Sun, 2 Sep 2007, 03:14 PM Pro Stock Motorcycle Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

CLERMONT, Ind. - Notes from final, round 5 qualifying in Pro Stock Motorcycle at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals listing lane, rider name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Dean Frantz Runs 7.313/180.52, Now #24; Best prior run: 7.359/175.80, Was #27

2:37 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 87 degrees, relative humidity 31 percent, barometer 29.27 inches, adjusted altitude 2,798 feet, track temperature 116 degrees.Michael Phillips is on the bump spot at 7.082.

Frantz improves his best ET and MPH, but will not qualify.

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Left Lane: David Hope Runs 7.265/180.28, Now #22; Best prior run: 7.355/175.07, Was #27
Right Lane: Ryan Schnitz Runs 7.550/173.25, Now #29; Best prior run: 7.492/175.48, Was #29

Hope improves too and also won't get to play tomorrow. Schnitz slows from earlier.

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Left Lane: Buddy Robinson Runs 7.349/180.16, Now #27; Best prior run: 7.344/180.45, Was #27
Right Lane: Brian DeLong Runs 10.235/82.13, Now #28; Best prior run: 7.403/172.81, Was #28

DeLong sits up on the bike before the 660 lights. Robinson does improve.

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Left Lane: Darin McCurdy Runs 7.606/139.76, Now #26; Best prior run: 7.313/179.61, Was #26
Right Lane: Michael Ray Runs 7.289/182.35, Now #23; Best prior run: 7.296/177.23, Was #24

McCurdy blows it up "Real Good" in the lights.Ray makes a clean pass and moves up one spot on the ladder.

2:42 p.m. You rarely see the Safety Safari roll for a bike oil down, but there they go! They are starting about 100 feet before the finish line.

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Left Lane: Joe DeSantis Runs 7.223/187.36, Now #21; Best prior run: 7.180/187.13, Was #21
Right Lane: Jim Underdahl Runs 7.269/185.36, Now #23; Best prior run: 7.289/181.52, Was #24

2:49 p.m. The call goes out to start your Bumblebees... Underdahl continues to improve, but not enough for today. DeSantis can't improve.

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Left Lane: Geno Scali Runs 7.101/189.92, Now #17; Best prior run: 7.151/186.59, Was #19
Right Lane: Wes Wells No Time, Now #20; Best prior run: 7.151/186.23, Was #20

Wells is a "No Show". Scali gives it a valent try. He gets close to the 7.08 bump spot and will have to wait until the next race to qualify.

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Left Lane: Shawn Gann Runs 7.207/181.40, Now #19; Best prior run: 7.147/186.10, Was #19
Right Lane: Michael Phillips Runs 7.145/188.78, Now #16; Best prior run: 7.082/188.81, Was #16

Phillips is looking to get off the bump in this final attempt. Both bikes slow a bunch from their prior best.

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Left Lane: Tom Bradford Runs 7.170/186.69, Now #18; Best prior run: 7.119/184.75, Was #18
Right Lane: Mike Berry Runs 7.121/186.82, Now #15; Best prior run: 7.080/186.67, Was #15

It tough out there and two more good teams can't improve. No obvious problems, just too hot and high track temperatures.

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Left Lane: Barry Henson Runs 7.107/189.07, Now #13; Best prior run: 7.067/186.87, Was #13
Right Lane: Eddie Krawiec Runs 7.069/187.70, Now #14; Best prior run: 7.078/183.84, Was #14

Krawiec is one of the few to show any improvement and he will still stay #14. No joy for Henson.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 7.027/190.19, Now #9; Best prior run: 7.012/188.31, Was #9
Right Lane: Angelle Sampey Runs 7.052/189.50, Now #12; Best prior run: 7.048/184.17, Was #12

Sampey has to horse the bike around off the line and still cards a good time for the conditions time. Nice MPH too. Brown has better times going down track and will stay #9.

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Left Lane: Peggy Llewellyn Runs 7.085/187.16, Now #8; Best prior run: 7.011/190.19, Was #8
Right Lane: Matt Guidera Runs 7.079/184.09, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.020/188.23, Was #11

Same song, different singers...

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Left Lane: Chris Rivas Runs 7.026/189.20, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.977/189.47, Was #5
Right Lane: Karen Stoffer Runs 7.106/189.36, Now #10; Best prior run: 7.018/188.31, Was #10

Another good pass in the heat for Rivas. Stoffer trails.

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Left Lane: Matt Smith Runs 7.029/187.83, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.977/189.58, Was #4
Right Lane: Steve Johnson Runs 7.033/191.08, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.986/190.83, Was #7

Two more great looking passes for the conditions. Low sevens are the best we'll see in this session.

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Left Lane: Chip Ellis Runs 6.948/192.00, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.970/188.78, Was #3
Right Lane: Craig Treble Runs 7.047/191.92, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.978/192.11, Was #6

Well, that makes me look foolish! Ellis flat unloads on the field and not only runs a six, but takes over the top spot from Arana. Treble make a clean pass in the other lane.

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Left Lane: Andrew Hines Runs 6.969/192.58, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.968/191.40, Was #3
Right Lane: Hector Arana Runs 7.071/188.60, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.954/190.83, Was #2

Hines shows the power too and runs within 0.001 of his prior best with a better MPH to boot. Arana makes another low seven pass, but can't answer Ellis' ninety-five.

3:06 p.m. Chip Ellis is the top dog with a huge 6.948 and Michael Phillips is on the bump spot at 7.082.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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