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TUCSON, Ariz.- Finally we are underway. At about 1:00 PM the first sound and whiff of nitro fills the air as John Force makes the first attempt on Tucson Raceway. His first hit yields a quick .881 short time, but is up in smoke by the 330 marker. We're running! Temperature is in the low 50's and I'm certain there must be a wind chill factor. Also, there is a sign on the front of the tower that says 'Elevation 3175 feet'. In past years this surface has yielded some good numbers, but not on the first day. Just as a point of reference for today, I've seen no alcohol cars on the grounds. FUNNY CAR 2:05 PM Tony Pedregon brings the Mustang to the line sporting one of Forces white 10X bodies. Pedregon basically duplicates Force's squirt as the screen shows an .884 sixty foot number and he shuts off before the 330 cone with a very loose racecar. 1:30 PM Grant Downing, from Paralax Race Cars, is getting suited up for what he hopes will be the pass that nets him his Funnycar license. He has one full pass to complete to get his ticket. Not this time. After the burnout Downing backed to the line and the crew gave him the kill sign. He was pushed backwards and there was a small trail of fluid leading all the way back to the staging lanes. Oops. I heard later that oil was bubbling up between the diaper and the pan. 3:41 PM Dean Skuza debuts his Mopar racer this weekend and it's really nice looking. Another shutoff, this time it's before the burnout. Everyone gathers around to take a look but the crowd doesn't seem to be much help. The body pole goes in and the car is pushed back into the staging lanes. 4:17 PM Whatever the problem with Skuza's car they must have gotten it fixed as he's back and the car sounds very healthy. After the burnout it's the same thing again. The rpm goes up and the car is shutoff. Try again later? 4:23 PM Force is back for another attempt. Another run up in smoke before 330. This time Force has a .872 to show for his effort. 4:30 PM Gary Densham is the next contestant to attempt sorting out the SIR surface. Densham gets past the 330 marker then it's up in smoke. His run was soft at sixty, .902 and the 330 number was a 2.360. 4:50 PM Johnny Gray is out in his new CSK ride for his first attempt. Still windy and getting cooler by the moment. Last night the temperature was down into the 20's. Not a real sharp attempt as there was raw fuel out of the pipes at the hit. After a .930 sixty Grey decides to save the parts. 5:00 PM Skuza is back for another attempt. All that for a .941 sixty and a quick flip of the mag switch. New cars can be tough critters to sort out! 5:42 PM Grant Downing is back for his licensing attempt. The Worshams have this thing sounding just like the CSK Blue car. Instant tire smoke and no license today. TOP FUEL Doug Herbert is in the lanes and will become the first Top Fuel Car to test the SIR surface. Herbert makes a sixty footer and nets a .866 ET. 3:22 PM Clay Millican launches fairly soft with a .894 short time. He was getting very close to the center line by 660 but still records a 3.340 on the time slip. 3:37 PM Kenny Bernstein comes around the corner of the tower for his first of the weekend. Another sixty foot shot and the screen says .862. 5:30 PM Rhonda Hartman-Smith brings the Fram Top Fueler to life for pass number one. Smith gets just past the sixty foot clock rattles the tires loose. .871 to sixty feet. PRO STOCK 1:15 PM George Marnell makes his first run of the weekend. Marnell cards a 1.029 sixty foot number and is very loose before 330. 3:14 PM Marnell is back for his second run of the day. For the first time we have a full pass. Marnell turns a 1.032 into a 7.054/194.72. Not bad for 3200 feet of altitude.
5:16 PM and the
lone Pro Stocker returns. Marnell cards a 7.070/194.74.
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