|
The name of veteran drag racing photo-journalist Roger Gorringe will be known to most readers. Roger makes frequent trips to the USA taking in as many of the major meetings as he can. It is filthy work standing trackside with endless Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars thundering past you but someone has to do it. Fortunately Roger has very kindly offered to share his experiences with us in his illustrated meeting reports.
|
|
|
|
Normally, it’s hot in Phoenix but the second event in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series suffered a very cold and windy finals day, desert dust storms were visible all around but the event was successfully run in front of a packed house. It was also the final event for track owner Charlie Allen whose lease is up after thirty successful years, plans are for the track to continue under new management. It was good to see SPR Chief Starter Ian Marshall on the startline as a guest of the NHRA and wandering the pits were Finland’s Top Fuel husband and wife Tommi Haapenen, Anita Mäkelä and their family expecting it to be a tad warmer than the snowy Finnish winter. The Pro categories were well attended with eighteen in both Top Fuel and Funny Car whilst Pro Stock featured nineteen cars. Top Fuel was initially led by Tony Schumacher with a 3.768/321 before being deposed by teammate Antron Brown with a 3.765/314 but in the final session Doug Kalitta’s Mac Tools machine ran track records of 3.733 and 329.02mph. Tony Schumacher opened his account with a 3.806/313 defeat of Brazil’s Sidnei Frigo who suffered instant tyre smoke before going on to defeat Qatar’s Khalid alBalooshi with a 3.747/329.91mph best speed of the event as alBalooshi went into smoke around the two hundred foot mark and pedalled to a 5.172/157. The semis had Schumacher lead from the start holding on to beat teammate Antron Brown in a tight race, 3.765/327 to a losing 3.752/325. Meeting Schumacher in the final would be Morgan Lucas who firstly despatched Clay Millican who hazed the slick then fireballed in the lights, a tyre hazing 4.074/211got the light as the close 4.073/256 lost. Aussie Dave Grubnic suffered instant tyre smoke in his attempt to unseat Lucas, a 3.773/327 won against the losing 9.378/62. The semis saw Spencer Massey light the tyres at three-thirty feet out as Lucas got the light with a winning 3.860/316 to the losing 5.137/141. Into the final came the U.S. ARMY car driven by multi-champion Tony Schumacher to face the Geico/Lucas Oil dragster of Morgan Lucas and it turned into a pedal-fest as firstly Schumacher lit the slicks and got crossed up as Lucas then went into smoke and pedalled but it was Schumacher that recovered and scored the victory with a 4.606/213 to a chasing 4.653/258.
Funny Car had Cruz Pedregon take his Snap-On Toyota to a 4.078/306 lead in qualifying but by the second session Johnny Gray took his Pitch Energy/Don Schumacher Racing Dodge Charger to stay in the lead for the remainder of qualifying on a 4.034/313 charge. Courtney Force ended in third spot with a 4.064 and a track record speed of 315.71mph. It would be none of these drivers than managed to get to the final as Ron Capps started with a winning 4.061/313 defeat of Tony Pedregon who was chased down, his 4.097/299 not being enough. Having dealt with one brother Capps then destroyed the hopes of the other as Cruz Pedregon lost after crossing the centre line at three quarter track, his 4.131/258 losing to the 4.059/310. Into the semis and Capps ran a winning 4.037/316 as Tim Wilkerson lost going up in smoke by the tree. Former champion Matt Hagan seems to be pulling out of his doldrums as in round one he ran the winning numbers of 4.078/310 beating the 4.389/285 from Phil Burkart before managing to dispose of Bob Tasca III who suffered tyre smoke by the tree, a 4.259/254 took the light. John Force managed a slight lead but was chased down in the semi final by Hagan in a 4.049/311 win 4.105/315 lose duel. The final saw Ron Capps in the NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger overcome the holeshot by Matt Hagan in the Mopar Dodge, the 4.064/314 beating the 4.158/300 try.
Pro Stock saw Mike Edwards dominate qualifying with a 6.498, the only 6.4 on the sheets and a track record speed of 213.13mph. Edwards kept up his control by beating Steve Kent in round one, a 6.541/212 seeing off the 6.592/210 then a 6.505/213 beat the Winternationals winner Vincent Nobile’s 6.582/210 try before a semi final trouncing of Greg Anderson who suffered problems slowing from half track and allowing Edwards to progesss to the final with a winning 6.522/213 to the losing 7.552/132. Making her way steadily through the field was Erica Enders-Stevens, a 6.561/212 put her past Shane Gray’s losing 6.652/188, then a 6.553/212 on a holeshot got her past V Gaines whose 6.553/211 was the loser. In the semis she took out Jason Line again with better reactions, a 6.563/212 to a losing 6.619/212. The finals had Erica Enders-Stevens in the GK Racing ’10 Cobalt face former champion Mike Edwards in his Penhall/K&N/Interstate ’09 GXP and again Enders-Stevens was first off the line leaving Edwards almost for dead and coupled with a 6.538/211 put her into the winners circle as the 6.520/213 charge came second.
Super Stock had Harry Doolittle in his ’02 Firebird clinch the title with his 12.069/109 as he beat the 10.265/129 from Mike Graham’s ’00 Mustang.
Stock Eliminator win went to Zack Torres in the ’86 Camaro, his 11.622/110 beat the 12.367/100 from Matthew Hawk’s ’88 Mustang.
Super Comp saw Jack DeRencin take the trophy with an 8.905/164 defeat of Jim Berry who came second with an 8.924/166.
Super Gas witnessed Brad Pierce in his ’58 Corvette win in a double breakout 9.899/141 as Russ Ginger in his ’79 Aspen ran a worse 9.857/161 to come second.
Super Street was won by Kevin Kleineweber as his ’94 Lumina ran a winning 11.001/143 to dispose of the 11.127/119 by Ryan Giacone’s ’88 Thunderbird.
Top Sportsman win went to JR Lobner in his ’05 S-10 truck a 7.457/184 got the nod as Ted Carli chased with a losing 6.682/207 in his ’09 Cobalt.
Top Dragster had the car of Chuck Hawk win with a 6.914/197 as a red light shone in the lane of Moe Trujillo.
|
|
All material on this site is copyright and |
|
|
|
_v_Mike_Graham_Super_Stock_final.jpg)
