Dixon Wins NHRA's Budweiser Shootout
at Pomona Raceway; Kalitta, Wilkerson
and Stanfield are Top Qualifiers
By NHRA Communications
POMONA, Calif. - Larry Dixon had to wait a couple of
months, but it paid off Saturday at Pomona Raceway during the K&N
Filters Winternationals. Dixon won the Budweiser Shootout bonus race for
the Top Fuel category for the second consecutive time.
The 2002 Top Fuel champion pocketed $100,000 for the
win, the third bonus event victory of his career.
In other racing action, Doug Kalitta, Tim Wilkerson, and
Greg Stanfield qualified in the No. 1 positions in their respective
categories at the $2 million race. This is the first of 23 events in the
$50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Dixon's 4.549-second run in his Miller Lite dragster
beat rookie Brandon Bernstein's 4.564 at 323.89 in his Budweiser dragster.
Should Dixon win Sunday's eliminations, he will earn a
$50,000 double-up bonus given by NHRA.
"What a drag race. For $100,000 to be decided by
less than four-thousandths-of-a-second is just amazing," Dixon said.
"Brandon is going to be a heck of a driver. He already is. There was
a lot of pressure and a lot of pride on the starting line for that race
because it means so much to the two beer companies.
"I cut my best light of the weekend and still got
left on. I just feel privileged to be able to win this race."
Kalitta turned in a career-best run with a 4.482 pass at
332.18 to lead the Top Fuel category. Kalitta earned his eighth No. 1
qualifying spot with the track record pass.
"It's been a while since we ran under 4.50
(seconds)," Kalitta said. "The car left really well and you
could tell it hooked up early. It was a pretty exciting run.
"This is a very good way to start the season. We
have made some changes to the car, and we have been all over the board. We
need to get more consistent, but we are looking to do that and challenge
for the Top Fuel championship."
Dixon is qualified in the No. 3 spot while Bernstein is
in the No. 4 position. Clay Millican is in the No. 2 position with a run
of 4.522 at 326.79.
This is the first professional race for Bernstein, who
replaced his recently retired father in the famed red dragster.
"I didn't feel any pressure out there, we just
tried to go out there and do our jobs," Bernstein said. "I am
very pleased with the weekend so far. Coming into the race we knew we had
a good car and I just wanted to be as competitive as possible."
Wilkerson led the Funny Car category all weekend. He
went 4.759 at 318.32 in a Firebird for his fifth top qualifying position
of his career.
"This is a terrific way to start the season,"
Wilkerson said. "I thought I might lose the top spot in the final
session. We were trying to stand on it, but it didn't make it. We know
what we've got to do tomorrow to win the race. We need to be consistent
with the car and not let someone else beat me."
Greg Stanfield earned his third career No. 1 qualifier
and first in Pro Stock with a track record run of 6.772 at 203.77 in his
DBP Enterprises Dodge Neon to lead the quickest 16-car field in NHRA
history.
"To be able to make this Neon run like it did took
a lot of work and we're real happy," Stanfield said. "I look at
the Pro Stock category as being two races every weekend - one race is just
to get in the show and there's another race on Sunday."
Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
POMONA, Calif. -- Final round-by-round results from the
18th annual Budweiser Shootout at Pomona at Pomona Raceway, the of 23
events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series -
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Tony Schumacher, 4.593, 320.74 def. Cory
McClenathan, 6.526, 129.40; Doug Kalitta, 4.591, 315.34 def. Andrew Cowin,
broke; Larry Dixon, 4.591, 324.59 def. Doug Herbert, 4.861, 269.29;
Brandon Bernstein, 4.579, 322.34 def. Darrell Russell, 4.597, 322.27;
SEMIFINALS -- Dixon, 4.549, 323.58 def. Kalitta, 5.530,
172.74; Bernstein, 4.590, 321.58 def. Schumacher, 4.624, 291.76;
FINALS -- Dixon, 4.558, 324.59 def. Bernstein, 4.564,
323.89.
POMONA, Calif. -- First-round pairings for professional
eliminations Sunday for the 43rd annual K&N Filters Winternationals at
Pomona Raceway, the first of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended
Saturday.
Top Fuel -- 1. Doug Kalitta, 4.482 seconds, 332.18 mph
vs. 16. Melanie Troxel, 4.723, 284.21; 2. Clay Millican, 4.522, 326.79 vs.
15. Jim Head, 4.690, 312.64; 3. Larry Dixon, 4.558, 324.59 vs. 14. Robert
Reehl, 4.687, 309.13; 4. Brandon Bernstein, 4.564, 323.89 vs. 13. Cory
McClenathan, 4.677, 321.88; 5. Darrell Russell, 4.572, 322.27 vs. 12.
David Grubnic, 4.666, 321.42; 6. Tony Schumacher, 4.593, 320.74 vs. 11.
Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 4.661, 316.60; 7. Doug Herbert, 4.611, 319.60 vs.
10. David Baca, 4.657, 284.62; 8. John Smith, 4.616, 315.49 vs. 9. Paul
Romine, 4.641, 314.90.
Funny Car -- 1. Tim Wilkerson, Pontiac Firebird, 4.759,
318.32 vs. 16. Frank Pedregon, Firebird, 4.895, 311.05; 2. Whit Bazemore,
Dodge Stratus, 4.766, 325.69 vs. 15. Scotty Cannon, Firebird, 4.890,
318.17; 3. Tony Pedregon, Ford Mustang, 4.766, 324.75 vs. 14. Dean Skuza,
Firebird, 4.889, 309.20; 4. Gary Densham, Mustang, 4.774, 323.12 vs. 13.
Bob Gilbertson, Firebird, 4.883, 309.84; 5. Gary Scelzi, Stratus, 4.790,
322.58 vs. 12. Ron Capps, Chevy Camaro, 4.862, 319.22; 6. Del Worsham,
Firebird, 4.802, 318.84 vs. 11. Cruz Pedregon, Firebird, 4.859, 304.32; 7.
John Force, Mustang, 4.809, 321.81 vs. 10. Tommy Johnson Jr., Camaro,
4.855, 317.12; 8. Johnny Gray, Firebird, 4.813, 314.46 vs. 9. Bruce
Sarver, Toyota Celica, 4.842, 313.00.
Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Stanfield, Dodge Neon R/T, 6.772,
203.77 vs. 16. Brad Jeter, Chevy Cavalier, 6.811, 202.58; 2. Warren
Johnson, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.775, 204.54 vs. 15. Troy Coughlin, Cavalier,
6.809, 203.16; 3. Darrell Alderman, Neon R/T, 6.779, 203.43 vs. 14. Steve
Johns, Cavalier, 6.809, 203.83; 4. Jeg Coughlin, Cavalier, 6.779, 203.22
vs. 13. Randy Daniels, Grand Am, 6.808, 202.00; 5. Allen Johnson, Neon
R/T, 6.780, 204.08 vs. 12. V. Gaines, Cavalier, 6.806, 202.91; 6. Ron
Krisher, Cavalier, 6.791, 203.16 vs. 11. Bruce Allen, Grand Am, 6.802,
202.55; 7. Mark Osborne, Grand Am, 6.796, 202.73 vs. 10. Kurt Johnson,
Cavalier, 6.800, 204.11; 8. Mark Pawuk, Grand Am, 6.797, 202.36 vs. 9.
Greg Anderson, Grand Am, 6.799, 203.06.
NHRA Communications