LAS VEGAS -- Larry Dixon continued his impressive early season
performance in Top Fuel by taking the qualifying lead Friday at the NHRA
SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
John Force and Ron Krisher also were leaders at the $1.9 million race,
the fourth of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series.
Dixon led the 16-car order with a 4.575 second run at 325.37 mph in his
Miller Lite dragster.
"That was good, I was really happy," said Dixon, who will try
for his third straight top qualifying effort tomorrow and third victory of
the season on Sunday. "I'm glad the weather cooled down. That helped
all the teams. Running at a high altitude is hard enough. The cool weather
really helped our performance."
Force paced the Funny Car lineup with a 4.831 at 315.86 effort in his
Ford Mustang. Force, who is going for his 100th career victory, will claim
his 109th career top qualifying effort if his time holds tomorrow.
"My luck hasn't been too bad this season," Force said.
"Sometimes you have to make your own luck. I like to get the (No. 1
qualifier) but sometimes that means you could be right on the edge. We
were going for the top spot because we thought the weather was going to be
best tonight. Now it looks like it might be cooler tomorrow and we could
see a quicker time. Our time might not hold."
Krisher set the pace in Pro Stock, clocking a 6.954 at 198.23 in a
Chevy Cavalier. Greg Anderson, who qualified 13th, posted a track record
speed of 198.50 in a Cavalier.
Qualifying continues Saturday at 11 a.m.
LAS VEGAS -- Friday's qualifying results for the third annual NHRA
SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway,
fourth of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Larry Dixon, 4.575 seconds, 325.37 mph; 2. Cory
McClenathan, 4.608, 320.89; 3. Kenny Bernstein, 4.692, 319.98; 4. Tony
Schumacher, 4.714, 294.82; 5. Yuichi Oyama, 4.722, 314.75; 6. Rhonda
Hartman-Smith, 4.750, 276.01; 7. Melanie Troxel, 4.766, 302.62; 8. Andrew
Cowin, 4.776, 286.56; 9. David Grubnic, 4.785, 307.02; 10. Doug Herbert,
4.798, 307.51; 11. Darrell Russell, 4.834, 289.07; 12. Scott Weis, 4.951,
291.38; 13. Chris Karamesines, 5.004, 304.67; 14. Mike Strasburg, 5.074,
259.56; 15. Gary Clapshaw, 5.084, 243.41; 16. Ken Zeal, 5.087, 220.12.
Funny Car -- 1. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.831, 315.86; 2. Tim
Wilkerson, Pontiac Firebird, 4.848, 314.90; 3. Whit Bazemore, Firebird,
4.857, 316.67; 4. Gary Densham, Mustang, 4.871, 319.29; 5. Scotty Cannon,
Firebird, 4.875, 317.79; 6. Gary Scelzi, Toyota Celica, 4.925, 314.53; 7.
Ron Capps, Chevy Camaro, 4.932, 304.80; 8. Del Worsham, Firebird, 4.937,
304.60; 9. Jerry Toliver, Firebird, 4.950, 308.92; 10. John Lawson,
Firebird, 4.962, 301.87; 11. Tony Pedregon, Mustang, 4.963, 309.63; 12.
Frank Pedregon, Firebird, 5.006, 303.09; 13. Tommy Johnson Jr., Camaro,
5.010, 305.01; 14. Bob Gilbertson, Firebird, 5.018, 305.91; 15. Dean
Skuza, Dodge Stratus R/T, 5.024, 303.23; 16. Terry Haddock, Firebird,
5.074, 268.81.
Pro Stock -- 1. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cavalier, 6.954, 198.23; 2. George
Marnell, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.957, 197.02; 3. Tom Martino, Grand Am, 6.964,
197.77; 4. Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.974, 197.62; 5. Tom Hammonds, Cavalier,
6.974, 197.42; 6. Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 6.975, 198.12; 7. V. Gaines,
Cavalier, 6.976, 198.17; 8. Troy Coughlin, Cavalier, 6.981, 197.05; 9. Jeg
Coughlin, Cavalier, 6.984, 197.48; 10. Mike Edwards, Cavalier, 6.987,
197.13; 11. Bruce Allen, Grand Am, 6.993, 197.51; 12. Mark Pawuk, Grand
Am, 6.994, 197.33; 13. Greg Anderson, Cavalier, 6.998, 198.50; 14. Darrell
Alderman, Dodge Neon R/T, 7.002, 197.22; 15. John Geyer, Neon R/T, 7.009,
197.42; 16. Kurt Johnson, Cavalier, 7.019, 197.39.
NHRA Communications