Sun, 1 Oct 2006, 12:31 PM Pro Stock Round 1 Eliminations

By Dan Bennett

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Stock at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   93 Allen Johnson                          10 Jim Yates                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.037  6.668 206.26                     0.041  6.665 206.57
 Qualified:             #8  6.645 207.72                        #9  6.648 206.95

These cars qualified closer any an of the other pairs, only .003 apart.

What a tremendous race! Both drivers are on time and make strong, straight runs.

However, when the margin of victory is only .001, it's not hard to win on a holeshot.

Johnson goes to round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Richie Stevens                          2 Kurt Johnson                 
E1                   0.041 12.762  67.71     ****WINNER****  0.028  6.667 206.76
 Qualified:             #7  6.640 207.11                       #10  6.649 207.66

Staging battle. Richie is known for liking to go in last.

After about 15 seconds, KJ moves in. Richie tests the seven second delay and moves from prestaged to stage in a single lunge.

Stevens leaves first, but the car goes silent right after the 1-2 shift. I don't know what happened but the engine didn't sound sour when it shut off.

KJ recovers from his time in the sandbox and will be back next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3351 Dave Howard                           186 Tom Martino                  
E1                  -0.057  8.524 107.81     ****WINNER****  0.023  6.858 170.58
 Qualified:            #11  6.649 207.37                        #6  6.637 208.07

The car swap lanes before they move into the water

The race ends at the starting line as Howard lights the bulb. Martino gets loose on the top end and coasts across the line. Nothing dramatic, just some movement from side to side.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Jason Line                            357 Larry Morgan                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.076  6.619 207.37                     0.085  6.689 206.48
 Qualified:             #4  6.633 208.14                       #13  6.653 206.86

This race isn't over yet, that's for sure.

Line runs the fastest pass in the history of NHRA Pro Stock. It's already backed up but as with Greg Stanfield, we'll have to get to the end of the race to let somebody have it for keeps.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 Mike Edwards                            4 Warren Johnson               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.040  6.650 207.72                     0.041  6.668 207.27
 Qualified:             #3  6.632 208.04                       #14  6.659 206.83

WJ looked a bit better on the front of the track as Edwards shook a bit at the hit and then quivered the tires on the gear change.

Times have changed and people now are able to drive right by Warren Johnson. That's exactly what happened here.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Greg Stanfield                       1186 Dave Northrop                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.033  6.648 205.82                     0.054  6.698 206.16
 Qualified:             #1  6.621 208.04                       #16  6.664 206.57

Stanfield may have lost the record, but he's still on track to win the race.

It's a great race with both cars performing well.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Greg Anderson                         103 Max Naylor                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.051  6.618 208.62                     0.063  6.683 206.70
 Qualified:             #2  6.626 208.91                       #15  6.662 206.83

We hear that Jagermeister has re-signed Naylor for next year. That's good news.

OK, Line. Remember who's boss.

GA says "How do you like me now"? to the rest of the field.

Ten minutes - two historic runs. There's more coming, I bet.

Greg Anderson's incremental times: 60ft-0.984 sec., 330ft-2.766, 660ft-4.255/165.42mph, 1,000ft-5.537

We are treated to a spectacle of the fastest pass anyone has ever seen for a Pro Stock car.

Somehow it's fitting that class founder Jenkins is here to see it. Shame it wasn't his car.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  203 Tommy Lee                               5 Dave Connolly                
E1                   0.049  6.640 207.62     ****WINNER****  0.019  6.649 207.50
 Qualified:             #5  6.634 207.62                       #12  6.651 207.30

Lee moves right out of the groove and nudges it back into the center.

As has happened so often this year, Connolly wins on a holeshot and keeps pace with the points leaders.

Next round is going to be great. Check out these match ups, with lane choice listed first.

Stanfield vs Alan Johnson, Line vs Connolly, Edwards vs Martino, and it's old friends Anderson vs Kurt Johnson.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink