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Drag Racing Story of the Day!

Final Qualifying - 2001 NHRA Gatornationals

By NHRA.com

NOTE: The 2001 Gatornationals were rained out on Sunday, 3/18. The Mac Tools Gatornationals will conclude April 21 with eliminations in all categories including the Pro Modified exhibitions. Sunday tickets will be honored April 21. There will be a test-and-tune day on April 20.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Mark Pawuk recorded his third career No. 1 qualifying effort Saturday at the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals, ending a streak of 183 races since he held Pro Stock's top qualifying position.

John Force, Gary Scelzi, Antron Brown and Randy Daniels will lead their respective pro categories into Sunday's 11 a.m. eliminations for the $2 million race, the third of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.

Pawuk, whose last No. 1 came at the 1992 Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., drove his Summit Pontiac Grand Am to a Gainesville Raceway record run of 6.846 seconds at 200.68 mph to claim the top spot in the first NHRA Pro Stock field to feature runs over 200 mph from all 16 qualifiers. 

"We've been working hard on the first part of the racetrack and it's showing," said Pawuk, the '95 Gatornationals runner-up. "We don't have the most power out here -- we're not running a tremendous amount of speed -- but we're running very fast to the eighth-mile. We're making consistent runs. If I can continue to drive like I have at the first two races, then we may be able to go some rounds."

Force posted his quickest run under the 90-percent nitro rules, logging a 4.812 at 316.08 in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang to take the 101st No. 1 qualifying position of his career. Chuck Etchells anchored the quickest Funny Car field in NHRA history with a 4.960-second blast and will face Force in the first round.

"We're running good numbers and the car isn't hurting itself," said Force, who will go for his seventh Gatornationals victory tomorrow. "We're just going to watch the conditions and maybe soften the hot rod up a little for the first round."

Scelzi scored his 29th career No. 1, and first of the season in his Team Winston dragster as no one improved on his Friday-best of 4.576 at 322.58.

Brown claimed his first career No. 1 qualifying effort by leading the quickest Pro Stock Motorcycle field in NHRA history. Brown clocked a track record 7.208 at 188.94 on a Suzuki and will face first round opponent Michael Phillips, whose 7.398-second effort anchors the quickest field. 

Defending Gatornationals winner Daniels posted a track record 7.431 at 181.30 in a Chevy S-10 to take the top spot in Pro Stock Truck for the fourth time in his career. Greg Stanfield qualified second with a 7.440-seconds at a national record speed of 182.08 mph.

-GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- First-round pairings for Sunday's professional eliminations for the 32nd annual MAC Tools NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the third of 24 events in the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.

Top Fuel -- 1. Gary Scelzi, 4.576 seconds, 322.58 mph vs. 16. Steve Smith, 4.953, 253.42; 2. Larry Dixon, 4.588, 316.38 vs. 15. Bobby Baldwin, 4.925, 279.32; 3. Mike Dunn, 4.591, 326.79 vs. 14. Paul Romine, 4.829, 310.48; 4. Doug Kalitta, 4.617, 302.62 vs. 13. Bruce Litton, 4.764, 311.56; 5. Kenny Bernstein, 4.631, 316.60 vs. 12. Doug Herbert, 4.714, 282.72; 6. Andrew Cowin, 4.655, 309.27 vs. 11. Tony Schumacher, 4.683, 314.97; 7. Darrell Russell, 4.660, 314.53 vs. 10. David Grubnic, 4.682, 309.34; 8. Clay Millican, 4.667, 318.84 vs. 9. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 4.677, 306.12. 

Funny Car -- 1. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.812, 317.19 vs. 16. Chuck Etchells, Chevy Camaro, 4.960, 307.58; 2. Frank Pedregon, Pontiac Firebird, 4.860, 302.01 vs. 15. Bruce Sarver, Firebird, 4.956, 302.55; 3. Dean Skuza, Dodge R/T, 4.881, 310.34 vs. 14. Gary Densham, Mustang, 4.944, 300.00; 4. Del Worsham, Firebird, 4.887, 316.08 vs. 13. Whit Bazemore, Firebird, 4.942, 307.58; 5. Ron Capps, Camaro, 4.889, 311.41 vs. 12. Johnny Gray, Firebird, 4.941, 308.00; 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., Camaro, 4.909, 309.42 vs. 11. Jim Epler, Camaro, 4.929, 312.13; 7. Tony Bartone, Firebird, 4.917, 300.20 vs. 10. Tim Wilkerson, Firebird, 4.927, 309.63; 8. Tony Pedregon, Mustang, 4.918, 313.66 vs. 9. Al Hofmann, Firebird, 4.920, 305.63. 

Pro Stock -- 1. Mark Pawuk, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.846, 200.68 vs. 16. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.909, 200.05; 2. Darrell Alderman, Dodge R/T, 6.852, 201.16 vs. 15. Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 6.904, 201.19; 3. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cavalier, 6.856, 201.70 vs. 14. George Marnell, Grand Am, 6.903, 200.11; 4. Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.863, 201.61 vs. 13. Brad Jeter, Grand Am, 6.899, 200.62; 5. Mike Edwards, Cavalier, 6.863, 201.52 vs. 12. Greg Anderson, Pontiac Firebird, 6.890, 200.62; 6. Kurt Johnson, Cavalier, 6.869, 202.24 vs. 11. Larry Morgan, R/T, 6.884, 200.35; 7. Jeg Coughlin, Cavalier, 6.879, 200.74 vs. 10. Tom Martino, Grand Am, 6.883, 200.53; 8. Rickie Smith, R/T, 6.880, 200.20 vs. 9. Mark Osborne, R/T, 6.882, 201.13. 

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.208, 188.94 vs. 16. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.398, 184.72; 2. Matt Hines, Suzuki, 7.214, 191.81 vs. 15. Clarence Markham, Suzuki, 7.391, 181.98; 3. Angelle Savoie, Suzuki, 7.239, 184.57 vs. 14. Ron Ayers, Suzuki, 7.390, 181.98; 4. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.271, 186.48 vs. 13. Paul Gast, Suzuki, 7.383, 184.77; 5. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.273, 184.40 vs. 12. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.382, 185.21; 6. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.317, 182.38 vs. 11. Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.369, 182.06; 7. Reggie Showers, Suzuki, 7.340, 186.30 vs. 10. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 7.362, 179.92; 8. Gary Tonglet, Kawasaki, 7.341, 185.89 vs. 9. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.353, 188.02. 

Pro Stock Truck -- 1. Randy Daniels, Chevy S-10, 7.431, 181.30 vs. 16. Craig Eaton, Dodge Dakota, 7.504, 178.85; 2. Greg Stanfield, S-10, 7.440, 182.08 vs. 15. Joe Pigford, S-10, 7.503, 179.83; 3. Bob Panella Jr, S-10, 7.442, 181.54 vs. 14. Vinny Barone, S-10, 7.501, 179.71; 4. Jeff Gracia, GMC Sonoma, 7.456, 179.92 vs. 13. Jeff Naiser, S-10, 7.496, 179.97; 5. Victor Cagnazzi, S-10, 7.475, 179.88 vs. 12. Todd Patterson, Dakota, 7.495, 178.78; 6. Mike Corvo Jr, Sonoma, 7.476, 179.95 vs. 11. George Supinski, S-10, 7.488, 179.56; 7. Bart Price, S-10, 7.483, 180.45 vs. 10. Don Smith, S-10, 7.487, 180.26; 8. Larry Seay, S-10, 7.483, 179.33 vs. 9. Scott Perin, S-10, 7.486, 180.16. 

NHRA.com

 




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