Sun, May 3, 09:49 PM News from Pennzoil Pits

Courtesy of Bob Brown Castrol Lone Star Nationals

ENNIS, Texas - Pennzoil racing fans filled the stands on the last day of the Lone Star Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. With two of Pennzoil's top drivers racing at their home track, it was a great weekend to let family and friends feel the thunder of the world's fastest sport in person.

Here's a brief synapsis of how each Pennzoil driver fared over the weekend.

Bruce Allen, the driver of the Outlaw Additives Pro Stock Pontiac, shocked everyone at the track when he emerged form the 16th qualifying position to beat Warren Johnson in the first round of eliminations. Both men ran identical 7.01-second times with Allen edging the current Pro Stock points leader with a better reaction time (0.413 to 0.447). The win set up a quarterfinal match-up with Richie Stevens which Allen lost when an air line that shifts the car into fifth gear broke. "We've never had an air line fail like that before," Allen said. "Just when you think you've lost by every way possible, there's something else." The line disconnected when Allen was warming his tires before the race. "I knew we could get through the first four gears and I was just hoping that (Stevens) would shake or red-light and we could get a cheap win. But it didn't happen."

Allen was still pleased with his successful weekend of racing. "We had a big improvement with the car today," Allen said. "Beating Warren (Johnson) will help us in the point standings. We'll be in the top 10 now and that's a big, big positive."

Eddie Hill, the pilot of the Pennzoil Top Fuel Dragster, was dismissed in the first round of eliminations when Bruce Sarver beat Hill off the starting line and held on to nip the faster Pennzoil machine at the other end of the quarter-mile strip. Hill did cover the track faster then Sarver (4.704 to 4.744) but lost the reaction time battle (0.531 To 0.487). A photo finish showed the difference to be about two inches. "The good news is that we've been so consistent lately," Hill said. "And this weekend was no different. The engine stayed together, the car ran well and everything worked. It's unfortunate to lose at the starting line like that but, overall, the car couldn't be in better shape ."

The race marked the third time the two drivers had faced each other this year with Sarver now holding a 2-1 advantage. Despite the early departure, the weekend was still a successful one for Hill. He posted a career-high top speed during qualifying when he reached 311.95 mph on Friday. He also carded his best qualifying session of the year, starting Sunday's action in the No. 3 slot.

Mike Thomas, the driver of the Pennzoil Pro Stock Pontiac, experienced clutch problems midway through the qualifying sessions and failed to reach the elimination rounds for the first time this season. Thomas' best time of the event was a 7.081-second run which left him in the 20th position. "This is a new feeling for us," Thomas said. "At every other race this year we've qualified at the top of the field early on and we didn't have to worry about not racing on Sunday. I'm disappointed because we could have gained a few spots in the point standings. You'd better believe we'll be ready to get after it in Englishtown (N.J.). This car is too fast to be left out of the action."

Amanda Harbin, the 18-year-old sportsman-class driver of the Pennzoil Super Comp Dragster, reached the semifinals of her class before losing with a red- light violation. Harbin's finish was the best of her career. "We had been struggling a little before this race and I hope that's all behind us now," Harbin said. "It was a lot of fun to get this far in a race. I want to do even better next time."

Bill Kent, the driver of the sportsman-class Pennzoil Competition Eliminator Dragster, reached the third round of eliminations before experiencing severe tire shake and bowing out to Mark Trumble. "I'm very frustrated," Kent said. "We had a great opportunity to win here in Dallas. I cut a great light, the car got to the 60-foot mark and the tires got square (shake). It was so bad that I lost my vision for a spilt second and almost crossed the center line. I had to get off the throttle. It's a shame."

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