Fri, 5 Oct 2001, 03:55 PM READING - Pro Stock Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Larry Sullivan

MOHNTON, Pa. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Pro Stock at the 17th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals presented by Greased Lightning listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Roger Jenkins Runs 11.516/76.85, Now #2
Right Lane: Kenny Delco Runs 7.039/196.39, Now #1

11:24 AM Since the tour was in Delco's neighborhood, he decided to come out and play this weekend...He got to the other end okay, but the pace here should be a quick one. Jenkins launched and slowed after 100 feet. Judging by the dotted tire tracks, he was shaking the rear tires for most of that distance.

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Left Lane: Bo Nickens Runs 6.902/199.94, Now #1
Right Lane: Jim Cunningham Runs 7.385/188.94, Now #3

Nice pass by Bo. Cunningham was off the pace from the beginning, almost two tenths of a second behind Nickens at 330 feet.

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Left Lane: Larry Nance Runs 6.935/198.00, Now #2
Right Lane: Bob Benza Runs 6.996/198.20, Now #3

Nance's car shook a bit on the launch and he drove through it.

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Left Lane: Kenny Koretsky Runs 6.915/198.17, Now #3
Right Lane: Hurley Blakeney Runs 6.861/201.25, Now #1

This race is also in Koretsky's back yard, but he's run in most of the events this year, except for some down time after a top-end accident early in the season Nice run for Hurley, who is struggling to get his twin-turbo Comp car to stage and launch this weekend..

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Left Lane: Tom Hammonds Runs 6.853/200.92, Now #1
Right Lane: Mike Thomas Runs 6.924/199.58, Now #5

Hammonds, the full-time drag racer, makes a very nice opening pass.

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Left Lane: John Nobile Runs 6.913/200.05, Now #4
Right Lane: Robert Patrick Runs 9.043/105.61, Now #11

Patrick slowed before half track, the problem not evident from here.

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Left Lane: Allen Johnson Runs 16.451/49.20, Now #14
Right Lane: Rickie Smith Runs 6.916/200.02, Now #6

Johnson shook hard on the launch and then the engine went silent, the car slowly coasting down the track.

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Left Lane: Troy Coughlin Runs 6.853/200.59, Now #2
Right Lane: Larry Morgan Runs 6.898/200.71, Now #4

Troy ties Hammond's elapsed time, but Hammond has the higher speed and hangs on to the top rung - for now, anyway. Nice pass by Morgan, both cars cleanly off the starting line.

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Left Lane: V. Gaines Runs 6.871/200.68, Now #4
Right Lane: Tom Martino Runs 6.888/200.89, Now #5

Two clean runs...

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Left Lane: George Marnell Runs 6.849/200.59, Now #1
Right Lane: Darrell Alderman Runs 11.977/73.22, Now #19

Marnell won two weeks ago, Alderman was runner-up last weekend. Both cars shook in first gear, Marnell driving through it and Alderman slowing after 100 feet.

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Left Lane: Brad Jeter Runs 6.866/200.08, Now #6
Right Lane: Ron Krisher Runs 6.866/201.91, Now #5

Nice runs, identical elapsed times, Krisher with the better speed and getting the higher rung on the ladder. The bump spot is now in the sixes, Bob Benza's 6.996.

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Left Lane: Mark Pawuk Runs 6.877/199.26, Now #9
Right Lane: Mark Osborne Runs 6.842/202.21, Now #1

The bump should fall with the final few pairs since the run order is the reverse of the points, the points leaders coming up last. New #1 qualifier, now the bump is 6.924, Mike Thomas on the bubble.

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Left Lane: Kurt Johnson Runs 6.838/201.01, Now #1
Right Lane: Jeg Coughlin Runs 6.863/200.26, Now #7

Jeg's car sat there at the end of the burnout and had to be pushed back by hand. Nope, it's not dead after all, just couldn't get it into reverse. Both posted 1.01 60-foot times, but KJ had the top-end power to take the #1 spot, Jeg ending up in the middle of the field.

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Left Lane: Bruce Allen Runs 6.866/199.79, Now #10
Right Lane: Mike Edwards Runs 6.872/201.43, Now #12

It's starting to look like a 1.01 60-foot time is needed to run a qualifying ET, these two also running that as their short time.

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Left Lane: Jim Yates Runs 6.832/201.07, Now #1
Right Lane: Warren Johnson Runs 6.858/201.82, Now #7

WJ leads Yates by 135 points, but on this pass it's Yates who has the upper hand, WJ ending up in the middle of the field. Yates posted a 1.00 60-foot time, the only driver to do so in this round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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