Bernstein, Bazemore, Coughlin Survive the Saturday Heat
At Sears Point to Hold on To the Top Spots
By NHRA.com
SONOMA, Calif. - Kenny Bernstein held the top spot in Top Fuel after Saturday's final qualifying at the NHRA's FRAM-Autolite Nationals. Bernstein's Budweiser King dragster needed a quarter-mile run of 4.560 seconds at 319.45 mph to earn his 59th career top qualifying position and his 21st as a Top Fuel driver.
Whit Bazemore and Jeg Coughlin Jr. also were No. 1 qualifiers in their respective divisions at the $1.7 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing event at Sears Point Raceway.
Bernstein will start from the top spot for the seventh time this season but more importantly will receive a single run on Sunday due to the fact that only 15 Top Fuel cars attempted qualifying runs. Bernstein will automatically earn 20 Winston points with his bye run during eliminations on Sunday.
"The bye is really nice to have," said Bernstein, currently the leader in the NHRA Winston Top Fuel points standings. "I hate to see us with a short field but the bye is important. It gives you points but it also gives you another run to tune-up in the heat of the day. That's more important right now than anything else."
Bazemore's Matco Tools Pontiac Firebird topped the Funny Car category with a run of 4.883 at 301.87 mph. Bazemore's Friday night qualifying pass was strong enough to hold off the Funny Car class for his third pole in four events.
"It means we're running well here," said Bazemore, the 1999 Funny Car winner at Sears Point Raceway. "We've got to be ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow is a whole new day. Just because we are number one today, doesn't mean anything tomorrow. We've got the be prepared and I know that this team is going to stay here all night and prepare me the best possible car they can."
Coughlin held off the Pro Stock division with a track record of 6.880 at 199.14 in his Jeg's Mail Order Chevrolet Cavalier. Coughlin earns his first top qualify award of the season and the sixth of his career.
"It feels great," said Coughlin, the reigning NHRA Winston Pro Stock champion. "We look for this to be good things to come for tomorrow and race day. We've got to get our game face on because we have struggled in the heat today than we did last night. Certainly starting from the number one spot will be a big benefit for us."
Final eliminations start Sunday at 11 a.m.
SONOMA, Calif. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 14th annual FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals at Sears Point Raceway, the 16th of 24 events in the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.
Top Fuel -- 1. Kenny Bernstein, 4.560 seconds, 319.45 mph vs. Bye; 2. Doug Kalitta, 4.582, 311.41 vs. 15. Tim Gibson, 7.578, 94.24; 3. Larry Dixon, 4.594, 314.83 vs. 14. Don Sosenka, 5.583, 230.25; 4. Gary Scelzi, 4.610, 313.44 vs. 13. Bobby Baldwin, 5.186, 271.19; 5. Doug Herbert, 4.622, 314.31 vs. 12. John Smith, 5.020, 256.80; 6. David Grubnic, 4.640, 311.92 vs. 11. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 4.913, 293.92; 7. Tony Schumacher, 4.647, 318.39 vs. 10. Darrell Russell, 4.757, 285.41; 8. Mike Dunn, 4.747, 307.30 vs. 9. Robert Reehl, 4.756, 303.98.
Funny Car -- 1. Whit Bazemore, Pontiac Firebird, 4.883, 301.87 vs. 16. Al Hofmann, Firebird, 5.125, 289.69; 2. Dean Skuza, Dodge R/T, 4.942, 305.91 vs. 15. Tony Pedregon, Ford Mustang, 5.093, 300.06; 3. John Force, Mustang, 4.948, 305.15 vs. 14. Jim Epler, Chevy Camaro, 5.078, 297.22; 4. Bruce Sarver, Firebird, 4.960, 303.09 vs. 13. Jerry Toliver, Firebird, 5.063, 300.46; 5. Ron Capps, Camaro, 5.005, 299.65 vs. 12. Del Worsham, Firebird, 5.052, 290.69; 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., Camaro, 5.016, 303.57 vs. 11. Chuck Etchells, Camaro, 5.032, 298.54; 7. Johnny Gray, Firebird, 5.025, 298.93 vs. 10. Bob Gilbertson, Firebird, 5.031, 297.22; 8. Scotty Cannon, Firebird, 5.025, 287.90 vs. 9. Frank Pedregon, Firebird, 5.027, 302.75.
Pro Stock -- 1. Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cavalier, 6.880, 199.14 vs. 16. Larry Morgan, Dodge Neon R/T, 6.938, 198.90; 2. Warren Johnson, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.882, 199.73 vs. 15. Darrell Alderman, Neon R/T, 6.937, 200.11; 3. Kurt Johnson, Cavalier, 6.894, 198.93 vs. 14. George Marnell, Grand Am, 6.936, 198.50; 4. Bruce Allen, Grand Am, 6.895, 198.99 vs. 13. Brad Jeter, Grand Am, 6.936, 199.49; 5. Mark Osborne, Neon R/T, 6.896, 200.23 vs. 12. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.933, 198.20; 6. Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.896, 200.44 vs. 11. Tom Martino, Grand Am, 6.928, 199.43; 7. Ron Krisher, Cavalier, 6.914, 199.52 vs. 10. Mark Pawuk, Grand Am, 6.918, 199.17; 8. Mike Edwards, Cavalier, 6.914, 198.82 vs. 9. V. Gaines, Cavalier, 6.916, 199.08.
-- NHRA.com
