The Pros at Pomona

by Phil R. Elliott

With so much pre-season testing, dozens of Professional teams rolled into the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds ready to assault Parker Avenue with a vengeance. None had in mind what Mother Nature had planned for the 44th annual K&N Filters Winternationals.

The Thursday sessions came off pretty well as scheduled. There were cloudy skies, a few drips of wet stuff and 60-degree temperatures, and the cars seemed to love those conditions.

In the second pairing of Pro Stock, the new Rickie Smith-Dick Maskin Cavalier recorded a smooth 6.792/203 to foretell what was to be. Later, Kenny Koretsky's Stratus and Jason Line's Pontiac came up with similar numbers side-by-side. Dave Connolly showed off the latest Bill Jenkins horsepower numbers with the 4th 6.79 in less than six minutes.

Not long after, Larry Morgan put his Stratus in the clouds with a great 6.765/204 run that stunned the huddling masses. And when pre-season test champ Warren Johnson checked in with a 6.781/204, everyone agreed that Morgan's number was it for day one. Everyone except Greg Anderson.

In the off-season, "flames" between WJ and his ex-crewchief have been fanned, mostly by press reports that stated Anderson would never figure out the new beadlock wheels. At least not as well or as quickly as Johnson. Those reports were either due to lack of research or wishful thinking. In fact, Greg had matched WJ's numbers throughout testing and his Cavalier had no aborted runs due to wheels/tires whatsoever.

In a match that saw Kurt Johnson's Chevy do the Watusi, Greg Anderson drove to a stereotypical 6.743/205. As he had finished 2003, the reigning world champ had two-hundredths on the field. The first bump was a 6.843.

Rookie Funny Car sensation Eric Medlen was first to the plate and he swung for the fences, hitting a solo 4.840/319 homer that would not be headed on day one.

Cory Lee, now in a tribute car to the late Bob Sullivan, was close with a 4.844/318 that surely would have been better had the potent Chuck Worsham combo not begun to fry at 1000 feet.

Phil Burkart checked in with a nice 4.854/314 in the C-S-K blue entry, while Medlen's teammate, Gary Densham, moved near the top with a 4.847/321.

Other fours on day one were recorded by Tim Wilkerson and Tommy Johnson Jr. TJ's teammate, Ron Capps had the misfortune of lighting up one of the new Monte Carlos on his attempt.

It was a few pairs into Top Fuel before major numbers fell. It was new teammates Dave Grubnic and Scott Kalitta that provided the action. The two-time TF WC pedaled once and hit a decent 4.771/292, considering, while Aussie Dave drove by, fireballed and still recorded a 4.572/296!

Brandon Bernstein received a nice ovation from the strong Friday crowd on his return, and he quickly showed he hasn't forgotten a thing with a nice 4.696/311. It didn't reach the top, nor even beat opponent Clay Millican's 4.636/308, but everyone knew BB was back nonetheless.

Rhonda Hartman-Smith's 4.703/288 came next, followed by Doug Herbert's 4.620/291 which earned the mail-order speed shop owner the provisional 2nd position. That only lasted two pairs, until Tony Schumacher's 4.514/326 beat Darrell Russell's 4.520/321 to the stripe and the pole. Their side-by-side show was spectacular in the waning SoCal light.

Last up, Doug Kalitta recorded a great 4.530/323 for 3rd, a train length in front of reigning WC Larry Dixon's 4.662/316.

The following day, after most of the Sportsman sessions, the sky opened up and didn't stop emptying for a full week.

So, it was a week and a day before the Pros rolled again, and the conditions were still shaky.

The first to make good was KJ, fully recovered from off season surgery, who blasted to a 6.793/203, good for 5th at the moment. There were but three other 6.7s in the whole session, Mike Edwards' 6.782/202, Line's 6.756/204, and Anderson's 6.730/204. Both of the Vegas General Construction team cars were among the few Pro Stockers that improved. Other PS drivers groaned. The bump had improved to a 6.833.

Cory McClenathan checked into Top Fuel with a clean 4.605/318 for his first run of the Winternats. Scott Palmer nearly blew over on his initial attempt. A few pairs later, Brady Kalivoda gave Bill Miller a superb 4.691/311 baseline. Later still, Scott Kalitta picked up two-tenths to a 4.577/324 and David Baca reeled in a 4.603/314.

The beer-backed cars raced side-by-side for the first time in what will be many in 2004, and both improved as well, Larry Dixon to 4.619/314 and Brandon Bernstein to 4.604/321.

Clay Millican and Doug Herbert both ran 4.65s next, and Tony Schumacher and Darrell Russell had a reversal of fortune. Russell ran another 4.522 at only 306mph for the winlite, while Little Shoe trailed at a 4.574/315, a number that would still have checked in 4th had he not already been 1st. The bump spot was Mike Strasburg's 5.157

Bob Bode and Gary Scelzi had the first decent FC rides. Bode's 4.914/307 won the pairing, Scelzi's double pump and 4.988/318 won the crowd. Next, John Force leaped to the head of the class with a sashaying 4.834/318. A few minutes later, Whit Bazemore burned up a motor on an action-packed 4.966/264. Then Del Worsham's 4.864/317 placed him 6th, provisionally.

WC Tony Pedregon gave a pretty decent effort to halftrack but slowed to a 4.994/268, while in the other lane, Ron Capps lit the Monte Carlo once again. It recorded a 4.936/281, but caused Don Prudhomme another gray hair and the Safety Safari to roll. It appears that Skoal Green will be the first entry of the season to face the now more serious oildown penalties.

Capps' teammate TJ Jr. found a 4.898/297 against Terry Haddock's 4.995/299. Then Tim Wilkerson improved to a 4.868/296 against Cruz Pedregon's 4.954/310. Gary Densham's 4.898/297 came late in the session, followed lastly by another dramatic statement by rookie Eric Medlen, a stout 4.92/306! The bump was a competitive 5.009, held by Jack Wyatt.

Sunshine was the big news on the second Saturday of the POWERade NHRA Winternationals. Even so, the temperature was still in the low 60s.

Mike Corvo and the Motown Missile surprised everyone with a strong 6.802/203 in the first pairing of Pro Stock for 10th. Few thought it would hold for long, especially as every entry seemed to step up. A few pairs later, spudman J.R. Carr improved from 21st to 4th with an outstanding 6.768/203! His advance was as huge as Corvo's!

Nearly in Carr's tracks came V.Gaines who grabbed 14th with a 6.818/202, then Jerry Haas powered to a 6.802/203! Bruce Allen, who had been worked to the bottom by all the great performances, shook hard, then was bumped by opponent Ron Krisher's 6.820/202, which only latched on to 16th for a brief minute or so.

Next up, Rickie Smith improved to a 6.784/203 to get back into the top half, while Jeg Coughlin leap-frogged to 5th with an outstanding 6.774/203. A 6.770/204 jumped up on the scoreboard after Warren Johnson's run, while ex-nemesis Jim Yates got in for the third time with a 6.803/202, placing Allen Johnson on the bubble.

AJ was up next and he was able to return Yates' "favor" with a 6.787/203. Kenny Koretsky's 6.786/203 moved him slightly, while Mike Edwards (6.799/203), Larry Morgan (6.766/204) and Jason Line (6.790/204) didn't get help.

Last up, Kurt Johnson's 6.749/204 looked pretty decent except for one factor. His run was the best of the session, until one factors in opponent Greg Anderson's performance, an absolutely fabulous 6.713/206.10, resetting both ends of the track record!

With that session settling in, Saturday fans readied for nitro saturation.

The first few FCs proved less than successful. Bob Gilbertson, another who received minor surgery in the off-season, boomed a blower before 800 feet which only proved to wake up the crowd. Next up, Cory Lee's consistent 4.854/313 looked nice, while bump-sitting Jack Wyatt spun his tires. Jerry Toliver, in 17th at the moment, spun the tires in his Toyota too, while watching TonyP blast out a satisfying 4.857/315.

A career-best 4.911/307 came next for Terry Haddock which moved him in a positive direction. Bob Bode's decent 4.953/305 was of no help to him.

Two pairs later, Lee Beard found Whit Bazemore a 4.821/320, and the rest of the attempts saw tire smoke and other problems. Wyatt remained on the bump.

Several pairs of the long cars had the same tire-spinning problem before Rhonda Hartman hit a consistent 4.718/309.

Next up, Bob Hallock got to halftrack where his powerplant fireballed and while fighting for control, he scrubbed the wall. In the other lane, Scott Palmer saw what was happening and slowed. Although his 4.863/227 does not look stunning on the charts, it was good for 16th spot. His new crewchief, Rob Flynn, had at least gotten the car to halftrack.

Several more tire-smoking attempts led viewers to think performance numbers were over. Then suddenly, John Smith picked up two-tenths and three spots with a great 4.641/312. Behind him, Brandon Bernstein and Clay Millican had a powerful side-by-side, 4.559/322 and 4.572/309, respectively, and both moved up the ladder. Larry Dickson did likewise with a 4.561/319, while his opponent David Baca fought a huge wheelstand and a hard landing.

Scott Kalitta and Cory Mac had respectable 4.618/318 and 4.737/266 clockings, though both had engine damage downtrack. Lastly, Darrell Russell finally smoked his tires while Tony Schumacher again showed great consistency with a superb 4.525, at top speed so far 329.75mph!

With the ambient and track temperatures both up, and the humidity and barometer both fairly steady from the previous session, Pro Stock drivers knew they faced a near impossibility - to surpass a 6.803 bump spot.

But, in the fifth pairing, Bruce Allen did exactly that. His 6.798/203 planted the Reher & Morrison Pontiac back into the field and put Mark Pawuk (6.802) on the hot seat. So did unheralded Shaun Carlson from nearby Ontario, Calif. His Dodge sped to a 6.801/202. Pawuk's 6.806 next fell a few thousandths short, as did several other attempts, making the final bump Mike Corvo's 6.802.

Several drivers had great runs later, including WJ (6.784/204), Line (6.793/204), Morgan (6.794/203), and of course, Anderson (6.731/205). That last run, side-by-side with KJ's tire-shaking 6.822/203, made yet another loud pronouncement.

Fuelers don't face the same atmospheric problems as their gasoline-burning doorslammer brethren. Nitromethane brings along extra oxygen molecules to the party, and making horsepower is rarely a question.

Mr. Palmer opened the final TF stanza with 4.633/314, even though the engine erupted and shrapnel took out a tire and most of his rear wing. The near rookie handled the situation like a pro. Luckily, opponent Steve Chrisman had fallen back and was not a factor.

Scott Weis' cylinder-dropping 4.892/215 failed to get him off the bump, but nobody was left to put him out. Rhonda's 4.728/300 had cylinders out too, but still looked consistent, though it trailed Herbert's best of the year, a 4.568/325 that vaulted him to 6th. Rhonda's husband John zinged his tires early, while Baca came back from earlier wheelstand damage with a stellar 4.535/317. Almost an instant replay of that pairing came next, with ScottK up in smoke and Grubnic streaking to a 4.521/315.

Next, Millican faced Bernstein, and both improved their numbers. In fact, with a career best ET of 4.510/320, the IHRA star grabbed the pole! Brandon's 4.532/325 kept him 6th.

With a 4.561/319 already to his credit, Dixon's 4.562/319 showed deadly consistency, the trademark of the Dick LaHaie-led Miller team. But in the other lane, Doug Kalitta grabbed the flash of the moment with a 4.484/329.99, which gave him the pole and top speed.

The crowd knew they had seen history but craved more, and knew they should expect it with Russell and Schumacher last.

The pairing was a great one, and both drivers improved. But, neither moved Doug K off the top spot. Tony earned a 4.495/330.63, Darrell a 4.516/323.

The crowd was stunned with what they had experienced but were unable to sit down because the floppers were on stage.

The alternates began things, desperately seeking a raceday start. Keith Jackson launched a blower belt into space. Jim Head's return to fliptops fell short with a blower bang and a 5.363/205. Tony Bartone rode to a disappointing 5.022/300 in Jim Dunn's Camaro. A career best 5.355/258 by Stephen Neece shows promise for another time. Grant Downing added blower shrapnel to the top end. Bob Gilbertson dropped way too many cylinders and only recorded a 5.099/256.

Finally, Jerry Toliver squeaked in with a 4.952/283, a run that saw him spin the tires and launch the blower.

The next pair found the just-bumped Wyatt and a suddenly on-the-bump Gary Scelzi. The Iowan fell short at 5.153/238 as his engine let go, while the Dodge streamliner showed the performance of which it is capable, a 4.814/323 stunner! There was messy stuff in both lanes.

Bode showed the consistency he's been lacking over the last few seasons, a 4.914/311 that overshadowed a tire-spinning CruzP. Team Skoal faced off but neither driver got what they wanted. In contrast, Wilkerson did with a great 4.808 which would have been much better had the engine not put out a major flash after some cylinders went out. The speed was just 287mph. TonyP's 4.867/306 failed to pick him up, while Worsham's 4.835/317 gained him four spots.

With six cars left, and three of them from Team Force, qualifying drama was far from over.

First up, Densham's Mustang thought it was in a steeplechase at halftrack and tried to vault the wall. He wrestled the errant steed back to a safe stop. In the other lane, Burkart's 4.881/317 gave team C-S-K/Worsham two strong entries into the field.

Lee shook and banged his blower and watched helplessly as Force literally ripped the hide off of Parker Avenue with a 4.746/324!

With John at the top end in front of all the cameras, he watched in not-so-silent anticipation as his newest prot駩 took on his biggest antagonist. The race was over quickly as Whit's Goodyears came loose, but young Medlen made his boss and his father/crewchief proud with an improving 4.783/320.

With more sunshine scheduled for Sunday, and all the tremendous qualifying performances in the book, this season opener appears to be a great one.

Phil R. Elliott