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ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - The highlight for Mopar of this weekend's Mopar Parts Nationals in Englishtown, New Jersey, was Team Mopar Pro Stock driver Darrell Alderman, who had his best showing of the year. The nitro-powered rides of Mike Dunn and Dean Skuza were eliminated in the first round. In Pro Stock, Darrell Alderman qualified #16 and defeated pole-sitter Kurt Johnson (6.951/198.41 to 7.382/149.25) and #9 qualifier Pete Williams (6.968/198.38 to 11.491/76.45) before bowing to #13 qualifier Mike Edwards in the semi-finals. Alderman posted a 6.992/198.03 to Edwards' quicker 6.972/197.48. Team Mopar Pro Stock drivers Scott Geoffrion, Larry Nance and Allen Johnson did not qualify. In Top Fuel, driver Mike Dunn and the Darrell Gwynn-owned dragster were eliminated in the first round when Dunn's dragster broke an input shaft at half-track. In Funny Car, the Mopar/Matco Tools Dodge Avenger of Dean Skuza qualified in #8 before losing (9.274/90.50) to Chuck Etchells (4.912/311.77) in the first round. Darrell Alderman, Team Mopar Pro Stock Dodge Avenger, (6.992/198.03) lost to Mike Edwards (6.972/197.48) "We had a really good chance of winning this race for the second year in a row. To qualify in the 16th position and not have any good baseline for our cars heading into eliminations made things a little difficult. Dale (Eicke) and (co-crew chief) Terry (Adams) did a great job getting this car ready to race on Sunday. To put three six-second runs together is a credit their hard work and teamwork . On my last run we lost lane choice by three-hundredths and had to run in the left lane, which was a little trickier than the right. The car left well but then got loose and I wasn't able to drive my way around Mike (Edwards). We appreciate the support of all the Mopar fans this weekend - this is always one of our favorite race tracks and we always want to do well here for them and our Mopar sponsor." Mike Dunn, Team Mopar Top Fuel Dragster, (5.57/167.72), lost to Eddie Hill in the first round (4.749/286) "We're really disappointed the way the weekend ended for us. We were on a great run _ we had an .850 60-foot time and had Eddie (Hill) by fifteen-hundredths at the tree. The car left the line with the wheels up in the air _ we were on our way to making a run in the mid sixes. Looks like we broke the input shaft just before half track _ it shuts the motor off and there's nothing you can do. We're disappointed because not only is it Mopar's race, but we're going to lose valuable rounds in the Winston Top Fuel points chase. We'll shake this one off and get ready for Chicago in two weeks." Scott Geoffrion, Mopar Pro Stock Dodge Avenger, (7.045/197.71) did not qualify. "Nothing really worked right for us this weekend. We broke three motors on our first qualifying runs. It's disappointing because when we left Dallas I thought my car was headed in the right direction. It's just one of those things in drag racing that you really can't explain Dale (Eicke) makes a great motor, and for us to hurt them the way we did this weekend is rare. The evidence is in the fact that Darrell ran three straight runs in the 6.9s on Sunday. I'm disappointed too because I had a lot of family and friends in for he race from New Jersey. Even though I didn't qualify I think we've turned the corner with our program and we'll be back in the winners circle soon." Larry Nance, Pro Stock Dodge Avenger (7.030/195.76 mph, 24th place) "We just didn't come out of the box as strongly as we needed to. We really had to take advantage of the cool weather conditions in Friday night's qualifying session and we didn't. The computer showed that we improved on every run down the track, but it just wasn't enough to get into Sunday's show. Mike Bell helped us in the pits all weekend which was a bonus, and he was really able to offer sound advice in setting up the car. We're still learning as we go with our new race car, and every run down the track gives us valuable information in getting our baseline. We're getting closer to getting the consistency we need to qualify for Sunday."
Allen Johnson, Mopar/Amoco Pro Stock Avenger (7.033/198.82 27th position)
DNQ "We're kind of lost right now with where we're at with our car. We're
making changes from the frame all the way up and still haven't found what the
problem is. We still have a ton of confidence in our Mopar/Amoco Dodge
Avenger and know we're going to turn this thing around really soon."
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