. Antron Brown 3.940 304.39
7. Morgan Lucas 3.960 303.03
8. Bob Vandergriff 3.961 289.45
9. T.J. Zizzo 3.980 296.31
10. Pat Dakin 4.008 298.80
11. Bobby Lagana Jr. 4.011 302.82
12. Shawn Langdon 4.056 298.01
13. Terry McMillen 4.151 287.66
14. Terry Haddock 4.227 274.55
15. David Grubnic 4.533 165.74
16. Steve Torrence 6.745 101.99
Funny Car
1. Ashley Force Hood 4.104 304.60
2. Robert Hight 4.124 305.98
3. Ron Capps 4.147 303.71
4. Bob Tasca III 4.151 299.73
5. Del Worsham 4.153 302.75
6. Jack Beckman 4.168 297.35
7. Tim Wilkerson 4.210 297.35
8. Bob Bode 4.217 296.63
9. Cruz Pedregon 4.242 287.35
10. Matt Hagan 4.248 293.03
11. Tony Pedregon 4.255 281.60
12. Jeff Arend 4.274 288.46
13. Jim Head 4.290 291.95
14. John Force 4.303 288.70
15. Melanie Troxel 4.318 294.56
16. Paul Lee 5.252 285.71
Not qualified——————-
17. Jeff Diehl 5.816 130.20
Pro Stock
1. Allen Johnson 6.634 208.23
2. Mike Edwards 6.641 208.07
3. Johnny Gray 6.652 207.34
4. Jeg Coughlin 6.659 207.88
5. Ron Krisher 6.659 207.08
6. Greg Stanfield 6.659 206.73
7. Greg Anderson 6.667 207.08
8. Kurt Johnson 6.669 206.64
9. Shane Gray 6.672 206.70
10. Steve Spiess 6.672 206.32
11. Jason Line 6.674 206.70
12. V. Gaines 6.682 206.45
13. Ronnie Humphrey 6.684 206.39
14. Rickie Jones 6.686 206.16
15. Bob Yonke 6.693 206.39
16. Warren Johnson 6.696 206.92
Not qualified————————-
17. Danny Gruninger 6.700 205.22
18. Rodger Brogdon 6.701 206.80
19. Erica Enders 6.708 206.20
20. John Nobile 6.759 205.26
21. Jimmy Alund 6.780 204.73
22. John Gaydosh Jr 6.896 199.91
23. Larry Morgan 7.176 204.73
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Matt Smith 6.940 191.87
2. Hector Arana 6.941 193.79
3. David Hope 6.953 192.19
4. Karen Stoffer 6.972 190.38
5. Eddie Krawiec 6.976 192.41
6. Andrew Hines 6.977 190.70
7. Michael Phillips 6.987 193.82
8. Shawn Gann 6.998 190.00
9. LE Tonglet 7.008 190.57
10. Steve Johnson 7.015 191.48
11. Angie Smith 7.040 187.26
12. Jim Underdahl 7.056 190.38
13. Craig Treble 7.058 189.52
14. Mike Berry 7.137 187.34
15. Gary Moreno 7.155 185.51
16. Wesley Wells 7.174 186.67
Not qualified——————–
17. Darin McCurdy 7.186 185.18
18. James Surber 7.257 186.02
19. Joe DeSantis 7.480 182.48
20. Junior Pippin NT
Pro Modified
1. Mike Janis 5.919 243.55
2. Jay Payne 5.966 243.37
3. Scott Ray 5.969 238.38
4. Rick Stivers 5.976 240.98
5. Danny Rowe 5.980 244.78
6. Michael Gullqvist 5.985 245.18
7. Von Smith 5.996 242.54
8. Troy Coughlin 5.999 236.84
9. Dennis Radford 6.002 237.46
10. Burton Auxier 6.006 238.55
11. Ed Hoover 6.017 238.47
12. Khalid Balooshi 6.043 241.28
13. Melanie Troxel6.045 240.98
14. Kenny Lang 6.048 238.98
15. Chip Kinga 6.050 237.71
16. Brad Personett 6.054 250.00
Not qualified ———————
17. Tim Tindle 6.055 234.90
18. Roger Burgess 6.060 241.97
19. Rickie Smith 6.075 236.13
20. Joe Baker 6.465 204.26
21. Tony Pontieri 6.477 232.39
22. Mike Castellana 8.864 98.43
23. Mike Knowles 8.880 100.01
Qualifying Notes Final Session
Pro Stock Motorcycle
The motorcycle contingent surprised everyone in the hot afternoon session as the top spot traded places in back-to-back-to-back runs. Andrew Hines took the spot and was immediately followed by David Hope that eclipsed him before Hector Arana stole the pole with a 6.913 at 193.96 miles per hour.
Pro Stock
Warren Johnson was able to hold on to the bump spot going into eliminations as those outside the field struggled to make a lap quick enough to make the show in the heat and humidity.
Sweden’s Jimmy Alund improved again in the final session with a great 6.736 at 205.76 but failed to make the program on Sunday.
Larry Morgan struggled all weekend to get a handle on his Lucas Oil Mustang and came up short of making the Pro Stock field with a 6.733 best.
Top Fuel
Larry Dixon solidified his top qualifying effort in the final session with low ET of the round at 3.913 alongside Brand Bernstein’s slowing tire-hazing 4.332.
Aussie Dave Grubnic made his best run of the weekend in this final session, a 4.007 at 305.70 miles per hour to move up 5 spots to #10.
Local favorite Bob Vandergriff Jr. will start from the top half of the field in tomorrows eliminations with a best of 3.961 at 288.27 miles per hour.
Funny Car
Ashley Force Hood held on to the spot to finish out qualifying and goes into race day in great shape where she will face Jeff Diehl.
Paul Lee and the Jim Dunn Racing team struggled all weekend to get a grip on this tough race track. Lee pulled out a 4.62 in the final session to bump in to the field before being bumped back out in the next pair by Jeff Diehl.
Pro Modified Round 1 Eliminations
Troy Coughlin came out on the winning end of a great all-nitrous battle with Dennis Radford, 6.014 to 6.074.
Michael Gullqvist advanced to tomorrows Round 2 after Ed Hoover got out of shape early and was forced to lift.
Danny Rowe sent Khalid Al Balooshi packing in the opening round with an ultra tight battle all the way to the stripe, 6.03 to 6.06 and almost dead-even at the tree.
Brad Personett was on a wail of a pass in the opening round alongside Mike Janis, going 3.97 to the eighth mile. Unfortunately, he left the red bulb lit in his dust and lifted to a 6.16 to Janis’s shutoff 8.57.
Chip King was able to make repairs following his trip to the beach – thanks in due part to the invention of duct tape – but didn’t have enough for Jay Payne’s new Mustang, falling 6.01 to 6.10.
