Mother Nature Has the Last Say at Jam-Packed Castrol Raceway
Kevin Jones (Top Fuel), Dale Creasy Jr. (Nitro Funny Car), Mike Janis (Pro Modified), Thomas Carter (Alcohol Funny Car), and Bob Bertsch (Pro Stock) claim No. 1 qualifying spots after rain brings early end to second day of qualifying
EDMONTON, Alberta
, Canada (July 5, 2008) – For the second day in a row rain and lightning brought an exciting day of qualifying for the CARS RV & Sport & Marine Rocky Mountain Nationals to an early end.
The day which started with a huge crowd enjoying top-notch racing action under clear blue skies ended prematurely when, as Friday, strong winds blew rain into the area. And, as Friday, attempts to dry the track after an initial stoppage proved futile despite the best efforts of Castrol Raceway and IHRA staff.
Pro Stock and Alcohol Funny Car fields were set before the first showers struck, while Pro Mod was in the middle of its session. A revised ladder put Mike Janis, who carded a best pass of 6.173, 232.19, at the top of the list.
In Pro Stock, Bob Bertsch, with his Rislone Engine Treatment-backed team from Willis, Michigan, claimed top qualifying honors as well as the Last Man Standing bonus with a pass of 6.568 at 213.33 mph. Bertsch is the lone Pro Stock driver at Edmonton. His decision to attend the race was twofold. He lost crew member and friend John Weisler during the previous event, at Budds Creek, Maryland, and Weisler's widow urged him to continue racing.
Said Bertsch, "I needed to get back to the racetrack." He said he also had made a commitment to his sponsor, who had been counting heavily on the two Canadian races to promote a product recently introduced north of the border. "My sponsor asked me to go, and that's what I signed up for at the beginning of the year," he said.
He said that "it's weird" to be the only driver "competing" in the class this weekend. "Some moments it feels good, and other moments it feels sad," Bertsch said. Prior to his run tonight a moment of silence was observed in honor of his fallen friend.
Dr. Thomas Carter is the only competitor other than Laurie Cannister to have claimed an Alcohol Funny Car Ironman this season, taking the win at the Motor City Nationals at Milan, Michigan, in May. Carter, of Cuero, Texas, currently sits third in championship points behind Cannister and Rob Atchison.
Saturday evening he claimed both the No. 1 qualifying spot and Last Man Standing honors and the accompanying five bonus points by pacing his “Jawbreaker” 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to an elapsed time mark of 5.849 at 243.28 mph.
“We’ve been working to get this car to run since the beginning of the season and it’s finally performing the way we knew it could,” Carter said. “We have been working real hard and I have to thank my whole crew for their effort. They have done an outstanding job. And I’d also like to thank this great crowd here at Edmonton for coming out to see us.”
The No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel was Kevin Jones, who claimed the spot on the strength of his 4.911, 275.96 pass in the class’ only session.
On the Nitro Funny Car front, defending champion and most recent event winner Dale Creasy Jr. laid claim to the top spot with his run of 5.319, 278.17.
Edmonton, AB - Final qualifying results from all pro classes (listed by position, comp number, driver, home town, car type, qualifying ET/MPH, top MPH):
Top Fuel
1 373 Kevin Jones, Berea KY, Agan-TFX 4.911 275.96 275.96
2 1 Bruce Litton, Indianapolis IN, Hadman-TFX 5.053 276.63 276.63
3 666 Tim Boychuk, Edmonton AB, McKinney-TFX 5.228 207.46 207.46
4 72 Mike Strasburg, Lindon UT, Hadman-TFX 6.024 153.53 153.53
5 421 Spencer Massey, Fort Worth TX, McKinney-BAE 6.328 137.43 137.43
6 141 Bobby Lagana Jr., Scarsdale NY, Hadman-BAE 7.227 108.86 108.86
7 5 Terry McMillen, Elkhart IN, McKinney-TFX 7.461 113.24 113.24
8 10 Mitch King, Galveston TX, Hadman-BAE 13.321 65.98 65.98
Funny Car
1 1 Dale Creasy Jr., Beecher IL, '08 Impala 5.319 278.17 278.17
2 763 Steven Macklyn, Salt Lake City UT, '05 Monte C 5.341 279.32 279.32
3 600 Jason Duchene, Beaumont AB, '00 Camaro 5.650 230.53 230.53
4 2814 Matt Hagan, Christiansburg VA, '05 Monte Carlo 5.750 259.51 259.51
5 13 Cory Lee, Oceanside CA, '03 Firebird 5.785 232.99 232.99
6 121 Terry Haddock, Lynnwood WA, '05 Stratus 6.331 159.57 159.57
7 728 Grant Downing, Fullerton CA, '05 Monte Carlo 6.445 148.90 148.90
8 7 Jeff Diehl, Salinas CA, '05 Monte Carlo 6.899 147.42 147.42
Not qualified:
9 6429 Randy Bykowsky, Edmonton AB, '05 Monte Carlo 10.645 78.66 78.66
Pro Modified
1 2 Mike Janis, Lancaster NY, *'68 Firebird 6.173 232.19 232.19
2 6 Kenny Lang, Grande Pointe MB, *'53 Corvette 6.207 231.36 231.36
3 1 Scott Cannon, Lyman SC, *'68 Firebird 6.211 231.28 231.28
4 4 Ed Hoover, Gilbert SC, *'68 Camaro 6.230 227.77 227.77
5 1962 Tommy D'Aprile, Port Charlotte FL, *'62 Bel Air 6.235 230.57 230.57
6 1853 Thomas Patterson, Spring TX, *'70 Charger 6.240 228.81 228.81
7 1057 Carl Spiering, Jordan Station ON, *'63 Corvette 6.243 207.94 225.37
8 44 Mike Castellana, Westbury NY, '68 Firebird 6.291 219.15 219.15
9 3710 Jason Stock, Lino Lakes MN, *'63 Corvette 6.292 221.34 226.09
10 6890 Lee Frank, Missoula MT, '07 Corvette 6.295 221.27 221.27
11 547 Dan Vogt, Regina SK, '64 Corvette 6.323 220.37 220.37
12 698 Joe Delehay, Calgary AB, *'68 Camaro 6.344 227.04 227.04
13 5 Quain Stott, Columbus NC, *'63 Corvette 6.421 220.76 220.76
14 63 Ross Hogenson, Lethbridge AB, '63 Corvette 6.481 213.43 213.43
15 6601 Gary Mason, Dewinton AB, '66 Corvette 6.809 209.04 209.04
16 112 Pat Stoken, Eureka MT, '68 Camaro 7.111 142.03 142.03
* = Supercharged Engine
Pro Stock
1 335 Bob Bertsch, Willis MI, '07 Mustang 6.541 213.16 213.33
Alcohol Funny Car
1 657 Thomas Carter, Cuero TX, '05 Monte Carlo 5.849 243.28 243.28
2 2 Rob Atchison, London ON, '06 Monte Carlo 5.895 241.37 241.37
3 9 Laurie Cannister, Johnstown OH, '99 Camaro 5.902 240.08 240.08
4 4 Paul Noakes, London ON, '99 Avenger 5.968 237.00 237.00
5 64 John Evanchuk, Edmonton AB, '02 Firebird 6.004 235.97 235.97
6 1 Mark Thomas, Louisville OH, '07 Monte Carlo 6.004 233.92 233.92
7 501 Scott McVey, Winnepeg MB, '00 Avenger 6.024 233.16 233.16
8 6883 Jordan Pawlick, Thorsby AB, '03 Avenger 6.071 227.84 227.84
Not Qualified:
9 625 Nathan Sitko, Edmonton AB, '02 Firebird 6.092 227.31 227.31
10 659 Cal Tebb, Edmonton AB, '02 Firebird 6.161 225.18 226.58
11 799 Sean Bellemeur, Newberry Park CA, '07 Monte Ca 6.356 220.58 220.58
12 6320 Trevor Lebsack, Slave Lake AB, '02 Camaro 6.428 173.21 219.90
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