Sun, 1 Jun 2003, 10:37 AM Hahn Rebounds to Claim Chicago Pole Position

By Bobby Bennett Jr., www.competitionplus.com Photo copyright 2003 Auto Imagery, Inc.

JOLIET, Ill. -- Two weeks ago at Englishtown, Fred Hahn admitted that he wasn't on his best game. And, boy what a game it was. Up until the first day qualifying for the fourth event on the NHRA AMS Pro Modified Challenge, the West Seneca, NY.-based driver of Jim Oddy's revolutionary Summit-sponsored Corvette had been the leader of every qualifying session from every event.

Fred Hahn

In fact, he had traveled the quarter-mile the quickest of any Pro Modified at 6.07 seconds the event prior in Houston. That's why, when the team ascended to the top spot in qualifying at the NHRA Lucas Oil Route 66 Nationals in Chicago there wasn't that many within the Pro Modified fraternity that appeared surprised. However, to talk to Hahn, a past World Champion in the class, one might have been fooled into thinking that it was his first-ever pole position.

"Every number one is sweet," said Hahn. "We feel as good about this one as the first one. We had to work for this one. Actually, you work for them all. We made some major changes here this weekend after we kind of missed the boat at Englishtown. We didn't want to do that again this weekend."

Hahn might have been on top earlier, but the team made the wrong decision in their Friday game plan. That was the key to jumping to the top on Saturday.

"Last night we went totally the wrong way but that taught us what to do for today. This morning's run was pretty good and this afternoon's was a tad better. The air today helped all day, especially compared to yesterday's runs. The air quality today was much better. Not only did it help us, it helped everybody. Quite a few people stepped up.

Hahn can't help but see even better conditions for tomorrow's final eliminations.

"The weather's suppose to be better tomorrow. We won't back it up a whole lot, I don't believe. We'll just have to wait and see what this Summit Racing Corvette will do."

Hahn stepped up in the final session to claim the low elapsed time with a 6.128, 230.76 after earlier recording a 6.156, 229.04 to wrestle the top spot away from Mike Ashley.

Ashley, a New York Mortgage Banker by trade, was Friday's provisional qualifying leader and stepped up with a 6.165, 227.65. He failed to improve in the final session.

Aussie Troy Critchley recorded his finest effort in the AMS Staff Leasing Corvette by slipping into the third position of the eight-car field. Critchley's finest lap came during the third session as he laid down a 6.181, 225.30.

Former Pro Stock runner and drag racing school instructor Roy Hill rounded out the top half of the field. After leading one session on Friday, Hill stepped up in Odoban-sponsored Mustang on the second day of qualifications with a 6.215, 228.77.

Mike Stawicki bounced back from the Englishtown disappointment of securing a personal best and failing to qualify. He was securely in the show at fifth with a 6.224, 226.77.

Rickie Smith represented the nitrous brigade by slipping into the sixth position with his '63 Corvette. The King, NC-based driver offered up a 6.262, 224.47 as his best effort.

A pair of first time qualifiers rounded out the program in the seventh and eighth positions. Marty McGinnis drove his 1937 Chevrolet to a 6.270, 222.91 while Scott Ray pushed his CARQUEST-sponsored '63 Corvette to an identical 6.270, 222.66.

The first round match up will feature Hahn versus Ray; Ashley versus McGinnis, Critchley versus Smith and Hill versus Stawicki.