Sat, 17 May 2003, 07:11 PM Pro Modified Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Larry Sullivan

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Pro Modified at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 34th annual K&N Filters SuperNationals presented by Pep Boys 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: Al Billes Runs 6.169/228.11, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.159/229.47, Was #4
Right Lane: Troy Critchley Runs 6.219/225.45, Now #8; Best prior run: 6.241/226.05, Was #9

6:02 PM The final round opens with Scott Ray on the bubble at 6.239. Critchley replaced him on the bump spot on a nice run.

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Left Lane: Mel Eaves No Time, Now #24; Best prior run: 7.513/130.42, Was #24
Right Lane: Mike Castellana Runs 6.175/226.66, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.241/224.32, Was #10

Eaves left before the tree was activated. Nice pass by Castellana, the quickest ever by a nitrous car, to bump Critchley. That puts Fred Hahn on the bubble at 6.195.

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Left Lane: Bill Hill No Time, Now #17; Best prior run: 6.314/222.40, Was #17
Right Lane: Mitch Stott Runs 6.129/231.12, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.142/231.12, Was #3

Eaves' car left some "stuff" in the shutdown area, so there was a brief delay while the Safety Safari did their thing. Hill had a "rear-wheel start" and his time was invalid. Stott stepped up nicely on a clean run.

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Left Lane: Shannon Jenkins Runs 6.308/221.56, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.363/221.89, Was #20
Right Lane: Bill Kuhlmann Runs 6.226/226.54, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.362/222.07, Was #19

Nice run by jenkins, but not nearly quick enough to make the field. Kuhlmann made a huge improvement, but came up short.

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Left Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 6.940/149.30, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.168/226.70, Was #5
Right Lane: Wayne Torkelson Runs 6.394/220.76, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.268/224.25, Was #15

Ashley got out of shape and took out the finish line.

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Left Lane: Fred Hahn Runs 6.158/228.42, Now #5; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Quain Stott Runs 6.105/233.72, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.323/229.63, Was #18

Hahn got it sorted out and made a pretty good run, but Quain really figured it out and stepped way up.

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Left Lane: Chip King Runs 7.062/139.10, Now #22; Best prior run: 6.430/224.32, Was #22
Right Lane: Zach Barklage Runs 6.685/165.42, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.261/225.75, Was #14

No help here, King shaking and slowing.

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Left Lane: Tim McAmis Runs 6.097/231.20, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.097/231.87, Was #1
Right Lane: Scott Ray Runs 6.227/226.05, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.239/225.18, Was #12

McAmis repeats his amazing earlier run to the thousandth of a second. Ray failed to improve and is through for the weekend.

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Left Lane: Ed Hoover Runs 11.162/99.90, Now #23; Best prior run: 6.990/153.28, Was #23
Right Lane: Cody McManama Runs 7.174/143.25, Now #21; Best prior run: 6.379/219.15, Was #21

Hoover went every way but straight and shut it off.

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Left Lane: Marty McGinnis Runs 6.230/226.89, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.263/226.73, Was #15
Right Lane: Thomas Patterson Runs 6.150/229.04, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.290/222.88, Was #17

Nice pass by Patterson to shake up the field once again, bumping the only nitrous car in the field, putting Mike Ashley on the bump spot with a 6.168.

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Left Lane: Mike Stawicki Runs 6.194/229.04, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.195/229.74, Was #10
Right Lane: Johnny Rocca Runs 6.260/227.88, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.251/227.77, Was #15

Good runs in both lanes, but not good enough. Rocca was unable to stop and went through the sand pit, into the net.

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Right Lane: Roy Hill Runs 12.312/119.32, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.131/231.75, Was #2

Takes a long time to dig a '49 Mercury out of a catch net. Rocca is okay, the car isn't. After patiently waiting, Hill spun the tires hard, shook, and shut it off. That ends Pro Mod qualifying.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink