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NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals, Reading, Pa.
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The
latest results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals, Reading, Pa.,
the 19th stop on the 2004 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
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By Bobby Bennett Photos by Chris Simmons |
SATURDAY -LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS POSTPONED(9-17-2004) - Two days of heavy rain showers from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan completely saturated the grounds of Maple Grove Raceway Saturday, including the racer pit areas and spectator parking lots, forcing NHRA officials to postpone the 20th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals until Oct. 8-10. Two rounds of professional qualifying for all four categories will be held on Oct. 8 at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and two more qualifying sessions are set for Oct. 9 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Oct. 10. The completed qualifying session for Pro Stock and Pro Stock Bike will be carried over until the rescheduled event. Andrew Hines leads Pro Stock Bike with a 7.137 at 186.51 on a Harley-Davidson, while Ron Krisher is atop the 16-car Pro Stock field with a 6.850 at 201.37 in a Chevy Cavalier. The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series moves on to the Texas Motorplex
near Dallas for the O’Reilly Fall Nationals next weekend (Sept.
23-26) before heading to Chicago for the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA
Nationals (Sept. 30-Oct. 3) at Route 66 Raceway.
FRIDAY - KRISHER AND HINES LEAD QUALIFYING IN RAIN-SHORTENED DAY AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
(9-16-2004) - Ron Krisher and Andrew Hines were leaders Friday during a rain-shortened day of qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. Persistent rain showers forced NHRA officials to postpone a majority of racing action including both sessions in Top Fuel and Funny Car and one of two planned sessions for Pro Stock and Pro Stock Bike. Eight Pro Stock competitors weren’t able to make a pass in their only session due to wet weather conditions. The $1.7 million race is the 19th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Rain showers moved into the southeastern Pennsylvania area at 3 p.m. and continued intermittently for the rest of the afternoon before NHRA officials pulled the plug on the day around 8:45 p.m. Weather permitting, qualifying will continue Saturday with pro sessions set for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eliminations are scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. Krisher raced to the top spot in Pro Stock by clocking a 6.850 at 201.37 in his Valvoline Chevy Cavalier. Krisher, who has earned 13 No. 1 positions during his career, has not held the top spot since Dallas 2002. "This was a brand new motor and that was our first run with it so we're pretty happy," Krisher said. "Believe it or not, I really do wish the top cars had gotten a chance to run every bit as much as they would have liked to have run because I wanted to see how we would have stacked up against them. This motor isn't showing us that it's just a little bit better than the old one; it's showing us that it's a lot better.” Six-time NHRA champion Warren Johnson was second with a 6.852 at 200.89 in a his GM Performance Parts Pontiac Grand Am, while Mike Edwards drove his Young Life Grand Am to the third spot overall with a 6.855 at 200.59.
Hines paced Pro Stock Bike with a 7.137 at 186.51 on his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson. If Hines maintains the position through tomorrow’s qualifying it will be his eighth No. 1 effort of the season. "We really felt like we had to get the bike down the track because we didn't know what would happen with the weather," Hines said. "So we just went out there and laid one down just like we did at the last race in Indy. Hey, every point we earn, even the ones in qualifying, mean a lot when there's only a few races left on the schedule. "The guys found some horsepower in the last two weeks and the goal was to shoot for a number close to the sixes (six-second range) but the moisture in the air out here put that dream down in a hurry. The good news on the day was that everyone in the field got to make a run." Antron Brown was second with a 7.207 at 183.99 on his U.S. Army Suzuki, while defending series champion Geno Scali was third, posting a 7.212 at 185.10 on his Trim-Tex Suzuki. Friday's qualifying results for the 20th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, 19th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations. Pro Stock -- 1. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cavalier, 6.850, 201.37; 2. Warren Johnson, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.852, 200.89; 3. Mike Edwards, Grand Am, 6.855, 200.59; 4. Rickie Smith, Cavalier, 6.856, 201.25; 5. Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.866, 200.38; 6. Mark Whisnant, Cavalier, 6.877, 200.00; 7. JR Carr, Cavalier, 6.903, 198.67; 8. Bob Benza, Grand Am, 6.904, 199.35; 9. Ben Watson, Cavalier, 6.905, 199.88; 10. Dave Northrop, Cavalier, 6.925, 199.94; 11. Mark Pawuk, Grand Am, 6.928, 198.15; 12. David Strouse Jr., Cavalier, 7.023, 196.67; 13. Fernando Cuadra, Cavalier, 7.609, 137.15; 14. Allen Johnson, Dodge Stratus, 7.617, 125.54; 15. V. Gaines, Stratus, 7.729, 123.80; 16. Bill Shorts, Cavalier, 11.903, 64.59. Pro Stock Bike -- 1. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.137, 186.51; 2. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.207, 183.99; 3. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.212, 185.10; 4. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.223, 185.74; 5. Chip Ellis, 7.224, 183.34; 6. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 7.227, 182.75; 7. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson, 7.236, 185.97; 8. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.240, 187.89; 9. Angelle Savoie, Suzuki, 7.243, 183.92; 10. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.251, 183.07; 11. Tommy Grimes, Suzuki, 7.269, 183.10; 12. Chip Hunter, Suzuki, 7.286, 181.03; 13. Blaine Hale, Suzuki, 7.288, 183.44; 14. Lloyd Straus, Suzuki, 7.306, 179.49; 15. Paul Gast, Suzuki, 7.324, 182.11; 16. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.327, 181.28.
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