Sat, 29 Jul 2006, 01:37 PM Pro Stock Motorcycle Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Darryl Jackman

SONOMA, Calif. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Pro Stock Motorcycle at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals listing lane, rider 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: Shawn Gann Runs 7.096/188.91, Now #6; Best prior run: 7.042/191.65, Was #6
Right Lane: Scott Lewis Runs 7.391/180.19, Now #19; Best prior run: 7.288/179.54, Was #19

10:12 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 68 degrees, relative humidity 61 percent, barometer 30.13 inches, adjusted altitude 612 feet, track temperature 84 degrees.

Gann had to sit out last evening's session with problems and now he fails to improve from his first hit. Lewis sat up early and remains #19. Berry is on the bubble with his 7.22.

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Left Lane: Joe DeSantis Runs 7.221/186.98, Now #18; Best prior run: 7.245/186.05, Was #18
Right Lane: Matt Guidera Runs 7.214/183.47, Now #16; Best prior run: 7.232/179.90, Was #17

Guidera puts Berry out and replaces him on the bump spot. DeSantis gets no help.

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Left Lane: GT Tonglet Runs 12.341/63.43, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.104/189.82, Was #11
Right Lane: Chris Rivas Runs 7.121/186.43, Now #14; Best prior run: 7.144/187.47, Was #14

Tonglet sat up before 330 and watches Rivas disappear. Rivas picks up .02 but no spots in the show.

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Left Lane: Freddie Camarena Runs 7.317/182.13, Now #20; Best prior run: 7.400/178.66, Was #20
Right Lane: Steve Johnson Runs 7.080/188.44, Now #10; Best prior run: 7.114/188.20, Was #12

Nice move for Stevie J. Johnson runs a 7.0 and just misses the top half. That takes a 7.06.

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Left Lane: Mike Berry Runs 7.208/185.77, Now #16; Best prior run: 7.220/185.84, Was #17
Right Lane: Ryan Schnitz Runs 8.659/107.57, Now #8; Best prior run: 7.061/189.39, Was #8

Berry was bumped earlier and here he gets back in...on the bump. That can't be real safe. Schnitz bike sounded worse as he got down track. He finally clicked it and sat up early.

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Left Lane: Michael Phillips Runs 7.168/188.96, Now #15; Best prior run: 7.204/189.39, Was #15
Right Lane: Geno Scali Runs 7.057/190.32, Now #7; Best prior run: 7.044/190.57, Was #7

Scali with a nice pass but he remains #7. Phillips picks up ET but remains #15.

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Left Lane: Matt Smith Runs 7.034/188.12, Now #5; Best prior run: 7.119/185.28, Was #13
Right Lane: Tom Bradford Runs 7.067/190.81, Now #6; Best prior run: 7.038/191.13, Was #5

Bradford slows from his best on Friday but Smith puts a good looking run on the books and goes to the top side of the show.

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Left Lane: Angelle Sampey Runs 7.021/188.57, Now #4; Best prior run: 7.024/190.54, Was #4
Right Lane: Craig Treble Runs 7.066/189.44, Now #10; Best prior run: 7.079/189.26, Was #10

Both riders pick up the pace just slightly.

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Left Lane: Chip Ellis Runs 7.066/188.17, Now #3; Best prior run: 7.013/189.84, Was #3
Right Lane: Andrew Hines Runs 6.974/191.48, Now #1; Best prior run: 7.000/192.69, Was #2

I knew conditions were good enough to support this and Hines finally breaks through. He goes to the top of the field and records the second quickest run in history. Ellis on the other hand slows just slightly.

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Left Lane: Karen Stoffer Runs 11.743/65.51, Now #12; Best prior run: 7.082/189.98, Was #12
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 6.981/191.54, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.983/191.51, Was #2

Stoffer sat up before half track and Brown came ever so close to taking back the pole position. I suspect this was his best shot considering the conditions as the final session most likely will see more sun and a head wind. That's all for round three of the motorcycles.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink