Thu, Mar 25, 12:13 PM Fuel Teams Test After Gatornationals

Courtesy of Bill Walters Plenty of Fresh Pipe Brought Out on Monday

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- For the few hard-core drag racing fans who happened to be hanging around Gainesville Raceway on Monday, the day after the record smashing NHRA Gatornationals, it was like finding out the day after Christmas that you forgot to open some of your presents. And the gifts that were unwrapped for those lucky enough to be on hand included two brand new Top Fuel Dragsters and one shinny new nitro burning Funny Car.

Sunny skies and warm temperatures greeted the twelve fuel cars that made passes on Monday. The cars started coming to the line at ten in the morning and for the next six hours there was a steady flow of cars making runs. Four Top Fuel drivers made passes, including Kenny Bernstein, Tony Schumacher, Joe Amato and Cory McClenathan. Both Schumacher and McClenathan were shaking down brand new dragsters. Bernstein and Amato were the only Top Fuelers to make full runs.

Eight fuel Funny Cars made runs during the test session. The drivers included John Force, Gary Densham, Al Hofmann, Ron Capps, Tim Wilkerson, Dean Skuza, Del Worsham, and Todd Paton. Paton, who won the Gatornationals Federal-Mogul Funny Car crown the day before, was driving the Paul Smith Drag Racing School Funny Car, attempting to earn his nitro Funny Car license. Paton ran a great 5.32 at 283 mph, on just his second pass behind the wheel of a nitro burner. Another Funny Car run that drew attention was Del Worsham's excellent 5.07, which was the cars very first run. Chuck Worsham and the crew were visibly excited with the effort.

Other Pro teams testing on Monday included Troy and Jeg Coughlin, Tom Martino, and Pro Stock Truck driver, Jeff Taylor.



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