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BECKMAN RECORDS FIRST NO. 1 OF 2010, THIRD OF CAREER
Dixon, Allen Johnson and Hector Arana also pace respective fields
SONOMA, Calif. – Funny Car driver Jack Beckman set both ends of the Infineon Raceway track record en route to his first No. 1 qualifier of 2010 at the 23rd annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals Saturday.
The other No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Series season were Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
Beckman paced the Funny Car field with a 4.063-second pass at 311.56 mph on Friday night in his Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger and the time held up on a warmer afternoon on Saturday. The No. 1 was the third of Beckman’s career.
“I signed a visor this morning for a cancer fundraiser and I started to write, and this was this morning, No. 1 qualifier and I thought, ‘I cannot do that,’” Beckman said. “It was going to be pretty tough for anybody to run anything better than a 4.12 but I still didn’t sign (No. 1). I told the guy to bring it back at the end of the day and hopefully I could add No. 1 to it.”
Also in Funny Car, Robert Hight clinched his berth in the Countdown to 1 NHRA Playoffs
The No. 1 qualifier for Dixon (3.839 at a track record 317.79 mph) was his fifth this season in the Al-Anabi dragster and the 45th of his career, moving him into a tie with Angelle Sampey for ninth place on the all-time list of No. 1 qualifiers (all classes) in NHRA Full Throttle Series history.
“Really, today was a good day just being able to get two runs in in the sun which is what we’ll be racing in (Sunday),” Dixon said. “We were fourth quick in the first session (Saturday) and second quick in the second session. So overall there were some things (Alan Johnson and Jason McCulloch were) working on, some good and some bad, and hopefully it will pay off tomorrow.”
In Pro Stock, Allen Johnson led the field with a 6.545 at 210.77 (both track records) in his Team Mopar Dodge Avenger on Friday and it held up on Saturday for his third No. 1 of 2010 and the 10th of his career.
“I think the conditions this afternoon will be like the conditions we’ll see in the first round tomorrow, may be even a little warmer,” Johnson said. “We didn’t do too good of a job tuning for tomorrow on that last run, but we’ve got a good car and a veteran team.”
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, defending NHRA Full Throttle Series champion and current points leader Hector Arana (6.876 at 192.69) set the track record for elapsed time en route to his fourth No. 1 of 2010 aboard the Lucas Oil Buell.
“The bike left good, I knew I was on a good run, it drifted a little bit to the left and I corrected it and to my surprise it was an 87 so I was pleased and happy with it,” Arana said.
Final eliminations at the 23rd annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals will begin at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday.
SONOMA, Calif. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 23rd annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway, the 15th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel -- 1. Larry Dixon, 3.839 seconds, 317.79 mph vs. 16. Steven Chrisman, 4.078, 292.96; 2. Antron Brown, 3.863, 315.86 vs. 15. Terry McMillen, 4.066, 282.01; 3. Rod Fuller, 3.873, 310.13 vs. 14. Mike Strasburg, 4.042, 300.33; 4. Cory McClenathan, 3.896, 309.06 vs. 13. Bob Vandergriff, 4.015, 300.33; 5. Doug Kalitta, 3.899, 309.49 vs. 12. Shawn Langdon, 3.987, 288.64; 6. Brandon Bernstein, 3.912, 307.23 vs. 11. Troy Buff, 3.981, 259.81; 7. Tony Schumacher, 3.926, 305.98 vs. 10. Morgan Lucas, 3.966, 294.88; 8. Steve Torrence, 3.943, 305.08 vs. 9. David Grubnic, 3.944, 299.86.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Terry Haddock, 4.129, 278.40; 18. Steve Faria, 8.482, 86.53.
Funny Car -- 1. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.063, 311.56 vs. 16. Jeff Diehl, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.352, 282.84; 2. Gary Densham, Chevy Impala, 4.103, 300.26 vs. 15. Melanie Troxel, Charger, 4.304, 292.52; 3. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.104, 307.30 vs. 14. Tony Pedregon, Impala, 4.273, 289.51; 4. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Solara, 4.112, 304.19 vs. 13. Jeff Arend, Solara, 4.242, 287.96; 5. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.130, 304.39 vs. 12. Paul Lee, Chevy Impala SS, 4.207, 297.09; 6. Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 4.152, 301.27 vs. 11. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.202, 286.56; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.170, 297.55 vs. 10. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.177, 296.70; 8. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.172, 301.87 vs. 9. Ashley Force Hood, Mustang, 4.172, 297.68.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Grant Downing, 4.352, 274.22; 18. Brian Thiel, 4.410, 278.69.
Pro Stock -- 1. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.545, 210.77 vs. 16. Vinnie Deceglie, Avenger, 6.616, 209.59; 2. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.549, 210.64 vs. 15. Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.613, 208.81; 3. Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cobalt, 6.552, 210.47 vs. 14. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.607, 208.91; 4. Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 6.565, 209.14 vs. 13. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.599, 209.07; 5. Jason Line, GXP, 6.569, 210.14 vs. 12. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.598, 209.39; 6. Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.570, 209.72 vs. 11. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.598, 209.65; 7. Johnny Gray, GXP, 6.575, 209.79 vs. 10. Shane Gray, GXP, 6.597, 209.39; 8. Bob Yonke, GXP, 6.584, 208.68 vs. 9. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.595, 209.20.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Erica Enders, 6.649, 207.72; 18. Gordie Rivera, 6.715, 206.26; 19. Jim Cunningham, 6.736, 205.29.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.876, 192.69 vs. 16. Mike Berry, Buell, 7.079, 184.07; 2. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.904, 194.30 vs. 15. Freddie Camarena, Suzuki, 7.049, 191.10; 3. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.912, 191.46 vs. 14. Angie Smith, Buell, 7.001, 189.66; 4. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 6.919, 192.58 vs. 13. David Hope, Buell, 6.968, 188.60; 5. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.919, 191.84 vs. 12. Shawn Gann, Buell, 6.967, 188.20; 6. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 6.926, 195.45 vs. 11. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.966, 191.43; 7. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.928, 192.36 vs. 10. Larry Cook, Buell, 6.957, 188.75; 8. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.929, 191.16 vs. 9. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.949, 191.78.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Redell Harris, 7.174, 259.21; 18. GT Tonglet, 7.190, 184.72; 19. Chris MacLaurin, 7.233, 182.03; 20. James Surber, 7.323, 181.35; 21. Katie Sullivan, 7.684, 180.07; 22. Scotty Pollacheck, 9.635, 88.60.
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