|
| |
Drag Racing Results
WILKERSON WOWS HOMETOWN CROWD AS GRUBNIC, LINE, SMITH LEAD PACE
MADISON, Ill. – It’s proving to be a golden season for independent team owner Tim Wilkerson.
Wilkerson earned his fourth No. 1 qualifier in seven races at the 12th annual O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol on Saturday. He’ll face Tony Bartone in the first round when eliminations at Gateway International Raceway open Sunday.
It was the Springfield, Ill. native’s second top qualifier award at his hometown track and his 14th career No. 1. Wilkerson drove his Levi, Ray & Shoup Chevy Impala SS to a 4.744-second pass at 326.16 mph to pace the field.
“I feel pretty fortunate that we were No. 1 qualifier at all, let alone four times,” Wilkerson said. “We really seem to have the knack of hitting the run at the right time. I’m not trying to brag to you and tell you we know what we’re doing. So far it’s a knack. But we’re very happy with that, especially with as many people as we have here today.
“Dick Levi (of sponsor Levi, Ray and Shoup) is over there in the pit area, and just as happy as he can be. Believe me, I need that for my program. These cars, they don’t run on a lot of happiness, they run on a lot of cash.”
Australia native Dave Grubnic earned his first No. 1 qualifier of the year, the eighth of his career and his first in St. Louis when he turned in a 4.467 at 319.90 in his St. Louis Carpenters’ Union Top Fuel dragster.
“Obviously the conditions were fantastic today,” Grubnic said. “Everybody sort of stepped up. The (4.467) we ran in the early session was the quickest run of the year, which we’re obviously very happy about. (Team owner and crew chief) Connie Kalitta obviously is the main person behind the whole thing. He’s doing a great job tuning the car, and all my guys.
“Tomorrow’s another day. We’ll have to face that when we get up here. Consistency will be key. We know what we can get away with, but tomorrow we have to do it four times in a row. That’s going to be our goal.”
Jason Line picked up his first No. 1 qualifier of the year, the 14th of his career and his first at Gateway when he drove his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP to a 6.571 at 209.23 around his teammate and Friday’s leader Greg Anderson.
“It’s very exciting to be No. 1, and even better to have my teammate (Anderson) No. 2,” Line said. “Being 1-2 is the ultimate thing for us. I haven’t looked at the weather but I know it’s supposed to get warmer. It’ll be a whole new ballgame for us…I feel very confident that our guys are as good as anybody. It was a good day for us, and it’s been an exciting week for me.”
Defending NHRA POWERade Series world champion Matt Smith rode his NitroFish Wear Buell to a 6.901 at 190.32 to unseat Friday’s low qualifier, Chip Ellis. It was Smith’s second No. 1 qualifier of the year, the ninth of his career and his second consecutive at Gateway.
“Chip’s got a good bike too,” Smith said. “He’s been right there with us today both passes, and even yesterday. We’ll have our work cut out for us.
“We had two good runs today. We left a little on the table on the first pass. If we had had that one there it probably would’ve been an .89 or maybe even an .88.”
MADISON, Ill. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol at Gateway International Raceway, the seventh of 24 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel -- 1. David Grubnic, 4.467 seconds, 326.32 mph vs. 16. Luigi Novelli, 5.772, 161.25; 2. Tony Schumacher, 4.495, 327.51 vs. 15. Morgan Lucas, 4.607, 326.32; 3. Hillary Will, 4.502, 326.95 vs. 14. Troy Buff, 4.603, 308.28; 4. Antron Brown, 4.517, 331.94 vs. 13. Brandon Bernstein, 4.575, 325.77; 5. Doug Kalitta, 4.524, 312.42 vs. 12. Doug Herbert, 4.569, 322.81; 6. Larry Dixon, 4.528, 321.96 vs. 11. Bob Vandergriff, 4.564, 323.04; 7. J.R. Todd, 4.537, 321.65 vs. 10. Alan Bradshaw, 4.550, 318.24; 8. Rod Fuller, 4.541, 326.08 vs. 9. Cory McClenathan, 4.542, 329.18.
Funny Car -- 1. Tim Wilkerson, Chevy Impala, 4.744, 326.16 vs. 16. Tony Bartone, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.824, 318.77; 2. Mike Ashley, Dodge Charger RT, 4.768, 327.82 vs. 15. Scott Kalitta, Toyota Solara, 4.822, 324.98; 3. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.771, 317.94 vs. 14. Jerry Toliver, Charger, 4.818, 322.11; 4. Ashley Force, Mustang, 4.773, 325.45 vs. 13. Tony Pedregon, Impala, 4.806, 317.64; 5. Cruz Pedregon, Impala, 4.786, 322.04 vs. 12. Gary Scelzi, Charger, 4.804, 320.13; 6. John Force, Mustang, 4.794, 326.08 vs. 11. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.803, 320.36; 7. Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.796, 316.30 vs. 10. Melanie Troxel, Charger, 4.802, 327.59; 8. Del Worsham, Impala, 4.797, 320.36 vs. 9. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.798, 319.67. Did Not Qualify: 17. Jack Beckman, 4.834, 318.32; 18. Tommy Johnson Jr., 4.838, 318.62; 19. Gary Densham, 4.852, 307.09.
Pro Stock -- 1. Jason Line, Pontiac GXP, 6.571, 209.23 vs. 16. John Nobile, Dodge Stratus, 6.641, 208.39; 2. Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.590, 208.52 vs. 15. Matt Hartford, Stratus, 6.640, 207.56; 3. Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 6.595, 208.49 vs. 14. Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 6.639, 207.75; 4. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.597, 207.56 vs. 13. Jim Yates, GXP, 6.634, 206.23; 5. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.598, 209.39 vs. 12. Todd Hoerner, Stratus, 6.634, 207.75; 6. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.608, 208.81 vs. 11. Max Naylor, Stratus, 6.627, 206.07; 7. Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.614, 208.30 vs. 10. Rickie Jones, Stratus, 6.627, 208.23; 8. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.615, 208.01 vs. 9. V. Gaines, Stratus, 6.619, 207.50. Did Not Qualify: 17. Tom Hammonds, 6.641, 206.95; 18. Steve Schmidt, 6.646, 207.69; 19. Johnny Gray, 6.648, 207.21; 20. Larry Morgan, 6.656, 207.18; 21. Warren Johnson, 6.661, 208.62; 22. Kenny Koretsky, 6.662, 206.23; 23. Lamar Swindoll Jr, 6.665, 205.72; 24. Justin Humphreys, 6.668, 207.24; 25. Steve Spiess, 6.673, 206.20; 26. Jim Cunningham, 6.790, 202.18.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.901, 191.32 vs. 16. David Hope, Buell, 7.138, 184.14; 2. Chip Ellis, Suzuki, 6.907, 191.62 vs. 15. Junior Pippin, Buell, 7.081, 185.46; 3. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.943, 191.84 vs. 14. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.029, 189.63; 4. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.945, 191.10 vs. 13. Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.007, 188.54; 5. Angelle Sampey, Buell, 6.961, 187.86 vs. 12. Hector Arana, Buell, 7.007, 188.65; 6. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.964, 191.62 vs. 11. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 6.995, 191.02; 7. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.966, 189.50 vs. 10. Matt Guidera, Buell, 6.994, 188.38; 8. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 6.989, 192.38 vs. 9. Chris Rivas, Buell, 6.993, 188.86. Did Not Qualify: 17. Wes Wells, 7.174, 184.62; 18. Redell Harris, 7.268, 183.67; 19. Angie McBride, 11.799, 66.74.
|
| |
|
