Sat, 6 Oct 2007, 05:18 PM Pro Modified Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Larry Sullivan

DINWIDDIE, Va. - Notes from final, round 2 qualifying in Pro Modified at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Second annual Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Steve Engel Runs 8.748/107.29, Now #11; No Prior Run

4:41 p.m. Engel was all over the lane, on and off the throttle, with a couple of near-misses with the centerline. But he recorded a legal time and will be on the ladder.

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Left Lane: Scott Ray Runs 6.089/237.25, Now #5; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Rick Stivers Runs 6.103/234.57, Now #6; No Prior Run

Both cars here also needed legal times after Ray took out the finish line timing block last round and Stivers broke at the head of staging. Both did so very nicely, both cars making clean, straight runs, right down the groove.

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Left Lane: Tommy Mauney Runs 6.052/237.13, Now #4; Best prior run: 8.924/124.41, Was #14
Right Lane: Tim Tindle Runs 6.171/231.95, Now #8; No Prior Run

Two more nice runs to bump Tony Pontieri from the field. That puts Jay Payne on the bump spot at 11.863.

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Left Lane: Raymond Commisso Runs 6.110/236.75, Now #9; Best prior run: 6.239/231.12, Was #11
Right Lane: Tony Pontieri Runs 6.107/235.06, Now #8; Best prior run: 12.932/89.08, Was #17

Commisso made a much better run this roundand Pontieri also made a nice run to get back in the field. Now Steve Engel is on the bump spot at 8.748.

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Left Lane: Chip King Runs 6.131/234.13, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.235/232.63, Was #12
Right Lane: Jay Payne Runs 12.110/55.65, Now #17; Best prior run: 11.863/86.06, Was #17

Nice pass by King, but Payne's weekend ends on a sour note, the car shaking so hard that the chutes came out before half track.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 6.255/232.15, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.192/232.91, Was #12
Right Lane: Mike Stawicki Runs 6.618/223.32, Now #14; Best prior run: 7.219/203.19, Was #15

Both cars shook early, but both drivers managed to finish their runs.

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Left Lane: Mike Janis Runs 13.454/75.22, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.046/239.95, Was #3
Right Lane: Harold Laird Runs 6.255/228.42, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.713/155.08, Was #15

Janis made his first bad run in over a week, the car sham=king and heading for the wall. Laird made a good effort, clean and straight.

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Left Lane: Shelly Payne Runs 11.815/87.26, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.038/237.67, Was #2

Last car. Payne shook hard on the launch and let the car drift across the centerline while recovering, but the run was already a throwaway.

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Left Lane: Josh Hernandez Runs 5.990/241.67, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.019/241.32, Was #1
Right Lane: John Russo Runs 6.029/240.29, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.061/238.68, Was #5

There it is! Our first five of the weekend. Russo also made a nice pass, also over 240 mphbut there's something magic about a five-second run.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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