Thu, 8 Nov 2001, 06:16 PM POMONA 3 - Pro Stock Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Pro Stock at the 37th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Tom Lee Runs 7.038/197.36, Now #1

2:37 PM Pro Stock Cars are on the pad. Lee makes the first pass in the class. Even though it's warm, that won't hold.

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Left Lane: Mike Trumble Runs 6.934/199.11, Now #1
Right Lane: Gordie Rivera Runs 10.412/78.17, Now #3

Trumble is first into the sixes after carding a 1.021 sixty foot number. Rivera was loose and slowed.

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Left Lane: Bo Nickens Runs 6.950/199.58, Now #2
Right Lane: Arturo Delgado Runs 6.979/198.76, Now #3

Nickens moves to #2 and Delgado to #3.

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Left Lane: Brad Klein Runs 6.977/198.09, Now #3
Right Lane: Ben Watson Runs 7.015/197.51, Now #5

Klein was blowing lots of smoke from half track on. So much smoke that it obscured the car from my vision. Watson was right down the middle of the lane.

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Left Lane: Kenny Koretsky Runs 6.951/198.85, Now #4
Right Lane: Hurley Blakeney Runs 6.921/200.14, Now #1

Blakeney moves the Ford onto the pole. First 200 mph pass in Pro Stock this weekend.

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Left Lane: John Nobile Runs 6.997/197.57, Now #7
Right Lane: Allen Johnson Runs 7.051/197.10, Now #10

Nobile was loose but cards a fair run. Johnson has some work to do. Still five cars away from a bump spot.

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Left Lane: Tom Hammonds Runs 7.005/200.80, Now #8
Right Lane: Rickie Smith Runs 7.005/199.49, Now #9

Hammonds has been on a tear with two runnerups in the last two events. Identical runs here with Hammonds one spot higher on mph.

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Left Lane: Larry Morgan Runs 6.918/200.41, Now #1
Right Lane: Troy Coughlin Runs 6.951/199.91, Now #5

Morgan takes the top spot.

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Left Lane: V. Gaines Runs 6.909/200.74, Now #1
Right Lane: Tom Martino Runs 6.965/200.17, Now #8

Lots of low sixes and 200 mph runs. Gaines takes the top spot.

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Left Lane: Darrell Alderman Runs 6.929/200.65, Now #4
Right Lane: Brad Jeter Runs 6.940/199.32, Now #6

Both cars are down the middle and into the top half of the field. Ben Watson is on the bump at 7.01.

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Left Lane: George Marnell Runs 6.898/200.29, Now #1
Right Lane: Ron Krisher Runs 6.904/201.13, Now #2

Marnell is first in the eighties. Krisher gets top speed and #2.

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Left Lane: Kurt Johnson Runs 6.927/200.17, Now #7
Right Lane: Jeg Coughlin Runs 6.905/200.26, Now #3

Coughlin goes 1.031 in sixty and takes the #3 spot.

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Left Lane: Mark Pawuk Runs 6.913/199.70, Now #5
Right Lane: Mark Osborne Runs 7.030/199.35, Now #22

Pawuk makes a nice pass to the top half. Osborne is loose and slows just a tick.

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Left Lane: Mike Edwards Runs 6.919/200.50, Now #7
Right Lane: Bruce Allen Runs 6.921/199.79, Now #9

This is getting to be a tough field. Koretsky is on the bubble at 9.95.

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Left Lane: Jim Yates Runs 6.878/200.71, Now #1
Right Lane: Warren Johnson Runs 6.904/201.25, Now #3

Warren needs to qualify #3 or better to close out Yates. In this session Yates is number one but Warren is right where he needs to be to win the championship. That ends the first session of Pro Stock.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink