Sat, 19 Jan 2002, 03:58 PM CHANDLER - National Time Trials Afternoon Update

By Dave Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Today has had a faster pace, with John Force starting the day's testing at 11:00 am this morning. We have been running steadily up to now, so I'm posting a mid day update.

Top Alcohol Funny Car

12:11 Bob Gallio seems to have some one else in the TAFC. The tech card says it Bil Gallio, his son, behind the wheel (Bil is what is on the card!). He makes a soft half-track license run at 1.069/60ft. and 2.769/330ft.

12:15 Jon Capps is up next. The team is trying to get their setup ready for Pomona this weekend. He makes a half pass run too. .989/60ft., 2.619/330ft.

12:50 Dennis Taylor leaves well and snakes down the track before shutting off. .980/60ft., 2.630/330ft.

1:14 Jay Payne is making passes this weekend like a bracket racer. He runs 5.624 at 251.34. .948/60ft., 2.486/330ft., 3.698/204.60-660ft., 4.735/1000ft.

Top Alcohol Dragster

11:45 am Paul Jones in the Western Stabilization AFD is the first TAD of the weekend. He has his share of problems and leaves before the tree is activated. He motors on down the track for No Time.

12:55 David Baca comes up for his first run of the weekend. He suffers from the AFD blues and struggles with a 1.082/60ft. and 2.737/660ft.

Funny Car

11:35 am Gary Scelzi comes to the line for his next license pass. He leaves hard and is up in smoke with the backend stepping out before the 330ft. mark. .896/60ft., 3.240/330ft.

11:50 am Tony Pedregon leaves hard and clicks it before the 660ft. lights. .898/60ft., 2.355/330ft.

12:05 Gary Densham brings up the last of the Force Funny Car armada. He makes a clean and straight run to just before the 1000ft. mark to run a 5.18 ET with 215.62 MPH. .891/60ft., 2.313/330ft., 3.323/249.49-660ft., and 4.223/1000ft.

12:45 Whit Bazemore in the Matco Tool FC makes a squirt and shuts it off. .890/60ft., 2.279/330ft.

1:03 pm Scotty Cannon in the new gray Oakley scheme makes a strong 1000 foot pass. .907/60ft., 2.307/330ft., 3.298/252.33ft.-660ft.

1:05 The two Skoal FC's are up next. Ron Capps in the green FC runs with the wheels up to just before the 1000ft. mark. .855/60ft., 2.336/330ft., 3.391/240.12-660ft.

1:08 Tommy Johnson Jr. makes an almost duplicate run to Capps. .886/ft., 2.336/330ft., 3.356/242.63-660ft.

1:10 The CSK team cars are up next. Johnny Gray in the blue car is up in smoke almost immediately. .916/60ft., 2.544/330ft.

1:16 Del Worsham is up next in the red car. He makes a half-track attempt and has both parachutes out to slow down quickly. .900/60ft., 2.336/330ft., 3.366/22898-660ft.

1:20 Cruz Pedregon in the great looking Advanced Auto Parts FC is another victim of the "leave hard, shake and smoke the tire" brigade. .983/60ft., 2.692/330ft.

1:23 Al Hofmann in the K and N Filter car make a good half-track pass without incident. .886/60ft., 2.281/330ft., 3.273/252.71-660ft.

Top Fuel

11:40 am Bob Hallock is continuing his license runs. He leaves hard with the front wheels about a foot in the air. The tires start to shake and the front end comes down with the slicks now up in smoke. .851/60ft., 2.464/330ft.

11:55 Darrell Russell in the Amato dragster is up in smoke immediately .967/60ft.

12:00 Tony Schumacher is up next in the U.S. Army dragster. Another hard leave and early shutdown. .869/60ft., 2.222/330ft., 3.365/187.20-660ft.

12:30 Larry Dixon in the Miller Lite Top Fuel comes to the line to make his first attempt of the weekend. The Blue Car is away quickly and runs strong to about the 1000ft. mark to run 5.094 and 186.02. .848/60ft., 2.170/330ft., 3.106/270.05-660ft., and 4.031/1000ft.

12:35 Ken Zeal is up next in Bill Miller's beautiful black and yellow BME dragster. He is still getting acquainted with the car and team. He is right behind Dixon's numbers to half-track. .851/60ft., 2.210/330ft.

12:40 Yuichi Oyama, the new owner of Robert Reehl's team, makes a full pass for the best time of the weekend so far. It's not without problems, as he has haze and then smoke near the lights. Looks like a little oil after the lights. He runs a 4.802 and 295.21. .868/60ft., 2.216/330ft., 3.205/252.71-660ft., and 4.054/1000ft.

1:00 pm Doug Herbert in the Snap-On dragster is away with the front wheel in the air. The big slicks go square before the 330 mark and he has to click it. .850/50ft., 2.543/330ft. (best 60ft for FC, so far).

1:26 Kenny Bernstein has a new sponsor with Lucas Oil Products, he makes a statement with a super 1000ft. plus pass. He runs strong and straight to a 4.806 ET with a 221.89 MPH. .845/60ft., 2.138/330ft., 3.061/270.81-660ft,. and 3.890/1000ft.

Pro Stock Bike

1:27 Craig Treble on the Matco Tools bike sends out a message with a super run. Firebird is at about 1300 feet above sea level and he runs 7.214 ET at 186.56 MPH. 1.112/60ft., 3.008/330ft., 4.609/152.74-660ft., and 6.010/1000ft.