Janis Back in Business in Richmond
By Mike Perry
Defending Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified World Champion Mike Janis retired his ’63 Corvette after last season and moved into an ’05 Dodge Stratus. What followed was a pair of DNQs in national events to open this season.
All that changed at the ACDelco Nationals in Richmond, VA.
Janis put together his best pass of the season during first round qualifying…missing the IHRA World Record by .004 as he posted a 6.219 at 232.03 mph. He had more up his sleeve for the evening qualifying session. After toying with the world record during the day he shattered it during the evening qualifying session. His 6.132 at 233.76 miles an hour put Janis on top of the all-time IHRA miles per hour list, demolished the track record at VMP and sewed up the #1 qualifying post heading into tomorrow’s qualifying.
“We have been struggling, but we didn’t really have a hard time with it this afternoon,” Janis said. “Knowing that the track was going down tonight we knew the track was going to be killer. And we tuned her up good for that run there.”
Steve Spiess set the Torco Race Fuels Pro Stock world on its ear when he posted a testing run in the 6.30’s during testing at Rt. 66 a few weeks ago. Spiess, driving a new Chevy Cobalt, carried that momentum to Virginia as he set the Friday’s qualifying bar.
Spiess posted a 6.470 at 216.10 mph to claim the top spot.
"Everything is finally just clicking into place,” Spiess said. “When you have a lot of power it makes a lot of things a little bit easier. We got a little loose on the track tonight, but we know what we did wrong and we’ll be okay.”
Rob Atchison continued his strong season by setting the mark to chase in Funny Car. Atchison, currently second in the world championship points, ran a 5.822 at 240.77 mph to sit atop the heap.
In Top Fuel, Louie Allison served notice that his Mike McLaughlin-tuned dragster is a threat. Allison took the top slot in Top Fuel qualifying heading into tomorrow’s final qualifying session
“This feels so good,” Allison said. “Mike McLaughlin has this car set up so good, it was so smooth and so nice. All the guys worked so hard and we had such a great outing in San Antonio…then we went to Rockingham and couldn’t hardly hit our hands on our face. To get back on track feels so good.”
DINWIDDIE, Va. -- Results Friday after qualifying for the Fifth annual ACDelco Nationals presented by Richmond Times-Dispatch at Virginia Motorsports Park, third of 12 events in the 2005 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Saturday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Louie Allison, 4.669 seconds, 302.21 mph; 2. Clay Millican, 4.702, 286.98; 3. Doug Foley, 4.766, 304.60; 4. Bruce Litton, 4.847, 294.24; 5. Rick Cooper, 5.486, 220.58; 6. Paul Athey, 6.918, 128.20; 7. Roger Dean, 10.641, 83.79; 8. C.J. Nelson, 11.730, 49.72.
Pro Modified -- 1. Mike Janis, Dodge Stratus, 6.132, 233.76; 2. Shannon Jenkins, Chevy Camaro, 6.219, 227.23; 3. Mike Castellana, Chevy Cavalier, 6.228, 228.04; 4. Jim Halsey, Camaro, 6.264, 224.21; 5. Ed Hoover, Chevy Corvette, 6.274, 227.31; 6. Steve Engel, Corvette, 6.282, 227.96; 7. Dennis Radford, Corvette, 6.295, 219.86; 8. Rick DiStefano, Corvette, 6.309, 224.02; 9. Tommy D'Aprile, Corvette, 6.311, 227.80; 10. John Russo, Camaro, 6.324, 226.66; 11. Eddie Ware, Willys, 6.324, 223.43; 12. Charles Carpenter, Chevy Bel Air, 6.327, 222.77; 13. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.333, 228.04; 14. Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.342, 222.62; 15. Roy Wasko, Camaro, 6.375, 221.13; 16. Billy Harper, Dodge Viper, 6.379, 222.22.
Funny Car -- 1. Rob Atchison, Pontiac Firebird, 5.789, 242.06; 2. Thomas Carter, Chevy Camaro, 5.894, 239.91; 3. Jim Sickles, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.897, 241.32; 4. Chris Foster, Dodge Avenger, 5.912, 240.17; 5. Melinda Green-King, Avenger, 5.928, 239.40; 6. Neal Parker, Monte Carlo, 5.945, 236.55; 7. Jeff Burnett, Firebird, 5.948, 232.71; 8. Mark Thomas, Avenger, 5.956, 239.74.
Pro Stock -- 1. Steve Spiess, Chevy Cobalt, 6.470, 217.04; 2. Rick Jones, Cobalt, 6.471, 216.55; 3. Robert Patrick, Ford Cobra, 6.476, 216.41; 4. Jerry Haas, Chevy Cavalier, 6.486, 216.24; 5. Frank Gugliotta, Ford Escort, 6.487, 216.06; 6. John Nobile, Ford ZX2, 6.506, 215.34; 7. Tony Gillig, Ford Mustang, 6.511, 215.03; 8. John Montecalvo, Cobalt, 6.516, 215.07; 9. Tommy Franklin, Cavalier, 6.540, 214.31; 10. Chuck DeMory, Escort, 6.550, 212.46; 11. Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.560, 214.59; 12. Frank Snellings, Mercury Cougar, 6.571, 213.64; 13. Richard Penland, Cobra, 6.577, 212.90; 14. Daniel Seamon, Escort, 6.582, 216.48; 15. Doug Kirk, Mustang, 6.585, 211.99; 16. Ron Miller, Cavalier, 6.598, 211.20.
