Spiess Continues March, Sets track record in Friday qualifying
By Mike Perry / IHRA.com
Steve Spiess is on quite a roll. Two weeks after missing becoming the first Torco Race Fuels Pro Stock driver to run in the 6.30's by a mere thousandth at the ACDelco Canadian Nationals in Toronto, Spiess (Manhattan, Ill.) grabbed the provisional top qualifying spot at the Torco Race Fuels Northern Nationals at U.S. 131 in Martin, Mich.
Spiess, driving a new '05 Chevy Cobalt, ran a 6.470 to erase the previous record of 6.474 set by John Montecalvo. Spiess' time was a full two hundredths faster than provisional #2 qualifier Robert Patrick (Fredericksburg, Va.), who posted a 6.490.
Spiess currently leads Patrick in the Hooters IHRA World Championship points race as well, 640 points to 601.
Rob Atchison (London, Ont.) vaulted to the top of the provisional Funny Car qualifying ladder with a 5.879 run at 239.23 mph. It should be no surprise that Atchison is on top, looking down, as he has been the #1 qualifier in six of the first seven Hooters IHRA national events this season.
Terry Munroe (Beaver, Pa.) is in the provisional #2 position with a 5.965/239.57 pass while Caledonia, N.Y. resident Jim Sickles, the second-ranked Funny Car driver in the world, had problems and could not get down the track under power.
Jim Halsey (Street, Md.) took provisional #1 qualifier honors in the Torco Pro Mod category, registering a 6.254/224.73 mph pass in his '68 Camaro. Defending World Champion Mike Janis (Lancaster, N.Y.) was the #2 provisional driver while Carl Spiering (Jordan Station, Ont.), the champion in Toronto two weeks ago, was third.
Doug Foley (Sewell, N.J.) backed up his first national event victory of the '05 season in Toronto by roaring to the provisional #1 qualifying spot Friday evening. After watching Bruce Litton (Indianapolis, Ind.) run a 4.774/304.67 in the pair before him, Foley posted a 4.718/303.37 to vault into the top spot. T.J. Zizzo (Round Lake, Ill) claimed the provisional #2 qualifying spot with a 4.750/277.03 in the last pair of the evening.
The Torco Race Fuels Northern Nationals continue tomorrow with the first professional qualifying slated to begin at 4 p.m.
MARTIN, Mich. -- Results Friday after qualifying for the 24th annual Torco Racing Fuels Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park, eighth of 12 events in the 2005 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Doug Foley, 4.718 seconds, 303.37 mph; 2. T.J. Zizzo, 4.750, 277.03; 3. Clay Millican, 4.763, 311.20; 4. Bruce Litton, 4.774, 304.67; 5. Dale Creasy Jr, 4.795, 291.95; 6. Louie Allison, 4.851, 275.96; 7. Bobby Lagana Jr., 4.904, 304.19; 8. Paul Athey, 4.985, 249.76.
Pro Modified -- 1. Jim Halsey, Chevy Camaro, 6.254, 224.73; 2. Mike Janis, Dodge Stratus, 6.261, 230.80; 3. Carl Spiering, Chevy Corvette, 6.265, 228.73; 4. Burton Auxier, Corvette, 6.273, 223.84; 5. Pat Moore, Corvette, 6.301, 222.51; 6. Steve Vick, Corvette, 6.325, 219.76; 7. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.336, 228.58; 8. Charles Carpenter, Chevy Bel Air, 6.356, 221.92; 9. Scott Cannon, Studebaker, 6.391, 222.77; 10. Dennis Radford, Corvette, 6.392, 221.42; 11. Kenny Lang, Corvette, 6.417, 219.76; 12. Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.419, 213.57; 13. Milt Decker, Corvette, 6.491, 183.29; 14. Ed Burnley, Corvette, 6.525, 212.69; 15. Keith Baker, Corvette, 6.537, 220.44; 16. Kenny Rucker, Willys, 6.589, 210.21.
Funny Car -- 1. Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 5.879, 239.23; 2. Terry Munroe, Firebird, 5.965, 239.57; 3. Tony Bogolo, Ford Mustang, 6.029, 231.48; 4. Terry McMillen, Dodge Avenger, 6.048, 233.88; 5. Chris Foster, Avenger, 6.097, 227.11; 6. Thomas Carter, Chevy Camaro, 6.132, 232.67; 7. Jeff Burnett, Firebird, 6.180, 230.06; 8. Joe Comella, Firebird, 6.293, 228.42.
Pro Stock -- 1. Steve Spiess, Chevy Cobalt, 6.470, 213.60; 2. Robert Patrick, Ford Cobra, 6.490, 214.62; 3. Brian Gahm, Ford Mustang, 6.493, 215.34; 4. Jerry Haas, Chevy Cavalier, 6.511, 213.91; 5. John Montecalvo, Cobalt, 6.517, 212.69; 6. Rick Jones, Cobalt, 6.519, 214.76; 7. John Nobile, Ford ZX2, 6.526, 213.33; 8. Larry O'Brien, Dodge Stratus, 6.540, 213.20; 9. Pete Berner, Mustang, 6.540, 211.83; 10. Ed Machacek, Cavalier, 6.553, 212.49; 11. Frank Gugliotta, Ford Escort, 6.602, 214.69; 12. Chuck DeMory, Escort, 6.602, 212.19; 13. Richard Penland, Cobra, 6.603, 211.69; 14. Ron Miller, Cavalier, 6.618, 208.17; 15. Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.621, 208.04; 16. Doug Kirk, Mustang, 6.684, 212.53.
Results provided by the FastNews Network
