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MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Pro Stock at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol 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: Left Lane: Jim Cunningham Runs 6.790/202.18, Now #14; No Prior Run Right Lane: Steve Spiess Runs 6.673/205.88, Now #11; No Prior Run 12:34 p.m. and this is the session we've been waiting for. Though the air is a lot more wet than it was yesterday, everything else is pointing to remarkable performances. Greg Anderson predicted yesterday that it might be possible to pick up .05 today, so that would put us into the very rare 6.50 zone. The wind may be a factor downtrack, as it is coming due west (from left to right on the track) and gusting to 21 mph. Spiess blacktracks as far as I can see and still puts up his best 500 inch ET by far, his previous best was 6.782. Hold your hats, this is going to be a dream session. Left Lane: Warren Johnson Runs 7.158/163.29, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.692/207.30, Was #13 Right Lane: Lamar Swindoll Jr Runs 6.665/205.72, Now #9; No Prior Run WJ has been struggling with traction so far this weekend, and that's why he is appearing so early in the session. Both cars are taking a fair amount of time to bump in as both drivers know what is at stake here. It looked like half the Pro Stock crews on site were standing behind Warren as he left, so I didn't get a good look. I did see the car bobble as he hit third gear, in a very unusual looking bunny hop type of thing. Swindoll knocks a tenth and a half off his previous best. Left Lane: John Nobile Runs 6.641/208.39, Now #2; No Prior Run Right Lane: Jason Line Runs 6.571/209.23, Now #1; No Prior Run Did I say this might be a big session? That's only the quickest pass of the season in Pro Stock. Nobile runs a personal best but trails across the line by a bunch. Left Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 6.713/203.61, Now #18; No Prior Run Right Lane: Larry Morgan Runs 6.689/206.57, Now #16; No Prior Run Line is saying he's thinking a .55 or .56 will pop up. Both cars a bit loose off the line and neither driver will be happy. Morgan takes over the bump but probably surely won't stay there through this pair. Left Lane: Max Naylor Runs 12.176/71.05, Now #21; No Prior Run Right Lane: Rickie Jones Runs 6.650/207.27, Now #6; No Prior Run Two very strong Mopars pull to the line. Naylor looked fast yesterday, and Rickie impressed me a bunch with his driving. Naylor turns on the top bulb as the Jones crew is still setting the wheelie bar height. Naylor heads dead left at the hit and steps off the pedal. Rickie sets a personal mark and slots into #6 Left Lane: Tom Hammonds Runs 6.663/206.95, Now #11; No Prior Run Right Lane: Kenny Koretsky Runs 6.684/205.98, Now #18; No Prior Run Just like Bob Frey is saying, in a session like this you'll need to run a career record just to have a chance at getting in the program. As the crew chiefs lean in open driver side doors for final instructions, the wind is whipping their jackets like a flag on a Army recruiting ad. Steve Spiess is now on the bump spot at 6.673. Hammonds finally gets a decent pass off and has a slim chance at staying in. Left Lane: Matt Hartford Runs 6.661/207.56, Now #12; No Prior Run Right Lane: Todd Hoerner Runs 6.634/207.75, Now #2; No Prior Run Hoerner is looking to show off his Nickens power, but Hartford would just as soon get there first. Hoerner does just that as he slams his way into the #2 spot. Smooth, efficient runs in both lanes. Left Lane: Steve Schmidt Runs 6.864/168.77, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.665/206.64, Was #14 Right Lane: Jim Yates Runs 6.634/206.13, Now #3; No Prior Run Yesterday Schmidt showed a lot of people that he's not ready to retire and play golf just yet. Yates is back to running Hammonds power. Yates shakes hard all the way through first but it doesn't hurt him much. I didn't see anything apparent with Steve's pass but it was two tenths slower than yesterday. Yates said the the car made a tremendous charge in high gear. Lamar Swindoll Jr is on the bump spot at 6.665. Left Lane: Mike Edwards Runs 6.614/208.30, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.657/206.67, Was #12 Right Lane: V. Gaines Runs 6.647/206.07, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.679/205.66, Was #20 Gaines went left at the hit but was back in the groove but 50 feet. Is this GIR track any good? Check out those short times! Edwards takes the Penhall car to #2. Mike Edwards' incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.764, 660ft-4.252/165.64mph, 1,000ft-5.534 V. Gaines' incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.768, 660ft-4.264/164.63mph, 1,000ft-5.556 Left Lane: Greg Stanfield Runs 6.638/208.01, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.657/206.99, Was #13 Right Lane: Ron Krisher Runs 6.643/207.75, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.673/206.89, Was #19 Either of these guys could easily take over the top spot. Krisher is not in the field as he rolls up to the staging beams, and Stanfield is holding on to 13th. Good MPH for Stanfield. Krisher no doubt is gritting his teeth at an opportunity lost. Line is still the only one in the 50s, and he's .04 ahead of the next guy. That was a historic run! Left Lane: Dave Connolly Runs 6.610/208.49, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.655/207.24, Was #13 Right Lane: Justin Humphreys Runs 8.361/116.95, Now #19; Best prior run: 6.668/207.24, Was #19 Humphreys blows the tires off as his car heads to the left. Connolly pushes his way into the 3rd spot and the action remains world class. You shoulda been here! Left Lane: Jeg Coughlin Runs 6.606/207.56, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.648/205.85, Was #12 Right Lane: Allen Johnson Runs 6.629/208.75, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.656/207.37, Was #14 Jeg put up an astounding 60 time but the tires may have grabbed the track and yanked on the engine as the ET wasn't as quick as I expected it to be. Even so, he goes into the #2 spot. Jeg Coughlin's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.752, 660ft-4.241/165.58mph, 1,000ft-5.523 Allen Johnson's incremental times: 60ft-0.982 sec., 330ft-2.780, 660ft-4.269/165.58mph, 1,000ft-5.550 Left Lane: Kurt Johnson Runs 6.598/209.39, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.648/207.15, Was #13 Right Lane: Greg Anderson Runs 6.602/208.52, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.646/206.83, Was #11 KJ doesn't kill the starting line (are you listening, kids?) but runs his first 6.5x and goes all the way up to #2. Not only that, but he runs top speed of the meet - a track record. Greg Anderson will not be happy. He's not used to being in the #3 slot, so his year of trials continue. Hammonds holds on the bump spot. Once again, I had the honor to work a historic Pro Stock session. Thanks for coming along - and don't forget to stop back by as the weather is not expected to get very much warmer.
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