Fri, 5 Nov 2004, 02:41 PM Fourth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

LAS VEGAS -- Post race notes from the Fourth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals

TOP FUEL

Doug Kalitta steered his Mac Tools dragster to the winner's circle for the fourth time this season, capping off a successful event for the three dragsters which comprise Kalitta Racing. In his eighth final round of 2004, Kalitta recorded a pass of 4.530-seconds at 329.02 mph. That was enough to hold off first-time finalist and Top Fuel rookie Morgan Lucas and the Lucas Oil dragster, which recorded a slower pass of 4.612 at 306.40. It was Kalitta's 19th career victory and first win at The Strip.

Native Australian Dave Grubnic, who joined Kalitta Racing prior to the start of the 2004 season, became the fourth Top Fuel driver in NHRA history to win the Budweiser Shootout in his first career appearance when he defeated three-time Budweiser Shootout winner Larry Dixon. Grubnic, who had one career No. 1 qualifying spot prior to 2004, has been the top qualifier five times this season which helped him secure one of the seven guaranteed starting spots in the eight-car field. Grubnic defeated teammate Scott Kalitta and the already-crowned 2004 POWERade world champion Tony Schumacher en route to the final round. Grubnic's Zantrex-3 dragster covered the distance in 4.501 at 328.46, easily reaching the finish line ahead of Dixon's Miller Lite dragster, which lost traction and coasted to a pass of 9.999 at 82.69. Grubnic collected $100,000 for the lucrative race-within-a-race bonus program.

Following a recent DNQ, Dixon dropped to the No. 8 'wild-card' spot in the Budweiser Shootout standings. Based on the new format for the bonus program, Dixon and seven other drivers were eligible for the eighth and final starting spot in the Shootout, with the winner being selected through a random drawing. Dixon, who was unable to attend the drawing due to a prior commitment, was awarded the No. 8 spot when a team representative pulled the winning number.

Scott Kalitta earned the No. 1 qualifying position for the 20th time in his career and the second time in 2004, with both of this season's No. 1 spots coming at the two events held at The Strip. Kalitta blasted down the quarter-mile in his Jesse James/Mac Tools dragster in an event-best time and speed of 4.491 at 333.00. The three Kalitta Racing dragsters were the top three qualifiers of the event with S. Kalitta leading the way, followed by his cousin and event winner D. Kalitta and Budweiser Shootout winner Grubnic in the No. 3 position.

Lucas, the event runner-up, defeated Andrew Cowin for the Motel 6 'Who Got the Light' Award ($1,000). Lucas' margin of victory over Cowin was .0012-of-a-second in the semifinals of Top Fuel eliminations.

FUNNY CAR

Perennial Funny Car champion John Force earned his 13th career NHRA POWERade series crown following the final session of qualifying for the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals. Force, 55, needed only to secure one of the 16 spots in the qualifying order to mathematically clinch the championship[. Force began eliminations from the No. 7 position after his Castrol GTX Start Up Ford Mustang powered down the drag strip in 4.777 at 327.43.

In a rematch from the NHRA's last event (Reading, Pa.), Gary Scelzi upped his 2004 final round record to 3-0 against Force by using a quicker reaction time to earn the win. Scelzi used a .020 reaction time and drove the Hemi-powered Oakley Dodge Stratus to the finish line in 4.790 at 326.32, just holding off the quicker but losing Mustang of Force's, which recorded a time of 4.754 at 322.81. Force had a slower reaction time of .081. It was Scelzi's fourth career Funny Car victory and 29th win overall (25 Top Fuel victories).

Del Worsham captured the No. 1 qualifying position for the first time this season and third of his 14-year career. Worsham sped down the track behind the wheel of his Checker Schuck's Kragen Chevy Monte Carlo in 4.751 at 326.08 for the $4,000 Skoal Showdown No. 1 qualifier bonus check.

With the victory, Scelzi moved into a tie with Worsham in the POWERade standings (1,490 points) with one event remaining on the 2004 schedule.

PRO STOCK

The already-crowned 2004 NHRA world champion Greg Anderson established another record in the most dominant Pro Stock season in NHRA history, winning his 14th event of the season in his 18th final round. Anderson met teammate Jason Line in the final for the second consecutive event and fifth time this year. After winning the first two matchups against the rookie sensation, Anderson had been defeated the last two times he met Line in the final. Anderson's Summit Racing Pontiac Grand Am covered the distance in 6.796 at 202.52 to hold off Line's KB Framers Grand Am, which posted a time and speed of 6.822 at 177.49.

Anderson and Line have either been the winner or runner-up at 20 of 22 events this season. They also have combined to win 18 of those 22 races and have earned the No. 1 qualifying position 17 times.

Line earned his second career No. 1 qualifying spot when the rookie shut the clocks off in a track-record time of 6.775 at 202.55.

Anderson established the track record for speed with his 203.09 qualifying effort.

Six-time NHRA world champion Warren Johnson failed to qualify for the 16-car field for the seventh time this season, doubling his career total to 14. After qualifying for 303 consecutive events ('87 Atlanta-'02 Sonoma), Johnson has recorded six DNQs in the last eight events. His recent performance has dropped him to the 12th position in the POWERade point standings with one event remaining on the 2004 schedule. Johnson has finished in the top five in the final standings for 22 consecutive seasons prior to this year, and has at least one event win in each of those seasons. Johnson is 57 points behind the 10th place Rickie Smith and is winless in 2004.

PRO STOCK BIKE

Star Racing's Chip Ellis earned his first career victory in his third career NHRA race. Ellis, riding the G-Squared S&S Buell for team-owner George Bryce, outran three-time NHRA world champion and former Star Racing team member Angelle Savoie to the finish line. Ellis sped down the track in 7.191 at 179.92 atop his Buell, while the U.S. Army Suzuki ridden by Savoie made a losing pass of 7.255 at 177.49.

Andrew Hines earned his eighth career No. 1 qualifying position on his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson with a track-record time of 7.130 at 185.10 to lead all competitors in the two-wheel category.

Hines' teammate, GT Tonglet, established the track record for speed when his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson hit 190.59 during qualifying.